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 Vvv^>@  Nature  to  the  riivsical  Condition  of  Man.    Is.  Gd. 
 
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 '  >  ^i«M^  considered     wi<li    reference   to    Natural    Theolo-'v.      Portrait   of   the  Earl    of 
 
 V^-^:i?;3  lirldrjeKiiter.    lis.  6d. 
 
 23.  SCHOUWS    EARTH,    PLANTS,    AND    MAN,    and    KOBELL'S   SKETCHES 
 
 Iknirky,  F.K  S.,  &c 
 
 y^?:\s^ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ^v. 
 
 -'I  \/^r>^ 
 
 Ss9 
 
 f->>jjd 
 
 FROM  THE  MINERAL  KINGDOM,  Translated  by  A.  ne.i,,Kr.i,  r.n  .-.,  oce.     t>SAM-\-> 
 
 24.  BRIDGEWATER    TREATISES.      Cii.M.Mr.Rs    on    the    Adaptation  of    p:.xterna.    (dlo,x''AN/; 
 
 Nature  to  the  .Moral  and  Intcilcctual  Constitution  of  Man,  wiljli  the  Author's  last    ^^-A'/q 
 Corrections,  and  ]?io<:rap!iical  Skcleh  bv  the  Rkv.  1);:.  Gumming.  fe^'!oN/-^^"~' 
 
 25.  BACONS    NOVUM    ORGANUM    AND    ADVANCEMENT   OF    LEiARNING.    ^tS^ViV'^'! 
 
 Com;)lcte,  with  Notes,  bv  J.  Dkvkt,  M.A.  ^VSo''''' j''/^' 
 
 26  &i  27.  HUMPHREYS  COIN  COLLECTOR'S  MANUAL:  a  popular  tiitroduction    sS'^.vr-<7; 
 to  llie  Study  of  Coins,  ancient  and  modern;  with  cl.-iburale  Hide.ves,  and  numeroua 
 h'i(ihly-fini.^hed  Engracinos  on  Wood  and  Steel,  2  Vols. 
 
 29.  COMTES   PHILOSOPHY   OF  THE    SCIENCES,  Edited  from   the   'Cours  de 
 
 I'hilosophie  I'ositive.'  br  G.  H.  Lkwks,  Esq. 
 
 30.  MANTELLS   (Dk.)  GEOLOGICAL   EXCURSfONS.    inchidit.-r  THE   ISLE  OF 
 
 WIGHT.   New  Edition,  bv  T.  Rlpkrt  Jonks.      Wohlcnts  and  llap. 
 
 31.  HUNTS    POETRY   OF   SCIENCE;   or,  Studies  of  the  Physical  Phenomena  of 
 
 Nature.    Third  Edition,  revised  and  enlarged. 
 32  6l  33.  ENNEMOSERS  HISTORY  OF  MAGIC.    Translated  from  the  German  by 
 Wii.MAM  HowiTT.    With  an  Ap|)cndi.\  bv  .Mary  Howrir.    In  2  Vols. 
 
 34.  HUNTS  ELEMENTARY  PHYSICS-     Ni'.merons  Woodcuts. 
 
 35.  HANDBOOK  OF  DOMESTIC  MEDICI  NE,  bv  an  eminent  Physician  (700  pages). 
 
 36.  STANLEY  S  CLASSIFIED  SYNOPSIS  of  Dutch,  riemish,  ami  German  Painters. 
 
 R  ^ 
 
 wmmmmm^. 
 
i^/:^^JVv^/Cs^^^7^c^>7S::-''^^T^r.  c7-^>jC;-^<;^',S>7>^^ 
 
 C$Qii^ 
 
 BOHN'S  SCIENTIFIC  LIBEARY, 
 
 ^iy^K 
 
 m     37.  BRIDGEWATER' TREATISES.    Prout    on   Cliemistrv,    Meterology,    and    th« 
 
 s>;?»  J-unctiou  of  Diijestimi.     Kdited  bv  Dr.  GRiryiTHs.     Coloured  Maps. 
 
 >i^     38.  JOYCE'S  SCIENTIFIC  DIALOGUES-     ^ew   and  Enlarged  Edition,  completed 
 
 J^o  in  the  present  stutc  of  tiiowlcdiie  !>▼  i)u.  Griffiths.     JS'umerotis  If'uodcuts. 
 
 ^     39.  STOCKHARDTS  AGRICULTURAL    CHEMISTRY:    or,    CHEMICAL  FIELD 
 
 S.^  LECTURES.     Addreased  to  Farmeis.     Witli  Notes  by  pKOfJissou  llESFRiiY  and 
 
 sg  a  Piiperon  IdQUli)  MANURK,  l)v.I.J.  .Mkchi,  Esq. 
 
 >55     40.  BLAIRS   CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLES,    rkvisku  and  exlakgkd  ;    compre- 
 
 s^  kending  tlie  ClironoloKj  and   Histurv  of  ilie  World  to  1856.     Hv  J.  W.  KosaE, 
 
 K^  (npwards  of  SOU  pagesj.     Double  voiuaie,  lO^.— or  half  morocco,  12*.  M. 
 
 41.  BOLLEYS  MANUAL  OF  TECHNICAL  ANALYSIS;  a  Guide  for  the  Testisgof 
 
 Natural  and  ArtiticiiU  Subsitaucus,  liv  ]{.  IL  Paul.    100  Wood  Ei^-gravings. 
 
 42afc47.  MANTELLS  WONDERS  OF  GEOLOGY;  7tli  edit,  revised  by  T.  Rupekt 
 
 JoNKs.  Ciiloured  Gi^olo^ical  Map  of  Eu'^laiid;  :2()U  wood-cuts.    2  vols.  ?*•  Gi^-  each, 
 
 43  Si- 46.  CARPENTER'S  ZOOLOGY;  rcviied  :vud  cointjleted  to  tlie   present  lime. 
 
 !'3^  2  vo!^.,  (iiea.'lv  6  ii)  pa.;es  eacli^,  Gv.  e;ich.     With  manv  hundred  Wood  Hni;raviny:3. 
 
 :?    44  CARPENTcftS  MECHANICAL  PHILOSOPHY,  ASTRONOMY  &- HOROLOGY. 
 
 ■  .J  With  ISl  Illustrations. 
 
 4<3  '\o  2i  53.  INDEX  OF  DATES,  coniprcliending  the  principal  Tacts  in  the  Chronology  and 
 ;^>^  History  of  Mie  World,  from   tiie  earliest    to    the  pres-ent  lime.     By  J.  W.  Kossb. 
 
 2^  two"  parts,  forming  one  very  thick  volume,  V^s  ;  or  half  morocco,  12.?.  6,/. 
 
 ^^  43  ot  49.  MANTELL'S  MEDALS"  OF  CREATION;  or,  First  Lessons  in  Geology 
 'y>^  and  in  ihe  Siudy  ol  <)r>:anic  iteiuMius.     2  thick  vols.     Second  edition,  extensively 
 
 ^?  revised,  v.ith  scver;d   iuuidred   wood-cuts  of  fossil  Remains.     The  £.  vols,  l.^j. 
 
 ^^  50.  HUMBOLDT'S  COSMOS.  Vol.  V.  Terrestrial  Phenomena,  Volcanoes,  Earth- 
 'M,  -iUiikes,  Springs,  &c.     w. 
 
 -2^    51.  CARPENTtR'3  VEGETABLE  PHYS'OLOGY  AND  SYSTErJJATIC  BOTANY. 
 
 ^  Is'ew  edition,  careiuUv  revised.     217  Wood  Ens-ravines.     Ca. 
 
 /^  6.Q..  OE  .JUSSiEU'5  ELCMENTS  OF  BOTANy/ By  Jr  H-  Wir.sox.  750  wood  cuti 
 '^>^  63.  CHEVREUL  ON.  COLOUR  ;  its  Harmony,  Contrast  and  Application.  ]Jy  Chahles 
 °$^  Maetki,.     (t'he  only  editioii  wiiich  gives  the  entire  work).     Plates,  uj. 
 
 4>^  Or,  with  the  addition  of  IG.  coloured  pUites,  'ts.  6d. 
 
 1  BOHH'S  SimSTSATED  LIBRARY. 
 
 ;i  Vuifc-rM  wUh  the  SfA.\D.\.UD  Libkarv,  at  n,^.  j.er  rohime. 
 
 •^:5     '1  to  8.    LODGES  PORTRAITS  OF  ILLUSTRIOUS  PERSONAGES  OF  GREAT 
 
 HIUTAIN.     S  Vuls.,j)ost  8vo.     imtoitmUs. 
 9.  CRUrKSH-^WKS  THREE  COURSES  AND  DESSERT,  with  bQ  lib, st rations. 
 10-  PiCKE.TiNQ.3  RACES  OF  MAN.     With  numerous  i'oWrm/A-,  (or coloured  7.?.  6(/.) 
 n,  KITTOS  SJ-RiPTURE  LANDS,  AND  BIBLICAL  ATLAS,   with  24  Map.i,    hs 
 
 Coluureil,  'Is.  6.1. 
 
 12.  WHITE'S  SELBORNE,  hy  Sir  William  Jaroink  and  E.Jesse.    AOJiue  If'oo. 
 Eaprtn-i'i'js,  "■?.     Or,  coloured,  7-'-  64/. 
 
 13.  DIDRON'S' CHRISTIAN  ICONOGRAPHY.     With  150  EngravinfiK     Vol.  T. 
 
 14.  REDDING   O-N    VViNES.     New  and  Revised  Ivliiiou,  wi^A  2n  «r«/(/(/'Ki  /V«0(.'rw/.j, 
 15  &,  IQ.  ALLEN'S  BATTLES  OF  THE  BRITISH  NAVY.    New  Editiou.     Enlarged 
 
 liV  the  Aulhor.     Ni'inerov.s  tine  t'urtriiUs  on  Steel.     2  Vols. 
 17  &  IS.  ROME  iN   THE    NKNETTEENTH  CENTURY.     Eiflh  Edition,  in  2   Vols, 
 
 vnlh  :U  iiii'^  Sterl  /■Jur/rai'-ui/.s.  and  hide.'C. 
 19.  LAAXSVELLS  VICTORIES  OF  WELLINGTON  AND  THE  BRITISH  ARMIES, 
 /^V7X'~-43  wilfi  t'li'/niviin/s  (jh  S/.-el. 
 
 iY^,;>.:;f,    20.  LIFE  OF  WELLINGTON,  by  "  .A.v  Or.n  Soi.dik.r,"  com])ilcd  from  the  materials  of 
 "JC-C/^rvt  Maxwell;  with  an  Account" of  the  Fimend.  IS  kiffhly -finished  stefil  Kngrumnc^S' 
 
 'vVfi^    21.  MARY  AND     WM.  HO  WITT'S  STORIES  OF  ENGLISH  AND  FOREIGN  LIFE, 
 
 A'v'o^tS  22,  EECHSTEIN'S    CAGE   and    CHAMBER    BIRDS,   including  Swiokt's   Warblers. 
 
 Vii'^v-C^*  ^\yix  Kdiliuii,  "jrreailv  enlanrcd,  nimicrot's  I'latcs  (or  Culovred,  '!s.  Cid.) 
 
 "'.'^■(^^  23.  NORWAY  AND    ITS  SCENERY,  comprism-  IMuck's  Journal,  with  larire  .Addi- 
 
 :V,,j;'w^:?  timis  and  a  15'ad  Hook.     Kdiied  by  Thos.  Forkstke,  Esq.     U'Uk  22  iilitsi'^ilioju, 
 
 ^^V^/^^X^  bcauti/'ulltf  .liiiyfacfd  on  SUel  h'j  Litca.i. 
 
 A/V\.^^  •»*  The  Koad  liook  is  uold  separately,  prica  2». 
 
BOHNS  ILLUSTRATED  LIBKARY. 
 
 oT^CHINA:   pictorial,  descriptive,  and  historical,  Nvith some  account 
 
 of  'iva  and  the  Burmese,  Siam  and  Assuia.     llluslrattd  by  100  IFood  Enqravinfjs. 
 25.  pictorial  handbook  OF  LONDON,    ^f'it-h  205  Engvavlnjs  add  large  Map. 
 
 CALENDAR      OF     THE     SEASONS. 
 
 35. 
 
 36. 
 
 37. 
 
 f^2    38, 
 
 PICTORIAl 
 
 26.  MARY      HOWITT'S     PICTORIAL 
 
 Upwards  of  100  lUitstrations. 
 
 27.  DANTE,  translated  into  English  Verse  by  I.  C.  Weight,  M.A.  Tliird  Edition, 
 carefully  revised.    Portrait,  aud  34  Illustrations  on  Steel,  after  Flaxman. 
 
 28  &  29.  MUDIE'S  BRITISH  BIRDS-   2  Vols.,  with  biff/nres  of  Birds,  and  7  of  Eggs. 
 
 (Or,  Kith  the  Plates  Coloured,  "is.  &d.  per  Vol.) 
 30   ■'"ASSO'S  JERUSALEM  DELIVERED,  translated  into  English  Verse,  by  J.  H. 
 
 WiFfKX.     4l1i  Edition.     21  Engravings  on  Wood,  and  S  on  Steel. 
 
 31.  INDIA:  PICTORIAL,  DESCRIPTIVE,  AND  HISTORICAL,  fiom  the  Earliest 
 Times  to  the  I'resejit.     IJap  and  npicards  of  100  Engravings  on  Wood. 
 
 32.  NICOLINIS  HISTORY  OF  THE  JESUITS.  Portraits  o/ Loyola,  Luinez,  Xavier, 
 Borgia,  Acquaviva,  Pere  la  Chaise,  Ricci,  and  Pope  Ganganelli. 
 
 33.  ROBINSON  CRUSOE,  with  lUustratious  by  Stotuakd  and  Haevby,  12  heaiUifid 
 Engravings  on  Steed,  and  74  on  Wood. 
 
 34.  WALKER'S  MANLY  EXERCISES;  containing  Skating,  Riding,  Driving,  Shooting, 
 Sailing,  Rowing,  Swimuiinu'-,  &.c.    Tenth  Edition,  revised,  with  numerous  Plates. 
 
 MILLERS   HISTORY   0F''THE   ANGLO-SAXONS,   on  the  basis  of  Shakon 
 
 Tlkner.     Portrait  of  Alfred,  Man,  and  12  Engravings  on  Steel  alter  liarvey. 
 MICHAEL    ANGELO    AND    RAPHAEL.      By    Duppa   and  Quatekmeke    be 
 
 QuiNCY.    'With  l:i  hi^hly-tinished  Engravings,  including  the  Cartoons. 
 WALTON'S  COMPLETE  ANGLER  j  with  J."otes,  practical  and  historical.  Edited 
 
 by  Ej).  Jesse  and  Henry  G.  Bohn.     Embellished  with  203  Engravings  on  Wood, 
 
 price  ay.; — or  with  the  addiiiou  of  26  Engravings  on  Steel,  7^.  6^/. 
 MARRYAT'3  MASTERMAN  READY;  with  93  Engravings  on  Wood. 
 
 39.  TALES  OF  THE  GEN  1 1.     With  numerous  Wood  cut*  and  12  Steel  Engi^avings. 
 
 40.  GUIDE  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  POTTERY  AND  PORCELAIN;  com- 
 prising thfe  Beknal  Catalogue,  with  Prices  and  Names;  an  Introductory  Essay, 
 and  a  List  of  all  the  known  Marks  and  Monograms.     By  H.  G.  Bohn. 
 
 41.  THE  LIFE  OF  ALEXANDER  POPE,  including  many  of  his  Letters.  By  Robeet 
 Carkuthees.     Revised  and  co^lsiderably  enlarged ;  numtrous  Wood  Engravings. 
 
 %2.  POPE'S  HOMER'S  ILIAD.    With  Eiaxniau's  Designs,  and  Introduction  and  ^'otes, 
 
 bv  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Watson,  M..\. 
 43.  BONOMI'S  NINEVEH  AND  ITS  PALACES-  New  Edition,  including  an  Account 
 
 of  the  Assvrian  Sciilptuies  recentlv  added  to  the  British  Museum.  300  Engravings. 
 POPE'S  HOMERS  ODYSSEY.     ^\"ith  the  Battle  of  Frogs  and  Mice,  Hymns,  Sec, 
 
 by  other  Translators,  including  Chapman.     With  Flaxman's  Designs. 
 Sc  50.  POPE'S   POETICAL  WORKS,   edited    by   Robkrt  Caeeuthees.    New 
 
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 &  52.   ARIOSTO'S   ORLANDO    FURIOSO,  in  English  Verse,  by  W.  S.  Rose. 
 
 With  Portra  t  and  12  tine  Euirravinsrs  on  Steel.     Complete  in  2   v.ils. 
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 55.  STARLING'S  (MISS)  NOBLE  DEEDS  OF  WOMAN.     U  steel  Engravings. 
 
 56.  BUTLER'S  HUDIBRAS,  witii  variorum  notes.  Edited  by  Heney  G.  Bohn.  SO 
 woodcuts,  5.J.— Or,  with  G2  Portraits.     Bound  in  2  vol*.     105. 
 
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 SHOOTING.    Jiy  Ceaven.  With  62  Illustrations  on  Wood,  and  Uou  Steel. 
 
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 and  .Vcconiplishinents,  completed  to  the  present  time,  and  edited  by  distinguished 
 Professors.     With  1200  woodculs,  and  several  fine  entiravings  on  steel,     fs.  (id.        6J^>/'~.;s< 
 
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 Districts.     By  TuujiAS  Fouestku.     With  2S  engravings  on  steel.  S^}^^'^' 
 
 44. 
 45 
 
 46. 
 
 48 
 
 54.  JE$ 
 
BOHN'S  ANTIQUARIAN   LIBRARY. 
 
 BEDE'S  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 
 
 THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE. 
 
u. 
 
Dvjreni*  Kj-.)p:iHTKl  WlXCWVllMa- 
 
VENERABLE  BEDE'S 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL     HISTORY 
 OF  ENGLAND. 
 
 ALSO  THE 
 
 AI^GLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE. 
 
 ILLUSTRATIVE   NOTES,   A   MAP   OF   ANGLO-SAXON   ENGLAND, 
 AND   A  GENERAL   INDEX. 
 
 EDITED 
 
 BY  J.  A.  GILES,  D.C.L., 
 
 LATE  FELLOW  OF  CORPUS  CHEISTI  COLLEGE,  OXFORD. 
 
 THIRD    EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 HENRY  G.  BOHN,  YORK  STREET,  COVENT  GARDEN. 
 
 M.DCCC.LIX. 
 
LONDON : 
 
 J.   HADDOX,   PRINTER,   3,   BOUVERIE   STREET,    FLEET    STREET. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 CHAP.  I.— INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The  period  of  six  hundi-ed  years  (from  about  a.d.  466  to 
 1066),  during  which  the  Anglo-Saxons  were  dominant  in 
 England,  has  always  been  viewed  with  much  interest  and 
 attention  by  the  modern  English,  particularly  of  our  own 
 day.  Nor  are  we  at  a  loss  to  discover  the  true  explanation 
 of  this  fact.  A  nation  will  always  be  most  attached  to  that 
 portion  of  its  former  history  which  developes  a  state  of 
 things,  polity,  and  institutions,  similar  to  their  own,  and 
 adapted  to  become  a  model  for  their  imitation.  Now  the 
 tendency  of  the  present  times  is  to  enlarge  the  rights  and 
 privileges  of  the  people,  that  they  may — all,  and  not  merely 
 a  section  of  them — enjoy  as  much  happiness  in  their  social 
 life  and  during  their  existence  on  the  earth,  as  the  constitution 
 of  their  nature  requires ;  and,  moreover,  that  they  shall,  as  a 
 body,  have  the  privilege  of  judging  for  themselves  in  what 
 way  the  largest  share  of  enjoyment  may  be  obtained.  Hence 
 has  arisen  that  renewal  of  attention  which  the  people  of 
 England  at  present  devote  to  that  part  of  English  history 
 which  preceded  the  Norman  conquest.  Then  are  supposed 
 to  have  been  planted  those  seeds  of  national  liberty  which, 
 under  every  form  of  cutting  and  pruning  to  which  the  plant 
 may  occasionally  have  been  subjected,  have  nevertheless  con- 
 tinually germinated,  until  the  tree,  like  that  which  sprang 
 from  the  grain  of  mustard -seed,  bids  fair  to  overshadow 
 all  of  us. 
 
 To  Such  a  spirit  of  inquiry  must  be  attributed  the  fact 
 that  the  Anglo-Saxon  Ecclesiastical  History  by  the  Venerable 
 Bede,  has  already,  before  the  appearance  of  this  volume,  been 
 pubhshed  in  three  separate  editions  in  about  seven  years ; 
 and  to  the  same  cause  must  be  ascribed  the  publication  of 
 this  volume,  in  which,  at  an  unprecedented  low  price,  are 
 now  for  the  first  time  presented  to  the  public  the  two  great 
 
VI  PREFACE. 
 
 Chronicles  of  Anglo-Saxon  History.  Although  of  limited 
 dimensions,  they  present  us  with  a  most  extraordinary  num- 
 ber of  facts  arranged  chronologically,  and  form  a  mass  of 
 liistory  such  as  no  other  nation  of  Europe  possesses. 
 
 CHAP.  II.— LIFE  OF  BEDE. 
 Sect.  I.— Of  his  birth. 
 
 The  year  of  our  Lord  673,  remarkable  for  one  of  the  most 
 important  of  our  early  English  councils,  held  at  Hertford, 
 for  the  purpose  of  enforcing  certain  general  regulations  of 
 the  church,  has  an  equal  claim  on  our  attention,  as  the  year 
 in  which  that  great  teacher  of  religion,  literature,  and  science, 
 the  Venerable  Bede,  first  saw  the  light. 
 
 The  time  of  his  birth  has,  however,  been  placed  by  some 
 writers  as  late  as  a.d.  677,  but  this  error  arose  from  not  per- 
 ceiving that  the  last  two  or  three  pages  of  liis  Chronological 
 Epitome,  attached  to  the  Ecclesiastical  History,  were  added 
 by  anotlier  hand.* 
 
 Bede's  own  words  appear  decisive  in  fixing  the  date  of  his 
 birth ; — "  This  is  the  present  state  of  Britain,  about  285 
 years  since  the  coming  of  the  Saxons,  and  in  the  seven  hun- 
 dred and  thirty-first  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation."  To 
 this  he  subjoins  a  short  chronology  which  comes  down  to 
 731,  and  was  continued  to  734,  either  by  another  hand  or  by 
 Bede  himself,  at  a  later  period  just  before  his  death  :  he  then 
 gives  a  short  account  of  the  principal  events  of  his  own  life, 
 and  says,  that  he  has  attained  (attigisse)  the  fifty-ninth  year 
 of  liis  Hfe.  Gehle,  in  his  recent  publication  on  the  life  of 
 Bede,  has  not  scrupled  to  fix  the  year  672,  interpreting 
 Bede's  expression  that  he  had  attained  liis  fifty-ninth  year  as 
 implying  that  he  was  entering  on  his  sixtieth.  On  the  other 
 hand,  another  learned  critic,f  whose  opinion  has  been  adopted 
 by  Stevenson  in  his  Litroduction  [p.  7],  has  endeavoured 
 to  show  that  674  is  the  true  date.  But  in  so  unimportant  a 
 particular  it  is  hardly  worth  while  to  weigh  the  conflicting 
 opinions,  and  the  intermediate  date,  so  long  ago  settled  by 
 
 •  Mabill.  in  v.  Bed.  sect.  ii.  Sim.  Dun.  de  Ecc.  D.  8,  and  Ep.  de  Archie. 
 Ebor.  Stubbs's  Act.  Pont.  Eborac.  Sparke's  Hist.  Ang.  Scrip.  1723. 
 Surtces'  Hist,  of  Durham,  ii.  p.  QQ. 
 
 t  Pagi  Critic,  in  Baron.  Ann.  a.d.  693,  sect.  8. 
 
LIFE    OF    BEDE.  Vll 
 
 Mabillon,  and  apparently  so  well  borne  out  by  Bede's  own 
 words,  is  perhaps  the  best  that  can  be  adopted. 
 
 It  is  always  to  be  regretted,  when  little  is  known  of  the 
 early  life  of  eminent  men,  as  in  all  cases  where  many  facts 
 have  been  handed  down  concerning  the  years  of  their  youth, 
 something  or  other  has  invariably  broken  forth  significant  of 
 their  future  life  and  fortunes.  So  very  little,  however,  is 
 known  of  this  great  ornament  of  England  and  father  of  the 
 universal  church,  that,  except  his  own  writings,  the  letter  of 
 Cuthbert  his  disciple,  and  one  or  two  other  almost  contempo- 
 rary records,  we  have  no  means  whatever  of  tracing  his  pri- 
 vate history. 
 
 The  place  of  his  birth  is  said  by  Bede  himself  to  have 
 been  in  the  ten-itory  afterwards  belonging  to  the  twin-mon- 
 asteries of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  at  Wearmouth  and  Jar- 
 row.  The  whole  of  this  territory,  lying  along  the  coast  near 
 the  mouths  of  the  rivers  Tyne  and  Wear,  was  granted  to 
 abbat  Benedict  by  king  Egfrid  two  years  after  the  birth  of 
 Bede.  William  of  Malmesbury  points  out  more  minutely 
 the  spot  where  our  author  first  saw  the  light.  His  words 
 are  these :  "  Britain,  wliich  some  writers  have  called  another 
 world,  because,  from  its  lying  at  a  distance,  it  has  been  over- 
 looked by  most  geographers,  contains  in  its  remotest  parts  a 
 place  on  the  borders  of  Scotland,  where  Bede  was  born  and 
 educated.  The  whole  country  was  formerly  studded  with 
 monasteries,  and  beautiful  cities  founded  therein  by  the  Ro- 
 mans ;  but  now,  owing  to  the  devastations  of  the  Danes  and 
 Normans,  it  has  notliing  to  allure  the  senses.  Through  it 
 runs  the  Wear,  a  river  of  no  mean  width,  and  of  tolerable 
 rapidity.  It  flows  into  the  sea,  and  receives  ships,  which 
 are  driven  thither  by  the  wind,  into  its  tranquil  bosom.  A 
 certain  Benedict  built  two  churches  on  its  banks,  and  found- 
 ed there  two  monasteries,  named  after  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul, 
 and  united  together  by  the  same  rule  and  bond  of  brotherly 
 love."*  The  birth  of  Bede  happened  in  the  third  year  of 
 Egfrid,  son  of  Oswy,  the  first  of  the  kings  of  Northumber- 
 land, after  the  union  of  the  provinces  Deira  and  Bernicia 
 into  one  monarchy.  The  dominions  of  this  king  extended 
 from  the  Humber  to  the  Frith  of  Forth,  and  compre- 
 hended all  the  six  northern  counties  of  England,  and  the 
 ♦  Hist,  of  the  Kings  of  England,  book  i.  chap,  iii.,  p.  54. 
 
Vlll  PREFACE. 
 
 whole  of  the  southern  part  of  Scotland.  The  piety  of  Eg- 
 frid  induced  him  to  grant  the  large  tract  of  land  above  men- 
 tioned to  one  Biscop,  surnamed  Benedict,  who  had  formerly- 
 been  one  of  his  thanes,  but  now  became  a  monk,  and  built 
 thereon  a  monastery,  which  he  dedicated  to  St.  Peter,  on  the 
 north  bank  of  the  river  Wear,  and  which  from  tliis  circum- 
 stance derived  the  name  of  Wearmouth.  The  same  pious 
 abbat,  eight  years  after  [a.d.  682],  built  another  monastic 
 estabUshment,  which  he  dedicated  to  St.  Paul,  at  Jarrow,  on 
 the  banks  of  the  Tyne,  at  the  distance  of  about  five  miles 
 from  the  former.  In  memory  of  this,  the  following  inscrip- 
 tion, which  has  been  preserved,  was  carved  on  a  tablet  in  the 
 church  at  Jarrow : — 
 
 Dedicatio  Basilicas 
 
 S.  Pauli  VIII  Kal.  Mail 
 
 Anno  XV  Egfridi  regis 
 
 Ceolfridi  Abb.  ejusdemque 
 
 Ecclesise  Deo  auctore 
 
 Conditoris  anno  IV. 
 
 The  Dedication  of  the  Church 
 
 of  Saint  Paul,  on  the  24th  of  April 
 
 in  the  fifteenth  year  of  king  Egfrid 
 
 and  in  the  fourth  year  of  abbat  Ceolfrid, 
 
 who,  under  God,  founded  the  same  church. 
 
 These  two  establishments  were  for  many  years  ruled  by 
 Benedict  himself,  and  his  associates  Ceolfrid,  Easterwin,  and 
 Sigfrid,  and  from  the  unity  and  concord  which  prevailed 
 between  the  two,  deserved  rather,  as  Bede  expresses  it,  to 
 be  called  "one  single  monastery  built  in  two  different 
 places."  * 
 
 We  cannot  be  certain  as  to  the  exact  spot,  but  it  is  sufiici- 
 ently  near  the  mark  to  ascertain  that  Bede  was  bom  in  the 
 neighbourhood  of  these  two  monasteries,  and  probably  in  the 
 village  of  Jarrow. 
 
 Of  his  parents  nothing  has  been  recorded.  He  tells  us,  in 
 his  own  short  narrative  of  himself,  that  he  was  placed,  at 
 the  age  of  seven  years,  under  the  care  of  abbat  Benedict,  in 
 the  abbey  of  Wearmouth,  that  of  Jarrow  being  not  yet 
 built.  When,  however,  this  second  establishment  was 
 founded,  Bede  appears  to  have  gone  tliither  under  Ceolfrid 
 
 •  Leland.  Antiq.  de  Reb.  Brit.  Coll.  ed.  Heame,  iii.  42. 
 
LIFE    OF    BEDE.  IX 
 
 its  first  abbat,  and  to  have  resided  there  all  the  remainder  of 
 his  life. 
 
 Sect.  2. — Of  his  youth. 
 
 For  a  youth  of  such  studious  habits  and  indefatigable  in- 
 dustry, no  situation  could  have  been  more  appropriate  than 
 that  in  which  he  was  now  placed.  Benedict  Biscop,  the 
 founder  of  the  monasteries,  was  a  man  of  extraordinary 
 learning  and  singular  piety.  Though  a  nobleman  by  birth, 
 he  was  unwearied  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge,  and  in  ameli- 
 orating the  condition  of  his  country.  In  order  to  accomplish 
 his  benevolent  intentions,  he  travelled  into  other  countries, 
 and  introduced  not  only  foreign  literature,  but  arts  hitherto 
 unknown,  into  our  island.  He  was  the  first  who  brought 
 masons  and  glaziers  home  with  him,  having  need  of  their 
 services  in  the  noble  buildings  which  he  erected.  He  tra- 
 velled four  or  five  times  to  Rome,  and  became  intimate  with 
 Pope  Agatho.  Here  he  was  much  captivated  with  the 
 liturgy  of  the  Roman  church,  and  their  manner  of  chanting, 
 for  until  then  the  Galilean  or  Mozarabic  liturgy  was  used 
 both  in  Britain  and  Ireland,  as  is  alluded  to  in  Augustine's 
 Questions  to  pope  Gregory.  Each  time,  on  his  return  to 
 England,  Benedict  carried  back  with  him  the  most  valuable 
 books  and  costly  relics  and  works  of  art  which  could  be  pro- 
 cured for  money.  This  collection,  which  was,  by  his  orders, 
 preserved  with  peculiar  care,  received  considerable  augment- 
 ations from  the  zeal  and  munificence  of  his  successors. 
 Bede's  thirst  for  study  was  here,  no  doubt,  satisfied  :  so  large 
 and  valuable  a  library  could  scarcely  have  been  within  his 
 reach  elsewhere,  even  among  the  other  Benedictines  of  the  day, 
 however  well  qualified  that  order  was  to  encourage  a  taste 
 for  learning,  and  to  provide  means  for  gratifying  that  taste 
 among  its  fosterUngs.  In  so  large  a  community,  too,  as  that  of 
 Wearmouth,  there  were  doubtlessly  many  scholars  of  mature 
 age,  who  would  all  assist  in  promoting  the  studies  of  so  talented 
 a  youth  as  he  who  was  now  introduced  within  their  walls. 
 
 Bede  was  not,  however,  left  to  chance,  or  the  untutored 
 dictates  of  his  own  youthful  fancy,  to  find  his  way  as  he  could 
 through  the  years  spent  in  the  rudiments  of  learning.  In 
 the  study  of  theology  and  the  Holy  Scriptures,  he  received. 
 
XU  PREFACE. 
 
 This,  however,  no  doubt  happened  after  he  took  priest's 
 orders  in  his  thirtieth  year,  though  the  eleven  years  which 
 intervened  must  have  been  sedulously  spent  in  laying  up  that 
 store  of  erudition  which  afterwards  enabled  him  to  shine  forth 
 to  the  world  in  every  department  of  literature.  For  it  does 
 not  appear  that  he  published  any  thing  in  writing  until  after 
 he  had  undergone  the  second  of  the  church's  ordinances. 
 This  we  have  from  his  own  words,  "  From  the  time  of  my 
 taking  priest's  orders,  to  the  fifty-ninth  year  of  my  age,  I 
 have  occupied  myself  in  making  these  short  extracts  from  the 
 works  of  the  venerable  fathers  for  the  use  of  me  and  mine, 
 or  in  adding  thereto  somewhat  of  my  own,  after  the  model 
 of  their  meaning  and  interpretation." 
 
 If,  however,  he  was  admitted  unusually  early  to  the  orders 
 of  deacon,  he  was  in  no  mind,  on  the  other  hand,  to  rush 
 hastily,  or  without  long  and  patient  study,  into  the  full  duty 
 of  the  priest's  office  ;  and  thus  he  devoted  eleven  patient 
 years  to  qualify  himself  for  the  various  services  which  he 
 was  preparing  to  render  to  the  literature  of  his  country,  and 
 the  interests  of  the  church. 
 
 Sect.  4. — Of  his  clerical  and  literary  labours. 
 
 The  office  of  priest,  or  mass^priest,  as  he  is  called  in  king 
 Alfred's  Anglo-Saxon  translation,  brought  Avith  it  a  consider- 
 able portion  of  duties  which  would  not  allow  him  to  devote 
 the  whole  of  his  time  to  his  favourite  occupations.  His  em- 
 ployment was  to  say  mass  in  the  church,  by  which  we  are  to 
 understand  that  he  officiated  at  the  various  masses  which 
 were  performed  at  different  hours  in  the  day,  besides  perhaps 
 assisting  in  the  morning  and  evening  prayers  of  the  monas- 
 tery. The  following  extracts  from  Anglo-Saxon  writers, 
 quoted  by  Sharon  Turner,  will  well  describe  the  responsible 
 functions  which  were  supposed  to  belong  to  the  priest's 
 office. 
 
 "  Priests  !  you  ought  to  be  well  provided  with  books  and 
 apparel  as  suits  your  condition.  The  mass-priest  should  at 
 least  have  his  missal,  his  singing-book,  his  reading-book,  his 
 psalter,  his  hand-book,  his  penitential,  and  his  numeral  one. 
 He  ought  to  have  his  officiating  garments,  and  to  sing  from 
 sun-rise,  with  the  nine  intervals  and  nine  readings.  His 
 sacramental  cup  should  b©  of  gold  or  silver,  glass  or  tin,  and 
 
LIFE    OF    BEDE.  Xlll 
 
 not  of  earth,  at  least  not  of  wood.  The  altar  should  be 
 always  clean,  well  clothed,  and  not  defiled  with  dirt.  There 
 should  be  no  mass  without  wine. 
 
 "  Take  care  that  you  be  better  and  wiser  in  your  spiritual 
 craft  than  worldly  men  are  in  theirs,  that  you  may  be  fit 
 teachers  of  true  wisdom.  The  priest  should  preach  rightly 
 the  true  belief ;  read  fit  discourses  ;  visit  the  sick  ;  and 
 baptize  infants,  and  give  the  unction  when  desired.  No  one 
 should  be  a  covetous  trader,  nor  a  plunderer,  nor  drunk  often 
 in  wine-houses,  nor  be  proud  or  boastful,  nor  wear  osten- 
 tatious girdles,  nor  be  adorned  with  gold,  but  to  do  honour 
 to  himself  by  his  good  morals. 
 
 "They  should  not  be  litigious  nor  quarrelsome,  nor 
 seditious,  but  should  pacify  the  contending  ;  nor  carry  arms, 
 nor  go  to  any  fight,  though  some  say  that  priests  should 
 carry  weapons  when  necessity  requires  ;  yet  the  servant  of 
 God  ought  not  to  go  to  any  war  or  military  exercise. 
 Neither  a  wife  nor  a  battle  becomes  them,  if  they  will 
 rightly  obey  God  and  keep  his  laws  as  becomes  their 
 state."* 
 
 Their  duties  are  also  described  in  the  Canons  of  Edgar  in 
 the  following  terms  :  — 
 
 "They  are  forbidden  to  carry  any  controversy  among 
 themselves  to  a  lay-tribunal.  Their  own  companions  were 
 to  settle  it,  or  the  bishop  was  to  determine  it. 
 
 "No  priest  was  to  forsake  the  church  to  which  he  was 
 consecrated,  nor  to  intermeddle  with  the  rights  of  others, 
 nor  to  take  the  scholar  of  another.  He  was  to  learn 
 sedulously  his  own  handicraft,  and  not  put  another  to  shame 
 for  his  ignorance,  but  to  teach  him  better.  The  high-born 
 were  not  to  despise  the  less-born,  nor  any  to  be  unrighteous 
 or  covetous  dealers.  He  was  to  baptize  whenever  required, 
 and  to  abolish  all  heathenism  and  witchcraft.  They  were  to 
 take  care  of  their  churches,  and  apply  exclusively  to  their 
 sacred  duties  ;  and  not  to  indulge  in  idle  speech,  or  idle 
 deeds,  or  excessive  drinking  ;  nor  to  let  dogs  come  within 
 their  church-inclosure,  nor  more  swine  than  a  man  might 
 govern. 
 
 "  They  were  to  celebrate  mass  only  in  churches,  and  on 
 the  altar,  unless  in  cases  of  extreme  sickness.  They  were 
 *  Elfric,  in  Wilkins's  Leges  Anglo-Saxon.  169 — 171» 
 
XIV  PREFACE. 
 
 to  have  at  mass  their  corporalis  garment,  and  the  subucula 
 under  their  alba  ;  and  all  their  officiating  garments  were  to 
 be  woven.  Each  was  to  have  a  good  and  right  book.  No 
 one  was  to  celebrate  mass,  unless  fasting,  and  unless  he  had 
 one  to  make  responses  ;  nor  more  than  three  times  a  day  ; 
 nor  unless  he  had,  for  the  eucharist,  pure  bread,  wine  and 
 water.  The  cup  was  to  be  of  something  molten,  not  of  wood. 
 No  woman  was  to  come  near  the  altar  during  mass.  The 
 bell  was  to  be  rung  at  the  proper  time. 
 
 "  They  were  to  preach  every  Sunday  to  the  people  ;  and 
 always  to  give  good  examples.  They  were  ordered  to  teach 
 youth  with  care,  and  to  draw  them  to  some  craft.  They 
 were  to  distribute  alms,  and  urge  the  people  to  give  them, 
 and  to  sing  the  psalms  during  the  distribution,  and  to  exhort 
 the  poor  to  intercede  for  the  donors.  They  were  forbidden 
 to  swear,  and  were  to  avoid  ordeals.  They  were  to  recom- 
 mend confession,  penitence,  and  compensation ;  to  administer 
 the  sacrament  to  the  sick,  and  to  anoint  him  if  he  desired  it ; 
 and  the  priest  was  always  to  keep  oil  ready  for  this  purpose 
 and  for  baptism.  He  was  neither  to  hunt,  or  hawk,  or  dice ; 
 but  to  play  with  his  book  as  became  his  condition."  * 
 
 But  the  duties  pointed  out  in  these  extracts  do  not  seem 
 to  have  satisfied  the  Venerable  Bede  ;  he  applied  himself  to 
 every  branch  of  literature  and  science  then  known,  and 
 besides  study,  and  writing  comments  on  the  Scriptures,  he 
 treated  on  several  subjects,  on  liistory,  astrology,  ortho- 
 graphy, rhetoric,  and  poetry  ;  in  the  latter  of  which  he  was 
 not  inferior  to  other  poets  of  that  age,  as  appears  by  what  he 
 has  left  us  on  the  Ufe  of  St.  Cuthbert,  and  some  verses  in  his 
 Kcclesiastical  History  ;  he  wrote  likewise  two  books  of  the 
 Art  of  Poetry,  which  are  not  now  extant ;  a  book  of  Hymns, 
 and  another  of  Epigrams.  Bede's  own  writings  inform  us  of 
 the  names  of  some  of  his  literary  friends ;  among  whom  were 
 Eusebius  or  Huetbert,  to  whom  he  inscribed  his  book,  De 
 Ratione  Temporum,  and  his  Interpretation  on  the  Apoca- 
 lypse, and  who  was  afterwards  abbat  of  Wearmouth : 
 Cuthbert,  called  likewise  Antonius,  to  whom  he  inscribed 
 his  book,  De  Arte  Metrica,  and  who  succeeded  Huetbert, 
 and  was  afterwards  abbat  of  Jarrow ;  he  wrote  of  his  master's 
 death,  but  of  this  hereafter  :  also  Constantino,  to  whom  he 
 *  Wilkins's  Leges  Anglo-Saxonicae,  85—87. 
 
LIFE   OF   BEDE.  XT 
 
 inscribed  Ms  book,  De  Divisione  Numerorum ;  and  Notbelm, 
 then  priest  at  London,  and  afterwards  archbishop  of  Canter- 
 bury, to  whom  he  wrote  his  Questions  on  the  Books  of 
 Kings  ;  to  which  we  may  add  several  in  other  monasteries ; 
 wliilst  others  have  improperly  classed  amongst  them  Alcuinus, 
 afterwards  preceptor  to  Charles  the  Great. 
 
 Thus  was  the  time  of  that  excellent  man  employed  in 
 doing  good  to  mankind,  seldom  or  never  moving  beyond  the 
 limits  of  his  own  monastery,  and  yet  in  the  dark  cloister  of 
 it  surveying  the  whole  world,  and  dispensing  to  it  the  gifts 
 entrusted  to  him  ;  it  seems  not  a  httle  surprising,  that  one 
 who  had  scarcely  moved  away  from  the  place  of  his  nativity, 
 should  so  accurately  describe  those  at  a  distance  ;  and  this 
 quality  in  his  writings,  when  considered  with  reference  to 
 the  age  in  which  he  Uved,  is  the  more  remarkable,  as  there 
 is  but  one  other  recorded  in  history  who  possessed  it  in  equal 
 perfection, — the  immortal  Homer. 
 
 Sect.  5. — Of  his  supposed  journey  to  Rome. 
 
 The  peaceful  tenor  of  Bede's  monastic  Hfe  was  apparently 
 uninterrupted  by  absence  or  travel,  and  his  own  words 
 might  be  thought  to  afford  sufficient  authority  for  the  sup- 
 position. A  controversy,  hoAvever,  on  this  subject  has  arisen 
 from  a  letter  first  published  by  William  of  Malmesbury, 
 which  to  this  hour  has  not  been  satisfactorily  decided.  This 
 historian  says  that  Bede's  learning  and  attainments  were  so 
 higlily  esteemed,  that  pope  Sergius  wished  to  see  him  at 
 Rome,  and  consult  him  on  questions  of  importance  and  diffi- 
 culty relating  to  the  church.  He  accordingly  quotes  a  letter, 
 addressed  by  Sergius  to  abbat  Ceolfrid,  in  which  he  is  re- 
 quested to  send  Bede  without  delay  to  Rome.  Now  it  is 
 argued,  and  apparently  with  truth,  that  Bede  would  not 
 have  dared  to  decline  an  invitation  coming  from  so  high  a 
 quarter;  and  yet  it  is  all  but  certain  that  Bede  never  was 
 out  of  England.  He  tells  us  distinctly  that  his  whole  life 
 was  spent  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Jarrow ;  and  that  the 
 letters,  which  he  has  iuGerted  in  his  Ecclesiastical  History, 
 had  been  procured  for  him  at  Rome  by  Nothelm,  which 
 would  certainly  lead  us  to  infer  that  Bede  tvas  not  there 
 himself.  Moreover,  he  tells  us  in  his  treatise,  De  Natura 
 Rerum  [46],  that  he  was  not  with  the  monks  of  Yarrow, 
 
XVI  PREFACE. 
 
 who  went  to  Rome  in  the  year  701.  It  is  therefore  certain 
 that  Bede,  if  invited,  never  went  to  Rome ;  and  it  is  most 
 probable,  as  has  been  stated  by  Gehle  in  his  Latin  Life  of 
 Bede,  that  the  unexpected  death  of  Pope  Sergius,  which 
 happened  shortly  after,  was  the  cause  of  his  not  undertaking 
 the  journey. 
 
 Sect.  6. — Of  his  pretended  residence  at  Cambridge. 
 
 It  has  been  also  asserted,  that  Bede  resided  at  the  Univer- 
 sity of  Cambridge,  and  taught  there  in  the  office  of  Professor. 
 This  has  been  maintained  by  certain  members  of  that  Uni- 
 versity, who  have  been  eager  to  claim  such  an  illustrious 
 man  as  their  own  ;  whilst  other  writers  of  the  University  of 
 Oxford  have  been  induced,  by  a  corresponding  jealousy,  to 
 deny  the  fact. 
 
 The  principal  authority  for  this  ill-supported  statement  is 
 found  in  a  volume  called  Liber  Niger,  preserved  in  the  Uni- 
 versity of  Cambridge.  Out  of  that  book,  Hearne,  in  the 
 year  1719,  published  "Nicolai  Cantalupi  Historiola  de  Anti- 
 quitate  et  Origine  Universitatis  Cantabrigiensis,  simul  cum 
 Chronicis  Sprotti  Ox."* 
 
 In  this  history  Bede  is  said,  "at  the  request  of  doctor 
 Wilfred,  and  at  the  bidding  of  abbat  Ceolfrid,  to  have  left 
 the  territory  belonging  to  the  monastery  of  St.  Peter  and 
 St.  Paul,  and  being  even  then  a  monk  in  mind  and  regular 
 discipline,  though  not  in  dress,  to  have  gone,  in  the  year 
 682,  to  Cambridge,  where  by  sowing  the  seeds  of  knowledge 
 for  himself  and  others,  by  writing  books  and  teaching  the 
 ignorant,  he  was  of  use  before  God  and  man  in  eradicating 
 prevaiUng  errors. 
 
 It  is  hardly  necessary  to  observe,  that  this  is  said  to  have 
 happened  at  a  time  when  Bede  was  little  more  than  nine 
 years  old  !  Seven  years  after  he  is  stated  to  have  had  public 
 honours  conferred  on  him  by  the  University,  and  at  a  later 
 period  to  be  still  pursuing  the  duties  of  a  teacher. 
 
 In  support  of  these  statements  a  letter  is  produced, 
 purporting  to  be  addressed  to  the  Students  of  the  University 
 
 *  This  work  has  been  t\vice  published  in  English,  under  the  following 
 titles,  "  History  and  Antiquities  of  the  University  of  Cambridge,  in  two 
 parts,  by  Richard  Parker,  B.D.,  and  Fellow  of  Caius  College,  in  16'22. 
 London,  1721  ;  and  again  prmted  for  J.  Marcus,  in  the  Poultry,  London," 
 
LIFE   OF    BEDE.  XVU 
 
 of  Cambridge,  by  Alcuin,  in  which  allusion  is  made  to  Bede 
 as  still  alive,  but  Alcuin  was  fifty  years  later  than  Bede,  and 
 the  supposed  letter  is  consequently  a  forgery. 
 
 Sect.  7. — Of  his  occasional  visits  to  his  friends. 
 
 We  may  therefore  infer  without  hesitation  that  Bede  did 
 not  travel  far  from  the  monastery.  This  is  both  plainly 
 asserted  in  his  own  account  of  his  secluded  life,  and  appears 
 also  from  the  want  of  any  evidence  to  the  contrary.  Yet  it 
 is  certain  he  made  visits  and  excursions  to  other  places ;  nor 
 can  we  suppose  that  he  confined  himself  entirely  within  the 
 monastery,  and  never  indulged  the  pleasure  of  seeing  and 
 conversing  with  his  friends.  In  his  own  letter  to  Egbert, 
 archbishop  of  York,  and  nephew  to  king  Ceolwulf,  he 
 alludes  to  a  visit  which  he  paid  to  that  nobleman  and  prelate, 
 and  acknowledges  an  invitation  to  go  there  for  the  sake  of 
 conferring  with  him  on  their  common  pursuits  in  the  year 
 following.  He  was  unable  to  comply  with  this  request,  in 
 consequence  of  illness,  and  therefore  communicated  with  his 
 Friend  by  letter.  In  another  letter,  still  extant,  addressed  to 
 Wictred*  on  the  celebration  of  Easter,  he  speaks  of  the 
 kindness  and  affability  with  which  he  had  been  received  by 
 him  Oil  a  former  occasion.  It  is  not  improbable  that  he 
 might  sometimes  likewise  pay  visits  to  the  court ;  for 
 Ceolwulf,  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  in  one  of  whose 
 provinces,  i.  e.  Bernicia,  Bede  lived,  was  himself  a  man  of 
 singular  learning,  and  a  very  great  encourager  of  it  in 
 others  ;  and  had,  doubtlessly,  an  extraordinary  respect  for 
 Bede,  as  appears  by  his  request  to  him  to  write  the 
 Ecclesiastical  History,  and  by  Bede's  submitting  the  papers 
 to  him  for  his  perusal.  That  prince  was  not  only  a  lover  of 
 learned  men  in  general,  but  especially  of  that  part  of  them 
 who  led  a  monastic  life,  insomuch  tlaat,  about  three  years 
 after  Bede's  death,  he  resigned  his  crown,  and  became  a 
 monk  at  Lindisfarne. 
 
 Sect.  8. — Of  his  death. 
 
 The  tranquillity  of  Bede's  life,  passed,  as  we  have  seen, 
 
 entirely  in  the  monastery  of  Jarrow,  has  left  it  a  difficult 
 
 task  for  his  biographers  to  extend  their  accounts  of  him  to 
 
 *  King  of  Kent. 
 
XVm  PREFACE. 
 
 that  length  which  might  seem  suitable  to  his  reputation  and 
 the  value  of  his  works.  It  has  been  truly  remarked  that 
 scholars  and  persons  of  sedentary  habits,  though  liable  to 
 frequent  petty  illnesses  from  want  of  bodily  exercise  and  too 
 great  mental  exertion,  are  nevertheless  on  the  whole  rather 
 a  long-lived  race.  This  rule  was  not  exempHfied  in  the  case 
 of  Bede.  He  seems  to  have  contracted  at  a  somewhat  early 
 period  a  complaint  in  his  stomach,  accompanied  with  short- 
 ness of  breath  :  "  So  that,"  says  Malmesbury,  "  he  suffered 
 in  his  stomach,  and  drew  his  breath  with  pains  and  sighs."* 
 An  attack  of  this  disorder  had  lately  prevented  him  from 
 visiting  his  friend  archbishop  Egbert,  and  led  to  his  writing 
 him  the  valuable  letter  on  the  duties  of  a  bishop,  which  we 
 have  still  extant.  We  are  not  informed  whether  the  dis- 
 order left  him  at  that  time,  and  came  on  afresh,  when  it  at 
 last  killed  him  ;  but  it  is  most  probable  that  he  enjoyed 
 general  ill  health  during  the  last  few  years  of  his  existence. 
 He  was  ill  some  weeks  before  he  died,  and  was  attended  by 
 Cuthbert,  who  had  been  one  of  his  pupils,  and  after  Huetbert 
 became  abbat  of  the  monastery.  The  Christian  piety  with 
 which  he  suffered  the  dispensation  which  awaited  him,  has 
 been  the  universal  theme  of  panegyric.  The  whole  scene  of 
 his  increasing  malady,  his  devout  resignation,  and  fervent 
 prayers  for  all  his  friends,  together  with  his  paternal  admo- 
 nitions for  the  regulation  of  their  lives,  and  his  uncontrollable 
 anxiety  to  dictate  to  the  boy  who  was  his  amanuensis,  even 
 to  his  last  moments,  are  so  beautifully  recorded  in  the  letter 
 of  his  pupil  Cuthbert,  that  we  shall  not  attempt  here  to 
 describe  it  in  other  terms.*]" 
 
 CUThbert's  letter  on  the  death  of 
 venerable  bede. 
 
 "  To  his  fellow  reader  Cuthwin,  beloved  in  Christ,  Cuth- 
 bert, his  school-fellow  ;  health  for  ever  in  the  Lord.  I  have 
 received  with  much  pleasure  the  small  present  which  you 
 sent  me,  and  with  much  satisfaction  read  the  letters  of  your 
 devout  erudition  ;    wherein  I  found  that  masses  and  holy 
 
 •  Hist,  of  the  Kings  of  England,  lib.  i.  c.  2. 
 
 T  See  Simeon.  Dunelm.  de  Ecc.  Dun.  ap.  Twysdeni  Scrip.  X.  I.  15, 
 p.  8.  Leland,  Collect.  Hearne,  IV.  iii.  77,    Mabilloni  Act.  Bened.  Sec.  iii. 
 
LIFE    OF    BEDE.  XIX 
 
 prayers  are  diligently  celebrated  by  you  for  our  f\\tlier  and 
 master,  Bede,  whom  God  loved  :  this  was  what  I  principally 
 desired,  and  therefore  it  is  more  pleasing,  for  the  love  of  him 
 (according  to  my  capacity),  in  a  few  words  to  relate  in  what 
 manner  he  departed  this  world,  understanding  that  you  also 
 desire  and  ask  the  same.  He  was  much  troubled  with  short- 
 ness of  breath,  yet  without  pain,  before  the  day  of  our  Lord's 
 resurrection,  that  is,  about  a  fortnight ;  and  thus  he  after- 
 wards passed  his  life,  cheerful  and  rejoicing,  giving  thanks 
 to  Almighty  God  every  day  and  night,  nay,  every  hour,  till 
 the  day  of  our  Lord's  ascension,  that  is,  the  seventh  before 
 the  kalends  of  June  [twenty-sixth  of  May],  and  daily  read 
 lessons  to  us  liis  disciples,  and  whatever  remained  of  the  day, 
 he  spent  in  singing  psalms  ;  he  also  passed  all  the  night 
 awake,  in  joy  and  thanksgiving,  unless  a  short  sleep  pre- 
 vented it ;  in  which  case  he  no  sooner  awoke  than  he  pre- 
 sently repeated  his  wonted  exercises,  and  ceased  not  to  give 
 thanks  to  God  Avith  uplifted  hands.  I  declare  with  truth, 
 that  I  have  never  seen  with  my  eyes,  nor  heard  with  my 
 ears,  any  man  so  earnest  in  giving  thanks  to  the  living  God. 
 "  0  truly  happy  man  !  He  chanted  the  sentence  of  St. 
 Paul  the  apostle,  '  It  is  dreadful  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
 living  God,'  and  much  more  out  of  Holy  Writ ;  wherein 
 also  he  admonished  us  to  think  of  our  last  hour,  and  to  shake 
 off  the  sleep  of  the  soul ;  and  being  learned  in  our  poetry, 
 he  said  some  things  also  in  our  tongue,  for  he  said,  putting 
 the  same  into  English, 
 
 "  '  For  tham  neod-fere 
 
 Nenig  wyrtheth 
 Thances  snottra 
 Thonne  him  thearf  sy 
 To  gehiggene 
 
 which  means  this  : — 
 
 "  '  No  man  is  wiser  than  is  requisite,  before  the  necessary 
 departure  ;  that  is,  to  consider,  before  the  soul  departs  hence, 
 what  good  or  evil  it  hath  done,  and  how  it  is  to  be  judged 
 after  its  departure.' 
 
 "  He  also  sang  antiphons  according  to  our  custom  and  his 
 own,  one  of  which  is,  '  O  glorious  King,  Lord  of  all  power, 
 who,  triumphing  this  day,  didst  ascend  above  all  the  heavens  ; 
 do  not  forsake  us  orphans  ;  but  send  down  upon  us  the  Spirit 
 
 c  2 
 
 Mr  Ids  heonen-gange 
 Hwet  his  gaste 
 Godes  oththe  yveles 
 -^fter  deathe  heonen 
 Denied  woirthe.' 
 
XX  PREFACE. 
 
 of  truth  which  was  promised  to  us  by  the  Father.  Hallelu- 
 jah!'  And  when  he  came  to  that  word,  'do  not  forsake  us,' 
 he  burst  into  tears,  and  wept  much,  and  an  hour  after  he 
 began  to  rej^eat  what  he  had  commenced,  and  we,  hearing  it, 
 mourned  with  him.  By  turns  we  read,  and  by  turns  we 
 wept,  nay,  we  wept  always  whilst  we  read.  In  such  joy  W3 
 passed  the  days  of  Lent,  till  the  aforesaid  day  ;  and  he  re- 
 joiced much,  and  gave  God  thanks,  because  he  had  been 
 thought  worthy  to  be  so  weakened.  He  often  repeated, 
 '  That  God  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth  ;'  and 
 much  more  out  of  Holy  Scripture ;  as  also  this  sentence  from 
 St.  Ambrose,  '  I  have  not  lived  so  as  to  be  ashamed  to  live 
 among  you ;  nor  do  I  fear  to  die,  because  we  have  a  gracious 
 God.'  During  these  days  he  laboured  to  compose  two  works 
 well  worthy  to  be  remembered,  besides  the  lessons  we  had 
 from  him,  and  singing  of  Psalms  ;  viz.  he  translated  the 
 Gospel  of  St.  John  as  lar  as  the  words  :  '  But  what  are  these 
 among  so  many,'  etc.  [St.  John,  vi.  9.]  into  our  own  tongue, 
 for  the  benefit  of  the  church  ;  and  some  collections  out  of  the 
 Book  of  Notes  of  bishop  Isidorus,  saying  :  '  I  will  not  have 
 my  pupils  read  a  falsehood,  nor  labour  therein  without  profit 
 after  my  death.'  When  the  Tuesday  before  the  ascension  of 
 our  Lord  came,  he  began  to  suffer  still  more  in  his  breath, 
 and  a  small  swelling  appeared  in  his  feet  ;  but  he  passed  all 
 that  day  and  dictated  cheerfully,  and  now  and  then  among 
 other  things,  said,  '  Go  on  quickly,  I  know  not  how  long  I 
 shall  hold  out,  and  whether  my  Maker  will  not  soon  take  me 
 away.'  But  to  us  he  seemed  very  Avell  to  know  the  time  of 
 his  ^'.cparture  ;  and  so  he  spent  the  night,  awake,  in  thanks- 
 giving ;  and  when  the  morning  appeared,  that  is,  Wednesday, 
 he  ordered  us  to  write  with  all  speed  what  he  had  begun  ; 
 and  this  done,  we  walked  till  the  third  hour  with  the  relies 
 of  saints,  according  to  the  custom  of  that  day.  There  was 
 one  of  us  with  him,  who  said  to  him,  '  Most  dear  master, 
 tliere  is  still  one  chapter  wanting  :  do  you  think  it  trouble- 
 some to  be  asked  any  more  questions  ?'  He  answered,  'It  is 
 no  trouble.  Take  your  pen,  and  make  ready,  and  write  fast.' 
 Which  he  did,  but  at  the  ninth  hour  he  said  to  me,  '  I  have 
 some  little  articles  of  value  in  my  chest,  such  as  pepper,  nap- 
 kins, and  incense  :  run  quickly,  and  bring  the  priests  of  our 
 monastery  to  me,  that  I  may  distribute  among  them  the  gifts 
 
LIFE    OF    BEDE.  XXI 
 
 which  God  has  bestowed  on  me.  The  rich  in  this  world  are 
 bent  on  giving  gold  and  silver  and  other  precious  things. 
 But  I,  in  charity,  will  joyfully  give  my  brothers  what  God 
 has  given  unto  me.'  He  spoke  to  every  one  of  them,  admo- 
 nishing and  entreating  them  that  they  would  carefully  say 
 masses  and  prayers  for  him,  which  they  readily  promised  ; 
 but  they  all  mourned  and  wept,  especially  because  he  said, 
 *  They  should  no  more  see  his  face  in  this  world.'  They  re- 
 joiced for  that  he  said,  '  It  is  time  that  I  return  to  Him  who 
 formed  me  out  of  nothing  :  I  have  lived  long  ;  my  merciful 
 Judge  well  foresaw  my  life  for  me  ;  the  time  of  my  dissolu- 
 tion draws  nigh  ;  for  I  desire  to  die  and  to  be  with  Christ.' 
 Having  said  much  more,  he  passed  the  day  joyfully  till  the 
 evening  ;  and  the  boy,  above  mentioned,  said  :  '  Dear  master, 
 there  is  yet  one  sentence  not  written.'  He  answered,  '  Write 
 quickly.'  Soon  after,  the  boy  said,  'The  sentence  is  now 
 written.'  He  replied,  '  It  is  well,  you  have  said  the  truth.  It 
 is  ended.  Receive  my  head  into  your  hands,  for  it  is  a  great 
 satisfaction  to  me  to  sit  facing  my  holy  place,  where  I  was  wont 
 to  pray,  that  I  may  also  sitting  call  upon  my  Father.'  And 
 thus  on  the  pavement  of  his  little  cell,  singing :  '  Glory  be  to  the 
 Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,'  when  he  had 
 named  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  breathed  his  last,  and  so  departed 
 to  the  heavenly  kingdom.  All  who  were  present  at  the  death 
 of  the  blessed  father,  said  they  had  never  seen  any  other  person 
 expire  with  so  much  devotion,  and  in  so  tranquil  a  frame  of 
 mind.  For  as  you  have  heard,  so  long  as  the  soul  animated 
 his  body,  he  never  ceased  to  give  thanks  to  the  true  and 
 living  God,  with  expanded  hands  exclaiming  :  '  Glory  be  to 
 the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost  !'  with 
 other  spiritual  ejaculations.  But  know  this,  dearest  brother, 
 that  I  could  say  much  concerning  him,  if  my  want  of  learn- 
 ing did  not  cut  short  my  discourse.  Nevertheless,  by  the 
 grace  of  God,  I  purpose  shortly  to  write  more  concerning 
 him,  particularly  of  those  things  which  I  saw  with  my  own 
 eyes,  and  heard  with  my  own  ears." 
 
 As  we  learn  from  this  letter  of  Cuthbert  that  Bede  died 
 on  St.  Ascension-day  wliich  he  states  to  have  been  that  year 
 the  seventh  before  the  kalends  of  June,  this  fact  enables  us 
 to  fix  it  on  the  26th  May,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  735. 
 
 The  remains  of  the  venerable  Bede  were  placed  first  under 
 
XXll  PREFACE. 
 
 the  south  porch  of  the  church.  After  being  removed  to  a 
 more  honourable  situation  ^vithin  the  church,  they  were 
 stolen  from  the  monastery  by  Elfred  a  priest  of  Durban], 
 who  used  for  some  years  previously  to  offer  up  his  prayers 
 at  Bede's  tomb,  on  the  anniversary  of  his  death. 
 
 "  On  one  of  these  occasions,"  says  Simeon  of  Durham, 
 "he  went  to  Jarrow  as  usual,  and  having  spent  some  days 
 in  the  church  in  solitude,  praying  and  watcliing,  he  returned 
 in  the  early  morning  alone  to  Durham,  without  the  know- 
 ledge of  his  companions — a  thing  which  he  had  never  done 
 before — as  though  he  wished  to  have  no  witness  to  his  secret. 
 Now,  although  he  lived  many  years  afterwards,  yet  he  never 
 again  visited  Jarrow,  and  it  appeared  as  if  he  had  achieved 
 the  object  of  his  desires.  When,  also,  he  was  asked  by  his 
 most  intimate  friends,  '  Where  were  the  bones  of  venerable 
 Bede?'  he  would  reply,  'No  one  can  answer  that  question 
 so  well  as  I.  You  may  be  assured,  my  brethren,  beyond  all 
 doubt,  that  the  same  chest  wliich  holds  the  hallowed  body  of 
 our  father  Cuthbert,  also  contains  the  bones  of  Bede,  our 
 reverend  teacher  and  brother.  It  is  useless  to  search  be- 
 yond that  little  corner  for  any  portion  of  his  relics.'  " 
 
 By  this  artifice  the  cathedral  of  Durham  obtained  posses- 
 sion of  a  valuable  source  of  revenue  in  the  offerings  which 
 were  sure  to  be  made  at  the  tomb  of  so  venerable  a  man. 
 The  theft  was  kept  secret  by  the  bretln-en  until  all  who 
 could  have  reclaimed  the  body  were  dead,  and  so  Bede's 
 bones  remained  until  a.d.  1104,  when  St.  Cuthbert's  relics 
 Vv^ere  removed,  and  those  of  Bede  were  placed  alone  in  a 
 linen  bag  in  the  same  chest.  Fifty  years  afterwards  Hugh 
 Pudsey,  bishop  of  Durham,  erected  a  shrine  of  gold  and 
 silver,  adorned  with  jewels,  in  which  he  enclosed  the  relics 
 of  venerable  Bede,  with  an  inscription  placed  on  it,  which 
 may  be  translated  thus  : 
 
 Within  this  chest  Bede's  mortal  body  lies. 
 
 In  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII  this  beautiful  shrine  was 
 demolished,  and  the  saintly  relics  were  treated  with  every 
 indignity  by  the  insane  and  ignorant  mob.  The  only  me- 
 morial now  remaining  in  Durham  cathedral  of  its  having 
 once  been  the  resting-place  of  Bede's  remains,   is  a  long 
 
OF    BEDE  S    ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  XXiu 
 
 inscription  to  his  memory  concluding  with  the  well  known 
 monkish  rhyme : — 
 
 '  l^ac  sunt  in  fossa  IBeUae  bcncrabilis  ossa." 
 
 Here  lie  beneath  these  stones — venerable  Bede's  bones. 
 
 CHAP,  in.— ANALYSIS  OF  BEDE'S  ECCLESIASTICAL 
 HISTORY. 
 
 The  Ecclesiastical  History  of  venerable  Bede  was  first 
 published  on  the  Continent :  numerous  editions  of  it  have 
 been  printed,  which  it  is  here  necessary  to  enumerate. 
 
 It  was  first  published  in  England  by  Wheloc,  fol.  Cantab. 
 1643-4,  with  an  Appendix  containing  the  An o;lo- Saxon 
 translation  by  king  Alfred  the  Great. 
 
 To  this  succeeded  the  edition  of  Smith,  printed  at  Cam- 
 bridge in  1722,  which  superseded  all  the  preceding.  The 
 basis  of  this  edition  was  a  MS.  formerly  belonging  to  More, 
 bishop  of  Ely,  and  now  deposited  in  the  public  library  at 
 Cambridge.  [Kk,  5,  16.]  At  the  end  of  the  MS.,  which  is 
 written  in  Anglo-Saxon  letters,  are  several  notes  in  a  some- 
 what later  handwriting,  by  which  it  would  appear  that  the 
 volume  was  copied  in  the  year  737,  i.e.  two  years  after 
 Bede's  death,  and  probably  from  the  author's  original  manu- 
 script. 
 
 The  last  edition  of  this  celebrated  and  valuable  work  is 
 that  of  Stevenson,  pubhshed  by  the  English  Historical 
 Society,  Lond.  8vo.  1838.  The  editor  professes  to  have 
 used  the  same  MS.  of  bishop  More,  and  to  have  occasionally 
 collated  four  others  [Cotton.  Tib.  C,  11,  Tib.  A,  XIV,  Harl. 
 4978,  and  King's  MS.  13  C,  V.].  Prefixed  to  the  volume 
 is  a  copious  and  valuable  notice  of  the  author  and  liis  work, 
 from  Avhich  we  take  the  liberty  of  making  the  following  long 
 extract,  as  containing  the  most  judicious  account  of  this  our 
 author's  greatest  work. 
 
 "  The  scope  of  this  valuable  and  justly  esteemed  work  is 
 sufficiently  indicated  by  its  title.  After  some  observations 
 upon  the  position,  inhabitants,  and  natural  productions  of 
 Britain,  the  author  gives  a  rapid  sketch  of  its  history  from 
 the  earliest  period  until  the  arrival  of  Augustine  in  a.d.  597, 
 at  which  era,  in  his  opinion,  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  our 
 
JCXIV  PREFACE. 
 
 nation  had  its  commencement.  After  that  event,  he  treats,  as 
 was  to  be  expected,  for  a  time  exclusively  of  the  circumstances 
 which  occurred  in  Kent ;  but,  as  Christianity  extended  itself 
 over  the  other  kingdoms  into  which  England  was  then 
 divided,  he  gradually  includes  their  history  in  his  narrative, 
 until  he  reaches  the  year  731.  Here  he  concludes  his  work, 
 which  embraces  a  space  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  years, 
 with  a  Ereneral  outline  of  the  ecclesiastical  state  of  the 
 island. 
 
 "  The  Introduction,  which  extends  from  the  commence- 
 ment of  the  work  to  the  conversion  of  the  Saxons  to  Chris- 
 tianity, is  gleaned,  as  Bede  himself  informs  us,  from  various 
 writers.  The  chief  sources  for  the  description  of  Britain 
 ai'e  Pliny,  Solinus,  Orosius,  and  Gildas ;  St.  Basil  is  also 
 cited ;  and  the  traditions  which  were  current  in  Bede's  own 
 day  are  occasionally  introduced.  The  history  of  the  Romans 
 in  Britain  is  founded  chiefly  upon  Orosius,  Eutropius,  and  Gil- 
 das, corrected,  however,  in  some  places  by  the  author,  appar- 
 ently from  tradition  or  local  information,  and  augmented  by  an 
 account  of  the  introduction  of  Christianity  under  Lucius,  of 
 the  martyrdom  of  St.  Alban,  copied  apparently  from  some 
 legend,  and  of  the  origin  of  the  Pelagian  heresy, — all  of 
 them  circumstances  intimately  connected  with  the  ecclesiast- 
 ical history  of  the  island.  The  mention  of  Hengist  and 
 Horsa,  and  the  allusion  to  the  tomb  of  the  latter  at  Horstead, 
 render  it  probable  that  the  account  which  Bede  gives  of  the 
 arrival  of  the  Teutonic  tribes,  and  their  settlement  in  Eng- 
 land, was  communicated  by  Albinus  and  Nothelm.  It  is 
 purely  fabulous,  being,  in  fact,  not  the  history,  but  the  tradi- 
 tion, of  the  Jutish  kingdom  of  Kent,  as  appears  from  circum- 
 stances mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work,  as  well  as  from 
 the  authorities  there  quoted.  The  two  visits  of  Germanus 
 to  England,  so  important  in  the  history  of  its  religion,  are 
 introduced  in  the  very  words  of  Constantius  Lugdunensis, 
 and  must  therefore  have  been  copied  from  that  author.  The 
 ante- Augustine  portion  of  the  history  is  terminated  by  ex- 
 tracts from  Gildas,  relative  to  the  conflicts  between  the 
 Saxons  and  Britons.  As  the  mission  of  Augustine  in  a.d. 
 596  is  the  period  at  which  Bede  ceases  to  speak  of  himself  as 
 a  compiler,  and  assumes  the  character  of  an  historian,  it  be- 
 comes incumbent  upon  us  to  examine  into  the  sources  upon 
 
OF    BEDES   ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  XXV 
 
 whicli  he  has  founded  this,  by  far  the  most  interesting  por- 
 tion of  his  history.  The  materials  which  he  employed  seem 
 to  have  consisted  of  (i.)  written  documents,  and  (ii.)  verbal 
 information,  (i.)  The  written  materials  may  be  divided  into 
 (1.)  Historical  information  draAvn  up  and  communicated  by 
 his  correspondents  for  the  express  purpose  of  being  employed 
 in  his  work  ;  (2.)  documents  pre-existing  in  a  narrative 
 form,  and  (3.)  transcripts  of  official  documents. 
 
 "(1.)  That  Bede's  correspondents  drew  up  and  communi- 
 cated to  him  information  which  he  used  when  writing  this 
 history,  is  certain  from  what  he  states  in  its  prologue ;  and  it 
 is  highly  probable  that  to  them  we  are  indebted  for  many 
 particulars  connected  with  the  history  of  kingdoms  situated 
 to  the  south  of  the  river  Humber,  with  which  a  monk  of 
 Jarrow,  from  his  local  position,  was  probably  unacquainted. 
 Traces  of  the  assistance  which  he  derived  from  Canterbury 
 are  perceptible  in  the  minute  acquaintance  which  he  exhibits 
 not  only  with  the  topography  of  Kent,  but  with  its  condition 
 at  the  time  when  he  wrote ;  and  the  same  remark  is  appli- 
 cable, although  in  a  more  limited  degree,  to  most  of  the 
 soutJ:iern  kingdoms. 
 
 '^(2.)  Documents  pre-existing  in  an  historical  form  are 
 seldom  quoted :  amongst  those  of  which  use  has  been  made 
 may  be  numbered  the  Life  of  Gregory  the  Great,  written  by 
 Paulus  Diaconus ;  the  miracles  of  Ethelberga,  abbess  of 
 Barking ;  the  Life  of  Sebbi,  king-  of  the  East  Saxons  ;  the 
 Legend  of  Fursey;  and  that  of  Cuthbert  of  Lindisfarne, 
 formerly  written  by  Bede,  but  now  augmented  by  himself, 
 with  additional  facts.  These,  together  with  some  extracts 
 from  the  Treatise  of  Arculf  de  Locis  Sanctis,  are  all  the 
 written  documents  to  which  the  author  refers. 
 
 "  That  other  narratives,  however,  were  in  Bede's  posses- 
 sion, of  which  he  has  made  liberal  use,  is  certain  from  his 
 express  words,  and  may  also  be  inferred  from  internal  evi- 
 dence. Albinus  and  Nothelm  appear  to  have  furnished  him 
 with  chronicles,  in  which  he  found  accurate  and  fuU  informa- 
 tion upon  the  pedigrees,  accessions,  marriages,  exploits,  descend- 
 ants, deaths,  and  burials  of  the  kings  of  Kent.  From  the  same 
 source  he  derived  his  valuable  account  of  the  archbishops  of 
 Canterbury,  both  before  and  after  ordination,  the  place  and 
 date  of  consecration,  even  though  it  took  place  abroad  the 
 
XXVI  PREFACE. 
 
 dajs  on  which  they  severally  took  possession  of  that  see,  the 
 duration  of  their  episcopate,  their  deaths,  burial-j^laces,  and 
 the  intervals  Avhich  elapsed  before  the  election  of  a  successor. 
 It  is  evident  that  the  minuteness  and  accuracy  of  this  in- 
 formation could  have  been  preserved  only  by  means  of  con- 
 temporary written  memoranda.  That  such  records  existed 
 in  the  time  of  the  Saxons  cannot  be  doubted,  for  Bede  intro- 
 duces a  story  by  which  it  appears  that  the  abbey  of  Selsey 
 possessed  a  volume  in  which  were  entered  the  obits  of 
 eminent  individuals;  and  the  same  custom  probably  pre- 
 vailed throughout  the  other  monastic  establishments  of  Eng- 
 land. 
 
 "  The  history  of  the  diocese  of  Rochester  was  communi- 
 cated by  Albinus  and  Nothelm.  It  is  exceedingly  barren  of 
 particulars,  and  probably  would  have  been  even  more  so,  had 
 it  not  been  connected  with  the  life  of  Paulinus  of  York,  con- 
 cerning whom  Bede  appears  to  have  obtained  information 
 from  other  quarters. 
 
 "  The  early  annals  of  East  Anglia  are  equally  scanty,  as 
 we  have  little  more  than  a  short  pedigree  of  its  kings,  an 
 account  of  its  conversion  to  Christianity,  the  history  of 
 Sigebert  and  Anna,  and  a  few  particulars  regarding  its 
 bishops,  Felix,  Thomas,  Bertgils,  and  Bisi,  which  details 
 were  communicated  in  part  by  Albinus  and  Nothelm. 
 
 "The  history  of  the  West  Saxons  was  derived  partly 
 from  the  same  authorities,  and  partly  from  the  information  of 
 Daniel,  bishop  of  Winchester.  It  relates  to  their  conversion 
 by  Birinus,  the  reigns  of  Ceedwalla  and  of  Ina,  and  the  pon- 
 tificate of  Wini,  Aldhelm,  and  Daniel.  To  this  last  named 
 bishop  we  are  indebted  for  a  portion  of  the  little  of  what  is 
 known  as  to  the  early  history  of  the  South  Saxons  and  the 
 Isle  of  Wight,  the  last  of  the  Saxon  kingdoms  which  em- 
 braced the  Christian  faith.  It  relates  to  the  conversion  of 
 those  districts  by  the  agency  of  Wilfrid.  A  few  unimport- 
 ant additions  are  afterwards  made  in  a  hurried  and  incidental 
 manner,  evidently  showing  that  Bede's  information  upon  this 
 head  was  neither  copious  nor  definite. 
 
 "  The  monks  of  Lastingham  furnished  materials  relative 
 to  the  ministry  of  Cedd  and  Chad,  by  whose  preaching  the 
 Mercians  were  induced  to  renounce  paganism.  The  history 
 of  this  kingdom  is  obscure,  and  consists  of  an  account  of  its 
 
OF   BEDE  S   ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  XXVI 1 
 
 conversion,  the  succession  of  its  sovereigns  and  its  bishops. 
 The  neighbouring  state  of  Middle  Anglia,  which,  if  ever 
 independent  of  Mercia,  soon  merged  in  it,  is  simihirly  circum- 
 stanced, and  we  are  perhaps  indebted  to  its  connexion  witli 
 the  princes  and  bishops  of  Northumbria  for  what  is  known 
 of  its  early  history. 
 
 "  Lindsey,  part  of  Lincolnshire,  although  situated  so  near 
 to  the  kingdom  of  Northumbria,  was  both  politically  and 
 ecclesiastically  independent  of  it,  and  Bede  was  as  ignorant 
 of  the  transactions  of  that  province  as  of  those  which  were 
 much  more  remote  from  Jarrow.  He  received  some  mate- 
 rials from  bishop  Cynebert,  but  they  appear  to  have  been 
 scanty,  for  the  circumstances  which  relate  to  Lincoln- 
 shire are  generally  derived  from  the  information  of  other 
 witnesses. 
 
 "  The  history  of  East  Saxony  is  more  copious,  and  is 
 derived  partly  from  the  communications  of  Albinus  and 
 Nothelm,  and  partly  from  the  monks  of  Lastingham.  To 
 the  first  of  these  two  sources  we  must  probably  refer  the 
 account  of  the  pontificate  of  Mellitus,  and  the  apostasy  of 
 the  sons  of  Sabert, — circumstances  too  intimately  connected 
 with  the  see  of  Canterbury  to  be  omitted  in  its  annals. 
 To  the  latter  we  are  indebted  for  the  history  of  the  recon 
 version  of  Saxony, — an  event  in  which  the  monks  of  Last- 
 ingham were  interested,  as  it  was  accomplished  by  their 
 founder  Cedd.  From  them  Bede  also  received  an  account  of 
 the  ministry  of  Chad.  Some  further  details  respecting  its 
 civil  and  ecclesiastical  affairs,  the  life  of  Earconwald,  bishop 
 of  London,  and  the  journey  of  O&a  to  Rome,  conclude  the 
 information  which  we  have  respecting  this  kingdom. 
 
 "  Li  the  history  of  Northumbria  Bede,  as  a  native,  was 
 particularly  interested,  and  would  probably  exert  himself  to 
 procure  the  most  copious  and  authentic  information  regard- 
 ing it.  Although  he  gives  no  intimation  of  having  had 
 access  to  previous  historical  documents,  when  speaking  of  his 
 sources  of  information,  yet  there  seems  reason  to  believe  that 
 he  has  made  use  of  such  materials.  We  may  infer  from 
 what  he  says  of  the  mode  in  which  Oswald's  reign  was  gene- 
 rally calculated,  that  in  this  king's  time  there  existed  Annals 
 or  Chronological  Tables,  in  which  events  were  inserted  as 
 they  occurred,   the  regnal  year  of  the  monarch  who  then 
 
XXVlll  PREFACE. 
 
 filled  the  throne  being  at  the  time  specified.  These  annals 
 appear  to  have  extended  beyond  the  period  of  the  conversion 
 of  Northumbria  to  Christianity,  although  it  is  difficult  to 
 imagine  how  any  chronological  calculation  or  record  of  events 
 C50uld  be  preserved  before  the  use  of  letters  had  become 
 known.  But  the  history  of  Edwin,  with  its  interesting  de- 
 tails, shows  that  Bede  must  have  had  access  to  highly  valu 
 able  materials  which  reached  back  to  the  very  earliest  era 
 of  authentic  history;  and  we  need  not  be  surprised  at 
 finding  information  of  a  similar  character  throughout  the  re- 
 mainder of  his  history  of  Northumbria.  Accordingly  we  have 
 minute  accounts  of  the  pedigrees  of  its  kings,  their  acces- 
 sion, exploits,  anecdotes  of  them,  and  sketches  of  their  cha- 
 racter, their  deaths,  and  the  duration  of  their  reigns, — details 
 too  minute  in  themselves,  and  too  accurately  defined  by 
 Bede,  to  have  been  derived  by  liim  from  tradition.  Similar 
 proofs  might,  if  necessary,  be  drawn  from  the  history  of  its 
 bishops. 
 
 "(3.)  The  Historia  Ecclesiastica  contains  various  tran- 
 scripts of  important  official  documents.  These  are  of  two 
 classes,  either  such  as  were  sent  from  the  Papal  Court  to  the 
 princes  and  ecclesiastics  of  England,  or  were  the  production 
 of  native  writers.  The  first  were  transcribed  from  the  Papal 
 Regesta  by  Nothelm  of  London,  during  a  residence  at  Rome, 
 and  were  sent  to  Bede  by  the  advice  of  his  friend  Albinus 
 of  Canterbury.  They  relate  to  the  history  of  the  kingdoms 
 of  Kent  and  Northumbria.  The  letters  of  archbishops  Lau- 
 rentius  and  Honorius,  concerning  the  proper  time  for  cele- 
 brating Easter,  were  probably  furnished  by  the  same  indi- 
 vidual. The  proceedings  of  the  councils  of  Hertford  and 
 Hatfield  may  have  been  derived  from  the  archives  of  Bede's 
 own  monastery,  since  it  was  customary  in  the  early  ages  of 
 the  church  for  each  ecclesiastical  establishment  to  have  a 
 *tabularium'  in  which  were  deposited  the  synodal  decrees  by 
 which  its  members  were  governed. 
 
 "(ii.)  A  considerable  portion  of  the  Historia  Ecclesiastica, 
 especially  that  part  of  it  Avhicli  relates  to  the  kingdom  of 
 Northumberland,  is  founded  upon  local  information  which  its 
 author  derived  from  various  individuals.  On  almost  every 
 occasion  Bede  gives  the  name  and  designation  of  liis  inform- 
 ant, being  anxious,  apparently,  to  show  that  nothing  is  in- 
 
OF    BEDE  S    ECCLESIASTICAL    niSTORY.  XXIX 
 
 serted  for  which  he  had  not  the  testimony  of  some  respect- 
 able witness.  Some  of  these  persons  are  credible  from 
 having  been  present  at  the  event  which  they  related  j  others, 
 from  the  high  rank  which  they  held  in  the  church,  such  as 
 Acca,  bishop  of  Hexham,  Gutlifrid,  abbat  of  Lindisfarne, 
 Berthun,  abbat  of  Beverley,  and  Pechthelm,  bishop  of  Whit- 
 herne.  The  author  received  secondary  evidence  with  caution, 
 for  he  distinguishes  between  the  statements  which  he  received 
 from  eye-witnesses,  and  those  which  reached  him  through  a 
 succession  of  informants.  In  the  last  of  these  instances,  the 
 channel  of  information  is  always  pointed  out  with  scrupulous 
 exactness,  whatever  opinion  we  may  entertain,  as  in  the  case 
 of  some  visions  and  miracles,  of  the  credibiHty  of  the  facts 
 themselves." 
 
 Of  the  value  of  this  work  we  can  have  no  better  evidence 
 than  the  fact  of  its  having  been  so  often  translated  into  the 
 vernacular  tongue.  King  Alfred  thought  it  not  beneath  his 
 dignity  to  render  it  familiar  to  his  Anglo-Saxon  subjects,  by 
 translating  it  into  their  tongue. 
 
 The  first  version  in  modern  English  was  that  of  Stapleton, 
 bearing  the  follomng  title,  "  The  History  of  the  Church  ol 
 Englande,  compiled  by  Venerable  Bede,  Englishman,  trans- 
 lated out  of  Latin  into  English  by  Thomas  Stapleton,  Student 
 in  Divinity.  Antw.  by  John  Laet,  1565."  The  object  of 
 the  translator  was  to  recall  the  affections  of  the  people  to  the 
 theological  forms  and  doctrines  which  in  his  time  were  being 
 exploded.  In  the  dedication  to  queen  Elizabeth  occurs  the 
 following  passage  : — "  In  this  History  Your  Hignes  shall  see 
 in  how  many  and  weighty  pointes  the  pretended  reformers  of 
 the  Church  in  Your  Graces  dominions  have  departed  from 
 the  patern  of  that  sounde  and  catholike  faith  planted  first 
 among  Englishmen  by  holy  S.  Augustin  our  Apostle,  and  his 
 virtuous  company,  described  truly  and  sincerely  by  Venerable 
 Bede,  so  called  in  all  Christendom  for  his  passing  vertues 
 and  rare  learning,  the  Author  of  this  History.  And  to 
 thentent  Your  Highnes  intention  bent  to  weightier  consider- 
 ations and  affaires  may  spende  no  longe  time  in  espying  oute 
 the  particulars,  I  have  gathered  out  of  the  whole  History 
 a  number  of  diversities  betwene  the  pretended  religion 
 of  Protestants,  and  the  primitive  faith  of  the  English 
 Church." 
 
XXX  PREFACE, 
 
 The  work  was  again  translated  into  English  by  John  Ste- 
 vens, Lond.  8vo.  1723;  and  a  third  time  (with  some  omis- 
 sions) by  W.  Hurst,  Lond.  8vo.  1814,  and  apparently  with 
 the  same  object  which  influenced  Stapleton. 
 
 In  1840,  the  editor  of  the  present  volume  published  a  new 
 edition  of  Stevens's  translation,  altering  it  in  many  respects, 
 and  correcting  the  orthography  of  proper  names,  according 
 to  the  modern  and  generally  received  standard.  A  second 
 edition  of  the  same  volume  was  published  in  1842.  In  the 
 same  year  also  it  was  introduced,  to  accompany  the  Latin 
 text,  in  the  second  volume  of  an  edition  of  the  complete 
 works  of  Venerable  Bede,  and  is  now  a  fourth  time  printed 
 with  the  other  works  contained  in  this  volume.  As  the  trans- 
 lation has  on  each  occasion  received  certain  corrections,  it  is 
 hoped  that  the  English  reader  will  now  find  it  to  convey  a 
 tolerably  accurate  notion  of  the  style  and  sense  of  the  original. 
 
 CHAP.  IV.— OF  THE  SAXON  CHRONICLE. 
 
 The  work,  which  passes  under  the  name  of  the  Saxon  Chroni- 
 cle, is  a  continued  narrative  written  at  diff*erent  dates,  and 
 in  the  Anglo-Saxon  language,  of  the  most  important  events  of 
 English  History  from  the  earliest  period  to  the  year  of  our 
 Lord  1154.  As  it  is  evident,  both  from  the  antiquity  of  the 
 very  manuscripts  of  it  now  extant,  as  well  as  from  certain 
 allusions  and  forms  of  speech  which  occur  in  it,  that  the 
 latter  part  of  it  at  least  was  written  by  a  person  contempo- 
 rary with  the  events  which  he  relates,  it  cannot  but  be  an 
 object  of  interest  and  of  great  historical  importance  to  ex- 
 amine so  ancient  a  writing  according  to  all  the  modes  which 
 literary  criticism  can  suggest ;  and  this  inquiry  becomes  the 
 more  imperative  from  the  extreme  probability  that  the  earlier 
 part  of  the  Chronicle  is  also  of  a  contemporary  character, 
 and  therefore  ascends  to  a  very  earlier  period  of  Saxon  liis- 
 tory,  even  to  the  time  of  the  Heptarchy  itself  This  opinion 
 rests  upon  the  remarkable  fact,  that  whilst  the  dialect  of  the 
 latter  portion  of  the  Cln-onicle  approaches  very  nearly  to  our 
 modern  English,  the  early  part  of  it  bears  the  impress  of 
 times  much  more  rude  and  ancient,  and  the  language  in 
 which  it  is  written  is  absolutely  unintelligible  to  the  modern 
 Englislunan,  who  has  not  made  the  Anglo-Saxon  tongue  a 
 serious  object  of  his  study. 
 
SAXON   CHRONICLE.  XXXI 
 
 The  first  point  which  suggests  itself  to  the  inquirer,  con- 
 cerns the  form  in  which  so  valuable  a  national  monument  has 
 come  down  to  us.  I  shall  not  deem  it  necessary  to  delay 
 the  reader's  attention  by  an  account  of  the  mode  in  which 
 our  large  public  and  private  collections  of  manuscripts  have 
 been  formed.  It  is  sufficient  to  observe  that  in  all  our  col- 
 lections of  MSS.  there  are  now  only  six  ancient  copies  of 
 the  Saxon  Chronicle  known  to  be  in  existence.  We  will 
 proceed  to  enumerate  and  describe  them  in  order. 
 
 I.  The  first  copy  of  this  Chronicle  is  generally  known  by 
 the  name  of  the  Benet  or  Plegmund  MS.,  so  called  because 
 it  is  preserved  in  Benet  [now  Corpus  Christi]  College,  Cam- 
 bridge, and  because  Plegmund,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  in 
 the  reign  of  king  Alfred,  is  thought  to  have  had  some  hand 
 in  compiling  the  first  part  of  it. 
 
 "  From  internal  evidence  of  an  indirect  nature,"  says  Dr. 
 Ingram,  "  there  is  great  reason  to  presume  that  archbishop 
 Plegmund  transcribed  or  superintended  this  very  copy  of  the 
 Saxon  Annals  to  the  year  891,  the  year  in  which  he  came  to 
 the  see.  Wanley  observes  it  is  written  in  one  and  the  same 
 hand  to  this  year,  and  in  hands  equally  ancient  to  the  year 
 924,  after  which  it  is  continued  in  difi'erent  hands  to  the 
 end. 
 
 "  At  the  end  of  the  year  890  is  added,  in  a  neat  but  imita- 
 tive hand,  the  following  interpolation,  which  is  betrayed  by 
 the  faintness  of  the  ink,  as  well  as  by  the  Norman  cast  of 
 the  dialect  and  orthography  : 
 
 "Her  waes  Plegemund  gecoron  of  gode  and  of  eallen  liis 
 halechen. 
 
 "  There  are  many  other  interpolations  in  this  MS.  ;*  a  par- 
 ticular account  of  which,  however  curious,  would  necessarily 
 become  tedious.  A  few  only  are  here  selected,  with  a  view 
 to  illustrate  the  critical  apparatus  of  this  work,  and  the  pro- 
 gressive accumulation  of  liistorical  facts.  They  are  generally 
 very  short,  except  where  an  erasure  has  been  made  to  find 
 room  for  them.  The  notice  of  the  birth  of  St.  Dunstan,  as 
 of  every  thing  else  relating  to  him,  appears  to  be  a  monastic 
 interpolation.  His  death  is  mentioned  in  the  margin,  in  a 
 very  minute  hand,  in  Latin.  There  seems  to  be  nothing  of 
 any  great  value  in  this  MS.  beyond  the  time  of  Alfric,  whose 
 *  The  death  of  Plejrmund  for  instance. 
 
XXXU  PKEFACE. 
 
 death  is  recorded,  after  a  considerable  cliasm,  in  the  year 
 1006.  After  this  period  the  notices  of  events  and  transac- 
 tions are  very  scanty  and  defective.  The  royal  donation  of 
 the  haven  of  Sandwich  to  Christ  Church,  Canterbury,  is 
 placed  to  the  year  1031,  but  evidently  written  after  the  con- 
 quest, and  left  unfinished.  The  Saxon  part  ends  in  the  year 
 1070,  with  the  words,  -  -  bletsungan  underfeng  ;  after  de- 
 scribing at  full  length  the  dispute  between  the  archbishops  of 
 Canterbury  and  York."* 
 
 II.  The  second  copy  of  the  Saxon  Chronicle  is  in  the 
 British  Museum.  [MS.  Cotton,  Tiberius  A.  vi.]  It  is 
 "  written  in  the  same  hand  with  much  neatness  and  accuracy, 
 from  the  beginning  to  the  end,"  and  "  is  of  very  high  autho- 
 rity and  antiquity.  It  was  probably  written  c.  977,  where 
 it  terminates.  The  hand -writing  resembles  that  ascribed  to 
 St.  Dunstan.  It  narrowly  escaped  destruction  in  the  fire  at 
 Westminster,  previous  to  its  removal  to  its  present  place  of 
 custody,  being  one  of  Sir  R.  Cotton's  MSS.,  formerly  be- 
 longing to  the  monastery  of  St.  Augustine's,  Canterbury."! 
 
 in.  A  third  MS.  is  also  in  the  British  Museum.  [Cott. 
 Tib.  B.  i.]    ■ 
 
 "  This  MS.,  though  frequently  quoted  by  Somner  in  his 
 Dictionary  under  the  title  of  '  Chronica  AbbendonifB,'  or  the 
 Abingdon  Chronicle,  and  said  to  have  been  transcribed  by 
 him,  seems  not  to  have  been  known  to  Gibson,  though  no- 
 ticed by  Nicolson  within  a  few  years  after  the  appearance 
 of  his  edition.  J  It  contains  many  important  additions  to  the 
 former  Chronicles,  some  of  which  are  confirmed  by  C.T. 
 B.  iv. ;  but  many  are  not  to  be  found  in  any  other  MS.,  par- 
 ticularly those  in  the  latter  part  of  it.  These  are  now  incor- 
 porated with  the  old  materials.  Wanley  considers  the  hand- 
 writing to  be  the  same  to  the  end  of  the  year  1048.  The 
 orthography,  however,  varies  about  the  year  890  (889  of  the 
 printed  Chronicle).  The  writer  seems  to  have  been  startled 
 at  Offoe  for  Oththan,  i.  e.  Othoni,  a.d.  925  ;  for  there  is  a 
 chasm  from  that  place  to  the  year  934,  -when  a  slight  notice 
 is  introduced  of  the  expedition  of  Athelstan  into  Scotland.  § 
 
 •  Dr.  Ingram's  preface,  p.  xx.  +  Ibid. 
 
 X  English  Historical  Library,  Part  I.  p.  116. 
 
 $  Most  of  the  MSS.  are  defective  here ;  and  the  thread  of  history, 
 during  this  turbulent  period,  appears  to  have  been  often  disturbed.     But 
 
SAXON  CHRONICLE.  XXXlii 
 
 In  the  year  982  are  some  curious  particulars  respecting  tlie 
 wars  of  Otho  II.  in  Greece,  and  his  victories  there  over  the 
 Saracens,  now  first  printed.  From  the  same  source,  and 
 from  C.  T.  B.  iv.,  we  have  been  enabled  to  present  to  the 
 reader  of  English  history  a  more  copious  and  accurate  ac- 
 count than  has  hitherto  appeared,  of  the  Danish  invasions, 
 the  civil  wars  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Confessor,  and  the 
 battles  of  Harold  previous  to  the  ISTorman  Conquest.  The 
 MS.  terminates  imperfectly  in  1066,  after  describing  most 
 minutely  the  battle  of  Stanford-bridge  ;  the  few  lines  which 
 appear  in  the  last  page  being  supplied  by  a  much  later  hand." 
 
 IV.  A  fourth  copy  of  the  Saxon  Chronicle  occurs  also  in 
 the  British  Museum.    [Cott.  Tiberius  B.  iv.] 
 
 "  This  MS.  like  the  preceding,  though  of  invaluable  autho- 
 rity, was  unknown  to  Gibson.  It  is  written  in  a  plain  and 
 beautiful  hand,  with  few  abbreviations,  and  apparently 
 copied  in  the  early  part,  with  the  exception  of  the  introduc- 
 tory description  of  Britain,  from  a  very  ancient  MS.  The 
 defective  parts,  from  a.d.  261  to  693,  were  long  since  sup- 
 plied from  four  excellent  MSS.  by  Josselyn  ;  who  also  col- 
 lated it  throughout  with  the  same  ;  inserting  from  them, 
 both  in  the  text  and  in  the  margin,  such  passages  as  came 
 within  his  notice  ;  which  are  so  numerous,  that  very  few 
 seem  to  have  eluded  his  vigilant  search.  A  smaller  but 
 elegant  hand  commences  fol.  68,  a.d.  1016  ;  and  it  is  con- 
 tinued to  the  end,  a.d.  1079,  in  a  similar  hand,  though  by 
 different  Avriters.  \Yanley  notices  a  difference  in  the  year 
 1052.  The  value  and  importance  of  this  MS.,'as  well  as  of 
 the  preceding,  will  be  best  exemplified  by  a  reference  to  the 
 notes  and  various  readings  in  the  present  edition.  The  last 
 notice  of  it  will  be  found  in  page  456." 
 
 y.  The  fifth  MS.  is  in  the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford. 
 [Laud  E,  80.] 
 
 It  is  so  "  well  known,  from  being  made  the  basis  of  Gib- 
 son's edition  where  Wheloc's  was  deficient,  that  it  will  not  be 
 so  necessary  to  enlarge  on  it  here.  It  is  a  fair  copy  of  older 
 Chronicles,  with  a  few  inaccuracies,  omissions,  and  interpo- 
 lations, to  the  year  1 122  ;  therefore  no  part  of  it  was  written 
 
 poetry  took  advantage  of  the  circumstance,  and  occasionally  filled  a  chasm 
 with  some  of  the  earliest  specimens  of  the  northern  muse  ;  the  preservation 
 of  which  we  owe  exclusively  to  the  Saxon  Chronicle. 
 
 d 
 
XXXIV  PHEFACE. 
 
 befere  that  period.  The  next  ten  years  rather  exhibit  differ- 
 ent ink  than  a  different  writer.  From  1132  to  the  end, 
 A.D.  1154,  the  language  and  orthography  became  gradually 
 more  Normanized,  particularly  in  the  reign  of  king  Stephen  ; 
 the  account  of  which  was  not  written  till  the  close  of  it. 
 The  dates  not  being  regularly  affixed  to  the  last  ten  years, 
 Wanley  has  inadvertently  described  this  MS.  as  ending 
 A.D.  1143;  whereas  it  is  continued  eleven  years  after- 
 wards." 
 
 yi.  The  sixth  and  last  copy  is  in  the  British  Museum. 
 [Cotton,  Domitian  A.  viii.] 
 
 "  This  is  a  singularly  curious  MS.,  attributed  generally  to 
 a  monk  of  Christ  Church,  Canterbury,  on  account  of  the 
 monastic  interpolations.  It  is  often  quoted  and  commended 
 by  H.  Wharton,  in  his  Anglia  Sacra,  because  it  contains 
 much  ecclesiastical  and  local  information.  We  consider  it, 
 however,  of  the  least  authority  among  the  Cotton  MSS., 
 because  the  writer  has  taken  greater  liberties  in  abridging 
 former  Chronicles,  and  inserting  translations  of  Latin  docu- 
 ments in  his  own  Normanized  dialect.  Frithstan,  bishop  of 
 Winchester,  who  died  a.d.  931  according  to  tliis  Chronicle, 
 is  called  biscop  Wentanus  ;  and  Byrnstanus  [Brinstan]  is  said 
 to  have  been  consecrated  on  his  loh — in  ejus  locum,  lieu,  Fr. 
 Its  very  peculiarities,  nevertheless,  stamp  a  great  value  on 
 it ;  and  its  frauds  are  harmless,  if  possible,  because  they  are 
 easily  detected.  Towards  the  end  the  writer  intended  to 
 say  something  about  prince  Edward,  the  father  of  Edgar  and 
 Margaret ;  but  it  is  nearly  obliterated,  and  the  MS.  soon 
 after  concludes,  a.d.  1058.  It  is  remarkable  for  being 
 written  both  in  Latin  and  Saxon  ;  but  for  what  purpose  it  is 
 now  needless  to  conjecture.  It  is  said  to  have  been  given  to 
 Sir  Robert  Cotton  by  Camden.  The  passages  printed  from 
 it  by  Gibson,  and  the  variations  in  the  margin,  marked  Cot., 
 are  from  the  collations  of  eJunius  inserted  in  his  copy  of 
 Wheloc.  There  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  entire 
 transcript  of  the  MS.,  as  we  find  it  sometimes  stated.*  Gib- 
 son takes  no  notice  of  the  introductory  description  of  Britain 
 as  being  in  this  MS.,  and  he  dates  its  termination  in  the 
 wrong  place.  We  have  therefore  had  recourse  to  it  again  in 
 tJie  British  Museum,  where  it  is  deposited." 
 *  Vid.  Wanl.  Cat.  p.  220. 
 
SAXON  CHRONICLE.  XXXV 
 
 Besides  these  six,  no  other  ancient  copy  is  known  to  exist ; 
 but  there  is  a  single  leaf  of  an  ancient  copy  in  the  British 
 Museum.  [Cotton,  Tiberius  A  iii.]  There  are  also  three 
 modern  transcripts,  two  of  which  are  in  the  Bodleian  library, 
 [Junian  MSS.  and  Laud  G.  36,]  and  one  in  the  Dublin 
 library.  [E  5,  15.]  The  Bodleian  transcripts  are  taken 
 from  two  of  the  Cotton  MSS.,  and  therefore  are  of  little 
 critical  value  ;  but  the  Dublin  transcript  appears  to  be  taken 
 from  an  original,  now  lost,  [Cott.  Otho  B.  xi.]  and  therefore 
 it  possesses  an  independent  authority. 
 
 "  At  the  end  of  the  Dublin  transcript  is  this  note,  in  the 
 hand-writing  of  archbishop  Usher  :  '  These  Annales  are  ex- 
 tant in  S'  R.  Cotton's  Librarye  at  the  ende  of  Bede's  His- 
 torye  in  the  Saxon  Tongue.'  Tliis  accords  with  the  descrip- 
 tion of  the  MS.  in  Wanley's  Catalogue,  p.  219  ;  to  which 
 the  reader  is  referred  for  more  minute  particulars.  As 
 this  MS.  was  therefore  in  existence  so  late  as  1705,  when 
 Wanley  published  his  Catalogue,  there  can  be  little  doubt 
 that  it  perished  in  the  lamentable  fire  of  1731,  which  either 
 destroyed  or  damaged  so  many  of  the  Cotton  MSS.  while 
 deposited  in  a  house  in  Little  Dean's  Yard,  Westminster." 
 
 "  This  transcript  is  become  more  valuable  from  the  loss  of 
 the  original.  It  appears  from  dates  by  Lambard  himself,  at 
 the  beginning  and  end,  that  it  was  begun  by  him  in  1563, 
 and  finished  in  1564,  when  he  was  about  the  age  of  twenty- 
 five.     Li  the  front  is  this  inscription  in  Saxon  characters  : 
 
 Willm  lambarde,  1563  ;  and,  wulfhelm  lambheord  ;  with 
 this  addition,  waeccath  thine  leoht-faet ;  which  may  be  thus 
 translated  ; 
 
 *  Lambard,  arise  ;  awake  thy  lamp.' 
 
 At  the  end  is  the  following  memorandum  :  '  Finis  :  9  Aprilis, 
 1564.  W.  L.  propria  manu.'  I  am  informed  by  several 
 gentlemen  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  to  whom  I  am  indebted 
 for  most  of  the  particulars  relating  to  this  transcript,  that  it 
 was  once  in  the  possession  of  archbishop  Usher,  and  is  the 
 same  mentioned  in  his  Ecclesiastical  History,  p.  182,  which 
 Nicolson  says  '  is  worth  the  inquiring  after.'  *  It  came  into 
 the  Dublin  Library  with  the  other  MSS.  of  the  archbishop, 
 according  to  liis  original  intention,  after  the  restoration  of 
 Charles  IL" 
 
 *  English  Historical  Library,  Part  I.  p.  II 7. 
 d  2 
 
XXXVl  PREFACE. 
 
 To  these  six,  or  if  we  include  the  Dublin  MS.,  seven, 
 copies  of  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  must  our  inquiry  therefore  be 
 confined  ;  and  the  first  point  ■worthy  of  notice,  is  the  fact, 
 that  no  two  of  them  agree  in  the  date  at  which  they  termi- 
 nate.    Thus  : 
 
 No.  2.  comes  down  no  later  than  a.d.  977. 
 
 „     7.  ends  at  a.d.  1001. 
 
 „     6.  ends  imperfectly  at  1058. 
 
 „     3.  ends  at  1066. 
 
 ,,     1.  ends  at  1070. 
 
 „     4.  ends  abruptly  at  1080. 
 
 „     5.  ends  imperfectly  at  1154. 
 
 This  diversity  can  hardly  be  accounted  for  on  any  other 
 view  of  the  case,  than  that  wliich  applies  to  a  large  number 
 of  other  ancient  writings,  and  is  j^eculiarly  forcible  as  ap- 
 plied to  a  series  of  annals  like  the  work  before  us. 
 
 Almost  every  monastery  had  its  own  historiographer  or 
 historian,  whose  business  or  at  least  whose  general  practice 
 it  was  to  copy  the  history  of  preceding  times  from  those  who 
 were  already  known  to  have  written  of  them  with  success, 
 and  to  continue  the  narrative,  during  his  own  times,  in  his 
 own  words,  to  the  best  of  his  ability.  Now  in  the  case  of  the 
 Saxon  Chronicle  we  may  reasonably  suppose  that  its  original 
 groundwork  consisted  of  little  more  than  a  meagre  string  of 
 events,  arranged  chronologically  with  a  few  genealogies  and 
 notices  of  the  deaths  and  births  of  the  kings  and  other 
 distinguished  personages.  In  the  limited  dimensions  within 
 wliich  learning  was  confined  during  the  Anglo-Saxon 
 Heptarchy,  and  in  consequence  also  of  the  paucity  of 
 scholars,  it  is  more  likely  that  such  a  record  would  become 
 generally  used  than  that  new  ones  would  be  written,  and 
 most  of  the  monasteries  would  probably  possess  a  copy  of 
 the  early  part  of  these  annals,  which  afterwards  they  would 
 bring  down  to  tlieir  own  times.  Consistent  with  this  theory 
 is  the  evident  fact  that  the  existing  MSS.  coming  from 
 difterent  religious  houses,  all  differ  in  the  year  at  which  they 
 terminate,  as  if  the  last  transcriber  of  the  shortest  had  not 
 been  aware  that  the  copy  which  he  followed  was  less 
 com.plete  than  those  which  existed  elsewhere.* 
 
 '^  case  exactly  in  point  to  illustrate  this  suggestion  occurs  in  the  letters 
 of  Arnulf  bishop  of  Lisieux  under  Henry  II.     Seven  MSS.  only  exist  : 
 
SAXON  CHRONICLE.  XXXVU 
 
 But  there  is  another  peculiarity  in  the  MSS.  of  the  Saxon 
 Chronicle  which  almost  proves  for  certain  the  account  above 
 given.  Some  of  these  MSS.  are  more  diffuse  than  the  others 
 about  the  affairs  of  the  particular  monastery  in  which  they 
 are  believed  to  have  been  written.  Thus  one  of  them, 
 especially,  is  most  minute  concerning  the  affairs  of  Peter- 
 borough,— a  fact,  which,  almost  without  other  evidence, 
 would  prove  it  to  have  been  transcribed  within  the  walls  of 
 that  monastery. 
 
 However  this  theory,  which  lies  upon  the  surface  of  the 
 inquiry  concerning  the  mode  in  which  the  Saxon  Chronicle 
 was  compiled,  may  be  thought  worthy  or  not  of  the  reader's 
 attention,  I  am  not  disposed  to  waive  it  in  favour  of  any 
 other  ;  for  numerous  writers  have  already  tried  to  go  more 
 deeply  into  the  subject,  and  have  failed  in  eliciting  more 
 than  vague  and  remote  probabilities.  The  following  remarks 
 are  taken  from  the  Preface  of  Dr.  Ingram,  and  I  do  not 
 scruple  to  insert  them,  although  the  quotation  is  rather  long, 
 because  they  show  the  train  of  thought  which  arose  in 
 the  mind  of  one  who  as  yet  stands  foremost  among  the 
 translators  and  illustrators  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle. 
 
 "It  is  now  time  to  examine,  who  were  probably  the 
 writers  of  these  annals.  I  say  probably,  because  we  have 
 very  little  more  than  rational  conjecture  to  guide  us. 
 
 "  The  period  antecedent  to  the  times  of  Bede,  except  where 
 passages  were  afterwards  asserted,  was  perhaps  little  else, 
 originally,  than  a  kind  of  chronological  table  of  events,  with 
 a  few  genealogies,  and  notices  of  the  death  and  succession  of 
 kings  and  other  distinguished  personages.  But  it  is  evident 
 from  the  preface  of  Bede  and  from  many  passages  in  his 
 work,  that  he  received  considerable  assistance  from  Saxon 
 bishops,  abbats  and  others  ;  who  not  only  communicated 
 certain  traditionary  facts  viva  voce,  but  also  transmitted  to 
 him  many  written  documents.  These,  tJierefore,  must  have 
 been  the  early  chronicles  of  Wessex,  of  Kent,  and  of  the 
 other  provinces  of  the  Heptarchy  ;  whic^h  formed  together 
 the  groundwork  of  his  history.  With  greater  honesty  than 
 most  of  his  followers,  he  has  given  us  the  names  of  those 
 
 six  of  which  contain  about  seventy  letters  only.  On  coming  to  examine 
 the  seventh  in  St.  John's  College  Library,  I  was  at  once  enabled  to  augment 
 the  number  to  130. 
 
XXXVIU  PREFACE. 
 
 learned  persons  who  assisted  him  with  this  local  information. 
 The  first  is  Alcuinus  or  Albinus,  an  abbat  of  Canterbury,  at 
 whose  instigation  he  undertook  the  work  ;  who  sent  by 
 Nothelm,  afterwards  archbishop  of  that  province,  a  full 
 account  of  all  ecclesiastical  transactions  in  Kent,  and  in  the 
 contiguous  districts,  from  the  first  conversion  of  the  Saxons. 
 From  the  same  source  he  partly  derived  his  information 
 respecting  the  provinces  of  Essex,  Wessex,  East  Anglia,  and 
 Northumbria.  Bishop  Daniel  communicated  to  him  by  letter 
 many  particulars  concerning  Wessex,  Sussex,  and  the  Isle  of 
 Wight.  He  acknowledges  assistance  more  than  once  ^  ex 
 scriptis  priorum  ; '  and  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that 
 some  of  these  preceding  records  were  the  Anglo-Saxon 
 annals  ;  for  we  have  already  seen  that  such  records  were  in 
 existence  before  the  age  of  Nennius.  In  proof  of  this  we 
 may  observe,  that  even  the  phraseology  sometimes  partakes 
 more  of  the  Saxon  idiom  than  the  Latin.  If,  therefore,  it 
 be  admitted,  as  there  is  every  reason  to  conclude  from  the 
 foregoing  remarks,  that  certain  succinct  and  chronological 
 arrangements  of  liistorical  facts  had  taken  place  in  several 
 provinces  of  the  Heptarchy  before  the  time  of  Bede,  let  us 
 inquire  by  whom  they  were  likely  to  have  been  made. 
 
 "  In  the  province  of  Kent,  the  first  pei'son  on  record,  who 
 is  celebrated  for  liis  learning,  is  Tobias,  the  ninth  bishop  of 
 Rochester,  who  succeeded  to  that  see  in  693.  He  is  noticed 
 by  Bede  as  not  only  furnished  with  an  ample  store  of  Greek 
 and  Latin  literature,  biit  skilled  also  in  the  Saxon  language 
 and  erudition.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  he  left  some 
 proofs  of  this  attention  to  his  native  language  ;  and,  as  he 
 died  within  a  few  years  of  Bede,  the  latter  would  naturally 
 avail  himself  of  his  labours.  It  is  worthy  also  of  remark, 
 that  Berthwald,  who  succeeded  to  the  illustrious  Theodore  of 
 Tarsus  in  690,  was  the  first  English  or  Saxon  archbishop  of 
 Canterbury.  From  this  period,  consequently,  we  may  date 
 that  cultivation  of  the  vernacular  tongue  which  would  lead 
 to  the  composition  of  brief  chronicles,  *  and  other  vehicles  of 
 instruction,  necessary  for  the  improvement  of  a  rude  and 
 illiterate  people.  The  first  chronicles  were,  perhaps,  those 
 of  Kent  or  Wessex  ;  which  seem  to  have  been  regularly 
 
 *  "  The  materials,  liowever,  though  not  regularly  arranged,  must  be  traced 
 to  a  much  hi-iiher  source. 
 
SAXON    CHRONICLE.  XXXIX 
 
 continued,  at  intervals,  by  the  archbishops  of  Canterbury,  or 
 by  their  direction,*  at  least  as  far  as  the  year  1001,  or  even 
 1070  ;  for  the  Benet  MS.  which  some  call  the  Plegmund 
 MS.  ends  in  the  latter  year  ;  the  rest  being  in  I.atin.  From 
 internal  evidence  indeed,  of  an  indirect  nature,  there  is  great 
 reason  to  presume,  that  archbishop  Plegmund  transcribed  or 
 superintended  this  very  copy  of  the  Saxon  annals  to  the  year 
 891  ;  f  the  year  in  which  he  came  to  the  see  ;  inserting,  both 
 before  and  after  this  date,  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  923,  such 
 additional  materials  as  he  was  well  qualified  to  furnish  from 
 his  high  station  and  learning,  and  the  confidential  intercourse 
 which  he  enjoyed  in  the  court  of  king  Alfred.  The  total 
 omission  of  his  own  name,  except  by  another  hand,  affords 
 indirect  evidence  of  some  importance  in  support  of  this  con- 
 jecture. Whether  king  Alfred  himself  was  the  author  of  a 
 distinct  and  separate  Chronicle  of  Wessex,  cannot  now  be 
 determined.  That  he  furnished  additional  supplies  of 
 historical  matter  to  the  older  chronicles  is,  I  conceive, 
 sufiiciently  obvious  to  every  reader  who  will  take  the 
 trouble  of  examining  the  subject.  The  argument  of  Dr. 
 Beeke,  the  present  dean  of  Bristol,  in  an  obliging  letter  to 
 the  editor  on  this  subject,  is  not  without  its  force  ; — that  it 
 is  extremely  improbable,  when  we  consider  the  number  and 
 variety  of  king  Alfred's  works,  that  he  should  have  neglected 
 the  history  of  his  own  country.  Besides  a  genealogy  of  the 
 kings  of  Wessex  from  Cerdic  to  his  own  time,  which  seems 
 never  to  have  been  incorporated  with  any  MS.  of  the  Saxon 
 Chronicle,  though  prefixed  or  annexed  to  several,  he  un- 
 doubtedly preserved  many  traditionary  facts  ;  with  a  full  and 
 circumstantial  detail  of  his  own  operations,  as  well  as  those 
 of  his  father,  brother,  and  other  members  of  his  family  ; 
 which  scarcely  any  other  person  than  himself  could  have 
 supplied.  To  doubt  this,  would  be  as  incredulous  a  thing 
 as  to  deny  that  Xenophon  wrote  his  Anabasis,  or  Csesar  his 
 Commentaries.     From  the  time  of  Alfred  and  Plegmund  to 
 
 *  "  Josselyn  collated  two  Kentish  MSS.  of  the  first  authority  ;  one  of 
 which  he  calls  the  History  or  Chronicle  of  St.  Augustine's,  the  other  that  of 
 Christ  Church,  Canterbury.  The  former  was  perhaps  the  one  marked  in 
 our  series  C.  T.  A  vi. ;   the  latter  the  Benet  or  Plegmund  MS. 
 
 f  "  Wanley  observes,  that  the  Benet  MS.  is  written  in  one  and  the  same 
 hand  to  this  year,  and  in  hands  equally  ancient  to  the  year  924  ;  after 
 which  it  is  continued  m  different  hands  to  the  end.     Vid.  Cat.  p.  130. 
 
xl  PREFACE. 
 
 a  few  years  after  the  Norman  Conquest,  these  chronicles 
 seem  to  have  been  continued  by  different  hands,  under  the 
 auspices  of  such  men  as  archbishops  Dunstan,  Alfric,  and 
 others,  whose  characters  have  been  much  misreiDresented  by 
 ignorance  and  scepticism  on  the  one  hand,  as  well  as  by 
 mistaken  zeal  and  devotion  on  the  other.  The  indirect 
 evidence  respecting  Dunstan  and  Alfric  is  as  curious  as  that 
 concerning  Plegmund  ;  but  the  discussion  of  it  would  lead 
 us  into  a  wide  and  barren  field  of  investigation  ;  nor  is  this 
 the  place  to  refute  the  errors  of  Hickes,  Cave,  and  Wharton, 
 already  noticed  by  Wanley  in  his  preface.  The  Chronicles 
 of  Abingdon,  of  Worcester,  of  Peterborough,  and  others,  are 
 continued  in  the  same  manner  by  different  hands  ;  partly, 
 though  not  exclusively,  by  monks  of  those  monasteries,  who 
 very  naturally  inserted  many  particulars  relating  to  their 
 own  local  interests  and  concerns  ;  which,  so  far  from 
 invalidating  the  general  history,  render  it  more  interesting 
 and  valuable.  It  would  be  a  vain  and  frivolous  attempt  to 
 ascribe  these  latter  compilations  to  particular  persons,* 
 where  there  were  evidently  so  many  contributors  ;  but  that 
 they  were  successively  furnished  by  contemporary  writers, 
 many  of  whom  were  eye-witnesses  of  the  events  and  trans- 
 actions which  they  relate,  there  is  abundance  of  internal 
 evidence  to  convince  us.  Many  instances  of  this  the  editor 
 had  taken  some  pains  to  collect,  in  order  to  lay  them  before 
 the  reader  in  the  preface  ;  but  they  are  so  numerous  tliat  the 
 subject  would  necessarily  become  tedious  ;  and  therefore 
 every  reader  must  be  left  to  find  them  for  himself.  They 
 will  amply  repay  him  for  his  trouble,  if  he  takes  any  interest 
 in  the  early  history  of  England,  or  in  the  general  construction 
 of  authentic  history  of  any  kind.  He  will  see  plagiarisms 
 without  end  in  the  Latin  histories,  and  will  be  in  no  danger 
 of  faiUng  into  the  errors  of  Gale  and  others  ;  not  to  mention 
 those  of  our  historians,  who  were  not  professed  antiquaries, 
 who  mistook  that  for  original  and  authentic  testimony  which 
 was  only  translated.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  Saxon 
 Chronicle  gradually  expires  with  the  Saxon  language, 
 almost   melted   into   modern   EngUsh,    in   the    year    1154. 
 
 •  "  Hickes  supposed  the  Laud  or  Peterborough  Chronicle  to  have  been 
 compiled  by  Hugo  Candidus  (Albus,  or  White),  or  some  other  monk  of 
 that  house. 
 
SAXOx  ciiroxiclp:.  xli 
 
 From  tins  period  almost  to  the  Reformation,  whatever 
 knowh;dge  we  have  of  the  aifairs  of  England  has  been 
 originally  derived  either  from  the  semi-barbarous  Latin  of 
 our  own  countrymen,  or  from  the  French  chronicles  of 
 Froissart  and  others. 
 
 "  The  revival  of  good  taste  and  of  good  sense,  and  of  the 
 good  old  custom  adopted  by  most  nations  of  the  civilized 
 world — that  of  writing  their  own  history  in  their  own 
 language — was  happily  exemplified  at  length  in  the  laborious 
 works  of  our  English  chroniclers  and  historians. 
 
 "  Many  have  since  followed  in  the  same  track  ;  and  the 
 importance  of  the  whole  body  of  English  history  has 
 attracted  and  employed  the  imagination  of  Milton,  the 
 philosophy  of  Hume,  the  simplicity  of  Goldsmith,  the 
 industry  of  Henry,  the  research  of  Turner,  and  the  patience 
 of  Lingard.  The  pages  of  these  writers,  however,  accurate 
 and  luminous  as  they  generally  are,  as  well  as  those  of 
 Brady,  Tyrrel,  Carte,  Rapin,  and  others,  not  to  mention 
 those  in  black  letter,  still  require  correction  from  the  Saxon 
 Chronicle  ;  without  which  no  person,  however  learned,  can 
 possess  any  thing  beyond  a  superficial  acquaintance  with 
 the  elements  of  English  history,  and  of  the  British 
 Constitution. 
 
 "  Some  remarks  may  here  be  requisite  on  the  chroxologt 
 of  the  Saxon  Chronicle.  In  the  early  part  of  it  *  the  reader 
 will  observe  a  reference  to  the  grand  epoch  of  the  creation  of 
 the  world.  So  also  in  Ethelwerd,  who  closely  follows  the 
 Saxon  annals.  It  is  allowed  by  all,  that  considerable 
 difficulty  has  occurred  in  fixing  the  true  epoch  of  Christ's 
 nativity,  f  because  the  Christian  era  was  not  used  at  all  till 
 about  the  year  532,  ;|:  when  it  was  introduced  by  Dionysius 
 Exiguus  ;  whose  code  of  canon  law,  joined  afterwards  with 
 the  decretals  of  the  popes,  became  as  much  the  standard 
 of  authority  in  ecclesiastical  matters  as  the  pandects  of 
 Justinian  among  civilians.     But  it  does  not  appear  that  in 
 
 *  "See  A.B.  XXXIII.  the  era  of  Christ's  crucifixion. 
 
 +  "See  Playfair's  System  of  Chronology,  p.  49. 
 
 X  "  Playfair  says  527  :  but  I  follow  Bede,  Florence  of  Worcester,  and 
 others  ;  who  affirm  that  the  great  paschal  cycle  of  Dionysius  commenced 
 from  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  532 — the  year  in  which  the  code 
 of  .Jnstinian  was  promulgated.  Vid.  Flor.  an.  532,  iU64,  and  1073.  See 
 also  I'vi.  V/c-st.  an.  532. 
 
xlli 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 the  Saxon  mode  of  computation  this  system  of  chronology 
 was  implicitly  followed.  We  mention  this  circumstance, 
 however,  not  with  a  view  of  settling  the  point  of  difference, 
 which  would  not  be  easy,  but  merely  to  account  for  those 
 variations  observable  in  different  MSS.  ;  which  arose,  not 
 only  from  the  common  mistakes  or  inadvertencies  of  tran- 
 scribers, but  from  the  liberty,  which  the  original  writers 
 themselves  sometimes  assumed  in  this  country,  of  computing 
 the  current  year  according  to  their  own  ephemeral  or  local 
 custom.  Some  began  with  the  incarnation  or  Nativity  of 
 Christ ;  some  with  the  Circumcision,  which  accords  with  the 
 solar  year  of  the  Romans  as  now  restored  ;  whilst  others 
 commenced  with  the  Annunciation  ;  a  custom  which  became 
 very  prevalent  in  honour  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  was  not 
 formally  abolished  here  till  the  year  1752  ;  when  the 
 Gregorian  calendar,  commonly  called  the  New  Style,  was 
 substituted  by  Act  of  Parliament  for  the  Dionysian.  This 
 diversity  of  computation  would  alone  occasion  some  con- 
 fusion ;  but  in  addition  to  tliis,  the  indiction,  or  cycle  of 
 fifteen  years,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
 Saxon  Chronicle,  was  carried  back  three  years  before  the 
 vulgar  era,  and  commenced  in  different  places  at  four 
 different  periods  of  the  year  !  But  it  is  very  remarkable 
 that,  whatever  was  the  commencement  of  the  year  in  the 
 early  part  of  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  in  the  latter  part  the 
 year  invariably  opens  with  Midwinter-day  or  the  Nativity. 
 Gervase  of  Canterbury,  whose  Latin  Chronicle  ends  in 
 1199,  the  era  of  legal  memory,  had  formed  a  design,  as  he 
 tells  us,  of  regulating  his  chronology,  by  the  Annunciation  ; 
 but  from  an  honest  fear  of  falsifying  dates  he  abandoned  his 
 first  intention,  and  acquiesced  in  the  practice  of  his  prede- 
 cessors ;  who  for  the  most  part,  he  says,  began  the  new  year 
 with  the  Nativity."* 
 
 Let  us  now  see  what  has  been  done  by  previous  editors 
 and  translators  of  this  valuable  national  document. 
 
 Gerard  Langbaine  was  the  first  who  entertained  thoughts 
 of  publishing  this  Chronicle ;  but  he  relinquished  his  design, 
 as  appears  from  his  papers  in  the  Bodleian  library,  because 
 Wheloc  had  anticipated  him. 
 
 The  first  edition  therefore  of  the  original  text  of  this 
 *  «  Vid.  Prol.  in  Chron.  Gervas.  ap.  X.  Script,  p.  1338." 
 
SAXON  CHRONICLE.  xllil 
 
 work  is  due  to  Wheloc,  professor  of  Arabic  at  Cambridge. 
 His  work  entitled  Chronologia  Anglo- Saxonica,  [a.d.  1644], 
 occupying  about  sixty  folio  pages,  forms  a  supplement  to  his 
 edition  of  Bede's  Ecclesiastical  History.  But  as  Wheloc 
 had  the  use  of  only  the  Bennet  or  Plegmund  MS.  [No.  1  in 
 our  summary  of  the  MSS.],  and  of  an  original,  now  lost,  of 
 which  our  No.  7,  the  Dublin  transcript,  is  supposed  to  be  a 
 copy,  it  is  manifest  that  the  editor  had  no  opportunity  of 
 inserting  those  parts  of  the  Chronicle — forming  about  one 
 half  of  the  whole — which  do  not  occur  in  those  two  manu- 
 scripts. 
 
 Forty-eight  years  after  Wheloc,  Gibson,  a  young  man  of 
 Queen's  College,  Oxford,  and  afterwards  bishop  of  London, 
 published  a  more  complete  edition  of  the  Chronicle,  for 
 which  he  used  tlii-ee  additional  MSS.  which  had  come  into 
 notice  since  the  time  of  Wheloc. 
 
 More  than  120  years  passed  before  this  historical  record 
 again  attracted  the  notice  of  the  public,  or  the  labours  of  an 
 editor.  It  was  then  translated  into  English  throughout  from 
 the  text  of  Gibson  by  a  learned  lady  still  living.  Miss  Gur- 
 ney;  to  whom,  both  my  enterprising  publisher  and  myself 
 are  largely  indebted  for  her  kindness  in  facilitating  the  pre- 
 sent edition,  and  to  whom  we  gladly  take  this  opportunity  of 
 acknowledging  the  debt. 
 
 Miss  Gurney's  translation  was  printed  for  private  circula- 
 tion, and  did  not  receive  the  final  polish  of  the  fair  trans- 
 lator, who  was  deterred  from  bestowing  further  labour  upon 
 a  work  which  was  shortly  to  be  undertaken  by  one  of  our 
 ablest  antiquaries. 
 
 In  1823  appeared  an  edition  of  the  vSaxon  Chronicle  by 
 Dr.  Ingram,  now  President  of  Trinity  College,  accompanied 
 with  an  English  translation,  a  map  of  Saxon-England,  coins 
 of  the  Saxon  kings,  &c.,  &c. 
 
 At  the  same  time  that  this  learned  work  made  its  appear- 
 ance, it  was  understood  that  the  late  Mr.  Petrie,  keeper  of 
 the  records  in  the  Tower,  was  devoting  his  laborious  atten- 
 tion to  prepare  the  Chronicle  for  publication  at  the  expense 
 of  the  Record  Commission.  Accuracy  and  laborious  research 
 were  shining  features  in  the  literary  character  of  Petrie  : 
 but  he  was  less  remarkable  for  discriminating  how  far  an 
 author's  text  may  be  illustrated  without  being  overlaid  by 
 various  readings,  and  he  carried  his  mode  of  arrangement 
 
Xliv  PREFACE. 
 
 to  such  extremities,  mutilated  and  subdivided  his  authors  to 
 such  a  degree,  and  so  encumbered  his  pages  with  references, 
 stars,  accents,  and  brackets,  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  the 
 learned  and  laborious  folio,  which  he  superintended  to  its 
 completion,  will  ever  see  the  light  of  publication.  It  re- 
 mains in  the  possession  of  the  Master  of  the  Rolls,  a  mighty 
 storehouse  of  collations  for  all  future  editions  of  Gildas, 
 Nennius,  Bede,  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  Florence  of  Worcester, 
 Henry  of  Huntingdon,  &c.,  &c. 
 
 In  1830  appeared  a  small  anonymous  volume,  entitled, 
 Aiicient  History,  English  and  French,  exemplified  in  a 
 regular  dissection  of  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  ^c,  8^c.,  London^ 
 Hatchard,  1830;  containing  some  lively  dissertations  in 
 Avhich  much  genius  is  displayed,  unhappily  not  leading  to 
 clear  or  satisfactory  results. 
 
 Such  being  the  editions  and  translations  already  in  exist- 
 ence, it  became  a  serious  question  with  the  publisher  and 
 editor  of  the  present  voliune,  what  would  be  the  best  plan 
 to  be  pursued,  in  order  that  the  work  might  be  placed  be- 
 fore the  public  in  a  form  the  best  adapted  to  secure  general 
 approbation.  As  the  result  of  this  deliberation,  it  was 
 judged  expedient  to  take  the  edition  of  Petrie  as  a  basis, 
 because  it  was  found  to  contain  the  most  perfect  collations 
 of  all  the  six  existing  manuscripts,  and  therefore  to  present 
 a  more  complete  text  than  any  other  printed  volume.  The 
 style  of  the  translation  is  as  literal  as  the  idiom  of  our 
 language  will  allow. 
 
 But,  as  the  edition  of  Mr.  Petrie  extends  only  to  tlie  year 
 1066,  it  has  been  necessary  to  form  a  text  for  the  latter  por- 
 tion of  the  Chronicle  from  other  sources.  To  effect  this  the 
 translation  of  Miss  Grurney,  has,  with  the  consent  of  that 
 amiable  lady,  been  taken  as  a  ground-work,  and  numerous 
 additions,  variations,  and  notes,  have  been  introduced  by  a 
 collation  of  her  text  with  that  of  Dr.  Ingram. 
 
 As  the  result  of  these  various  modes,  the  public  have  now 
 the  advantage  of  reading  the  whole  of  this  very  interesting 
 chronicle,  not  only  in  a  perfect  form,  but  even  to  an  extent 
 that  miglit,  perhaps,  by  some  be  deemed  superfluous,  with 
 all  the  variations  which  can  be  gathered  from  all  the  manu- 
 script copies  now  known  to  be  in  existence. 
 
 J.  A.  G. 
 
 Banip',oii,  Oxfordshire,  Jidy,  1847. 
 
THE  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY 
 
 ENGLISH    NATION. 
 
 BY  VENERABLE  BEDE. 
 
 BOOK  I. 
 PREFACE. 
 
 To  the  most  glorious  king  Ceolwulph*  Bede,  the  servant  of  Christ  and 
 Priest, 
 
 I  FORMERLY,  at  jouT  request,  most  readily  transmitted  to 
 you  the  Ecclesiastical  History  of  the  English  Nation,  which 
 I  had  newly  published,  for  you  to  read,  and  give  it  your 
 approbation  ;  and  I  now  send  it  again  to  be  transcribed,  and 
 more  fully  considered  at  your  leisure.  And  I  cannot  but 
 commend  the  sincerity  and  zeal,  with  which  you  not  only 
 diHgently  give  ear  to  hear  the  words  of  tlie  Holy  Scripture, 
 but  also  industriously  take  care  to  become  acquainted  with 
 the  actions  and  sayings  of  former  men  of  renown,  especially 
 of  our  own  nation.  For  if  history  relates  good  things  of 
 good  men,  the  attentive  hearer  is  excited  to  imitate  that 
 which  is  good ;  or  if  it  mentions  evil  things  of  wicked  per- 
 sons, nevertheless  the  religious  and  pious  liearer  or  reader, 
 shunning  that  which  is  hurtful  and  perverse,  is  the  more 
 earnestly  excited  to  perform  those  things  which  he  knows  to 
 be  good,  and  worthy  of  God.  Of  which  you  also  being 
 deeply  sensible,  are  desirous  that  the  said  history  should  be 
 more  fully  made  familiar  to  yourself,  and  to  those  over  whom 
 
 *  Ceohvulph  king  of  Northumberland,  not  the  king  of  Wessex,  who 
 reigned  about  a.d.  527  ;  nor  the  king  of  Mercia,  who  reigned  about  a.d. 
 819. 
 
iS  BEDE  S  ECCLESIASTICAL  IIISTUKY.  [b.  i.  prbf. 
 
 the  Divine  Authority  has  appointed  you  governor,  from  your 
 great  regard  to  their  general  welfare.  But  to  the  end  that 
 I  may  remove  all  occasion  of  doubting  what  I  have  written, 
 both  from  yourself  and  otlier  readers  or  hearers  of  this  his- 
 tory, I  will  take  care  briefly  to  intimate  from  what  autliors  I 
 chiefly  learned  the  same. 
 
 My  principal  authority  and  aid  in  this  work  was  the  learned 
 and  reverend  Abbot  Albinus  ;  who,  educated  in  the  Church 
 of  Canterbury  by  those  venerable  and  learned  men.  Arch- 
 bishop Theodore  of  blessed  memory,  and  the  Abbot  Adrian, 
 transmitted  to  me  by  Nothelm,  the  pious  priest  of  the  Church 
 of  London,*  either  in  writing,  or  by  word  of  mouth  of  the 
 same  Nothelm,  all  that  he  thought  worthy  of  memory,  that 
 had  been  done  in  the  province  of  Kent,  or  the  adjacent  parts, 
 by  the  disciples  of  the  blessed  Pope  Gregory,  as  he  had 
 learned  the  same  either  from  written  records,  or  the  traditions 
 of  his  ancestors.  The  same  Nothelm,  afterwards  going  to 
 Rome,  having,  with  leave  of  the  present  Pope  Gregory,f 
 searched  into  the  archives  of  the  holy  Roman  Church,  found 
 there  some  epistles  of  the  blessed  Pope  Gregory,  and  other 
 popes  ;  and  returning  home,  by  the  advice  of  the  aforesaid 
 most  reverend  father  Albinus,  brought  them  to  me,  to  be  in- 
 serted in  my  history.  Thus,  from  the  beginning  of  tliis 
 volume  to  the  time  when  the  English  nation  received  the 
 faith  of  Christ,  have  we  collected  the  writings  of  our  prede- 
 cessors, and  from  them  gathered  matter  for  our  history  ;  but 
 from  that  time  till  the  present,  what  was  transacted  in  the 
 Church  of  Canterbury,  by  the  disciples  of  St.  Gregory  or 
 their  successors,  and  under  what  kings  the  same  happened, 
 has  been  conveyed  to  us  by  Nothelm  through  the  industry  of 
 the  aforesaid  Abbot  Albinus.  They  also  partly  informed 
 me  by  what  bishops  and  under  what  kings  the  provinces  of 
 the  East  and  West  Saxons,  as  also  of  the  East  Angles,  and 
 of  the  Northumbrians,  received  the  faith  of  Christ.  In  short 
 I  was  chiefly  encouraged  to  undertake  this  work  by  the  per- 
 suasions of  the  same  Albinus.  In  like  manner,  Daniel,  the 
 most  reverend  Bishop  of  the  AVest  Saxons,  who  is  still  living, 
 communicated  to  me  in  writing  some  things  relating  to  the 
 Ecclesiastical  History  of  that  province,  and  the  next  adjoin- 
 
 •  Afterwards  Archbisliop  of  Canterbury,  A.r>.  73(). 
 +  Gregory  the  Third,  who  began  to  reign,  a.d,  731. 
 
B.  I.  PREF.J  CUNEBERT CUTHBERT.  3 
 
 ing  to  it  of  the  South  Saxons,  as  also  of  the  Isle  of  Wight. 
 But  how,  by  the  pious  ministry  of  Cedd  and  Ceadda,  the 
 province  of  the  Mercians  was  brought  to  the  fiiith  of  Christ, 
 which  they  knew  not  before,  and  how  that  of  the  East 
 Saxons  recovered  the  same,  after  having  expelled  it,  and 
 how  those  fathers  lived  and  died,  we  learned  from  the  brethren 
 of  the  monastery,  which  was  built  by  them,  and  is  called 
 Lastingham.  What  ecclesistical  transactions  took  place  in 
 the  province  of  the  East  Angles,  was  partly  made  known  to 
 us  from  the  writings  and  tradition  of  our  ancestors,  and 
 partly  by  relation  of  the  most  reverend  Abbot  Esius.  What 
 was  done  towards  promoting  the  faith,  and  what  was  the 
 sacerdotal  succession  in  the  province  of  Lindsey,  we  had 
 either  from  the  letters  of  the  most  reverend  prelate  Cunebert,* 
 or  by  word  of  mouth  from  other  persons  of  good  credit.  But 
 what  was  done  in  the  Church  throughout  the  province  of  the 
 Northumbrians,  from  the  time  when  they  received  the  faith 
 of  Christ  till  this  present,  I  received  not  from  any  particular 
 author,  but  by  the  faithful  testimony  of  innumerable  wit- 
 nesses, who  might  know  or  remember  the  same  ;  besides  what 
 I  had  of  my  own  knowledge.  Wherein  it  is  to  be  observed, 
 that  what  I  have  written  concerning  our  most  holy  father, 
 Bishop  Cuthbert,  either  in  this  volume,  or  in  my  treatise 
 on  his  life  and  actions,  I  partly  took,  and  faithfully  copied  from 
 what  I  found  written  of  him  by  the  brethren  of  the  Church 
 of  Lindisfarne  ;  f  but  at  the  same  time  took  care  to  add  such 
 things  as  I  could  myself  have  knowledge  of  by  the  faithful 
 testimony  of  such  as  knew  him.  And  I  humbly  entreat  the 
 reader,  that  if  he  shall  in  this  that  we  have  written  find 
 anything  not  delivered  according  to  the  truth,  he  will  not 
 impute  the  same  to  me,  who,  as  the  true  rule  of  history  re- 
 quires, have  laboured  sincerely  to  commit  to  writing  such 
 things  as  I  could  gather  from  common  report,  for  the  instruc- 
 tion of  posterity. 
 
 Moreover,  I  beseech  all  men  who  shall  hear  or  read  this 
 history  of  our  nation,  that  for  my  manifold  infirmities  both 
 of  mind  and  body,  they  will  offer  up  frequent  supplications 
 
 *  Bishop  of  Sidnacester,  the  present  see  of  Lincoln. 
 
 +  Lindisfarne,  now  called  Holy  Island,  is  situated  on  the  north  cf  North- 
 umberland, in  its  southern  extremity.  Here  stood  a  monastery  in  Bede's 
 time,  and  it  was  for  four  centuries  the  seat  of  the  present  see  of  Durham. 
 
 B   2 
 
4  BEDE's   ecclesiastical  history.  Lb.  i-c-1. 
 
 to  the  tkrone  of  Grace.  And  I  further  pray,  that  in  recom- 
 pense for  the  labour  wherewith  I  have  recorded  in  the  seve- 
 ral countries  and  cities  those  events  wliich  were  most  worthy 
 0^  note,  and  most  grateful  to  the  ears  of  their  inhabitants,  I 
 may  for  my  reward  have  the  benefit  of  their  pious  prayers. 
 
 CHAP.  1. 
 
 0/  the  Situation  of  Britain  and  Ireland^  and  of  their  ancient  inhabitants. 
 
 Britain,  an  island  in  the  ocean,*  formerly  called  Albion, 
 is  situated  between  the  north  and  west,  facing,  though  at  a 
 considerable  distance,  the  coasts  of  Germany,  France,  and 
 Spain,  which  form  the  greatest  part  of  Europe.  It  extends 
 800  miles  in  length  towards  the  north,  and  is  200  miles  in 
 breadth,  except  where  several  promontories  extend  further 
 in  breadth,  by  which  its  compass  is  made  to  be  3675  miles.f 
 To  the  south,  as  you  pass  along  the  nearest  shore  of  the 
 Belgic  Gaul,  the  first  place  in  Britain  wliich  opens  to  the  eye, 
 is  the  city  of  Rutubi  Portus,  by  the  English  corrupted  into 
 Reptacestir.|  The  distance  from  hence  across  the  sea  to  Ges- 
 soriacum,§  the  nearest  shore  of  the  Morini,  is  fifty  miles,  or  as 
 some  writers  say,  450  furlongs.  On  the  back  of  the  island, 
 where  it  opens  upon  the  boundless  ocean,  it  has  the  islands 
 called  Orcades.  Britain  excels  for  grain  and  trees,  and  is 
 well  adapted  for  feeding  cattle  and  beasts  of  burden.  It 
 also  produces  vines  in  some  places,  and  has  plenty  of  land 
 and  water-fowls  of  several  sorts  ;  it  is  remarkable  also  for 
 rivers  abounding  in  fish,  and  plentiful  springs.  It  has  the 
 greatest  plenty  of  salmon  and  eels  ;  seals  are  also  frequently 
 taken,  and  dolphins,  as  also  whales  ;  besides  many  sorts  of 
 shell-fish,  such  as  muscles,  in  which  are  often  found  excellent 
 
 *  The  expression,  "  an  island  in  the  ocean,"  seems  to  be  used  to  dis- 
 tinguish Britain  from  the  other  islands  known  to  the  ancients,  almost  all  of 
 which  were  in  the  Mediterranean  sea. 
 
 t  This  total  varies  in  different  authors  :  some  make  it  4875.  The  first 
 few  pages  of  Bede  are  of  not  much  value,  being  copied  out  of  Pliny,  Soli- 
 nus,  and  other  Roman  authors.  See  the  Appendix  to  my  History  of  the 
 Ancient  Britons. 
 
 X  Richborough,  Kent.  $  Boulogne. 
 
B.  I.  c.  I.J  BRITAIN — ^ITS  PRODUCTIONS.  5 
 
 pearls  of  all  colours,  red,  purple,  violet,  and  green,  but 
 mostly  white.  There  is  also  a  great  abundance  of  cockles,  of 
 which  the  scarlet  dye  is  made  ;  a  most  beautiful  colour,  which 
 never  fades  with  the  heat  of  the  sun  or  the  washing  of  the 
 rain  ;  but  the  older  it  is,  the  more  beautiful  it  becomes.  It 
 has  both  salt  and  hot  springs,  and  from  them  flow  river 
 which  furnish  hot  baths,  proper  for  all  ages  and  sexes, 
 and  arranged  according.  For  water,  as  St.  Basil  says, 
 receives  the  heating  quality,  when  it  runs  along  certain 
 metals,  and  becomes  not  only  hot  but  scalding.  Britain 
 has  also  many  veins  of  metals,  as  copper,  iron,  lead,  and 
 silver  ;  it  has  much  and  excellent  jet,  which  is  black  and 
 sparkling,  glittering  at  the  fire,  and  when  heated,  drives 
 away  serpents  ;  being  warmed  with  rubbing,  it  holds  fast 
 whatever  is  applied  to  it,  like  amber.  The  island  was  for- 
 merly embellished  with  twenty-eight  noble  cities,  besides  in- 
 numerable castles,  which  were  all  strongly  secured  with  walls, 
 towers,  gates,  and  locks.  And,  from  its  lying  almost  under 
 the  North  Pole,  the  nights  are  light  in  summer,  so  that  at 
 midnight  the  beholders  are  often  in  doubt  whether  the  even- 
 ing twilight  still  continues,  or  that  of  the  morning  is  coming 
 on ;  for  the  sun,  in  the  night,  returns  under  the  earth, 
 through  the  northern  regions  at  no  great  distance  from  them. 
 For  this  reason  the  days  are  of  a  great  length  in  summer,  as, 
 on  the  contrary,  the  nights  are  in  winter,  for  the  sun  then 
 withdraws  into  the  southern  parts,  so  that  the  nights  are 
 eighteen  hours  long.  Thus  the  nights  are  extraordinarily 
 short  in  summer,  and  the  days  in  winter,  that  is,  of  only  six 
 equinoctial  hours.  Whereas,  in  Ai'menia,  Macedonia,  Italy, 
 and  other  countries  of  the  same  latitude,  the  longest  day  or 
 night  extends  but  to  fifteen  hours,  and  the  shortest  to  nine. 
 
 This  island  at  present,  following  the  number  of  the  books 
 in  which  the  Divine  law  was  written,  contains  five  nations, 
 the  English,  Britons,  Scots,*  Picts,|  and  Latins,  each  in  its 
 
 *  The  Scots  were  the  relatives  of  the  Cjinri,  being  another  branch  of  the 
 great  Celtic  nation,  who,  at  a  period  far  beyond  all  authentic  history, 
 had  established  themselves  in  Hibemia,  Erin,  or  Ireland.  Hence  that 
 island,  from  its  predominant  population,  was  generally  called  Scotia,  or 
 Insula  Scotorum,  by  the  ^mter3  of  the  sixth  and  seventh  centuries.  The 
 name  of  Scotia,  or  Scotland,  as  applied  to  the  northern  portion  of  Britain, 
 is  comparatively  of  modern  origin. 
 
 f  The  original  of  the  PictSj  has  caused  various  opinions.     Hector  Boe- 
 
b  BEDE  S  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  Lb.  r.  c.  1. 
 
 own  peculiar  dialect  cultivating  tlie  sublime  study  of  Divine 
 truth.  The  Latin  tongue  is,  by  the  study  of  the  Scriptures, 
 become  common  to  all  tlie  rest.  At  first  this  island  had  no 
 other  inhabitants  but  the  Britons,  from  whom  it  derived  its 
 name,  and  who,  coming  over  into  Britain,  as  is  reported, 
 from  Armorica,  possessed  themselves  of  the  southern  parts 
 thereof.  When  they,  beginning  at  the  south,  had  made 
 themselves  masters  of  the  greatest  part  of  the  island,  it  hap- 
 pened, that  the  nation  of  the  Picts,  from  Scythia,  as  is  re- 
 ported, putting  to  sea,  in  a  few  long  ships,  were  driven  by 
 the  winds  beyond  the  shores  of  Britain,  and  arrived  on  the 
 northern  coasts  of  Ireland,  where,  finding  the  nation  of  the 
 Scots,  they  begged  to  be  allowed  to  settle  among  them,  but 
 could  not  succeed  in  obtaining  their  request.  Ireland  is  the 
 greatest  island  next  to  Britain,  and  lies  to  the  west  of  it ; 
 but  as  it  is  shorter  than  Britain  to  the  north,  so,  on  the  other 
 hand,  it  runs  out  far  beyond  it  to  the  south,  opposite  to  the 
 northern  parts  of  Spain,  though  a  spacious  sea  lies  between 
 them.  The  Picts,  as  has  been  said,  arriving  in  this  island 
 by  sea,  desired  to  have  a  place  granted  them  in  which  they 
 might  settle.  The  Scots  answered  that  the  island  could  not 
 contain  them  both  ;  but  "  We  can  give  you  good  advice,** 
 said  they,  "  what  to  do  ;  we  know  there  is  another  island, 
 not  far  from  ours,  to  the  eastward,  which  we  often  see  at  a 
 distance,  when  the  days  are  clear.  If  you  will  go  tliither, 
 you  will  obtain  settlements  ;  or,  if  they  should  oppose  you, 
 you  shall  have  our  assistance."  The  Picts,  accordingly,  sail- 
 ing over  into  Britain,  began  to  inhabit  the  northern  parts 
 thereof,  for  the  Britons  were  possessed  of  the  southern. 
 Now  the  Picts  liad  no  wives,  and  asked  them  of  the  Scots  ; 
 who  would  not  consent  to  grant  them  upon  any  other  terms, 
 than  that  when  any  difficulty  should  arise,  they  should  choose 
 a  king  from  the  female  royal  race  rather  than  from  tlie  male  : 
 wliich  custom,  as  is  well  known,  has  been  observed  among 
 the  Picts  to  this  day.  In  process  of  time,  Britain,  besides 
 the  Britons  and  the  Picts,  received  a  third  nation,  the  Scots, 
 
 thius  derives  them  from  the  Agathyrji,  others  from  the  Germans,  Bede  from 
 Scvthia,  and  the  author  of  the  Saxon  Annals  from  the  southern  parts  of 
 Scythia.  ^Ir.  Camden  is  of  opinion  that  tliey  were  originally  Britons,  who 
 I'ed  into  the  northern  parts  of  the  island  from  the  Roman  invasions,  as  the 
 Welsh  into  the  Avestern.  But  this  is  opposed  by  Bishop  Stillingfieet,  who 
 w<ta  of  opinion  that  they  came  from  Scandinavia,  Orig,  Brit  c.  5. 
 
A.  D.  54.]  Cesar's  invasion  of  Britain.  7 
 
 who,  migrating  from  Ireland  under  their  leader,  Reuda, 
 either  by  fair  means,  or  hj  force  of  arms,  secured  to  them- 
 selves those  settlements  among  the  Picts  which  they  still 
 possess.  From  the  name  of  their  commander,  they  are  to 
 this  day  called  Dabeudins ;  for,  in  their  language,  Dal 
 signifies  a  part.* 
 
 Ireland,  in  breadth,  and  for  wholesomeness  and  serenity  of 
 climate,  far  surpasses  Britain  ;  for  the  snow  scarcely  ever 
 lies  there  above  three  days  :  no  man  makes  hay  in  the 
 summer  for  mnter's  provision,  or  builds  stables  for  his  oeasts 
 of  burden.  No  reptiles  are  found  there,  and  no  snake  can 
 live  there  ;  for,  though  often  carried  thither  out  of  Britain, 
 as  soon  as  the  ship  comes  near  the  shore,  and  the  scent  of  the 
 air  reaches  them,  they  die.  On  the  contrary,  almost  all 
 things  in  the  island  are  good  against  poison.  In  short,  we 
 have  known  that  when  some  persons  have  been  bitten  by 
 serpents,  the  scrapings  of  leaves  of  books  that  were  brought 
 out  of  Ireland,  being  put  into  water,  and  given  them  to 
 drink,  have  immediately  expelled  the  spreading  poison,  and 
 assuaged  the  swelling.  The  island  abounds  in  milk  and 
 honey,  nor  is  there  any  want  of  vines,  fish,  or  fowl ;  and  it  is 
 remarkable  for  deer  and  goats.  It  is  properly  the  country 
 of  the  Scots,  who,  migrating  from  thence,  as  has  been  said, 
 added  a  third  nation  in  Britain  to  the  Britons  and  the  Picts. 
 There  is  a  very  large  gulf  of  the  sea,  which  formerly  di- 
 vided the  nation  of  the  Picts  from  the  Britons  ;  which  gulf 
 runs  from  the  west  very  far  into  the  land,  where,  to  this  day, 
 stands  the  strong  city  of  the  Britons,  called  Alcluith.  The 
 Scots,  arriving  on  the  north  side  of  this  bay,  settled  them- 
 selves there. 
 
 CHAP.  n. 
 
 Cuius  Julius  CcEsar,  the  first  Roman  that  came  into  Britain. 
 
 Britain  had  never  been  visited  by  the  Romans,  and  was, 
 indeed,  entirely  unknown  to  them  before  the  time  of  Caius 
 Julius  Caesar,  who,  in  the  year  693  after  the  building  of 
 Rome,  but  the  sixtieth  ■]■  year  before  the  incarnation  of  our 
 
 *  Hence  Dalrieta,  or  Dalreuda  may  be  explained  Dal-Ri-Eta,  the,  por- 
 tion  of  Reuda  or  Rieta,  i.e.  king  Eta. 
 
 f  This  date,  like  many  others  in  Eede,  is  not  correct.  Caesar's  invasion 
 happened,  b.  r.  54. 
 
8  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  Lb  I.  c.  3. 
 
 Lord,  was  consul  with  Lucius  Bibulus,  and  afterwards  while 
 he  made  war  upon  the  Germans  and  the  Gauls,  which  were 
 divided  only  by  the  river  Rhine,  came  into  the  province  of 
 the  Morini,  from  whence  is  the  nearest  and  shortest  passage 
 into  Britain.  Here,  having  provided  about  eighty  ships  of 
 burden  and  vessels  with  oars,  he  sailed  over  into  Britain  ; 
 where,  being  first  roughly  handled  in  a  battle,  and  then 
 meeting  with  a  violent  storm,  he  lost  a  considerable  part  of 
 liis  fleet,  no  small  number  of  soldiers,  and  almost  all  his 
 horses.  Returning  into  Gaul,  he  put  his  legions  into  winter- 
 quarters,  and  gave  orders  for  building  six  hundred  sail  of 
 both  sorts.  With  these  he  again  passed  over  early  in  spring 
 into  Britain,  but,  whilst  he  was  marching  with  a  large  army 
 towards  the  enemy,  the  ships,  riding  at  anchor,  were,  by  a 
 tempest  either  dashed  one  against  another,  or  di-iven  upon 
 the  sands  and  wrecked.  Forty  of  them  perished,  the  rest 
 were,  with  much  difficulty,  repaired.  Caesar's  cavalry  was, 
 at  the  first  charge,  defeated  by  the  Britons,  and  Labienus, 
 the  tribune,  slain.  In  the  second  engagement,  he,  with 
 great  hazard  to  his  men,  put  the  Britons  to  flight.  Thence 
 he  proceeded  to  the  river  Thames,  where  an  immense  multi- 
 tude of  the  enemy  had  posted  themselves  on  the  farthest  side 
 of  the  river,  under  the  command  of  Cassibellaun,*  and  fenced 
 the  bank  of  the  river  and  almost  all  the  ford  under  water 
 vith  sharp  stakes  :  the  remains  of  these  are  to  be  seen  to  this 
 day,  apparently  about  the  tliickness  of  a  man's  tliigh,  and  being 
 cased  with  lead,  remain  fixed  immovably  in  the  bottom  of  the 
 river.  This,  being  perceived  and  avoided  by  the  Romans,  the 
 barbarians,  not  able  to  stand  the  shock  of  the  legions,  hid 
 themselves  in  the  woods,  whence  they  grievously  galled  the 
 Romans  with  repeated  sallies.  Li  the  meantime,  the  strong 
 city  of  Trinovantum,f  with  its  commander  Androgens,  sur- 
 
 *  Cassibellaun,  or  as  he  is  sometimes  called,  Cassibelinus,  seems  to  have 
 maintained  an  extent  of  power  and  territory  superior  to  most  of  the  British 
 kings.  His  own  possessions  originally  comprised  that  portion  of  the  island 
 which  is  now  divided  into  the  counties  of  Hertford,  Bedford,  and  Bucking- 
 ham, together,  as  Horsley  supposes,  with  part  of  Huntingdonshire  and 
 Northamptonshire.  To  these  he  added,  by  conquest,  pai-t  of  the  territory 
 of  the  Trinobantes,  who  occupied  that  tract  which  now  comprises  the 
 coimties  of  Essex,  Middlesex,  and  part  of  Surrey, 
 
 t  Supposed  to  be  London,  and  erroneously  interpreted  "  New-Troy ,** 
 by  Geottery  of  Monmouth  and  his  followers. 
 
A.D.  41.]  Claudius'  invasion  of  Britain.  9 
 
 rendered  to  Cassar,  giving  him  forty  hostages.  Many  other 
 cities,  following  their  example,  made  a  treaty  with  the  Ro- 
 mans. By  their  assistance,  Caesar  at  length,  with  much 
 difficulty,  took  Cassibellaun's  town,*  situated  between  two 
 marshes,  fortified  by  the  adjacent  woods,  and  plentifully  fur- 
 nished with  all  necessaries.  After  this,  Ctesar  returned  into 
 Gaul,  but  he  had  no  sooner  put  his  legions  into  winter-quar- 
 ters, than  he  was  suddenly  beset  and  distracted  with  wars 
 and  tumults  raised  against  him  on  every  side. 
 
 CHAP.  III. 
 
 Claudius,  the  second  of  the  Romans  who  came  into  Britain,  brought  the 
 islands  Orcades  into  subjection  to  the  Roman  empire  ;  and  Vespasian, 
 sent  by  him,  reduced  the  Isle  of  Wight  under  their  dominion. 
 
 In  the  year  of  Rome  798, f  Claudius,  fourth  emperor  from 
 Augustus,  being  desirous  to  approve  himself  a  beneficial 
 prince  to  the  republic,  and  eagerly  bent  upon  war  and  con- 
 quest, undertook  an  expedition  into  Britain,  which  seemed 
 to  be  stirred  up  to  rebellion  by  the  refusal  of  the  Romans  to 
 give  up  certain  deserters.  He  was  the  only  one,  either  be- 
 fore or  after  Julius  Caesar,  who  had  dared  to  land  upon  the 
 island ;  yet,  within  a  very  few  days,  without  any  fight  or  blood- 
 shed, the  greatest  part  of  the  island  was  surrendered  into  his 
 hands.  He  also  added  to  the  Roman  empire  the  Orcades, J 
 which  lie  in  the  ocean  beyond  Britain,  and  then,  returning 
 to  Rome  the  sixth  month  after  his  departure,  he  gave  his  son 
 the  title  of  Britannicus.  This  war  he  concluded  in  the 
 fourth  year  of  his  empire,  which  is  the  forty-sixth  from 
 the  incarnation  of  our  Lord.  In  which  year  there  hap- 
 pened a  most  grievous  famine  in  Syria,  which,  in  the  Acts 
 of  the  Apostles  is  recorded  to  have  been  foretold  by  the  pro- 
 phet Agabus.  Vespasian,  who  was  emperor  after  Nero, 
 being  sent  into  Britain  by  the  same  Claudius,  brought  also 
 under  the  Roman  dominion  the  Isle  of  Wight,  which  is  next 
 to  Britain  on  the  south,  and  is  about  thirty  miles  in  length 
 from  east  to  west,  and  twelve  from  north  to  south  ;  being  six 
 miles  distant  from  the  southern  coast  of  Britain  at  the  east 
 
 *  Supposed  to  be  St.  Alban's.      t  Claudius  came  to  Britain,  a.d.  44. 
 X  This  also  is  a  mistake  ;  it  was  probably  Agricola  who  first  subdued 
 the  Orkueys. 
 
10  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  HISTOKT.  [n-  I-  c.  4, 5. 
 
 end,  and  three  only  at  the  west.  Nero,  succeeding  Claudius 
 in  the  empire,  attempted  nothing  in  martial  affairs  ;  and, 
 therefore,  among  other  innumerable  detriments  brought  upon 
 the  Roman  state,  he  almost  lost  Britain  ;  for  under  him  two 
 most  noble  towns  were  there  taken  and  destroyed. 
 
 CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Lucius,  king  of  Britain,  writing  to  Pope  Eletitherus,  desires  to  be  made  a 
 Christian. 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  156,  Marcus  Antoninus 
 Verus,  the  fourteenth  from  Augustus,  was  made  emperor, 
 together  with  his  brother,  Aurelius  Commodus.*  In  their 
 time,  whilst  Eleutherus,  a  holy  man,  presided  over  the  Ro- 
 man church,  Lucius,  Idng  of  the  Britons,  sent  a  letter  to 
 him,  entreating  that  by  his  command  he  might  be  made  a 
 Clmstian.  He  soon  obtained  his  pious  request,  and  the 
 Britons  j^reserved  the  faith,  which  they  had  received,  uncor- 
 rupted  and  entire,  in  peace  and  tranquillity  until  the  time  of 
 the  Emperor  Diocletian. 
 
 CHAP.  Y. 
 
 Hoiv  the  Emperor  Severus  divided  that  part  of  Britain,  which  he  subdued 
 from  the  rest  by  a  Rampart, 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord  189,  Severus,  an  African,  born  at 
 Leptis,  in  the  province  of  Tripolis,  received  the  imperial 
 purple.  He  was  the  seventeenth  from  Augustus,  and 
 reigned  seventeen  years.  Being  naturally  stern,  and  en- 
 gaged in  many  wars,  he  governed  the  state  vigorously,  but 
 with  much  trouble.  Having  been  victorious  in  all  the 
 grievous  civil  wars  which  happened  in  his  time,  he  was 
 drawn  into  Britain  by  the  revolt  of  almost  all  the  confederate 
 tribes  ;  and,  after  many  great  and  dangerous  battles,  he 
 thouglit  fit  to  divide  that  part  of  the  island,  which  he  had 
 recovered  from  the  other  unconquered  nations,  not  A\'ith  a  wall, 
 as  some  imagine,  but  with  a  rampart.     For  a  wall  is  made  of 
 
 *  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  Bode  shows  himself  very  confused  on 
 subjects  connected  with  Roman  history.  In  this  passage  are  several  glar- 
 ing errors.  No  such  emperors  as  the  two  mentioned  ever  reigned  together, 
 nor  is  the  date  or  the  name  of  the  Roman  bishop  more  correct  than  the 
 names  of  the  emperors.  Eleutherus  flourished  between  a.d.  17G  and  190; 
 and  Marcus  Antoninus  was  made  emperor  a.d.  161. 
 
A.D.  286.]  CARAUSIUS  AXD  ALLECTUS.  1] 
 
 Stones,  but  a  rampart,  with  -which  camps  are  fortified  to 
 repel  the  assaults  of  enemies,  is  made  of  sods,  cut  out  of  the 
 earth,  and  raised  above  the  ground  all  round  like  a  wall, 
 having  in  front  of  it  the  ditch  whence  the  sods  were  taken, 
 and  strong  stakes  of  wood  fixed  upon  its  top.  Thus  Severus 
 drew  a  great  ditch  and  strong  rampart,  fortified  with  several 
 towers,  from  sea  to  sea  ;  and  was  afterwards  taken  sick  and 
 died  at  York,  leaving  two  sons,  Bassianus  and  Geta  ;  of 
 whom  Geta  died,  adjudged  a  public  enemy  ;  but  Bassia- 
 nus, having  taken  the  surname  of  Antoninus,  obtained  the 
 empire. 
 
 CHAP.  YI. 
 
 The  reign  of  Diocletian,  and  how  he  persecuted  tlie  Christians 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  286,  Diocletian,  the 
 thirty-third  from  Augustus,  and  chosen  emperor  by  the 
 army,  reigned  tv/enty  years,  and  created  Maximian,  sur- 
 named  Herculius,  bis  colleague  in  the  empire.  In  their 
 time,  one  Carausius,  of  very  mean  birth,  but  an  expert  and 
 able  soldier,  being  appointed  to  guard  the  sea-coasts,  then 
 infested  by  t]  e  Franks  and  Saxons,  acted  more  to  the  pre- 
 jufhce  than  to  the  advantage  of  the  commonwealth  ;  and  from 
 his  not  rest  ring  to  its  owners  the  booty  taken  from  the 
 robbers,  but  keeping  all  to  himself,  it  was  suspected  that  by 
 intentional  neglect  he  suffered  the  enemy  to  infest  the  frontiers. 
 Hearing,  therefore,  that  an  order  was  sent  by  Maximian  that 
 he  should  be  put  to  death,  he  took  upon  him  the  imperial 
 robes,  and  possessed  himself  of  Britain,  and  having  most 
 valiantly  retained  it  for  the  space  of  seven  years,  he  was  at 
 length  put  to  death  by  the  treachery  of  his  associate,  Allectus. 
 The  usurper,  having  thus  got  the  island  from  Carausius, 
 held  it  three  years,  and  was  then  vanquished  by  Asclepiodotus, 
 the  captain  of  the  Praetorian  bands,  who  thus  at  the  end  of 
 ten  years  restored  Britain  to  the  Roman  empire.  Mean- 
 while, Diocletian  in  the  east,  and  Maximian  Herculius  in  the 
 west,  commanded  the  churches  to  be  destroyed,  and  the 
 Christians  to  be  slain.  This  persecution  was  the  tenth  since 
 the  reign  of  Nero,  and  was  more  lasting  and  bloody  than  all 
 the  others  before  it ;  for  it  was  carried  on  incessantly  for  the 
 space  of  ten  years,  with  burning  of  churches,  outlawing  of 
 
12  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  I.  c  7. 
 
 innocent  persons,  and  the  slaughter  of  martyrs.  At  lengthy 
 it  reached  Britain  also,  and  many  persons,  with  the  con- 
 stancy of  martyrs,  died  in  the  confession  of  their  faith. 
 
 CHAP.  yn. 
 
 TTie  Passion  of  St,  Alhan  and  his  Companions,  who  at  that  time  shed  their 
 blood  for  our  Lord.     [a.d.  305.] 
 
 At  that  time  suffered  St.  Alban,*  of  whom  the  priest  Fortu- 
 natus,  in  the  Praise  of  Virgins,  where  he  makes  mention  of 
 the  blessed  martyrs  that  came  to  the  Lord  from  all  parts  of 
 the  world,  says — 
 
 In  Britain's  isle  was  holy  Alban  born. 
 This  Alban,  being  yet  a  pagan,  at  the  time  when  the 
 cruelties  of  wicked  princes  were  raging  against  Christians, 
 gave  entertainment  in  his  house  to  a  certain  clergyman, 
 flying  from  the  persecutors.  This  man  he  observed  to  be 
 engaged  in  continual  prayer  and  watching  day  and  night ; 
 when  on  a  sudden  the  Divine  grace  sliining  on  him,  be  began 
 to  imitate  the  example  of  faith  and  piety  which  was  set 
 before  him,  and  being  gradually  instructed  by  his  wholesome 
 admonitions,  he  cast  off  the  darkness  of  idolatry,  and  became 
 a  Cliiistian  in  all  sincerity  of  heart.  The  aforesaid  clergy- 
 man having  been  some  days  entertained  by  him,  it  came  to 
 the  ears  of  the  wicked  prince,  that  this  holy  confessor  of 
 Christ,  whose  time  of  martyrdom  had  not  yet  come,  was  con- 
 cealed at  Alban's  house.  Wliereupon  he  sent  some  soldiers 
 to  make  a  strict  search  after  him.  When  they  came  to  the 
 martyr's  house,  St.  Alban  immediately  presented  himself  to  the 
 soldiers,  instead  of  his  guest  and  master,  in  the  habit  or  long 
 coat  which  he  wore,  and  was  led  bound  before  the  judge. 
 
 It  happened  that  the  judge,  at  the  time  when  Alban  was 
 carried  before  him,  was  standing  at  the  altar,  and  offering 
 sacrifice  to  devils.  When  he  saw  Alban,  being  much  en- 
 raged that  he  should  thus,  of  his  own  accord,  put  himself 
 into  the  hands  of  the  soldiers,  and  incur  such  danger  in  be- 
 half of  his  guest,  he  commanded  him  to  be  di-agged  up  to  the 
 
 *  There  are  great  chronological  difficulties  in  the  story  of  the  martyrdom 
 of  St.  Alban.  Whilst  the  persecution  lasted,  Britain  was  first  alienated  from 
 the  Roman  empire  by  Carausius  and  Allectus,  and  was  then  under  Con- 
 stantius  and  his  son  Constantino  the  Great.  It  is  difficult  to  believe  that 
 either  of  these  would  sanction  a  bloody  persecution  in  their  dominions. 
 
A.D.  305. j  ST.  ALBAN  MARTYRED  1  3 
 
 images  of  the  devils,  before  which  he  stood,  saying,  "  Because 
 you  have  chosen  to  conceal  a  rebellious  and  sacrilegious 
 person,  rather  than  to  deliver  him  up  to  the  soldiers,  that  his 
 contempt  of  the  gods  might  meet  with  the  penalty  due  to 
 such  blasphemy,  you  shall  undergo  all  the  punishment  that  was 
 due  to  him,  if  you  abandon  the  worship  of  our  religion."  But 
 St.  Alban,  who  had  voluntarily  declared  himself  a  Christian 
 to  the  persecutors  of  the  faith,  was  not  at  all  daunted  at  the 
 prince's  threats,  but  putting  on  the  armour  of  spiritual  war- 
 fare, publicly  declared  that  he  would  not  obey  the  command. 
 Then  said  the  judge,  "  Of  what  family  or  race  are  you  ?  " — 
 "  What  does  it  concern  you,"  answered  Alban,  "  of  what 
 stock  I  am  ?  If  you  desire  to  hear  the  truth  of  my  religion, 
 be  it  known  to  you,  that  I  am  now  a  Christian,  and  bound 
 by  Christian  duties." — "I  ask  your  name,"  said  the  judge  ; 
 "tell  me  it  immediately." — "I  am  called  Alban  by  my 
 parents,"  replied  he  ;  "  and  I  worship  and  adore  the  true  and 
 living  God,  who  created  all  things."  Then  the  judge,  in- 
 flamed with  anger,  said,  "If  you  will  enjoy  the  happiness  of 
 eternal  Hfe,  do  not  delay  to  offer  sacrifice  to  the  great  gods." 
 Alban  rejoined,  "  These  sacrifices,  which  by  you  are  offered 
 to  de\'ils,  neither  can  avail  the  subjects,  nor  answer  the 
 wishes  or  desires  of  those  that  offer  up  their  supplications  to 
 them.  On  the  contrary,  whosoever  shall  offer  sacrifice  to 
 these  images,  shall  receive  the  everlasting  pains  of  heU  for 
 his  reward." 
 
 The  judge,  hearing  these  words,  and  being  much  incensed, 
 ordered  this  holy  confessor  of  God  to  be  scourged  by  the 
 executioners,  believing  he  might  by  stripes  shake  that  con- 
 stancy of  heart,  on  wliicli  he  could  not  prevail  by  words. 
 He,  being  most  cruelly  tortured,  bore  the  same  patiently,  or 
 rather  joyfully,  for  our  Lord's  sake.  When  the  judge  per- 
 ceived that  he  was  not  to  be  overcome  by  tortures,  or  with- 
 drawn from  the  exercise  of  the  Christian  religion,  he  ordered 
 him  to  be  put  to  death.  Being  led  to  execution,  he  came  to 
 a  river,  which,  with  a  most  rapid  course,  ran  between  the 
 wall  of  the  town  and  the  arena  where  he  was  to  be  executed.* 
 
 •  There  is  either  a  corruption  or  great  obscurity  in  the  text  of  this 
 passage.  All  the  MSS.  however  agree,  and  yet  it  is  impossible  to  translate 
 the  passage  grammatically.  1  believe  the  text  above  gives  the  intendecj 
 meaning. 
 
14  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  IIISTOHT.  [b.  i,  c.7. 
 
 He  there  saw  a  multitude  of  persons  of  both  sexes,  and  of 
 several  ages  and  conditions,  who  were  doubtlessly  assembled 
 by  Divine  instinct,  to  attend  the  blessed  confessor  and  martyr, 
 and  had  so  taken  up  the  bridge  on  the  river,  that  he  could 
 scarce  pass  over  that  evening.  Li  short,  almost  all  had  gone 
 out,  so  that  the  judge  remained  in  the  city  without  attendance. 
 St.  Alban,  therefore,  urged  by  an  ardent  and  devout  wish  to 
 arrive  quickly  at  martyrdom,  drew  near  to  the  stream,  and 
 on  lifting  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  the  cliannel  Avas  immediately 
 dried  up,  and  he  perceived  that  the  water  had  departed  and 
 made  way  for  liim  to  pass.  Among  the  rest,  the  executioner, 
 who  was  to  have  put  him  to  death,  observed  tliis,  and  moved 
 by  Divine  inspiration  hastened  to  meet  him  at  the  place  of 
 execution,  and  casting  down  the  sword  which  he  had  carried 
 ready  drawn,  fell  at  his  feet,  praying  that  he  might  rather 
 suffer  with  the  martyr,  whom  he  was  ordered  to  execute,  or, 
 if  i)ossible,  instead  of  him. 
 
 Whilst  he  thus  from  a  persecutor  was  become  a  companion 
 in  the  faith,  and  the  other  executioners  hesitated  to  take  up 
 the  sword  which  was  lying  on  the  ground,  the  reverend  con- 
 fessor, accompanied  by  the  multitude,  ascended  a  hill,  about 
 500  paces  from  the  place,  adorned,  or  rather  clothed  with  all 
 kinds  of  flowers,  having  its  sides  neither  perpendicular,  nor 
 even  craggy,  but  sloping  down  into  a  most  beautiful  plain, 
 worthy  from  its  lovely  appearance  to  be  the  scene  of  a 
 martyr's  sufferings.  On  the  top  of  this  liill,  St.  Alban  prayed 
 that  God  would  give  him  water,  and  immediately  a  living 
 spring  broke  out  before  his  feet,  the  course  being  confined, 
 so  that  all  men  perceived  that  the  river  also  had  been  dried 
 up  in  consequence  of  the  martyr's  presence.  Nor  was  it 
 likely  that  the  martyr,  who  had  left  no  water  remaining  in 
 the  river,  should  want  some  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  unless  he 
 thought  it  suitable  to  the  occasion.  The  river  having  per- 
 formed the  holy  service,  returned  to  its  natural  course,  lea\nng 
 a  testimony  of  its  obedience.  Here,  therefore,  the  head  of 
 our  most  courageous  martyr  was  struck  off,  and  here  he  re- 
 ceived the  crown  of  life,  which  God  has  promised  to  those 
 who  love  liim.  But  he  who  gave  the  wicked  stroke,  was  not 
 permitted  to  rejoice  over  the  deceased  ;  for  his  eyes  dropped 
 upon  the  ground  together  with  the  blessed  martyr's  head. 
 
 At  the  same  time  was  also  beheaded  the  soldier,  who 
 
A.D.  305].  ST.    ALBAN   MARTYRED.  15 
 
 before,  through  the  Divine  admonition,  refused  to  give  the 
 stroke  to  the  holy  confessor.  Of  whom  it  is  apparent,  that 
 though  he  was  not  regenerated  by  baptism,  yet  he  was 
 cleansed  by  the  washing  of  liis  own  blood,  and  rendered 
 worthy  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Then  the  judge, 
 astonished  at  the  novelty  of  so  many  heavenly  miracles, 
 ordered  the  persecution  to  cease  immediately,  beginning  to 
 honour  the  death  of  the  saints,  by  which  he  before  thought 
 they  might  have  been  diverted  from  the  Christian  faith.  The 
 blessed  Alban  suffered  death  on  the  twenty-second  day  of 
 June,  near  the  city  of  Verulam,*  which  is  now  by  the  Eng- 
 lish nation  called  Verlamacestir,  or  Varlingacestir,  where 
 afterwards,  when  peaceable  Christian  times  were  restored,  a 
 church  of  wonderful  workmanship,  and  suitable  to  his 
 martyrdom,  was  erected.f  In  v/ldch  place,  tliere  ceases  not 
 to  tliis  day  the  cure  of  sick  persons,  and  the  frequent  work- 
 ing of  wonders. 
 
 At  the  same  time  suffered  Aaron  and  Julius,  citizens  of 
 Chester,!  and  many  more  of  both  sexes  in  several  places  ; 
 who,  when  they  had  endured  sundry  torments,  and  their 
 limbs  had  been  torn  after  an  unheard-of  manner,  yielded  their 
 souls  up,  to  enjoy  in  the  heavenly  city  a  reward  for  the  suffer- 
 ings which  they  had  passed  through. 
 
 *  Now  St.  Albans  in  Hertfordshire. 
 
 t  The  place  where  St.  Alban  suffered  was  called  Holmhurst,  in  the 
 Saxon,  signifying  a  woody  place,  near  the  city  of  Venilamium,  or  Verulam, 
 where  Bede  says  there  was  a  beautiful  church  in  his  time  ;  since  when, 
 Offa,  king  of  the  Mercians,  anno  793,  founded  in  this  place  the  stately 
 monastery  of  St.  Alban,  and  procured  and  granted  it  extraordinary  privi- 
 leges, upon  which  arose  the  town  of  ^t.  Albans,  in  Hertfordshire.  As  the 
 saint  of  this  church  was  the  first  martyr  in  England,  Pope  Honorius  granted 
 the  abbat  a  superiority  over  all  others.  In  the  time  of  HenryVIII.it 
 fell  with  the  rest,  but  the  townsmen  preserved  the  church  from  ruin,  by  a 
 purchase  of  ^400.  The  ruins  of  the  ancient  Verulam  are  even  now  to  be 
 seen  ;  and  the  church  is  built  out  of  them,  being,  as  Bishop  Gibson  ob- 
 serves, of  British  bricks. 
 
 J  Gildas  says,  that  Aaron  and  Julius  were  citizens  of  Carlisle  ;  but  others 
 make  them  to  have  been  inhabitants  of  the  Roman  city  of  Caerleon  upon 
 Usk,  where  according  to  Walter,  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  as  well  as  Giral- 
 dus  Cambrensis,  two  or  three  illustrious  churches  were  dedicated  to  their 
 memory. 
 
1 6  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  1.  c.  8,  9 
 
 CHAP.  vni. 
 
 The  persecution  ceasing,  the  Church  in  Britain  enjoys  peace  till  the  time 
 of  the  Avian  heresy,      [a.d  307 — 337.] 
 
 When  the  storm  of  persecution  ceased,  the  faithful  Chiis- 
 tians,  who,  during  the  time  of  danger,  had  hidden  themselves 
 in  woods  and  deserts,  and  secret  caves,  appearing  in  public, 
 rebuilt  the  churches  which  had  been  levelled  with  the  ground ; 
 founded,  erected,  and  finished  the  Ismples  of  the  holy 
 martyi's,  and,  as  it  were,  displayed  their  conquering  ensigns 
 in  all  places  ;  they  celebrated  festivals,  and  performed  their 
 sacred  rites  ^vith  clean  hearts  and  mouths.  This  peace  con- 
 tinued in  the  churches  of  Britain  until  the  time  of  the  Arian 
 madness,  which,  having  corrupted  the  whole  world,  infected 
 tliis  island  also,  so  far  removed  from  the  rest  of  the  globe, 
 with  the  poison  of  its  arrows  ;  and  when  the  plague  was 
 thus  conveyed  across  the  sea,  all  the  venom  of  every  heresy 
 immediately  rushed  into  the  island,  ever  fond  of  sometliing 
 new,  and  never  holding  firm  to  any  thing. 
 
 At  this  time,  Constantius,  who,  whilst  Diocletian  was  alive, 
 governed  Gaul  and  Spain,  a  man  of  extraordinary  meekness 
 and  courtesy,  died  in  Britain.  This  man  left  his  son  Con- 
 stantine,  born  of  Helen  his  concubine,  emperor  of  the  Gauls. 
 Eutropius  writes,  that  Constantine,  being  created  emperor 
 in  Britain,  succeeded  his  father  in  the  sovereignity.  In  his 
 time  the  Ai'ian  heresy  broke  out,  and  although  it  was  de- 
 tected and  condemned  in  the  Council  of  Nice,  yet  it  never- 
 theless infected  not  only  all  the  churches  of  the  continent, 
 but  even  those  of  the  islands,  with  its  pestilent  and  fatal 
 doctrines. 
 
 CHAP.  IX. 
 
 How  during  the  reign  of  Gratian,  Maximus,  being  created  Emperor  in 
 Britain,  returned  into  Gaul  with  a  mighty  army,     [a.d.  383,] 
 
 \^  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  377,  Gratian,  the 
 fortieth  from  Augustus,  held  the  empire  six  years  after  the 
 death  of  Valens  ;  though  he  had  long  before  reigned  with 
 his  uncle  Valens,  and  his  brother  Valentinian.  Finding  the 
 state  of  the  commonwealth  much  impaired^  and  almost  gone 
 to  ruin,  he  looked  around  for  some  one  wLose  abiUties  might 
 
A.D.  39;.i  aucadius  emperor.  17 
 
 remedj  the  existing  evils  ;  and  liis  choice  fell  on  Theodosius, 
 a  Spaniard.  Him  he  invested  at  Sirmium  with  the  royal 
 robes,  and  made  him  emperor  of  Thrace  and  the  Eastern 
 provinces.  At  which  time,  Maximus,  a  man  of  valour  and 
 probity,  and  worthy  to  be  an  emperor,  if  he  had  not  broken 
 the  oath  of  allegiance  which  he  had  taken,  was  made  empe- 
 ror by  the  army,  passed  over  into  Gaul,  and  there  by 
 treachery  slew  the  Emperor  Gratian,  who  was  in  a  con- 
 sternation at  his  sudden  invasion,  and  attempting  to  escape 
 into  Italy.  His  brother,  Valentinian,  expelled  from  Italy, 
 iled  into  the  East,  where  he  was  entertained  by  Theodosius 
 with  fatherly  affection,  and  soon  restored  to  the  empire. 
 Maximus  the  tyrant,  being  shut  up  in  Aquileia,  was  there 
 taken  and  put  to  death. 
 
 CHAP.  X. 
 
 Hoii',  in  the  reign  of  Arcadius,   Pelagiiis,  a  Briton,  insolently  impugned 
 the  Grace  of  God. 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord  394,  Arcadius,  the  son  of  Theodo- 
 sius, the  forty-third  from  Augustus,  taking  the  empire  upon 
 him,  with  his  brother  Honorius,  held  it  thirteen  years.  In 
 his  time,  Pelagius,  a  Briton,*  spread  far  and  near  the  infec- 
 tion of  his  perfidious  doctrine  against  the  assistance  of  the 
 Divine  grace,  being  seconded  therein  by  his  associate  Juli- 
 anus  of  Campania,  whose  anger  was  kindled  by  the  loss  of 
 his  bishopric,  of  which  he  had  been  just  deprived.  St. 
 Augustine,  and  the  other  orthodox  fathers,  quoted  many 
 thousand  catholic  authorities  against  them,  yet  they  would 
 not  correct  their  madness  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  their  folly 
 was  rather  increased  by  contradiction,  and  they  refused  to 
 embrace  the  truth  ;  which  Prosper,  the  rhetorician,  has 
 beautifully  expressed  thus  in  heroic  verse  : — 
 
 "  A  scribbler  vile,  inflamed  with  hellish  spite, 
 Against  the  great  Augustine  dared  to  Avrite  ; 
 Presumptuous  serpent !  from  what  midnight  den 
 Durst  thou  to  crawl  on  earth  and  look  at  men  1 
 ,   Sure  thou  wast  fed  on  Britain's  sea-girt  plains, 
 Or  in  thy  breast  Vesuvian  sulphur  reigns." 
 
 *  Pelagius  was  a  native  of  "Wales  ;  his  real  name  is  supposed  to  have 
 been  Morgan.  He  was  a  man  of  learning,  and  is  said  to  have  written  the 
 following  works  : — "  A  Commentary  uii  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paid,  attributed 
 
 C 
 
1 8  BEDe's  ECCLr  SIA5TiCAL  HISTOKY.  Lb.  i.  c  11. 
 
 CHAP.  XL 
 
 ffoiv  during  the  reign  of  Honorius,  Gratian  and  Const  an  line  were  created 
 tyrants  in  Britain  ;  and  soon  after  the  former  was  slain  in  Britain, 
 and  the  latter  in  Gaul. 
 
 In  the  year  407,  Honorius,  the  younger  son  of  Theodosius, 
 and  the  forty-fourth  from  Augustus,  being  emperor,  two 
 years  before  the  invasion  of  Rome  by  Alaric,  king  of  tlie 
 Goths,  when  the  nations  of  the  Alani,  Suevi,  Vandals,  and 
 many  others  with  them,  having  defeated  the  Franks  and 
 passed  the  Rhine,  ravaged  all  Gaul,  Gratianus  Municeps 
 was  set  up  as  tp'ant  and  killed.  In  his  place,  Constantino, 
 one  of  the  meanest  soldiers,  only  for  his  name's  sake,  and 
 without  any  worth  to  recommend  him,  was  chosen  emperor. 
 As  soon  as  he  had  taken  upon  liim  the  command,  he  passed 
 over  into  France,  where  being  often  imposed  upon  by  the 
 barbarians  with  faithless  treaties,  he  caused  much  injury  to 
 the  Commonwealth.  Whereupon  Count  Constantius  by  the 
 command  of  Honorious,  marching  into  Gaul  with  an  army, 
 besieged  him  in  the  city  of  Ai'les,  and  put  him  to  death. 
 His  son  Constaus,  whom  of  a  monk  he  had  created  Ciiesar, 
 was  also  put  to  death  by  his  own  Count  Gerontius,  at 
 Vienne. 
 
 Rome  was  taken  by  the  Goths,  in  the  year  from  its  foun- 
 dation, 1164.  Then  the  Romans  ceased  to  rule  in  Britain, 
 almost  470  years  after  Caius  Julius  Caesar  entered  the  island. 
 They  resided  within  the  rampart,  which,  as  we  have  men- 
 tioned, Severus  made  across  the  island,  on  the  south  side  of 
 it,  as  the  cities,  temples,  bridges,  and  paved  roads  there  made, 
 testify  to  this  day  ;  but  they  had  a  right  of  dominion  over 
 the  farther  parts  of  Britain,  as  also  over  the  islands  that 
 are  beyond  Britain. 
 
 to  St.  Jerome  ;  a  Letter  to  Demetria,  and  some  others  in  the  last  volume 
 of  St.  Jerome  ;  A  Confession  of  Faith  to  Pope  Innocent ;  Fragment  of  a 
 Treatise  of  the  Power  of  Nature  and  Free  Will,  in  St.  Augustine  ;  these 
 are  extant.  He  wrote  likewise  a  Treatise  of  the  Power  of  Nature,  and 
 several  books  concerning  Free  Will,  which  are  lost." — Collier's  Eccles. 
 Hint.  vol.  i.  p.  42,  folio.  For  further  particulars  respecting  Pelagius,  see 
 Du  Pin's  Hist,  of  the  Church,  vol.  ii.  pp.  184—194,  12mo.  1724. 
 
.D.  400-n4.1  PICTS    AND    SCOTS.  19 
 
 CHAP.  XII. 
 
 The  Britons,  being  ravaged  by  the  Scots  and  Picis,  sought  succour  from  the 
 Romans,  who,  coming  a  second  time,  built  a  wall  across  the  island;  but 
 the  Britons  being  again  invaded  by  the  aforesitid  enemies,  were  reduced 
 to  greater  distress  than  before. 
 
 From  that  time,  the  south  part  of  Britain,  destitute  of  armed 
 soldiers,  of  martial  stores,  and  of  all  its  active  youth,  which 
 had  been  led  away  by  the  rashness  of  the  tyrants,  never  to 
 return,  was  wholly  exposed  to  rapine,  as  being  totally  igno- 
 rant of  the  use  of  weapons.  Whereupon  they  suffered  many 
 years  under  two  very  savage  foreign  nations,  the  Scots  from 
 the  west,  and  the  Picts  from  the  north.  We  call  these 
 foreign  nations,  not  on  account  of  their  being  seated  out  of 
 Britain,  but  because  they  were  remote  from  that  part  of  it 
 which  was  possessed  by  the  Britons  ;  two  inlets  of  the  sea 
 lying  between  them,  one  of  which  runs  in  far  and  broad  into 
 the  land  of  Britain,  from  the  Eastern  Ocean,  and  the  other 
 from  the  Western,  though  they  do  not  reach  so  as  touch  one 
 another.  The  eastern  has  in  the  midst  of  it  the  city  Giudi. 
 The  western  has  on  it,  that  is,  on  the  right  hand  thereof,  the 
 city  Alcluith,*  which  in  their  language  signifies  the  Rock 
 Cluith,  for  it  is  close  by  the  river  of  that  name. 
 
 On  account  of  the  irruption  of  these  nations,  the  Britons 
 sent  messengers  to  Rome  with  letters  in  mournful  manner, 
 praying  for  succours,  and  promising  perpetual  subj  ection,  pro- 
 vided that  the  impending  enemy  should  be  driven  away.  An 
 armed  legion  was  immediately  sent  them,  which,  arriving  in 
 the  island,  and  engaging  the  enemy,  slew  a  great  multitude 
 of  them,  drove  the  rest  out  of  the  territories  of  their  allies, 
 and  having  delivered  them  from  their  cruel  oppressors,  ad- 
 vised them  to  build  a  wall  between  the  two  seas  across  the 
 the  island,  that  it  might  secure  them,  and  keep  off  the  enemy  ; 
 and  thus  they  returned  home  with  great  triumph.  The 
 islanders  raising  the  wall,  as  they  had  been  directed,  not  of 
 stone,  as  having  no  artist  capable  of  such  a  work,  but  of 
 sods,  made  it  of  no  use.  However,  they  drew  it  for  many 
 miles  between  the  two  ba}'s  or  inlets  of  the  seas,  which  we 
 have  spoken  of ;    to  the  end  that  where  the  defence  of  the 
 
 *  Alcluith  is  the  modern  Dunbarton  :  the  situation   of  Giudi   is  not 
 known. 
 
 o2 
 
20  BEDE's   ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  I-  c.  12. 
 
 water  was  wanting,  they  might  use  the  rampart  to  defend 
 tlieir  borders  from  the  irruptions  of  the  enemies.  Of  which 
 work  there  erected,  that  is,  of  a  rampart  of  extraordinary 
 Ireadth  and  height,  there  are  evident  remains  to  be  seen  at 
 this  day.  It  begins  at  about  two  miles'  distance  from  the 
 monastery  of  Abercurnig,*  on  the  west,  at  a  place  called  in 
 the  Pictish  language,  Peanfahel,"|*  but  in  the  English  tongue, 
 Penneltun,  and  running  to  the  westward,  ends  near  the  city 
 ^Ichiith. 
 
 But  the  former  enemies,  when  they  perceived  that  tlie 
 Roman  soldiers  were  gone,  immediately  coming  by  sea, 
 broke  into  the  borders,  trampled  and  overran  all  places,  and 
 like  men  mowing  ripe  corn,  bore  down  all  before  them. 
 Hereupon  messengers  are  again  sent  to  Rome,  imploring  aid, 
 lest  their  wretched  country  should  be  utterly  extirj^ated, 
 and  the  name  of  a  Roman  province,  so  long  renowned 
 among  them,  overthrown  by  the  cruelties  of  barbarous 
 foreigners,  might  become  utterly  contemptible.  A  legion  is 
 accordingly  sent  again,  and,  arriving  unexpectedly  in  autumn, 
 made  great  slaughter  of  the  enemy,  obliging  all  those  that 
 could  escape,  to  flee  beyond  the  sea  ;  whereas  before,  they 
 were  wont  yearly  to  carry  oif  their  booty  without  any  oppo- 
 sition. Then  the  Romans  declared  to  the  Britons,  that  they 
 could  not  for  the  future  undertake  such  troublesome  expedi- 
 tions for  their  sake,  advising  them  rather  to  handle  their 
 weapons,  like  men,  and  undertake  themselves  the  charge  of 
 engaging  their  enemies,  who  would  not  prove  too  powerful 
 for  them,  unless  they  were  deterred  by  cowardice  ;  and, 
 thinking  that  it  might  be  some  help  to  the  allies,  whom  they 
 were  forced  to  abandon,  they  built  a  strong  stone  wall  from 
 sea  to  sea,  in  a  straight  line  between  the  towns  that  had  been 
 there  built  for  fear  of  the  enemy,  and  not  far  from  the  trench 
 of  Severus.  This  famous  wall,  which  is  still  to  be  seen,  was 
 built  at  the  pubMc  and  private  expense,  the  Britons  also 
 lending  their  assistance.     It  is  eight  feet  in  breadth,  and 
 
 *  Now  called  Abercorn,  a  village  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Frith  of 
 Forth. 
 
 t  Pean-fahel,  or  vahel,  or  wahel,  [for  f,  v,  w,  are  kindred  consonants,] 
 eridently  is  to  be  interpreted  in  English,  "  wall-h^ad,"  i.  e.  the  "  head,''  or 
 liesinning  of  the  wall.  Pen  means  head  in  the  Celtic  dialect;  thus,  Pen- 
 deniiisin  Cornwall. 
 
A  D.  416-44G.]  THEOr>OSIUS  E:vrPEROPw  21 
 
 twelve  in  height,  in  a  straight  line  from  east  to  west,  as  is 
 still  visible  to  beholders.*  This  being  finished,  they  gave 
 that  dispirited  people  good  advice,  with  patterns  to  furnish 
 them  with  arms.  Besides,  they  built  towers  on  the  sea-coast 
 to  the  southward,  at  proper  distances,  where  their  ships 
 were,  because  there  also  the  irruptions  of  the  barbarians 
 were  apprehended,  and  so  took  leave  of  their  friends,  never 
 to  return  again. 
 
 After  their  departure,  the  Scots  and  Picts,  understanding 
 that  thej  had  declared  thej  would  come  no  more,  speedily 
 returned,  and  growing  more  confident  than  they  had  been 
 before,  occupied  all  the  northern  and  farthest  part  of  tlie 
 island,  as  far  as  the  wall.  Hereupon  a  timorous  guard  was 
 placed  upon  the  wall,  where  they  pined  away  day  and  night 
 in  the  utmost  fear.  On  the  other  side,  the  enemy  attacked 
 tliem  with  hooked  weapons,  by  which  the  cowardly  defend- 
 ants were  dragged  from  the  wall,  and  dashed  against  the 
 ground.  At  last,  the  Britons,  forsaking  their  cities  and  wall, 
 took  to  flight  and  were  dispersed.  The  enemy  pursued,  and 
 the  slaughter  was  greater  than  on  any  former  occasion  ;  for 
 tlie  wretched  natives  were  torn  in  pieces  by  their  enemies,  as 
 lambs  are  torn  by  wild  beasts.  Thus,  being  expelled  their 
 dwellings  and  possessions,  they  saved  themselves  from  starv- 
 ation, by  robbing  and  plundering  one  another,  adding  to  the 
 calamities  occasioned  by  foreigners,  by  their  own  domestic 
 broils,  till  the  whole  country  was  left  destitute  of  food, 
 except  such  as  could  be  procured  in  the  chase. 
 
 CHAP.  xm. 
 
 In  the  reign  of  Theodosius  the  younger^  Palladius  was  sent  to  the  Scots 
 that  believed  in  Christ ,'  the  Britons  begging  assistance  of  JEtius,  the 
 consul,  could  not  obtain  it.    [a.d.  446.] 
 
 Lv  the  year  of  our  Lord  423,  Theodosius,  the  younger,  next 
 to  Honorius,  being  the  forty-fifth  from  Augustus,  governed 
 the  Roman  empire  twenty-six  years.     In  the  eighth  year  of 
 
 *  This  wall  extended  from  Cousin's  House,  near  the  mouth  of  the  river 
 Tyne,  on  the  east,  to  Boulness  on  the  Solway  Frith  on  the  west,  and  was 
 sixty-eight  English  miles  in  length.  For  an  account  of  this  wall  consult 
 Horsley's  Brit.  Romana,  b.  i.  c  8  pp.  121,  122,  and  Whitaker's  Manches 
 ter,  b.  i.  c.  12. 
 
22  BEL»e'S  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  i.  c.  14 
 
 Ids  reign,  Palladius  was  sent  by  Celestinus,  the  Roman  pon- 
 tiiF,  to  the  Scots  that  believed  in  Christ,  to  be  their  first 
 bishop.  In  the  twenty-tliird  year  of  his  reign,  ^tius,  a  re- 
 nowned person,  being  also  a  patrician,  discharged  his  third 
 consulship  with  Symmachiis  for  his  colleague.  To  him  the 
 wretched  remains  of  the  Britons  sent  a  letter,  which  began 
 thus  : — "  To  ^tius,  thrice  Consul,  the  groans  of  the  Bri- 
 tons." And  in  the  sequel  of  the  letter  they  thus  expressed 
 their  calamities  : — "  The  barbarians  drive  us  to  the  sea  ;  the 
 sea  drives  us  back  to  the  barbarians  :  between  them  we  are 
 exposed  to  two  sorts  of  death ;  we  are  either  slain  or 
 cU'owned."  Yet  neither  could  all  this  procure  any  assistance 
 from  him,  as  he  was  then  engaged  in  most  dangerous  wars 
 with  Bledla  and  Attiia,  kings  of  the  Huns.  And,  though 
 the  year  before  this,  Bledla  had  been  murdered  by  the  trea- 
 chery of  his  brother  Attiia,  yet  Attiia  himself  remained  so 
 intolerable  an  enemy  to  the  Eepublic,  that  he  ravaged  almost 
 all  Europe,  invading  and  destroying  cities  and  castles.  At 
 the  same  time  there  was  a  famine  at  Constantinople,  and 
 shortly  after,  a  plague  followed,  and  a  great  part  of  the 
 walls  of  that  city,  with  fifty-seven  towers,  fell  to  the 
 ground.  Many  cities  also  went  to  ruin,  and  the  famine 
 and  pestilential  state  of  the  air  destroyed  thousands  of  men 
 and  cattle. 
 
 CHAP.  XIV. 
 
 The  Britons,  compelled  hy  famine,  drove  the  barbarians  out  of  their  terri- 
 tories ;  soon  after  there  ensued  plenty  of  corn,  luxury,  plague,  and  the 
 subversion  of  the  nation,     [a.d.  426 — 447.] 
 
 In  the  meantime,  the  aforesaid  famine  distressing  the  Bri- 
 tons more  and  more,  and  leaving  to  posterity  lasting  memo- 
 rials of  its  mischievous  effects,  obliged  many  of  them  to 
 submit  them.selves  to  the  depredators  ;  though  others  still 
 held  out,  confiding  in  the  Divine  assistance,  when  none  was 
 to  be  had  from  men.  These  continually  made  excursions 
 from  the  mountains,  caves,  and  woods,  and,  at  length,  began 
 to  inflict  severe  losses  on  their  enemies,  who  had  been  for 
 so  many  years  plundering  the  country.  The  Irish  robbers 
 thereupon  returned  home,  in  order  to  come  again  soon  after. 
 The  Picts,  both  then  and  afterwards,  remained  quiet  in  the 
 
A.t.  450-456.1  ARRIVAL  OF  THE  SAXONS.  23 
 
 farthest  part  of  the  island,  save  that  sometimes  they  would 
 do  some  mischief,  and  carry  off  booty  from  the  Britons. 
 
 When,  however,  the  ravages  of  the  enemy  at  length 
 ceased,  the  island  began  to  abound  with  such  plenty  of  grain 
 as  had  never  been  known  in  any  age  before  ;  with  plenty, 
 luxury  increased,  and  this  was  immediately  attended  with  all 
 sorts  of  crimes  ;  in  particular,  cruelty,  hatred  of  truth,  and 
 love  of  falsehood  ;  insomuch,  that  if  any  one  among  them 
 happened  to  be  milder  than  the  rest,  and  inclined  to  truth,  all 
 the  rest  abhorred  and  persecuted  him,  as  if  he  had  been  the 
 enemy  of  his  country.  Nor  were  the  laity  only  guilty  of 
 these  things,  but  even  our  Lord's  own  flock,  and  his  pastors 
 also,  addicting  themselves  to  drunkenness,  animosity,  liti- 
 giousness,  contention,  envy,  and  other  such  like  crimes,  and 
 casting  off  the  light  yoke  of  Christ.  In  the  meantime,  on  a 
 sudden,  a  severe  plague  fell  upon  that  corrupt  generation, 
 which  soon  destroyed  such  numbers  of  them,  that  the  living 
 were  scarcely  sufficient  to  bury  the  dead  :  yet,  those  that 
 survived,  could  not  be  withdrawn  from  the  spiritual  death, 
 which  their  sins  had  incurred,  either  by  the  death  of  their 
 friends,  or  the  fear  of  their  own.  Whereupon,  not  long 
 after,  a  more  severe  vengeance,  for  their  horrid  wickedness, 
 fell  upon  the  sinful  nation.  They  consulted  what  was  to  be 
 done,  and  where  they  should  seek  assistance  to  prevent  or 
 repel  the  cruel  and  frequent  incursions  of  the  northern  na- 
 tions ;  and  they  all  agreed  with  their  King  Vortigern  to  call 
 over  to  their  aid,  from  the  parts  beyond  the  sea,  the  Saxon 
 nation  ;  which,  as  the  event  still  more  evidently  showed,  ap- 
 pears to  have  been  done  by  the  appointment  of  our  Lord  him- 
 self, that  evil  might  fall  upon  them  for  their  wicked  deeds. 
 
 CHAP.  XV. 
 
 The  Angles,  being  invited  into  Britain,  at  first  obliged  the  enemy  to  rettrt 
 to  a  distance ;  but  not  long  after,  joining  in  league  with  them, 
 turned  their  weapons  upon  their  confederates.      [a.d.  450 — 456,] 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord  449,  Martian  being  made  emperor 
 wdth  Valentinian,  and  the  forty-sixth  from  Augustus,  ruled 
 the  empire  seven  years.  Then  the  nation  of  the  Angles,  or 
 Saxons,*  being  invited  by  the  aforesaid  king,  arrived   in 
 
 *  It  is  now  beginning  to   be  generally  understood  that  the   Saxons 
 
24  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  I.  c.  15. 
 
 Britain  with  three  long  ships,  and  had  a  place  assigned  them 
 to  reside  in  by  the  same  king,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
 island,  that  they  might  thus  appear  to  be  fighting  for  their 
 country,  whilst  their  real  intentions  were  to  enslave  it.  Ac- 
 cordingly they  engaged  with  the  enemy,  who  were  come 
 from  the  north  to  give  battle,  and  obtained  the  victory  ; 
 which,  being  known  at  home  in  their  own  country,  as  also 
 the  fertility  of  the  country,  and  the  cowardice  of  the  Britons, 
 a  more  considerable  fleet  was  quickly  sent  over,  bringing  a 
 still  greater  number  of  men,  Avhich,  being  added  to  the  for- 
 mer, made  up  an  invincible  army.  The  new  comers  received 
 of  the  Britons  a  place  to  inhabit,  upon  condition  that 
 they  should  wage  war  against  their  enemies  for  the  peace 
 and  security  of  the  country,  whilst  the  Britons  agreed  to 
 furnish  them  with  pay.  Those  who  came  over  were  of  the 
 three  most  powerful  nations  of  Germany — Saxons,  Angles, 
 and  Jutes.  From  the  Jutes  are  descended  the  people  of 
 Kent,  and  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  those  also  in  the  pro-^ 
 vince  of  the  West- Saxons  who  are  to  this  day  called  Jutes, 
 seated  opposite  to  the  Isle  of  Wight.  From  the  Saxons, 
 that  is,  the  country  which  is  now  called  Old  Saxony,  came 
 the  East- Saxons,  the  South- Saxons,  and  the  West- Saxons. 
 From  the  Angles,  that  is,  the  country  which  is  called  Anglia, 
 and  which  is  said,  from  that  time,  to  remain  desert  to  this 
 day,  between  the  provinces  of  the  Jutes  and  the  Saxons,  are 
 descended  the  East-Angles,  the  Midland- Angles,  Mercians, 
 all  the  race  of  the  Northumbrians,  that  is,  of  those  nations 
 that  dwell  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  Humber,  and  the 
 other  nations  of  the  English.  The  two  first  commandei:s  are 
 said  to  have  been  Hengist  and  Horsa.  Of  whom  Horsa,  be- 
 ing afterwards  slain  in  battle  by  the  Britons,*  was  buried  in 
 the  eastern  parts  of  Kent,  where  a  monument,  bearing  his 
 name,  is  still  in  existence.  They  were  the  sons  of  Victgil- 
 sus,  whose  father  was  Vecta,  son  of  Woden  ;  from  whose 
 stock  the  royal  race  of  many  provinces  deduce  their  original. 
 In  a  short  time,  swarms  of  the  aforesaid  nations  came  over 
 
 acquired  their  settlement  in  Britain  rather  by  a  long  course  of  predatory 
 inroads  than  in  the  rapid,  and  somewhat  dramatic  manner  related  by  our 
 native  historians. 
 
 *  This  battle  was  fought  between  Vortimer,  the  eldest  son  of  Vortigern, 
 and  Hengist,  at  Aylesford  in  Kent. 
 
A.  r.  4501  DEPRESSED  STATE  OF  THE  BRITONS.  25 
 
 into  the  island,  and  they  began  to  increase  so  much,  that 
 they  became  terrible  to  the  natives  themselves  who  had  in- 
 vited them.  Then,  having  on  a  sudden  entered  into  league 
 witli  the  Picts,  whom  they  had  by  this  time  repelled  by  the 
 force  of  their  arms,  they  began  to  turn  their  weapons  against 
 their  confederates.  At  first,  they  obliged  them  to  furnish  a 
 greater  quantity  of  provisions  ;  and,  seeking  an  occasion  to 
 quarrel,  protested,  that  unless  more  plentiful  supplies  were 
 brought  them,  they  would  break  the  confederacy,  and  ravage 
 all  the  island  ;  nor  were  they  backward  in  putting  their 
 tlireats  in  execution.  In  short,  the  fire  kindled  by  the  hands 
 of  these  pagans,  proved  God's  just  revenge  for  the  crimes  of 
 the  people  ;  not  unlike  that  which,  being  once  lighted  by  the 
 Chaldeans,  consumed  the  walls  and  city  of  Jerusalem.  For 
 the  barbarous  conquerors  acting  here  in  the  same  manner, 
 or  rather  the  just  Judge  ordaining  that  they  should  so  act, 
 they  plundered  all  the  neighbouring  cities  and  country,  spread 
 the  conflagration  from  the  eastern  to  the  western  sea,  "with- 
 out any  opposition,  and  covered  almost  every  part  of  the  de- 
 voted island.  Public  as  well  as  private  structures  were 
 overturned  ;  the  priests  were  every^vhere  slain  before  the 
 altars  ;  the  prelates  and  the  people,  without  any  respect  of 
 persons,  were  destroyed  with  fire  and  sword  ;  nor  was  there, 
 any  to  bury  those  who  had  been  thus  cruelly  slaughtered. 
 Some  of  the  miserable  remainder,  being  taken  in  the  moun- 
 tains, were  butchered  in  heaps.  Others,  spent  with  hunger, 
 came  forth  and  submitted  themselves  to  the  enemy  for  food, 
 being  destined  to  undergo  perpetual  servitude,  if  they  were 
 not  killed  even  upon  the  spot.  Some,  with  sorrowful  hearts,  fled 
 beyond  the  seas.  Others,  continuing  in  their  own  country, 
 led  a  miserable  life  among  the  woods,  rocks,  and  mountains, 
 with  scarcely  enough  food  to  support  life,  and  expecting 
 every  moment  to  be  their  last. 
 
 CHAP.  XYI. 
 
 The  Britons  obtained  their  first  victory  over  the  Angles,  under  the  com- 
 mand of  AmbrosiuSf  a  Roman. 
 
 When  the  victorious  army,  having  destroyed  and  dispersed 
 the  natives,  had  returned  home  to  their  own  settlements,  the 
 Britons  began  by  degrees  to  take  heart,  and  gather  strength, 
 
26  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   HISTOET.  [b.  I.e.  17. 
 
 sallying  out  of  tlie  lurking  places  where  they  had  concealed 
 themselves,  and  unanimously  imploring  the  Divine  assistance, 
 that  they  might  not  utterly  be  destroyed.  They  had  at  that 
 time  for  their  leader,  Ambrosius  Aurelius,*  a  modest  man,  who 
 alone,  by  chance,  of  the  Roman  nation  had  survived  the 
 storm,  in  which  his  parents,  who  were  of  the  royal  race,  had 
 perished.  Under  him  the  Britons  revived,  and  offering  battle 
 to  the  victors,  by  the  help  of  God,  came  off  victorious.  From 
 that  day,  sometimes  the  natives,  and  sometimes  their  enemies, 
 prevailed,  till  the  year  of  the  siege  of  Baddesdown-hill,  when 
 they  made  no  small  slaughter  of  those  invaders,  about 
 forty-four  years  after  their  arrival  in  England.  But  of  this 
 hereafter. 
 
 CHAP.  xvn. 
 
 How  Gerwanus  the  Bishop,  sailing  into  Britain  ivith  Lupus,  first  quelled 
 the  tempest  of  the  sea,  and  afterwards  that  of  the  Pelagians^  by  Divine 
 power,     [a.d.  429.] 
 
 Some  few  years  before  their  arrival,  the  Pelagian  heresy, 
 brought  over  by  Agricola,  the  son  of  Severianus,  a  Pelagian 
 bishop,  had  sadly  corrupted  the  faith  of  the  Britons.  But 
 whereas  they  absolutely  refused  to  embrace  that  perverse 
 doctrine,  so  blasphemous  against  the  grace  of  Christ,  and 
 were  not  able  of  themselves  to  confute  its  subtilty  by  force 
 of  argument,  they  thought  of  an  excellent  plan,  wliich  was 
 to  crave  aid  of  the  Gallican  prelates  in  that  spiritual  war. 
 Hereupon  having  gathered  a  great  synod,  they  consulted  to- 
 gether what  persons  should  be  sent  thither,  and  by  unanimous 
 consent,  choice  was  made  of  the  apostolical  priests,  Germanus, 
 bi.shop  of  Auxerre,!  and  Lupus  of  Troye.s,J  to  go  into  Britain 
 to  confirm  it  in  the  faith.  They  readily  complied  with  the 
 request  and  commands  of  the  holy  Church,  and  putting  to 
 sea,  sailed  half  way  over  from  Gaul  to  Britain  with  a  fair 
 wind.     There  on  a  sudden  they   were   obstructed   by   the 
 
 ♦  Ambrosius,  according  to  Whitaker,  was  the  hereditary  sovereign  of  the 
 Damnonii,  the  inhabitants  of  Devon,  CornAvall,  and  the  west  of  Somerset. 
 Their  capital  was  Isca  Damnoniorum,  supposed  to  be  the  present  Exeter. 
 
 +  The  Life  of  St  Germanus  was  written  by  Constantius,  a  priest  of  the 
 Gallican  Church,  whom  Bede  follows. 
 
 %  Lupus  was  brother  to  Vincent  of  Lerins,  author  of  an  able  treatise, 
 entitled,  Commonitorium,  for  tlie  Antiquity  and  Universality  of  the 
 Catholic  Faith  against  the  Profane  Novelties  of  all  Heretics. 
 
^.D.  429.1  GERMANUS    AND    LUPUS.  27 
 
 malevolence  of  demons,  wlio  were  jealous  that  such  men 
 should  be  sent  to  bring  back  the  Britons  to  the  faith.  They 
 raised  storms,  and  darkened  the  sky  with  clouds.  The  sails 
 could  not  bear  the  fury  of  the  winds,  the  sailors'  skill  was 
 forced  to  give  way,  the  ship  was  sustained  by  prayer,  not  by 
 strength,  and  as  it  happened,  their  spiritual  commander  and 
 bishop,  being  spent  with  weariness,  had  fallen  asleep.  Then 
 the  tempest,  as  if  the  person  that  opposed  it  had  given  way, 
 gathered  strength,  and  the  ship,  overpowered  by  the  waves, 
 was  ready  to  sink.  Then  the  blessed  Lupus  and  all  the  rest 
 awakened  their  elder,  that  he  might  oppose  the  raging  ele- 
 ments. He,  showing  himself  the  more  resolute  in  proportion 
 to  the  -greatness  of  the  danger,  called  upon  Christ,  and  having, 
 in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  sprinkled  a  little  water, 
 quelled  the  raging  waves,  admonished  his  companion,  en- 
 couraged all,  and  all  unanimously  fell  to  prayer.  The  Deity 
 heard  their  cry,  the  enemies  were  put  to  flight,  a  calm 
 ensued,  the  winds  veering  about  applied  themselves  to  for- 
 ward their  voyage,  and  having  soon  traversed  the  ocean,  they 
 enjoyed  the  quiet  of  the  wished-for  shore.  A  multitude 
 flocking  thither  from  all  parts,  received  the  priests,  whose 
 coming  had  been  foretold  by  the  predictions  even  of  their  ad- 
 versaries. For  the  wicked  spirits  declared  what  they  feared, 
 and  when  the  priests  afterwards  expelled  them  from  the 
 bodies  they  had  taken  possession  of,  they  made  known  the 
 nature  of  the  tempest,  and  the  dangers  they  had  occasioned, 
 and  that  they  had  been  overcome  by  the  merits  and  authority 
 of  the  saints. 
 
 Li  the  meantime,  the  apostolical  priests  filled  the  island 
 of  Britain  with  the  fame  of  their  preaching  and  virtues  ;  and 
 the  word  of  God  was  by  them  daily  administered,  not  only 
 in  the  churches,  but  even  in  the  streets  and  fields,  so  that 
 the  Catholics  were  everywhere  confirmed,  and  those  who  had 
 gone  astray,  corrected.  Like  the  Apostles,  they  had  honour 
 and  authority  through  a  good  conscience,  obedience  to  their 
 doctrine  through  their  sound  learning,  whilst  the  reward  of 
 virtue  attended  upon  their  numerous  merits.  Thus  the 
 generality  of  the  people  readily  embraced  their  opinions  ; 
 the  authors  of  the  erroneous  doctrines  kept  themselves  in  the 
 back-ground,  and,  like  evil  spirits,  grieved  for  the  loss  of  the 
 people   that   were   rescued  from  them.      At   length,    after 
 
28  BEDE's    ecclesiastical   history.  b. I.e.  18 
 
 mature  deliberation,  they  had  the  boldness  to  enter  the  lists, 
 and  appeared  for  public  disputation,*  conspicuous  for  riches, 
 glittering  in  apparel,  and  supported  by  the  flatteries  of  many  ; 
 choosing  rather  to  hazard  the  combat,  than  to  undergo  the 
 dishonour  among  the  people  of  having  been  silenced,  lest  they 
 should  seem  by  saying  nothing  to  condemn  themselves.  An 
 immense  multitude  was  there  assembled  with  their  wives  and 
 children.  The  people  stood  round  as  spectators  and  judges  ; 
 but  the  parties  present  differed  much  in  appearance  ;  on  the 
 one  side  ^vas  Divine  faith,  on  the  other  human  presumption  ; 
 on  the  one  side  piety,  on  the  other  pride  ;  on  the  one  side 
 Pelagius,  on  the  other  Christ.  The  holy  priests,  Germanus 
 and  Lupus,  permitted  their  adversaries  to  speak  first,  who 
 long  took  up  the  time,  and  filled  the  ears  with  empty  words. 
 Then  the  venerable  prelates  poured  forth  the  torrent  of  their 
 apostolical  and  evangelical  eloquence.  Their  discourse  was 
 interspersed  with  scriptural  sentences,  and  they  supported 
 their  most  weighty  assertions  by  reading  the  written  testi- 
 monies of  famous  writers.  Vanity  Avas  convinced,  and  per- 
 fidiousness  confuted  ;  so,  that  at  every  objection  made  against 
 them,  not  being  able  to  reply,  they  confessed  their  errors. 
 The  people,  who  were  judges,  could  scarcely  refrain  from 
 violence,  but  signified  their  judgment  by  their  acclama- 
 tions. 
 
 CHAP.  xvni. 
 
 The  same  holy  man  gave  sight  to  the  blind  daughter  of  a  Triburw,  and 
 then  coming  to  St.  Allan's,  there  received  some  of  his  relics,  and  left 
 others  of  the  blessed  Apostles,  and  other  martyrs. 
 
 After  this,  a  certain  man,  wdio  had  the  quality  of  a  tribune, 
 came  forward  Avith  his  wife,  and  presented  his  blind  daughter, 
 ten  years  of  age,  for  the  priests  to  cure.  They  ordered  her 
 to  be  set  before  their  adversaries,  who,  being  convinced  by 
 guilt  of  conscience,  joined  their  entreaties  to  those  of  the 
 child's  parents,  and  besought  the  priests  that  she  might  be 
 cured.     The  priests,  therefore,  perceiving  their  adversaries 
 
 *  Matthew  Florilegus  informs  us,  that  this  conference  was  held  at  St. 
 Alban's,  where,  says  Camden,  near  the  ruins  of  the  old  city,  stands  a 
 chapel  dedicated  to  St.  Germanus,  built  upon  the  spot  where  he  held  this 
 dispute. 
 
A.D.429.J  LABOURS   OF    GERMANUS.  29 
 
 to  yield,  made  a  short  prayer,  and  then  Germanus,  full  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  invoked  the  Trinity,  and  taking  into  his 
 hands  a  casket  with  relics  of  saints,  which  hung  about  his 
 neck,  applied  it  to  the  girl's  eyes,  which  were  immediately 
 delivered  from  darkness  and  filled  with  the  light  of  truth. 
 The  parents  rejoiced,  and  the  people  were  astonished  at  the 
 miracle  ;  after  which,  the  wicked  opinions  were  so  fully 
 obliterated  from  the  minds  of  all,  that  they  ardently  embraced 
 the  doctrine  of  the  priests. 
 
 This  damnable  heresy  being  thus  suppressed,  and  the  authors 
 thereof  confuted,  and  all  the  people's  hearts  settled  in  the 
 purity  of  the  faith,  the  priests  repaired  to  the  tomb  of  the 
 martyr,  St.  Alban,  to  give  thanks  to  God  through  him. 
 There  Germanus,  having  with  him  relics  of  all  the  Apostles, 
 and  of  several  martyi-s,  after  offering  up  his  prayers,  com- 
 manded the  tomb  to  be  opened,*  that  he  might  lay  up  therein 
 some  precious  gifts  ;  judging  it  convenient,  that  the  limbs  of 
 saints  brought  together  from  several  countries,  as  their  equal 
 merits  had  procured  them  admission  into  heaven,  should  be 
 preserved  in  one  tomb.  These  being  honourably  deposited, 
 and  laid  together,  he  took  up  a  parcel  of  dust  from  the  place 
 where  the  martyr's  blood  had  been  shed,  to  carry  away  with 
 him,  which  dust  having  retained  the  blood,  it  appeared  that 
 the  slaughter  of  the  martyrs  had  communicated  a  redness  to 
 it,  whilst  the  persecutor  was  struck  pale.  In  consequence  of 
 these  things,  an  innumerable  multitude  of  people  was  that 
 day  converted  to  the  Lord. 
 
 CHAP.  XIX. 
 
 Hoiv  the  same  holy  man,  being  detained  there  by  an  indisposition,  by  his 
 prayers  quenched  afire  that  had  broken  out  among  the  houses,  and  was 
 himself  cured  of  a  distemper  by  a  vision,     [a.d.  429.] 
 
 As  they  were  returning  from  thence,  Germanus  fell  and 
 broke  his  leg,  by  the  contrivance  of  the  Devil,  who  did  not 
 know  that,  like  Job,  his  merits  would  be  enhanced  by  the 
 
 *  Bede  here  follows  Constantius,  lib.  i.  cap.  25,  who  asserts  the  same. 
 In  the  year  1257,  was  dug  up  this  old  inscription  in  St.  Alban 's  Church. — 
 "  In  this  mausoleum  was  found  the  venerable  corpse  of  St.  Alban,  the 
 protomartyr  of  Britain."  It  was  in  lead,  and  supposed  to  have  been  laid 
 m  king  Offa's  time. 
 
30  BEDE's    ecclesiastical   history.  [b. I.e. 20. 
 
 affliction  of  his  body.  Whilst  he  was  thus  detained  some 
 time  in  the  same  place  by  illness,  a  fire  broke  out  in  a  cottage 
 neighbouring  to  that  in  which  he  was  ;  and  having  burned 
 down  the  other  houses  which  were  thatched  with  reed,  was 
 carried  on  by  the  wind  to  the  dwelling  in  which  he  lay.  The 
 people  all  flocked  to  the  prelate,  entreating  that  they  might 
 lift  him  in  their  arms,  and  save  him  from  the  impending  danger. 
 He,  however,  rebuked  them,  and  relying  on  faith,  would  not 
 suffer  liimself  to  be  removed.  The  multitude,  in  despair,  ran 
 to  oppose  the  conflagration  ;  however,  for  the  greater  mani- 
 festation of  the  Divine  power,  whatsoever  the  crowd  en- 
 deavoured to  save,  was  destroyed  ;  but  what  he  who  was 
 disabled  and  motionless  occupied,  the  flame  avoided,  sparing 
 the  house  that  gave  entertainment  to  the  holy  man,  and 
 raging  about  on  every  side  of  it  ;  whilst  the  house  in  which 
 he  lay  appeared  untouched,  amid  the  general  conflagration. 
 The  multitude  rejoiced  at  the  miracle,  and  praised  the  supe- 
 rior power  of  God.  An  infinite  number  of  the  poorer  sort 
 watched  day  and  night  before  the  cottage  ;  some  to  heal  their 
 souls,  and  some  their  bodies.  It  is  impossible  to  relate  what 
 Christ  wrought  by  his  servant,  Avhat  wonders  the  sick  man 
 performed  ;  for  whilst  he  would  suffer  no  medicines  to  be 
 applied  to  his  distemper,  he  one  night  saw  a  person  in  gar- 
 ments as  white  as  snow,  standing  by  him,  who  reaching  out 
 his  hand,  seemed  to  raise  him  up,  and  ordered  him  to  stand 
 boldly  upon  his  feet ;  from  which  time  his  pain  ceased,  and 
 he  was  so  perfectly  restored,  that  when  the  day  came  on,  he, 
 without  any  hesitation,  set  forth  upon  his  journey. 
 
 CHAP.  XX. 
 
 How  the  same  Bishops  procured  the  Britons  assistance  from  Heaven  in  a 
 battle,  and  then  returned  home,    [a.d,  429.] 
 
 In  the  meantime,  the  Saxons  and  Picts,  with  their  united 
 forces,  made  war  upon  the  Britons,  who,  being  thus  by  fear 
 and  necessity  compelled  to  take  up  arms,  and  thinking  them- 
 selves unequal  to  their  enemies,  implored  the  assistance  of 
 the  holy  bishops  ;  who,  hastening  to  them  as  they  had  pro- 
 mised, inspired  so  much  courage  into  these  fearful  people, 
 that  one  would  have  thought  they  had  been  joined  by  a 
 mighty  army.     Thus,  by  these  holy  apostolic  men,   Christ 
 
A.D.429.]  MIRACULOUS    DEFEAT    OF    THE    PICTS.  31 
 
 himself  commanded  in  their  camp.  The  holy  days  of  Lent 
 were  also  at  hand,  and  were  rendered  more  religious  by  the 
 presence  of  the  priests,  insomuch  that  the  people  being  in- 
 structed by  daily  sermons,  resorted  in  crowds  to  be  baptized  ; 
 for  most  of  the  army  desired  admission  to  the  saving  water  ; 
 a  church  was  prepared  with  boughs  for  the  feast  of  the  re- 
 surrection of  our  Lord,  and  so  fitted  up  in  that  martial  camp, 
 as  if  it  were  in  a  city.  The  army  advanced,  still  wet  with 
 the  baptismal  water  ;  the  faith  of  the  people  was  strength- 
 ened ;  and  whereas  human  power  had  before  been  despaired 
 of,  the  Divine  assistance  was  now  relied  upon.  The  enemy 
 received  advice  of  the  state  of  the  army,  and  not  questioning 
 their  success  against  an  unarmed  multitude,  hastened  for- 
 wards, but  their  approach  was,  by  the  scouts,  made  known 
 to  the  Britons  ;  the  greater  part  of  whose  forces  being  just 
 come  from  the  font,  after  the  celebration  of  Easter,  and  pre- 
 paring to  arm  and  carry  on  the  war,  Germanus  declared  he 
 would  be  their  leader.  He  picked  out  the  most  active, 
 viewed  the  country  round  about,  and  observed,  in  the  way 
 by  which  the  enemy  was  expected,  a  valley  encompassed  with 
 hills.*  In  that  place  he  drew  up  his  inexperienced  troops, 
 himself  acting  as  their  general.  A  multitude  of  fierce  ene- 
 mies appeared,  whom  as  soon  as  those  that  lay  in  ambush 
 saw  approaching,  Germanus,  bearing  in  his  hands  the 
 standard,  instructed  his  men  all  in  a  loud  voice  to  repeat  his 
 words,  and  the  enemy  advancing  securely,  as  thinking  to  take 
 them  by  surprise,  the  priests  three  times  cried.  Hallelujah. 
 A  universal  shout  of  the  same  word  followed,  and  the  hills 
 resounding  the  echo  on  all  sides,  the  enemy  was  struck  with 
 dread,  fearing,  that  not  only  the  neighbouring  rocks,  but 
 even  the  very  skies,  were  falling  upon  them  ;  and  such  was 
 their  terror,  that  their  feet  were  not  swift  enough  to  deliver 
 them  from  it.  They  fled  in  disorder,  casting  away  their 
 arms,  and  well  satisfied  if,  with  their  naked  bodies,  they  could 
 escape  the  danger  ;  many  of  them,  in  their  precipitate  and 
 hasty  flight,  were  swallowed  up  by  the  river  which  they  were 
 passing.     The  Britons,  without  the  loss  of  a  man,  beheld 
 
 *  According  to  Usher,  in  Flintshire,  near  the  villasie  called  Mold,  or 
 Guid  Cruc  in  Welsh  ;  the  name  of  the  field  where  the  armies  met  still 
 retains  the  name  of  Maes  Garmon,  or  the  Field  of  Germanus.  Llanarmon 
 Church  now  occupies  the  site  of  the  wattled  edifice. 
 
32  BEDE*S   ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  [b.i.c.21. 
 
 their  vengeance  comijlete,  and  became  inactive  spectators  of 
 their  victory.*  The  scattered  spoils  were  gathered  up,  and 
 the  pious  soldiers  rejoiced  in  the  success  which  Heaven  had 
 granted  them.  The  prelates  thus  triumphed  over  the  enemy 
 vsdthout  bloodshed,  and  gained  a  victory  by  faith,  without 
 the  aid  of  human  force  ;  and,  having  settled  the  affairs  of  the 
 island,  and  restored  tranquillity  by  the  defeat,  as  well  as  of 
 the  invisible,  as  of  the  carnal  enemies,  prepared  to  return 
 home.  Their  own  merits,  and  the  intercession  of  the  holy 
 martyr  Alban,  obtained  them  a  safe  passage,  and  the  happy 
 vessel  restored  them  in  peace  to  their  rejoicing  people. 
 
 CHAP.  XXI. 
 
 The  Pelagian  heresy  again  reviving,  Gerwanus,  returning  into  Britain 
 with  Severus,  Jirst  healed  a  lame  youth,  then  having  condemned  or 
 converted  the  Heretics,  they  restored  spiritual  health  to  the  people  0/ 
 God.     [a.d.  447.] 
 
 Not  long  after,  advice  was  brought  from  the  same  island, 
 that  certain  persons  were  again  attempting  to  set  forth  and 
 spread  abroad  the  Pelagian  heresy.  The  holy  Germanus 
 was  entreated  by  all  the  priests,  that  he  would  again  defend 
 the  cause  of  God,  which  he  had  before  asserted.  He  speedily 
 compHed  with  their  request  ;  and  taking  with  him  Severus, 
 a  man  of  singular  sanctity,  who  was  disciple  to  the  most  holy 
 father,  Lujdus,  bishop  of  Troyes,  and  afterwards,  as  bishop  of 
 Treves,  preached  the  word  of  God  in  the  adjacent  parts  of 
 Germany,  put  to  sea,  and  was  calmly  wafted  over  into 
 Britain,  f 
 
 In  the  meantime,  the  wicked  spirits  flying  about  the  whole 
 island,  foretold  by  constraint  that  Germanus  was  coming, 
 inosmuch,  that  one  Elafius,  a  chief  of  that  region,  hastened 
 to  meet  the  holy  men,  without  having  received  any  certain 
 news,  carrying  with  him  his  son,  who  laboured  under  a  weak- 
 ness of  his  limbs  in  the  very  flower  of  his  youth  ;  for  the 
 nerves  being  withered,  his  leg  was  so  contracted  that  the 
 
 *  The  account  of  this  miraculous  victoiy  is  given  by  Constantius,  and  is 
 copied  by  Bede  in  nearly  the  same  words.  It  docs  not  appear  that  the 
 Welsh  MSS.  take  any  notice  of  it  ;  and  the  truth  of  it  is  doubted  by 
 Whitaker  in  his  Ancient  Cathedral  of  Cornwall,  (Appendix,  Mo.  ]  II.) 
 
 t  This  second  voyage  of  St.  Germanus  is  supposed  to  have  taken  place 
 eighteen  years  after  the  first. 
 
A.D  447.]  TUE    BISHOPS   AGAIN    DEP-ART.  33 
 
 limb  was  useless,  and  he  could  not  walk.  All  the  country 
 followed  this  Elafius.  The  priests  arrived,  and  were  met  by 
 the  ignorant  multitude,  whom  they  blessed,  and  preached  the 
 word  of  God  to  them.  They  found  the  people  constant  in  the 
 faith  as  they  had  left  them ;  and  learning  that  but  few  had  gone 
 astray,  they  found  out  the  authors,  and  condemned  them.  Then 
 Elafius  cast  himself  at  the  feet  of  the  priests,  presenting  his  son, 
 whose  distress  was  visible,  and  needed  no  words  to  express  it. 
 All  were  giieved,  but  especially  the  priests,  who  put  up  their 
 prayers  for  him  before  the  throne  of  mercy  ;  and  Germanus, 
 causing  the  youth  to  sit  down,  gently  passed  his  healing  hand 
 over  the  leg  which  was  contracted  ;  the  limb  recovered  its 
 strength  and  soundness  by  the  power  of  his  touch,  the  withered 
 nerves  were  restored,  and  the  youth  was,  in  the  presence  of  all 
 the  people,  delivered  whole  to  his  father.  The  multitude  was 
 amazed  at  the  miracle,  and  the  Catholic  faith  was  firmly 
 planted  in  the  minds  of  all ;  after  which,  they  were,  in  a 
 sermon,  warned  and  exhorted  to  make  amends  for  their  errors. 
 By  the  j  udgment  of  all,  the  spreaders  of  the  heresy,  who  had 
 been  expelled  the  island,  were  brought  before  the  priests,  to 
 be  conveyed  up  into  the  continent,  that  the  country  might  be 
 rid  of  them,  and  they  corrected  of  their  errors.  Thus  the 
 faith  in  those  parts  continued  long  after  pure  and  untainted. 
 All  tilings  being  settled,  the  blessed  prelates  returned  home 
 as  prosperously  as  they  came. 
 
 But  Germanus,  after  this,  went  to  Ravenna  to  intercede 
 for  the  tranquillity  of  the  Ai-moric'ins,  where,  being  very 
 honourably  received  by  Yalentinian  r  Jid  his  mother,  Placidia, 
 he  departed  to  Christ  ;  his  body  was  conveyed  to  his  owa 
 city  with  a  splendid  retinue,  and  numberless  deeds  of  charity 
 accompanied  him  to  the  grave.  Not  long  after,  Valentinian 
 was  murdered  by  the  followers  of  ^tius,  the  Patrician,  whom 
 he  had  put  to  death,  in  the  sixth  year  of  the  reign  of  Mar- 
 cianus,  and  with  him  ended  the  empire  of  the  West. 
 
 CHAP.  xxn. 
 
 The  Britons,  being  for  a  time  delivered  from  foreign  invasions,  wasted 
 themselves  by  civil  wars,  and  then  gave  themselves  up  to  more  heinous 
 crimes. 
 
 Tn  the  meantime,  in  Britain,  there  was  some  respite  from 
 foreign,  but  not  from  civil  war.     There  still  remained  tlie 
 
 D 
 
34  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   history.  [b. I.e. 23. 
 
 ruins  of  cities  destroyed  by  the  enemy,  and  abandoned  ;  and 
 the  natives,  who  had  escaped  the  enemy,  now  fought  against 
 each  other.  However,  the  kings,  priests,  private  men,  and  the 
 nobility,  still  remembering  the  late  calamities  and  slaughters, 
 in  some  measure  kept  within  bounds ;  but  when  these  died,  and 
 another  generation  succeeded,  which  knew  nothing  of  those 
 times,  and  was  only  acquainted  with  the  present  peaceable 
 state  of  things,  all  the  bonds  of  sincerity  and  justice  were  so 
 entirely  broken,  that  there  was  not  only  no  trace  of  them 
 remaining,  but  few  persons  seemed  to  be  aware  that  such 
 virtues  had  ever  existed.  Among  other  most  wicked  actions, 
 not  to  be  expressed,  which  their  o^vn  historian,  Gildas,* 
 mournfully  takes  notice  of,  they  added  this — that  they  never 
 preached  the  faith  to  the  Saxons,  or  English,  who  dwelt 
 amongst  them ;  however,  the  goodness  of  God  did  not 
 forsake  liis  people,  whom  he  foreknew,  but  sent  to  the  afore- 
 said nation  much  more  worthy  preachers,  to  bring  it  to  the 
 faith. 
 
 CHAP.  xxni. 
 
 Hoiv  Pope  Gregory  sent  Angtistine,  with  other  monks,  to  preach  to  the 
 English  nation,  and  encoiXraged  them  by  a  letter  of  exhortation,  not  to 
 cease  from  their  labour,      [a.d.  596.] 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord  582,  Maurice,  the  fifty-fourth  from 
 Augustus,  ascended  the  throne,  and  reigned  twenty-one  years. 
 In  the  tenth  year  of  his  reign,  Gregory,  a  man  renowned  for 
 learning  and  behaviour,  was  promoted  to  the  apostolical  see 
 of  Rome,  and  presided  over  it  thirteen  years,  six  months  and 
 ten  days.  He,  being  moved  by  Divine  inspiration,  in  the 
 fourteenth  year  of  the  same  emperor,  and  about  the  one 
 hundred  and  fiftieth  after  the  coming  of  the  English  into 
 Britain,  sent  the  servant  of  God,  Augustine,f  and  with  him 
 several  other  monks,  who  feared  the  Lord,  to  preach  the 
 word  of  God  to  the  English  nation.  They  having,  in  obe- 
 dience to  the  pope's  commands,  undertaken  that  work,  were, 
 
 *  Called  Badonicus.  He  is  supposed  to  have  been  bom  in  the  year  520, 
 of  a  Bardic  family  and  connexion,  and  to  have  studied  at  the  College  of 
 Lantwit  Major,  Glamorganshire.  His  querulous  "  History  of  the  Britons," 
 is  all  we  have  of  his  works. 
 
 +  Augustine  was  prior  of  St.  Gregory's  Monasteiy  dedicated  to  St.  Andrew 
 in  Rome. 
 
A..D.  596.J  GREGORY  S    LETTER.  35 
 
 on  their  journey,  seized  with  a  sudden  fear,  and  began  to 
 tliink  of  returning  home,  rather  than  proceed  to  a  barbarous, 
 fierce,  and  unbeHeving  nation,  to  whose  very  language  they 
 were  strangers  ;  and  this  they  unanimously  agreed  was  the 
 safest  course.  In  short,  they  sent  back  Augustine,  who  had 
 been  appointed  to  be  consecrated  bishop  in  case  they  were 
 received  by  the  English,  that  he  might,  by  humble  entreaty, 
 obtain  of  the  holy  Gregory,  that  they  should  not  be  com- 
 pelled to  undertake  so  dangerous,  toilsome,  and  uncertain  a 
 journey.  The  pope,  in  reply,  sent  them  a  hortatory  epistle, 
 persuading  them  to  proceed  in  the  work  of  the  Divine  word, 
 and  rely  on  the  assistance  of  tlie  Almighty  The  purport  of 
 which  letter  was  as  follows  : — 
 
 "  Gregory^  the  servant  of  the  servants  of  God^  to  the  ser- 
 vants of  our  Lord.  Forasmuch  as  it  had  been  better  not  to 
 begin  a  good  work,  than  to  think  of  desisting  from  that  which 
 has  been  begun,  it  behoves  you,  my  beloved  sons,  to  fulfil 
 tlie  good  work,  which,  by  the  help  of  our  Lord,  you  have 
 undertaken.  Let  not,  therefore,  the  toil  of  the  journey,  nor 
 the  tongues  of  evil  speaking  men,  deter  you  ;  but  with  all 
 possible  earnestness  and  zeal  perform  that  which,  by  God's 
 direction,  you  have  undertaken  ;  being  assured,  that  much 
 labour  is  followed  by  an  eternal  reward.  When  Augustine, 
 your  chief,  returns,  whom  we  also  constitute  your  abbat, 
 humbly  obey  him  in  all  things  ;  knowing,  that  whatsoever 
 you  shall  do  by  his  direction,  will,  in  all  respects,  be  avail- 
 able to  your  souls.  Almighty  God  protect  you  with  his 
 grace,  and  grant  that  I  may,  in  the  heavenly  country,  see  the 
 fruits  of  your  labour.  Liasmuch  as,  though  I  cannot  labour 
 with  you,  I  shall  partake  in  the  joy  of  the  reward,  because  I 
 am  willing  to  labour.  God  keep  you  in  safety,  my  most 
 beloved  sons.  Dated  the  23rd  of  July,  in  the  fourteenth 
 year  of  the  reign  of  our  pious  and  most  august  lord,  Mauritius 
 Tiberius,  the  thirteenth  year  after  the  consulship  of  our  said 
 lord.     The  fourteenth  indiction." 
 
 CHAP.  xxiy. 
 
 Hoiv  he  wrote  to  the  bishop  of  Aries  to  entertain  them.     [a.d.  596.] 
 
 The  same  venerable  pope  also  sent  a  letter  to  ^therius, 
 
 d2 
 
36  BEDE'S  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  [b.  i.  c.  25. 
 
 bishop  of  Aries,*  exhorting  him  to  give  fjivourable  entertain- 
 ment to  Augustine  on  his  way  to  Britain  ;  which  letter  was 
 in  these  words  : — 
 
 "  To  his  most  reverend  and  holy  brother  and  feUoiv 
 bishop  JEtherius,  Gregory,  the  servant  of  the  servants  of  God. 
 Although  religious  men  stand  in  need  of  no  recommendation 
 with  priests  who  have  the  charity  which  is  pleasing  to  God  ; 
 yet  as  a  proper  opportunity  is  offered  to  write,  we  have 
 thought  fit  to  send  you  this  our  letter,  to  inform  you,  that  we 
 have  directed  thither,  for  the  good  of  souls,  the  bearer  of 
 these  presents,  Augustine,  the  servant  of  God,  of  whose  in- 
 dustry we  are  assured,  with  other  servants  of  God,  whom  it 
 is  requisite  that  your  holiness  assist  with  priestly  affection, 
 and  afford  him  all  the  comfort  in  your  power.  And  to  the 
 end  that  you  may  be  the  more  ready  in  your  assistance,  we 
 have  enjoined  him  particularly  to  inform  you  of  the  occasion 
 of  his  coming  ;  knowing,  that  when  you  are  acquainted  with 
 it,  you  will,  as  the  matter  requires,  for  the  sake  of  God, 
 zealously  afford  him  your  relief.  We  also  in  all  things 
 recommend  to  your  charity,  Candidus,  the  priest,  our  com- 
 mon son,  whom  we  have  transferred  to  the  government  of  a 
 small  patrimony  in  our  church.  God  keep  yon  in  safety, 
 most  reverend  brother.  Dated  the  23rd  day  of  July,  in  the 
 fourteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  our  most  pious  and  august 
 lord,  Mauritius  Tiberius,  the  thirteenth  year  after  the  con- 
 sulship of  our  lord  aforesaid.     The  fourteenth  indiction." 
 
 CHAP.  XXV. 
 
 Augustine,  coming  into  Britain,  first  preached  in  the  Isle  of  Thanet  to 
 king  Ethelbert,  and  having  obtained  licence,  entered  the  kingdom  of 
 Kent,  in  order  to  preach  therein,     [a.d.  597.] 
 
 Augustine,  thus  strengthened  by  the  confirmation  of  the 
 blessed  Father  Gregory,  returned  to  the  work  of  the  word  of 
 God,  with  the  servants  of  Christ,  and  arrived  in  Britain. 
 The  powerful  Ejt-helbert  was  at   that  time  king  of  Kent  ;| 
 
 *  This  is  a  palpable  error  in  Bede,  as  it  appears  from  the  catalogues 
 of  the  Archbishops  of  Aries  and  Lyons,  that  Vergilius  filled  that  see  at  tius 
 time,  and  that  .^therius  was  his  contemporary  Archbishop  at  Lyons.  iJ.. 
 Lingard  attributes  the  origin  of  the  error  to  Nothelm,  who  was  deputed 
 by  Bode  to  search  the  papal  archives,  and  to  copy  from  them  documents 
 for  his  work.     The  same  error  occurs  in  chaps,  xxvii.  xxviii.  pp.  40--   i3- 
 
 •|"  Ethelbert  was  the  third  Bretwalda,  or  dominant  kin^. 
 
A.D.  597.]  AUGUSTINE    ARRIVES   IN    BRITAIN.  37 
 
 he  had  extended  Ills  dominions  as  far  as  the  great  nver  Hum- 
 ber,  bj  which  the  Southern  Saxons  are  divided  from  the 
 Northern.  On  the  east  of  Kent  is  the  large  Isle  of  Tlianet 
 containing  according  to  the  English  way  of  reckoning,  600 
 famiUes,  divided  from  the  other  land  by  the  river  Wantsum,* 
 which  is  about  three  furlongs  over,  and  fordable  only  in  two 
 places,  for  both  ends  of  it  run  into  the  sea.  In  this  island 
 landed  the  servantof  our  Lord,  Augustine,  and  his  companions, 
 being,  as  is  reported,  nearly  forty  men.  They  had,  by  order 
 of  the  blessed  Pope  Gregory,  taken  interpreters  of  the  nation  of 
 the  Franks,t  and  sending  to  Ethelbert,  signified  that  they  were 
 come  from  Rome,  and  brought  a  joyful  message,  wliicli  most 
 undoubtedly  assured  to  all  that  took  advantage  of  it  ever- 
 lasting joys  in  heaven,  and  a  kingdom  that  would  never  end, 
 with  the  living  and  true  God.  The  king  having  heard  this, 
 ordered  them  to  stay  in  that  island  where  they  had  landed, 
 and  that  they  should  be  furnished  with  all  necessaries,  till 
 he  should  consider  what  to  do  with  them.  For  he  had  before 
 heard  of  the  Christian  religion,  having  a  Christian  wife  of 
 the  royal  family  of  the  Franks,  called  Bertha  4  whom  he  had 
 received  from  her  parents,  upon  condition  that  she  should  be 
 permitted  to  practise  her  religion  with  the  Bishop  Luidhard,  § 
 who  was  sentAvith  her  to  preserve  her  faith.  Some  days  after, 
 the  king  came  into  the  island,  and  sitting  in  the  open  air, 
 ordered  Augustine  and  his  companions  to  be  brought  into 
 his  presence.  For  he  had  taken  precaution  that  they  should 
 not  come  to  him  in  any  house,  lest,  according  to  an  ancient 
 superstition,  if  they  practised  any  magical  arts,  they  might 
 impose  upon  liim,  and  so  get  the  better  of  liim.     But  they 
 
 *  Thanet  is  now  divided  from  the  rest  of  Kent  by  a  narrow  rill,  crossed 
 by  an  arch  of  the  smallest  span.  In  Bede's  time  the  two  arms  of  the  fetour 
 were  a  channel  nearly  a  mile  in  width,  which  received  several  streams 
 besides  the  Greater  and  Lesser  Stour.  This  channel  was  called  the 
 Wantsmn. 
 
 +  The  Franks  and  English  Saxons  were  equally  German  nations  ;  the 
 former  came  130  years  earlier  from  beyond  the  Rhine  ;  the  latter  from 
 the  coxmtries  about  the  mouths  of  the  Rhine  and  the  Elbe,  and  about  Hol- 
 stein,  on  the  continent  of  Denmark,  still  called  Jutland.  Hence  the 
 French  and  English  both  had  the  same  language,  as  Bishop  Godwin  ob- 
 serves from  the  cu'cumstance.  This  is  confirmed  by  other  clear  proofs  by 
 the  learned  William  Howel,  in  his  Institution  of  General  History. 
 
 X  Daughter  of  Charibert,  king  of  Paris. 
 
 §  Bishop  of  Senlis. 
 
38  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  lb.  I.  c.  25. 
 
 came  furnished  with  Divine,  not  with  magic  virtue,  bearing 
 a  silver  cross  for  their  banner,  and  the  image  of  our  Lord 
 and  Saviour  painted  on  a  board  ;  and  singing  the  litanj,  they 
 offered  up  their  prayers  to  the  Lord  for  the  eternal  salvation 
 both  of  themselves  and  of  those  to  whom  they  were  come. 
 When  he  had  sat  down,  pursuant  to  the  king's  commands,  and 
 preached  to  him  and  his  attendants  there  present,  the  word 
 of  life,  the  king  answered  thus  : — "  Your  words  and  promises 
 are  very  fair,  but  as  they  are  new  to  us,  and  of  uncertain 
 import,  I  cannot  approve  of  tliem  so  far  as  to  forsake  that 
 which  I  have  so  long  followed  with  the  whole  English  nation. 
 But  because  you  are  come  from  far  into  my  kingdom,  and, 
 as  I  conceive,  are  desirous  to  impart  to  us  those  things  which 
 you  believe  to  be  true,  and  most  beneficial,  we  will  not  molest 
 you,  but  give  you  favourable  entertainment,  and  take  care  to 
 supply  you  with  your  necessary  sustenance  ;  nor  do  we  for- 
 bid you  to  preach  and  gain  as  many  as  you  can  to  your 
 religion."*  Accordingly  he  permitted  them  to  reside  in  the 
 city  of  Canterbury,  which  was  the  metropolis  of  all  his 
 dominions,  and,  pursuant  to  his  promise,  besides  allo^ving 
 them  sustenance,  did  not  refuse  them  liberty  to  preach.  It 
 is  reported  that,  as  they  drew  near  to  the  city,  after  their 
 manner,  with  the  holy  cross,  and  the  image  of  our  sovereign 
 Lord  and  King,  Jesus  Christ,  they,  in  concert,  sung  this 
 litany :  "  We  beseech  thee,  0  Lord,  in  all  thy  mercy,  that 
 thy  anger  and  wrath  be  turned  away  from  this  city,  and  from 
 thy  holy  house,  because  we  have  sinned.     Hallelujah."| 
 
 *  It  would  appear,  from  the  humanity  and  kindness  with  which  St. 
 Augustine  was  received  immediately  on  his  arrival,  that  Bishop  Luidhard 
 was  his  precursor,  and  opened  a  way  for  his  success  ;  and  that  the  piety  and 
 prayers  of  Queen  Bertha  herself  are  not  likely  to  have  been  without  their 
 effect  in  causing  Ethelbert  to  lend  an  attentive  ear  to  the  preaching  of  St. 
 Augustine. 
 
 +  With  St.  Augustine,  it  is  recorded,  that  St.  Gregory  sent  the  following 
 books  : — a  Bible  in  two  vols, ;  a  Psalter,  and  a  book  of  the  Gospels ;  a 
 book  of  Martyrology  ;  Apocryphal  Lives  of  the  Apostles  ;  and  expositions 
 of  certain  Epistles  and  Gospels.  The  Canterbury  Book,  in  the  library  of 
 Trinity  Hall,  Cambridge,  closes  the  brief  catalogue  in  these  expressive 
 words":  "  These  are  the  foundation,  or  beginning,  of  the  library  of  the  whole 
 English  chm-ch,  a.d.  601."  See  Wanley's  Catalogue  of  Saxon  manu- 
 scripts in  vol.  ii.  of  Dr.  Hickes's  Thesaurus,  p.  172. 
 
A.D.  597.]  ST.  Augustine's  way  of  life.  39 
 
 CHAP.  XXVL 
 
 Sf»  Augustine  in  Kent  followed  the  doctrine  and  manner  of  livmg 
 of  the  pi  imitive  church,  and  settled  his  episcopal  see  in  the  royal  city. 
 [a.d.  597J 
 
 As  soon  as  they  entered  the  dwelling-place  assigned  them, 
 they  began  to  imitate  the  course  of  life  practised  in  the  primi- 
 tive church  ;  applying  themselves  to  frequent  prayer,  watch- 
 ing and  fasting  ;  preaching  the  word  of  life  to  as  many  as 
 they  could  ;  despising  all  worldly  things,  as  not  belonging 
 to  them  ;  receiving  only  their  necessary  food  from  those  they 
 taught ;  living  themselves  in  all  respects  conformably  to 
 what  they  prescribed  to  others,  and  being  always  disposed  to 
 suffer  any  adversity,  and  even  to  die  for  that  truth  which 
 they  preached.  In  short,  several  believed  and  were  baptized, 
 admiring  the  simplicity  of  their  innocent  life,  and  the  sweet- 
 ness of  their  heavenly  doctrine.  There  was  on  the  east  side 
 of  the  city,  a  church  dedicated  to  the  honour  of  St.  Martin,* 
 built  whilst  the  Romans  were  still  in  the  island,  wherein  the 
 queen,  who,  as  has  been  said  before,  was  a  Christian,  used 
 to  pray.  In  this  they  first  began  to  meet,  to  sing,  to  pray, 
 to  say  mass,  to  preach,  and  to  baptize,  till  the  king,  being 
 converted  to  the  faith,  allowed  them  to  preach  openly,  and 
 build  or  repair  churches  in  all  places. 
 
 When  he,  among  the  rest,  induced  by  the  unspotted  life  of 
 these  holy  men,  and  their  delightful  promises,  which,  by 
 many  miracles,  they  proved  to  be  most  certain,  believed  and 
 was  baptized,  greater  numbers  began  daily  to  flock  together 
 to  hear  the  word,  and,  forsaking  their  heathen  rites,  to  asso- 
 ciate themselves,  by  believing,  to  the  unity  of  the  church  of 
 Christ.  Their  conversion  the  king  so  far  encouraged,  as 
 that  he  compelled  none  to  embrace  Christianity,  but  only 
 showed  more  affection  to  the  believers,  as  to  his  fellow 
 citizens  in  the  heavenly  kingdom.  For  he  had  learned  from 
 his  instructors  and  leaders  to  salvation,  that  the  service  of 
 Christ  ought  to  be  voluntary,  not  by  compulsion.     Nor  was 
 
 *  The  present  church  of  St.  Martin  near  Canterbury  is  not  the  old  one 
 spoken  of  by  Bede,  as  it  is  generally  thought  to  be,  but  is  a  structure  of 
 the  thirteenth  century,  though  it  is  probable  that  the  materials  of  the  origi- 
 nal church  were  worked  up  in  the  masonry  on  its  re-construction,  the  walls 
 being  still  composed  in  part  of  Roman  bricks. 
 
40  BEDE's   ecclesiastical    history.  Lb.  X.  c.  27. 
 
 it  long  before  he  gave  liis  teachers  a  settled  residence  in  his 
 metropolis  of  Canterbury,  with  such  possessions  of  different 
 kinds  as  were  necessary  for  their  subsistence. 
 
 CHAP.  xxvn. 
 
 St.  Augustine,  being  made  bishop,  sends  to  acquaint  Pope  Gregory  with 
 what  had  been  done,  and  receives  his  answer  to  the  doubts  he  had  pro- 
 posed to  him.       [a.d.  597.] 
 
 In  the  meantime,  Augustine,  the  man  of  God,  repaired  to 
 Aries,  and,  pursuant  to  the  orders  received  from  the  holy 
 Father  Gregory,  was  ordained  archbishop  of  the  English 
 nation,*  by  ^therius,j'  archbishop  of  that  city.  Then  return- 
 ing into  Britain,  he  sent  Laurentius  the  priest,  and  Peter 
 the  monk,  to  Rome,  to  acquaint  Pope  Gregory,  that  the 
 nation  of  the  English  had  received  the  faith  of  Christ,  and 
 that  he  was  himself  made  their  bishop.  At  the  same  time,  he 
 desired  his  solution  of  some  doubts  that  occurred  to  him. 
 He  soon  received  proper  answers  to  his  questions,  which  we 
 have  also  thought  fit  to  insert  in  this  our  history  : — 
 
 The  First  Question  of  Augustine,  Bishop  of  the  Church 
 of  Canterbury. — Concerning  bishops,  how  they  are  to  behave 
 themselves  towards  their  clergy  ?  or  into  how  many  portions 
 the  things  given  by  the  faithful  to  the  altar  are  to  be  divided  ? 
 and  how  the  bishop  is  to  act  in  the  church  ? 
 
 Gregory,  Pope  of  the  City  of  Rome,  ansivers. — Holy  Writ, 
 which  no  doubt  you  are  well  versed  in,  testifies,  and  particu- 
 larly St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  Timothy,  wherein  he  endeavours  to 
 instruct  him  how  he  should  behave  himself  in  the  house  of 
 God  ;  but  it  is  the  custom  of  the  apostolic  see  to  prescribe 
 
 *  Augustine  was  not  consecrated  as  archbishop  either  of  London  or  Can- 
 terbury ;  but  by  the  general  title  of  the  "  Bishop  of  the  English,"  (Anglo- 
 rum  Episcopus,)  that  he  might  be  at  liberty  to  fix  his  seat  in  whatever  part 
 of  the  country  he  pleased. — Parker,  Antiq.  Britan.  p,  18.  The  primacy  of 
 Canterbury  is  owing  to  the  fact  of  Kent  being  the  first  and  chief  of  the 
 Saxon  kingdoms,  extending  to  the  Humber, 
 
 +  For  ^therius  read  Vergilius,  see  note  at  p.  36.  Aries  is  situated  in  the 
 extreme  south  of  France,  not  far  from  the  Mediterranean.  Early  in  the 
 fifth  century,  the  emperor  Honorius  erected  this  city  into  a  metropolis  over 
 seven  of  the  sixteen  provinces  into  which  Gaul  was  at  that  time  divided  ; 
 the  bishop  of  Rome,  apprehensive  that  the  archbishop  of  Aries  might 
 elevate  himself  into  a  patriarch  of  the  whole  kingdom,  appointed  him  his 
 apostolic  vicar  in  Gaul. 
 
A.D.  597.]  Augustine's  questions.  41 
 
 rules  to  bishops  newly  ordained,  tliat  all  emoluments  which 
 accrue,  are  to  be  divided  into  four  portions  ; — one  for  the 
 bishop  and  his  family,  because  of  hospitality  and  entertain- 
 ments ;  another  for  the  clergy  ;  a  third  for  the  poor  ;  and 
 the  fourth  for  the  repair  of  churches.  But  in  regard  that 
 you,  my  brother,  being  brought  up  under  monastic  rules,  are 
 not  to  live  apart  from  your  clergy  in  the  English  church, 
 which,  by  God's  assistance,  has  been  lately  brought  to  the 
 faith  ;  you  are  to  follow  that  course  of  life  which  our  fore- 
 fathers did  in  the  time  of  the  primitive  church,  when  none 
 of  them  said  anything  that  he  possessed  was  his  own,  but  all 
 things  were  in  common  among  them. 
 
 But  if  there  are  any  clerks  not  received  into  holy  orders, 
 who  cannot  live  continent,  they  are  to  take  wives,  and  receive 
 their  stipends  abroad  ;  because  we  know  it  is  written,  that 
 out  of  the  same  portions  above-mentioned  a  distribution  was 
 made  to  each  of  them  according  to  every  one's  wants.  Care 
 is  also  to  be  taken  of  their  stipends,  and  provision  to  be  made, 
 and  they  are  to  be  kept  under  ecclesiastical  rules,  that  they 
 may  live  orderly,  and  attend  to  singing  of  psalms,  and,  by  the 
 help  of  God,  preserve  their  hearts,  and  tongues,  and  bodies 
 from  all  that  is  unlawful.  But  as  for  those  that  live  in  com- 
 mon, why  need  we  say  anything  of  making  portions,  or  keep- 
 ing hospitality  and  exliibiting  mercy  ?  inasmuch  as  all  that 
 can  be  spared  is  to  be  spent  in  pious  and  religious  works, 
 according  to  the  commands  of  Him  who  is  the  Lord  and 
 Master  of  all,  "  Give  alms  of  such  things  as  you  have,  and 
 behold  all  things  are  clean  unto  you." 
 
 Augustine^s  Second  Question. — Whereas  the  faith  is  one 
 and  the  same,  why  are  there  different  customs  in  different 
 churches  ?  and  why  is  one  custom  of  masses  observed  in  the 
 holy  Roman  church,  and  another  in  the  Galilean  church  ? 
 
 Pope  Gregory  answers. — You  know,  my  brother,  the 
 custom  of  the  Koman  church  in  which  you  remember  you 
 were  bred  up.  But  it  pleases  me,  that  if  you  have  found 
 anything,  either  in  the  Roman,  or  the  Galilean,*  or  any  other 
 
 *  It  is  presumed  that  Luidhard,  bishop  of  Senlis,  who  accompanied 
 Bertha  from  Paris  on  her  marriage  ^vith  Ethelbert,  would  use  the  Gallican 
 rites  in  the  church  of  St.  Martin,  at  Canterbury,  and  that  this  must  have 
 attracted  the  attention  of  St.  Augustine  on  his  landing  in  our  island.  It  is 
 not  improbable  too  that  St,  Germanus  effected  a  great  change  in  the  ecclc- 
 
42  BEDE'S   ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTOET.  [b.  i.  c.  27 
 
 church,  which  may  be  more  acceptable  to  Almighty  God, 
 you  carefully  make  choice  of  the  same,  and  sedulously  teach 
 the  church  of  the  English,  which  as  yet  is  new  in  the  faith, 
 whatsoever  you  can  gather  from  the  several  churches.  For 
 things  are  not  to  be  loved  for  the  sake  of  places,  but  places 
 for  the  sake  of  good  things.  Choose,  therefore,  from  every 
 church  those  tilings  that  are  pious,  religious,  and  upright, 
 and  when  you  have,  as  it  were,  made  them  up  into  one  body, 
 let  the  minds  of  the  English  be  accustomed  thereto. 
 
 Augustine^ s  Third  Question. — I  beseech  you  to  inform  me, 
 what  punishment  must  be  inflicted,  if  any  one  shall  take  any- 
 thing by  stealth  from  the  church  ? 
 
 Gregory  answers. — You  may  judge,  my  brother,  by  the 
 person  of  the  thief,  in  what  manner  he  is  to  be  corrected. 
 For  there  are  some,  who,  having  substance,  commit  theft ; 
 and  there  are  others,  who  transgress  in  this  point  through 
 want.  Wherefore  it  is  requisite,  that  some  be  punished  in 
 their  purses,  others  with  stripes  ;  some  with  more  severity, 
 and  some  more  mildly.  And  when  the  severity  is  more,  it 
 is  to  proceed  from  charity,  not  from  passion  ;  because  this  is 
 done  to  him  who  is  corrected,  that  he  may  not  be  delivered 
 up  to  hell-fire.  For  it  behoves  us  to  maintain  discipline 
 among  the  faithful,  as  good  parents  do  with  their  carnal  chil- 
 dren, whom  they  punish  with  stripes  for  their  faults,  and  yet 
 design  to  make  those  their  heirs  whom  they  chastise  ;  and 
 they  preserve  what  they  possess  for  those  whom  they  seem  in 
 anger  to  persecute.  This  charity  is,  therefore,  to  be  kept  in 
 mind,  and  it  dictates  the  measure  of  the  punislmient,  so  that  the 
 mind  may  do  nothing  beyond  the  rule  of  reason.  You  may 
 add,  that  they  are  to  restore  those  things  wliich  they  have 
 stolen  from  the  church.  But,  God  forbid,  that  the  church 
 should  make  profit  from  those  earthly  tilings  which  it  seems 
 to  lose,  or  seek  gain  out  of  such  vanities. 
 
 Augustine^ s  Fourth  Question. — Whether  two  brothers 
 may  marry  two  sisters,  which  are  of  a  family  far  removed 
 from  them  ? 
 
 Gregory  ansivers. — This  may  lawfully  be  done  ;  for  no- 
 thing is  found  in  holy  writ  that  seems  to  contradict  it. 
 
 siastical  customs  of  the  ancient  British  church,  which  he  would  naturally 
 wish  to  regulate  after  the  model  of  the  Galilean.  For  an  account  of  the 
 Galilean  Liturgy,  and  its  variations  from  that  of  the  Roman,  consult  Pal- 
 mer's Origines  Liturgicae,  vol.  i.  page  144. 
 
A.D.  597.]       Gregory's  ans-\vers  to  st.  augustine.  43 
 
 Augustine's  Fifth  Question. — To  what  degree  may  the 
 fiiithful  marry  with  their  kindred  ?  and  whether  it  is  lawful 
 ^  for  men  to  marry  their  stepmothers  and  relations  ? 
 
 Gregory  ansivers. — A  certain  worldly  law  in  the  Roman 
 commonwealth  allows,  that  the  son  and  daughter  of  a  brother 
 and  sister,  or  of  two  brothers,  or  two  sisters,  may  be  joined 
 in  matrimony  ;  but  we  have  found,  by  experience,  that  no 
 offspring  can  come  of  such  wedlock  ;  and  the  Divine  Law 
 forbids  a  man  to  "uncover  the  nakedness  of  his  kindred." 
 Hence  of  necessity  it  must  be  the  third  or  fourth  generation 
 of  the  faithful,  that  can  be  lawfully  joined  in  matrimony  ; 
 for  the  second,  which  we  have  mentioned,  must  altogether 
 abstain  from  one  another.  To  marry  with  one's  stepmother 
 is  a  heinous  crime,  because  it  is  written  in  the  Law,  "  Thou 
 shalt  not  uncover  the  nakedness  of  thy  father  :"  now  the 
 son,  indeed,  cannot  uncover  his  father's  nakedness  ;  but  in 
 regard  that  it  is  written,  "  They  shall  be  two  in  one  flesh," 
 he  that  presumes  to  uncover  the  nakedness  of  liis  stepmother, 
 who  was  one  flesh  with  his  father,  certainly  uncovers  the 
 nakedness  of  his  father.  It  is  also  prohibited  to  marry  with 
 a  sister-in-law,  because  by  the  former  union  she  is  become 
 the  brother's  flesh.  For  which  thing  also  John  the  Baptist 
 was  beheaded,  and  ended  his  life  in  holy  martyrdom.  For, 
 though  he  was  not  ordered  to  deny  Christ,  and  indeed  was 
 killed  for  confessing  Christ,  yet  in  regard  that  the  same  Jesus 
 Christ,  our  Lord,  said,  "  I  am  the  Truth,"  because  John  was 
 killed  for  the  truth,  he  also  shed  his  blood  for  Christ. 
 
 But  forasmuch  as  there  are  many  of  the  English,  who, 
 whilst  they  were  still  in  infidelity,  are  said  to  have  been 
 joined  in  this  execrable  matrimony,  when  they  come  to  the 
 faith  they  are  to  be  admonished  to  abstain,  and  be  made  to 
 know  that  this  is  a  grievous  sin.  Let  them  fear  the  dread- 
 ful judgment  of  God,  lest,  for  the  gratification  of  their  carnal 
 appetites,  they  incur  the  torments  of  eternal  punishment. 
 Yet  they  are  not  on  this  account  to  be  deprived  of  the  com- 
 munion of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  lest  they  seem  to 
 be  punished  for  those  tilings  wliich  they  did  through  ignor- 
 ance before  they  had  received  baptism.  For  at  this  time  the 
 Holy  Church  chastises  some  things  through  zeal,  and  tole- 
 rates some  through  meekness,  and  connives  at  some  things 
 tlirough  discretion,  that  so  she  may  often,  by  this  forbearance 
 
44  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  ^b.  1.  c.  27 
 
 and  connivance,  suppress  the  evil  which  she  disapproves. 
 But  all  that  come  to  the  faith  are  to  be  admonished  not  to 
 do  such  things.  And  if  any  shall  be  guilty  of  them,  they 
 are  to  be  excluded  from  the  communion  of  the  body  and 
 blood  of  Chi'ist.  For  as  the  offence  is,  in  some  measure,  to 
 be  tolerated  in  those  who  did  it  through  ignorance,  so  it  is  to 
 be  strenuously  prosecuted  in  those  who  do  not  fear  to  sin 
 knowingly, 
 
 Augustine^s  Sixth  Question. — Whether  a  bishop  may  be 
 ordained  without  other  bishops  being  present,  in  case  there 
 be  so  great  a  distance  between  them,  that  they  cannot  easily 
 come  together  ? 
 
 Gregory  answers. — As  for  the  church  of  England,  in 
 which  you  are  as  yet  the  only  bishop,  you  can  no  otherwise 
 ordain  a  bishop  than  in  the  absence  of  other  bishops  ;  unless 
 some  bishops  should  come  over  from  Gaul,  that  they  may  be 
 present  as  witnesses  to  you  in  ordaining  a  bishop.  But  we 
 would  have  you,  my  brotlier,  to  ordain  bishops  in  such  a 
 manner,  that  the  said  bishops  may  not  be  far  asunder,  that 
 when  a  new  bishop  is  to  be  ordained,  there  be  no  difficulty, 
 but  that  other  bishops,  and  pastors  also,  whose  presence 
 is  necessary,  may  easily  come  together.  Thus,  when,  by  the 
 help  of  God,  bishops  shall  be  so  constituted  in  places  every- 
 where near  to  one  another,  no  ordination  of  a  bishop  is  to  be 
 performed  without  assembling  three  or  four  bishops.  For, 
 even  in  spiritual  affairs,  we  may  take  example  by  the  tem- 
 poral, that  they  may  be  wisely  and  discreetly  conducted.  It 
 is  certain,  that  when  marriages  are  celebrated  in  the  world, 
 some  married  persons  are  assembled,  that  those  who  went 
 before  in  the  way  of  matrimony,  may  also  partake  in  the  joy 
 of  the  succeeding  couple.  Why,  then,  at  this  spiritual  ordi- 
 nation, wherein,  by  means  of  the  sacred  ministry,  man  is  joined 
 to  God,  should  not  such  persons  be  assembled,  as  may  either 
 rejoice  in  the  advancement  of  the  new  bishop,  or  jointly  pour 
 forth  their  prayers  to  Almighty  God  for  his  preservation  ? 
 
 Augustine's  Seventh  Question. — How  are  we  to  deal  with 
 the  bishops  of  France  and  Britain  ? 
 
 Gregory  answers. — We  give  you  no  authority  over  the 
 bishops  of  France,  because  the  bishop  of  Aries  received  the 
 pall  *  in  ancient  times  from  my  predecessor,  and  we  are  not  to 
 
 *  The  pallium,  or  pall,  consisted  of  a  long  strip  of  fine  Avoollen  cloth, 
 
A.D.  597.]  GREGORY  S  ANSWERS  TO  ST.  AUGUSTINE.  45 
 
 deprive  him  of  the  authority  he  has  received.  If  it  shall 
 therefore  happen,  my  brother,  that  you  go  over  into  the  pro- 
 vince of  France,  you  are  to  concert  with  the  said  bishop  of 
 Ai'les,  how,  if  there  be  any  faults  among  the  bishops,  they 
 may  be  amended.  And  if  he  shall  be  lukewarm  in  keeping 
 up  discipHne,  he  is  to  be  corrected  by  your  zeal ;  to  whom 
 we  have  also  written,  that  when  your  holiness  shall  be  in 
 France,  he  may  also  use  all  his  endeavours  to  assist  you,  and 
 put  away  from  the  behaviour  of  the  bishops  all  that  shall  be 
 opposite  to  the  command  of  our  Creator.  But  you,  of  youi 
 own  authority,  shall  not  have  power  to  judge  the  bishops  of 
 France,  but  by  persuading,  soothing,  and  showing  good  works 
 for  them  to  imitate  ;  you  shall  reform  the  minds  of  wicked 
 men  to  the  pursuit  of  holiness  ;  for  it  is  written  in  the  Law, 
 "  When  thou  comest  into  the  standing  corn  of  thy  neigh- 
 bours, then  thou  mayest  pluck  the  ears  with  thine  hand  ;  but 
 thou  shalt  not  move  a  sickle  unto  thy  neighbours'  standing 
 corn."  For  thou  mayest  not  apply  the  sickle  of  judgment  in 
 that  harvest  which  seems  to  have  been  committed  to  an- 
 other ;  but  by  the  effect  of  good  works  thou  shalt  clear  the 
 Lord's  wheat  of  the  chaff  of  their  vices,  and  convert  them 
 into  the  body  of  the  Church,  as  it  were,  by  eating.  But 
 whatsoever  is  to  be  done  by  authority,  must  be  transacted 
 with  the  aforesaid  bishop  of  Aries,  lest  that  should  be 
 omitted,  which  the  ancient  institution  of  the  fathers  has  ap- 
 pointed.* But  as  for  all  the  bishops  of  Britain,  we  commit 
 them  to  your  care,  that  the  unlearned  may  be  taught,  the 
 weak  strengthened  by  persuasion,  and  the  perverse  corrected 
 by  authority. 
 
 Augustine^s  Eighth  Question. — Whether  a  woman  with 
 child  ought  to  be  baptized  ?  Or  how  long  after  she  has 
 brought  forth,  may  she  come  into  the  church  ?  As  also,  after 
 how  many  days  the  infant  born  may  be  baptized,  lest  he  be 
 prevented  by  death  ?     Or  how  long  after  her  husband  may 
 
 ornamented  with  crosses,  the  middle  of  which  was  formed  into  a  loose  col- 
 lar resting  on  the  shoulders,  while  the  extremities  before  and  behind  hung 
 down  nearly  to  the  feet.  In  the  east  it  is  called  omophorion,  the  bishops 
 wearing  it  aliove  the  phenolion,  or  vestment,  during  the  eucharist.  It  origi- 
 nally formed  part  of  the  imperial  habit,  of  which  Collier  has  given  some 
 interesting  particulars,  in  his  Eccles.  Hist.  vol.  i.  69,  folio. 
 
 *  St.  Gregory  probably  alludes  to  the  third  oecumenica]  council,  held  at 
 Ephesus,  A.D.  431, 
 
46  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTIC  AI.  HISTORY.  [b.  i.e.  27. 
 
 have  carnal  knowledge  of  her  ?  Or  whether  it  is  lawful  for 
 her  to  come  into  the  church  when  she  has  her  courses  ?  Or 
 to  receive  the  holy  sacrament  of  communion  ?  Or  whether 
 a  man,  under  certain  circumstances,  may  come  into  the 
 church  before  he  has  washed  with  water  ?  Or  approach  to 
 receive  the  mystery  of  the  holy  communion  ?  AH  which 
 things  are  requisite  to  be  known  by  the  rude  nation  of  the 
 EngHsh. 
 
 Gregory  answers. — I  do  not  doubt  but  that  these  questions 
 have  been  put  to  you,  my  brother,  and  I  think  I  have  already 
 answered  you  therein.  But  I  believe  you  would  wish  the 
 opinion  which  you  yourself  might  give  to  be  confirmed  by 
 mine  also.  Why  should  not  a  woman  with  cliild  be  baptized, 
 since  the  fruitfulness  of  the  flesh  is  no  offence  in  the  eyes  of 
 Almighty  God  ?  For  when  our  first  parents  sinned  in 
 Paradise,  they  forfeited  the  immortality  wliich  they  had  re- 
 ceived, by  the  just  judgment  of  God.  Because,  therefore, 
 Ahnighty  God  would  not  for  their  fault  wholly  destroy  the 
 human  race,  he  both  deprived  man  of  nnmortality  for  liis  sin, 
 and,  at  the  same  time,  of  his  great  goodness,  reserved  to  liim 
 the  power  of  propagating  his  race  after  him.  On  what 
 account  then  can  that  which  is  preserved  to  the  human  race, 
 by  the  free  gift  of  Almighty  God,  be  excluded  from  the  pri- 
 vilege of  baptism  ?  For  it  is  very  foolish  to  imagine  that 
 the  gift  of  grace  opposes  that  mystery  in  which  all  sin  is 
 blotted  out.  When  a  woman  is  delivered,  after  how  many 
 days  she  may  come  into  the  church,  you  have  been  informed 
 by  reading  the  Old  Testament,  viz.  that  she  is  to  abstain  for 
 a  male  child  thirty-three  days,  and  sixty-six  for  a  female. 
 Now  you  must  know  that  tliis  is  to  be  taken  in  a  mystery  ; 
 for  if  she  enters  the  church  the  very  hour  that  she  is  deli- 
 vered, to  return  thanks,  she  is  not  guihy  of  any  sin  ;  because 
 the  pleasure  of  the  flesh  is  in  fault,  and  not  the  pain  ;  but 
 the  pleasure  is  in  the  copulation  of  the  flesh,  whereas  there 
 is  pain  in  bringing  forth  the  child.  Wherefore  it  is  said  to 
 the  first  mother  of  all,  "In  sorrow  shalt  thou  bring  forth 
 children."  If,  therefore,  we  forbid  a  woman  that  has  brought 
 forth,  to  enter  the  church,  we  make  a  crime  of  her  very  punish- 
 ment. To  baptize  either  a  woman  who  has  brought  forth,  if 
 there  be  danger  of  death,  even  the  very  hour  that  she  brings 
 forth,  or  that  which  she  has  brought  forth  the  very  hour  it 
 
A.D.  597.]        Gregory's  answers  to  st.  augustine.  47 
 
 is  born,  is  no  way  prohibited,  because,  as  the  grace  of  the 
 holy  mystery  is  to  be  with  much  discretion  provided  for  the 
 living  and  understanding,  so  is  it  to  be  without  any  delay 
 offered  to  the  dying  ;  lest,  while  a  further  time  is  sought  to 
 confer  the  mystery  of  redemption,  a  small  delay  intervening, 
 the  person  that  is  to  be  redeemed  is  dead  and  gone. 
 
 Her  husband  is  not  to  approach  her,  till  the  infant  born  be 
 weaned.  A  bad  custom  is  sprung  up  in  the  behaviour  of 
 married  people,  that  is,  that  women  disdain  to  suckle  the  chil- 
 dren wldch  they  bring  forth,  and  give  them  to  other  women  to 
 suckle ;  which  seems  to  have  been  invented  on  no  other  account 
 but  incontinency  ;  because,  as  they  will  not  be  continent,  they 
 will  not  suckle  the  children  which  they  bear.  Those  women, 
 therefore,  who,  from  bad  custom,  give  their  children  to  others 
 to  bring  up,  must  not  approach  their  husbands  till  the  time 
 of  purification  is  past.  For  even  when  there  has  been  no 
 child-birth,  women  are  forbidden  to  do  so,  whilst  they  have 
 their  monthly  courses,  insomuch  that  the  Law  condemns 
 to  death  any  man  that  shall  approach  unto  a  woman  during 
 her  uncleanness.  Yet  the  woman,  nevertheless,  must  not  be 
 forbidden  to  come  into  the  church  wliilst  she  has  her  monthly 
 courses  ;  because  the  superfluity  of  nature  cannot  be  im- 
 puted to  her  as  a  crime  ;  and  it  is  not  just  that  she  should  be 
 refused  admittance  into  the  church,  for  that  wliich  she  suffers 
 against  her  will.  For  we  know,  that  the  woman  who  had 
 the  issue  of  blood,  humbly  approaching  behind  our  Lord's 
 back,  touched  the  hem  of  his  garment,  and  her  distemper  im- 
 mediately departed  from  her.  If,  therefore,  she  that  had  an 
 issue  of  blood  might  commendably  touch  the  garment  of  our 
 Lord,  why  may  not  she,  who  has  the  monthly  courses,  law- 
 fully enter  into  the  church  of  God  ?  But  you  may  say.  Her 
 distemper  compelled  her,  whereas  these  we  speak  of  are 
 bound  by  custom.  Consider,  then,  most  dear  brother,  that 
 all  we  suffer  in  this  mortal  flesh,  through  the  infirmity  of  our 
 nature,  is  ordained  by  the  just  judgment  of  God  after  the 
 fall  ;  for  to  hunger,  to  thirst,  to  be  hot,  to  be  cold,  to  be 
 weary,  is  from  the  infirmity  of  our  nature  ;  and  what  else  is 
 it  to  seek  food  against  hunger,  drink  against  thirst,  air 
 against  heat,  clothes  against  cold,  rest  against  weariness, 
 than  to  procure  a  remedy  against  distempers  ?  Thus  to  a 
 woman  her  monthly  courses  are  a  distemper.     If,  therefore, 
 
48  BEDE'S  ecclesiastical  HISTORT.  [b-  I-  c.  27. 
 
 it  was  a  commendable  boldness  in  her,  who  in  her  disease 
 touched  our  Lord's  garment,  why  may  not  that  which  is 
 allowed  to  one  infirm  person,  be  granted  to  all  women,  who, 
 through  the  fault  of  their  nature,  are  distempered  ? 
 
 She  must  not,  therefore,  be  forbidden  to  receive  the  mystery 
 of  the  holy  communion  during  those  days.  But  if  any 
 one  out  of  profound  respect  does  not  presume  to  do  it,  she  is 
 to  be  commended  ;  yet  if  she  receives  it,  she  is  not  to  be 
 judged.  For  it  is  the  part  of  noble  minds  in  some  manner 
 to  acknowledge  their  faults,  even  where  there  is  no  offence  ; 
 because  very  often  that  is  done  without  a  fault,  which,  never- 
 theless, proceeded  from  a  fault.  Therefore,  when  we  are 
 hungry,  it  is  no  crime  to  eat ;  yet  our  being  hungry  proceeds 
 from  the  sin  of  the  first  man.  The  monthly  courses  are  no 
 crime  in  women,  because  they  naturally  happen  ;  however, 
 because  our  nature  itself  is  so  depraved,  that  it  appears  to  be 
 so  without  the  concurrence  of  the  will,  the  fault  proceeds 
 from  sin,  and  thereby  human  natui'e  may  herself  know  what 
 she  is  become  by  judgment.  And  let  man,  who  wilfully 
 committed  the  offence,  bear  the  guilt  of  that  offence.  And, 
 therefore,  let  women  consider  with  themselves,  and  if  they 
 do  not  presume,  during  their  monthly  courses,  to  approach 
 the  sacrament  of  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord,  they  are  to 
 be  commended  for  their  praiseworthy  consideration  ;  but 
 when  they  are  carried  away  with  love  of  the  same  mystery 
 to  receive  it  out  of  the  usual  custom  of  religious  life,  they  are 
 not  to  be  restrained,  as  we  said  before.  For  as  in  the  Old 
 Testament  the  outward  works  are  observed,  so  in  the  New 
 Testament,  that  which  is  outwardly  done,  is  not  so  diligently 
 regarded  as  that  which  is  inwardly  thought,  in  order  to 
 punish  it  by  a  discerning  judgment.  For  whereas  the  Law 
 forbids  the  eating  of  many  things  as  unclean,  yet  our  Lord 
 says  in  the  Gospel,  "  Not  that  which  goeth  into  the  mouth 
 defileth  a  man  ;  but  that  which  cometh  out  of  the  mouth, 
 this  defileth  a  man."  And  presently  after  he  added,  ex- 
 pounding the  same,  "  Out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts." 
 Where  it  is  sufiiciently  shown,  that  that  is  declared  by 
 Almighty  God  to  be  polluted  in  fact,  which  proceeds  from 
 the  root  of  a  polluted  thought.  Whence  also  Paul  the  Apostle 
 says,  "  Unto  the  pure  all  things  are  pure,  but  unto  them  that 
 are  defiled  and  unbelieving,   nothing  is  pure."     And  pre- 
 
A.D.597.]        Gregory's  axswers  to  st.  augustine.  49 
 
 seiitly  after,  declaring  the  cause  of  that  defilement,  he  adds, 
 "For  even  their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled."  If,  there- 
 fore, meat  is  not  unclean  to  him  ^vho  has  a  clean  mind,  why 
 shall  that  wliicli  a  clean  woman  suffers  according  to  nature, 
 be  imputed  to  her  as  uncleanness  ? 
 
 A  man  who  has  approached  his  own  wife  is  not  to  enter 
 the  cliurch  unless  washed  with  water,  nor  is  he  to  enter  im- 
 mediately although  washed.  The  Law  prescribed  to  the 
 ancient  people,  that  a  man  in  such  cases  should  be  washed 
 with  water,  and  not  enter  into  the  church  before  the  setting 
 of  the  sun.  Which,  nevertheless,  may  be  understood  spiritu- 
 ally, because  a  man  acts  so  when  the  mind  is  led  by  the 
 imagination  to  unlawful  concupiscence  ;  for  unless  the  fire  of 
 concupiscence  be  first  driven  from  his  mind,  he  is  not  to 
 think  himself  worthy  of  the  congregation  of  the  brethren, 
 whilst  he  thus  indulges  an  unlawful  passion.  For  though 
 several  nations  have  different  opinions  concerning  this  affair, 
 and  seem  to  observe  different  rules,  it  was  always  the  custom 
 of  the  Romans,  from  ancient  times,  for  such  an  one  to  be 
 cleansed  by  washing,  and  for  some  time  respectfully  to  for- 
 bear entering  the  church.  Nor  do  we,  in  so  saying,  assign 
 matrimony  to  be  a  fault ;  but  forasmuch  as  lawful  inter- 
 course cannot  be  had  without  the  pleasure  of  the  flesh,  it  is 
 proper  to  forbear  entering  the  holy  place,  because  the  plea- 
 sure itself  cannot  be  without  a  fault.  For  he  was  not  born 
 of  adultery  or  fornication,  but  of  lawful  marriage,  w^ho  said, 
 "  Behold  I  was  conceived  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  my  mother 
 brought  be  forth."  For  he  who  knew  himself  to  have  been 
 conceived  in  iniquity,  lamented  that  he  was  born  from  sin, 
 because  the  tree  in  its  bough  bears  the  moisture  it  drew  from 
 the  root.  In  which  words,  however,  he  does  not  call  the 
 union  of  the  married  couple  iniquity,  but  the  pleasure  of  the 
 copulation.  For  there  are  many  things  which  are  proved  to 
 be  law^ful,  and  yet  we  are  somewhat  defiled  in  doing  them. 
 As  very  often  by  being  angry  we  correct  faults,  and  at  the 
 same  time  disturb  our  own  peace  of  mind  ;  and  though  that 
 which  we  do  is  right,  yet  it  is  not  to  be  approved  that  our 
 mind  should  be  discomposed.  For  he  who  said,  "  My  eye 
 was  disturbed  with  anger,"  had  been  angry  at  the  vices  of 
 those  who  had  offended.  Now,  in  regard  that  only  a  sedate 
 mind  can  apply  itself  to  contemplation,  he  grieved  that  liis 
 
 E 
 
50  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [8. I.e. 27. 
 
 eye  was  disturbed  witli  anger  ;  because,  whilst  lie  was  cor- 
 recting evil  actions  below,  he  was  obliged  to  be  withdrawn 
 and  disturbed  from  the  contemplation  of  things  above.  Auger 
 against  vice  is,  therefore,  commendable,  and  yet  painful  to  a 
 man,  because  he  tliinks  that  by  his  mind  being  agitated,  he 
 has  incurred  some  guilt.  Lawful  commerce,  therefore,  must 
 be  for  the  sake  of  childi'en,  not  of  pleasure  ;  and  must  be  to 
 procure  offspring,  not  to  satisfy  vices.  But  if  any  man  is 
 led  not  by  the  desire  of  pleasure,  but  only  for  the  sake  of 
 getting  cliildren,  such  a  man  is  certainly  to  be  left  to  his  own 
 judgment,  either  as  to  entering  the  church,  or  as  to  receiving 
 the  mystery  of  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord,  which  he, 
 who  being  placed  in  the  fire  cannot  burn,  is  not  to  be  for- 
 bidden by  us  to  receive.  But  when,  not  the  love  of  getting 
 children,  but  of  pleasure  prevails,  the  pair  have  cause  to 
 lament  their  deed.  For  tliis  the  holy  preaching  allows  them, 
 and  yet  fills  the  mind  "vvith  dread  of  the  very  allowance.  For 
 when  Paul  the  Apostle  said,  "  Let  him  that  cannot  contain, 
 have  his  wife  ;"  he  presently  took  care  to  subjoin,  "But this 
 I  say  by  way  of  indulgence,  not  by  way  of  command."  For 
 that  is  not  granted  by  way  of  indulgence  which  is  lawful,  be- 
 cause it  is  just  ;  and,  therefore,  that  which  he  said  he  in- 
 dulged, he  showed  to  be  an  offence. 
 
 It  is  seriously  to  be  considered,  that  when  God  was  to 
 speak  to  the  people  on  I^Iount  Sinai,  he  first  commanded 
 them  to  abstain  from  women.  And  if  so  much  cleanness  of 
 body  was  there  required,  where  God  spoke  to  the  people  by 
 the  means  of  a  subject  creature,  that  those  who  vv'ere  to  hear 
 the  words  of  God  should  not  do  so  ;  how  much  more  ought 
 women,  who  receive  the  body  of  Almighty  God,  to  preserve 
 themselves  in  cleanness  of  flesh,  lest  they  be  burdened  with 
 the  very  greatness  of  that  unutterable  mystery  ?  For  tliis 
 reason,  it  was  said  to  David,  concerning  his  men,  by  the 
 priest,  that  if  they  were  clean  in  this  particular,  they  should 
 receive  the  shewbread,  which  they  would  not  have  received 
 at  all,  had  not  David  first  declared  them  to  be  clean.  Then 
 the  man,  who,  afterwards,  has  been  washed  with  water,  is 
 also  capable  of  receiving  tlie  mystery  of  the  holy  communion, 
 when  it  is  lawful  for  him,  according  to  what  has  been  before 
 declared,  to  enter  the  church. 
 
 Augustines  Ninth  Question. — 'Whether  after  an  illusion. 
 
A.D.597.J  GrvEGORY's  ANSWERS  TO  ST.  AUGUSTINE.  51 
 
 such  as  happens  in  a  dream,  any  man  may  receive  the  body 
 of  our  Lord,  or  if  he  be  a  priest,  celebrate  the  Divine 
 mysteries  ? 
 
 Gregory  answers. — The  Testament  of  the  Old  Law,  as  has 
 been  said  already  in  the  article  above,  calls  such  a  man  pol- 
 luted, and  allows  him  not  to  enter  into  the  church  till  the 
 evening  after  being  washed  with  water.  Wliich,  neverthe- 
 less, spiritual  people,  taking  in  another  sense,  will  understand 
 in  the  same  manner  as  above  ;  because  he  is  imposed  upon 
 as  it  were  in  a  dream,  who,  being  tempted  with  filthiness,  is 
 defiled  by  real  representations  in  thought,  and  he  is  to  be 
 washed  with  water,  that  he  may  cleanse  away  the  sins  of 
 thought  with  tears  ;  and  unless  the  fire  of  temptation  depart 
 before,  may  know  himself  to  be  guilty  as  it  were  until  the 
 evening.  But  discretion  is  very  necessary  in  that  illusion, 
 that  one  may  seriously  consider  what  causes  it  to  happen  in 
 the  mind  of  the  person  sleeping  ;  for  sometimes  it  proceeds 
 from  excess  of  eating  or  drinking  ;  sometimes  from  the 
 superfluity  or  infirmity  of  nature,  and  sometimes  from  the 
 thoughts.  And  when  it  happens,  either  through  superfluity 
 or  infirmity  of  nature,  such  an  illusion  is  not  to  be  feared, 
 because  it  is  rather  to  be  lamented,  that  the  mind  of  the 
 person,  who  knew  nothing  of  it,  suffers  the  same,  than  that 
 he  occasioned  it.  But  when  the  appetite  of  gluttony  commits 
 excess  in  food,  and  thereupon  the  receptacles  of  the  humours 
 are  oppressed,  the  mind  from  thence  contracts  some  guilt  ; 
 yet  not  so  much  as  to  obstruct  the  receiving  of  the  holy 
 mystery,  or  celebrating  mass,  when  a  holy  day  requires  it,  or 
 necessity  obHges  the  sacrament  to  be  administered,  because 
 there  is  no  other  priest  in  the  place  ;  for  if  there  be  others 
 who  can  perform  the  ministr}'-,  the  illusion  proceeding  from 
 over-eating  is  not  to  exclude  a  man  from  receiving  the  sacred 
 mystery  ;  but  I  am  of  opinion  he  ought  humbly  to  abstain 
 from  offering  the  sacrifice  of  the  mystery  ;  but  not  from 
 receiving  it,  unless  the  mind  of  the  person  sleeping  has  been 
 filled  with  some  foul  imagination.  For  there  are  some,  who 
 for  the  most  part  so  suffer  the  illusion,  that  their  mind,  even 
 during  the  sleep  of  the  body,  is  not  defiled  with  filthy  thoughts. 
 Li  which  case,  one  thing  is  evident,  that  the  mind  is  guilty 
 even  in  its  own  judgment  ;  for  though  it  does  not  remember 
 to  have  seen  any  tiling  whilst  the  body  was  sleeping,  -jfdi  it 
 
 E  2 
 
52  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [B.r.c.27. 
 
 calls  to  mind  that  when  waking  it  fell  into  bodily  gluttony. 
 But  if  the  sleeping  illusion  proceeds  from  evil  thoughts  when 
 waking,  then  the  guilt  is  manifest  to  the  mind  ;  for  the  man 
 perceives  from  whence  that  filth  sprung,  because  what  he 
 had  knowingly  thought  of,  that  he  afterwards  unwittingly 
 revealed.  But  it  is  to  be  considered,  whether  that  thought 
 was  no  more  than  a  suggestion,  or  proceeded  to  enjoyment, 
 or,  which  is  still  more  criminal,  consented  to  sin.  For  all 
 sin  is  fulfilled  in  three  ways,  viz.,  by  suggestion,  by  delight, 
 and  by  consent.  Suggestion  is  occasioned  by  the  Devil, 
 delight  is  from  the  flesh,  and  consent  from  the  mind.  For 
 the. serpent  suggested  the  first  offence,  and  Eve,  as  flesh,  was 
 delighted  with  it,  but  Adam  consented,  as  the  spirit,  or  mind. 
 And  much  discretion  is  requisite  for  the  mind  to  sit  as  judge 
 between  suggestion  and  delight,  and  between  delight  and 
 consent.  For  if  the  evil  spirit  suggest  a  sin  to  the  mind,  if 
 there  ensue  no  delight  in  the  sin,  the  sin  is  in  no  way  com- 
 mitted ;  but  when  the  flesh  begins  to  be  delighted,  then  sin 
 begins  to  grow.  But  if  it  deliberately  consents,  then  the  sin 
 is  known  to  be  perfected.  The  beginning,  therefore,  of  sin 
 is  in  the  suggestion,  the  nourishing  of  it  in  delight,  but  in 
 the  consent  is  its  perfection.  And  it  often  happens  that 
 what  the  evil  spirit  sows  in  the  thought,  the  flesh  di-aws  to 
 delight,  and  yet  the  soul  does  not  consent  to  that  delight. 
 And  whereas  the  flesh  cannot  be  delighted  without  the  mind, 
 yet  the  mind  struggling  against  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh 
 is  somewhat  unwillingly  tied  down  by  the  carnal  delight,  so 
 that  through  reason  it  contradicts,  and  does  not  consent,  yet 
 being  influenced  by  delight,  it  grievously  laments  its  being 
 so  bound.  Wherefore  that  principal  soldier  of  our  Lord's 
 host,  sighing,  said,  "I  see  another  law  in  my  members  warring 
 against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity 
 to  the  law  of  sin,  which  is  in  my  members."  Now  if  he  was 
 a  captive,  he  did  not  fight ;  but  if  he  did  fight,  how  was  he 
 a  captive  ?  he  therefore  fought  against  the  law  of  the  mind, 
 which  the  law  that  is  in  the  members  opposed  ;  if  he  fought 
 so,  he  was  no  captive.  Thus,  then,  man  is,  as  I  may  say,  a 
 captive  and  yet  free.  Free  on  account  of  justice,  wliich  he 
 loves,  a  captive  by  the  delight  which  he  unwillingly  bears 
 within  him. 
 
).601.1 
 
 CHAP,  xxvni. 
 
 Pope  Gregory  writes  to  the  bishop  of  Aries  to  assist  Augustine  in  the  work 
 of  God.     [a.d.  601.] 
 
 Thus  far  the  answers  of  tlie  holy  Pope  Gregory,  to  the 
 questions  of  the  most  reverend  prelate,  Augustine.  But  the 
 epistle,  -which  he  says  he  had  written  to  the  bishop  of  Aries, 
 was  directed  to  Yergilius,  successor  to  ^therius,  the  copy 
 whereof  follows  : — 
 
 "  To  his  most  reverend  and  holy  brother  and  fellow  bishop^ 
 Vergilius ;  Gregory,  servant  of  the  servants  of  God.  With 
 how  much  affection  brethren,  coming  of  their  own  accord, 
 are  to  be  entertained,  is  well  known,  by  their  being  for  the 
 most  part  invited  on  account  of  charity.  Therefore,  if  our 
 common  brother.  Bishop  Augustine,  shall  happen  to  come  to 
 you,  I  desire  your  love  will,  as  is  becoming,  receive  him 
 so  kindly  and  affectionately,  that  he  may  be  supported  by 
 the  honour  of  your  consolation,  and  others  be  informed  how 
 brotherly  charity  is  to  be  cultivated.  And,  since  it  often 
 happens  that  those  who  are  at  a  distance,  sooner  than  others, 
 understand  the  things  that  need  correction,  if  any  crimes  of 
 priests  or  others  shall  happen  to  be  laid  before  you,  you  will, 
 in  conjunction  with  him,  sharply  inquire  into  the  same.  And 
 do  you  both  act  so  strictly  and  carefully  against  those  things 
 which  offend  God,  and  provoke  his  wrath,  that  for  the 
 amendment  of  others,  the  punishment  may  fall  upon  the 
 guilty,  and  the  innocent  may  not  suffer  an  ill  name.  God 
 keep  you  in  safety,  most  reverend  brother.  Given  the  22nd 
 day  of  June,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  our  pious 
 and  august  emperor,  Mauritius  Tiberius,  and  the  eighteenth 
 year  after  the  consulship  of  our  said  lord.  The  fourth 
 indiction." 
 
 CHAP.  XXIX. 
 
 Tlie  same  Pope   sends   Augustine   the   Pall,   an   Epistle,   and   several 
 Ministers  of  the  word.     [a.d.  601.] 
 
 Moreover,  the  same  Pope  Gregory,  hearing  from  Bishop 
 Augustine,  that  he  had  a  great  harvest,  and  but  few  labourers, 
 sent  to  him,  together  with  his  aforesaid  messengers,  several 
 fellow  labourers  and  ministers  of  the  word  of  whom  the  first 
 
54  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  HISTORT.  [b. I.e. 29. 
 
 and  prill  cipal  were*  Mellitus,  Justus,  Paulinus,  and  Rufinianus, 
 and  bv  them  all  things  in  general  that  were  necessary  for  the 
 worship  and  service  of  the  cliur^jh,  viz.,  sacred  vessels  and 
 vestments  for  the  altars,  also  ornaments  for  the  churches,  and 
 vestments  for  the  priests  and  clerks,  as  likewise  relics  of  the 
 holy  apostles  and  martyrs  ;  besides  many  books.  He  also ' 
 sent  letters,  Avherein  he  signified  that  he  had  transmitted  the 
 pall  to  him,  and  at  the  same  time  directed  how  he  should 
 constitute  bisJiops  in  Britain.  The  letters  were  in  these 
 words  : — 
 
 "  T'o  his  most  reverend  and  liohj  brother  and  fellow  hisJiop, 
 Augustine;  Gregory,  the  servant  of  the  servants  of  God, 
 Though  it  be  certain,  that  the  unspeakable  rewards  of  the 
 eternal  kingdom  are  reserved  for  those  who  labour  for  Al- 
 mighty God,  yet  it  is  requisite  that  we  bestow  on  them  the 
 advantage  of  honours,  to  the  end  that  they  may  by  this  re- 
 compence  be  enabled  the  more  vigorously  to  apply  themselves 
 to  the  care  of  their  spiritual  work.  And,  in  regard  that  the 
 new  church  of  the  English  is,  through  the  goodness  of  the 
 Lord,  and  your  labours,  brought  "?  the  grace  of  God,  we 
 grant  you  the  use  of  the  pail  in  the  same,  only  for  the  per- 
 forming of  the  solemn  service  of  the  mass  ;  so  that  you  in 
 several  places  ordain  twelve  bishops,  who  shall  be  subject  to 
 your  jurisdiction,  so  that  the  bishop  of  London  shall,  for  the 
 future,  be  always  consecrated  by  his  own  synod,  and  that  he 
 receive  the  honour  of  the  pall  from  this  holy  and  apostolical 
 see,  which  I,  by  the  grace  of  God,  now  serve.  But  we  will 
 have  you  send  to  the  city  of  York  such  a  bishop  as  you  shall 
 think  fit  to  ordain  ;  yet  so,  that  if  that  city,  with  the  places 
 adjoining,  shall  receive  the  word  of  God,  that  bishop  shall 
 also  ordain  twelve  bishops,  and  enjoy  the  honour  of  a  metro- 
 politan ;  for  we  design,  if  we  live,  by  the  help  of  God,  to 
 bestow  on  him  also  the  pall  ;  and  yet  we  will  have  him  to  be 
 subservient  to  your  authority  ;  but  after  your  decease,  he 
 shall  so  preside  over  the  bishops  he  shall  ordain,  as  to  be  in 
 no  way  subject  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop  of  London. 
 But  for  the  future  let  this  distinction  be  between  the  bishops 
 
 *  Mellitus  was  consecrated  bishop  of  London,  a.d.  604  ;  and  succeeded 
 Laxirentius  in  the  see  of  Canterbury,  a.d.  619  ;  in  624  Justus  was  translated 
 from  Rochester  to  the  primacy.  In  the  following  yearPaulinus  was  nmde 
 archbishop  of  York.  Rufinianus  was  the  third  abbatof  St.  Augustine's  abbey. 
 
A.D.  601.1  Gregory's  letter  to  mellitus.  55 
 
 of  the  cities  of  London  and  York,  that  he  may  have  the  pre- 
 cedence who  shall  be  first  ordained.*  But  let  them  unani- 
 mously dispose,  by  common  advice  and  uniform  conduct, 
 whatsoever  is  to  be  done  for  the  zeal  of  Christ  ;  let  them 
 judge  rightly,  and  perform  what  they  judge  convenient  in  a 
 uniform  manner. 
 
 "  But  to  you,  my  brother,  shall,  by  the  authority  of  our 
 God,  and  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  subject  not  only  those  bishops 
 you  shall  orduin,  and  those  that  shall  be  ordained  by  the 
 bishop  of  York,  but  also  all  the  priests  in  Britain  ;  to  the 
 end  that  from  the  mouth  and  life  of  your  holiness  they  may 
 learn  the  rule  of  believing  rightly,  and  living  well,  and  ful- 
 fiUing  their  office  in  faith  and  good  manners,  they  may,  when 
 it  shall  please  the  Lord,  attain  the  heavenly  kingdom.  God 
 preserve  you  in  safety,  most  reverend  brother. 
 
 "  Dated  the  22nd  of  June,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  the 
 reign  of  our  most  pious  lord  and  emperor,  jMauritius  Tiberius, 
 the  eighteenth  year  after  the  consulship  of  our  said  lord.  The 
 fourth  indiction." 
 
 CHAP.  XXX. 
 
 A  copy  of  the  letter  which  Pope  Gregory/  sent  to  the  Abbot  Mellitus,  then 
 going  into  Britain,     [a.d.  601.] 
 
 The  aforesaid  messengers  being  departed,  the  holy  father, 
 Gregory,  sent  after  them  letters  v/orthy  to  be  preserved  in 
 memory,  wherein  he  plainly  shows  wliat  care  he  took  of  the 
 salvation  of  our  nation.     The  letter  was  as  follows  : — 
 
 "  To  his  most  beloved  son,  the  Abbot  Mellitus ;  Gregory, 
 the  servant  of  the  servants  of  God.  We  have  been  mucli 
 concerned,  since  the  departure  of  our  congregation  that  is 
 with  you,  because  we  have  received  no  account  of  the  suc- 
 cess of  your  journey.  When,  therefore,  Almighty  God  shall 
 bring  you  to  the  most  reverend  Bishop  Augustine,  our 
 brother,  tell  him  what  I  have,  upon  mature  deliberation  on 
 the  affair  of  the  English,  determined  upon,  viz.,  that  the 
 temples  of  the  idols  in  that  nation  ought  not  to  be  destroyed  ; 
 
 *  York  and  London  constituted  the  first  metropolitan  sees  among  the 
 ancient  Britons.  On  this  accoimt,  probably,  Gregory  invested  them  with 
 metropolitical  dignity  on  the  re-estabhshment  of  Christianity  in  those  places. 
 It  Avas  some  time  after  the  death  of  both  Gregory  and  Augustine,  how- 
 ever, that  this  project,  as  respects  York,  was  carried  into  effect. 
 
56  BEDE's  ECCLESL^STICAL  history.  [ai.c.30. 
 
 but  let  tli8  idols  that  are  in  them  be  destroyed ;  let 
 holy  Avater  be  made  and  sprinkled  in  the  said  temples,  let 
 altars  be  erected,  and  relics  placed.  For  if  those  temples  are 
 well  built,  it  is  requisite  that  they  be  converted  from  the 
 worship  of  devils  to  the  service  of  the  true  God  ;  that  the 
 nation,  seeing  that  their  temples  are  not  destroyed,  may  re- 
 move error  from  their  hearts,  and  knowing  and  adoring  the 
 true  God,  may  the  more  familiarly  resort  to  the  places  to 
 which  they  have  been  accustomed.  And  because  they  have 
 been  used  to  slaughter  many  oxen  in  the  sacrifices  to  devils, 
 some  solemnity  must  be  exchanged  for  them  on  this  account, 
 as  that  on  the  day  of  the  dedication,  or  the  nativities  of  the 
 holy  martyrs,  whose  relics  are  there  deposited,  they  may 
 build  themselves  huts  of  the  boughs  of  trees,  about  those 
 churches  which  have  been  turned  to  that  use  from  temples, 
 and  celebrate  the  solemnity  with  religious  feasting,  and  no 
 more  offer  beasts  to  the  Devil,  but  kill  cattle  to  the  2)raise  of 
 God  in  their  eating,  and  return  thanks  to  the  Giver  of  all 
 things  for  their  sustenance  ;  to  the  end  that,  whilst  some 
 gratifications  are  outwardly  permitted  them,  they  may  the 
 more  easily  consent  to  the  inward  consolations  of  the  grace 
 ot  God.  For  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  is  impossible  to  efitice 
 every  thing  at  once  from  their  obdurate  minds  ;  because  he 
 who  endeavours  to  ascend  to  the  highest  place,  rises  by  de- 
 grees or  steps,  and  not  by  leaps.  Thus  the  Lord  made 
 himself  known  to  the  people  of  Israel  in  Egypt ;  and  yet  he 
 allowed  them  the  use  of  the  sacrifices  which  they  were  wont 
 to  offer  to  the  Devil,  in  his  own  worship  ;  so  as  to  command 
 them  in  his  sacrifice  to  kill  beasts,  to  the  end  that,  changing 
 their  hearts,  they  might  lay  aside  one  part  of  the  sacrifice, 
 whilst  they  retained  another  ;  that  whilst  they  offered  the 
 same  beasts  which  they  were  wont  to  offer,  they  should  offer 
 them  to  God,  and  not  to  idols  ;  and  thus  they  would  no 
 longer  be  the  same  sacrifices.  This  it  behoves  your  affection 
 to  communicate  to  our  aforesaid  brother,  that  he.  being  there 
 present,  may  consider  how  he  is  to  order  all  things.  God 
 preserve  you  in  safety,  most  beloved  son. 
 
 "Given  the  17th  of  June,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  the 
 reign  of  our  lord,  the  most  pious  emperor,  Mauritius  Tiberius, 
 the  eighteenth  year  after  the  consulship  of  our  said  lord. 
 The  fourth  indiction.  " 
 
A.D.601.]       GKEGORy's  letter  to  AUGUSTINE.  57 
 
 CHAP.  XXXI. 
 
 Pope  Gregory,  by  letter,  exhorts  Augustine  not  to  glory  in  his  miracles. 
 [a.d.  601.] 
 
 At  wliicli  time  he  also  sent  Augustine  a  letter  concerning 
 the  miracles  that  he  had  heard  had  been  wrought  by  him  ; 
 wherein  he  admonishes  him  not  to  incur  the  danger  of  being 
 puffed  up  by  the  number  of  them.  The  letter  was  in  these 
 words  : — 
 
 "I  know,  most  loving  brother,  that  Almighty  God,  by 
 means  of  your  affection,  shows  great  miracles  in  the  nation 
 which  he  has  chosen.  Wherefore  it  is  necessary  that  you 
 rejoice  "svith  fear,  and  tremble  wliilst  you  rejoice,  on  account 
 of  the  same  heavenly  gift ;  viz.,  that  you  may  rejoice  because  the 
 souls  of  the  English  are  by  outward  miracles  drawn  to  in- 
 ward grace  ;  but  that  you  fear,  lest,  amidst  the  wonders  that 
 are  wrought,  the  weak  mind  may  be  puffed  up  in  its  own 
 presumption,  and  as  it  is  externally  raised  to  honour,  it  may 
 thence  inwardly  fall  by  vain-glory.  For  we  must  call  to 
 mind,  that  when  the  disciples  returned  with  joy  after  preach- 
 ing, and  said  to  their  heavenly  Master,  '  Lord,  in  thy  name, 
 even  the  devils  are  subject  to  us  ;'  they  were  presently  told, 
 'Do  not  rejoice  on  this  account,  but  rather  rejoice  for  that 
 your  names  are  written  in  heaven.'  For  they  placed  their 
 thoughts  on  private  and  temporal  joys,  when  they  rejoiced  in 
 miracles  ;  but  they  are  recalled  from  the  private  to  the 
 pubHc,  and  from  the  temporal  to  the  eternal  joy,  when  it  is 
 said  to  them,  'Rejoice  for  this,  because  your  names  are  writ- 
 ten in  heaven.'  For  all  the  elect  do  not  work  miracles,  and 
 yet  the  names  of  all  are  written  in  heaven.  For  those  who 
 are  disciples  of  the  truth  ought  not  to  rejoice,  save  for  that 
 good  thing  wliich  all  men  enjoy  as  well  as  they,  and  of  which 
 their  enjoyment  shall  be  without  end. 
 
 "It  remains,  therefore,  most  dear  brother,  that  amidst 
 those  things,  which,  through  the  working  of  our  Lord,  you 
 outwardly  perform,  you  always  inwardly  strictly  judge  your- 
 self, and  clearly  understand  both  what  you  are  yourself,  and 
 how  much  grace  is  in  that  same  nation,  for  the  conversion  of 
 which  you  have  also  received  the  gift  of  working  miracles. 
 And  if  you  remember  that  you  have  at  any  time  offended 
 
58  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  niSTORT.  [B.  I.  c.  32. 
 
 our  Creator,  either  by  word  or  deed,  tliat  you  always  call  it 
 to  mind,  to  the  end  that  the  remembrance  of  your  guilt  may 
 crush  the  vanity  which  rises  in  your  heart.  And  whatsoever 
 you  shall  receive,  or  have  received,  in  relation  to  working 
 miracles,  that  you  consider  the  same,  not  as  conferred 
 on  you,  but  on  those  for  whose  salvation  it  has  been  given 
 you." 
 
 CHAP.  XXXII. 
 
 Pope  Gregory  sends  letters  and  presents  to  King  Ethelbert. 
 
 The  same  holy  Pope  Gregory,  at  the  same  time,  sent  a  letter 
 to  King  Ethelbert,  with  many  presents  of  several  sorts  ;  be- 
 ing desirous  to  glorify  the  king  Tvdth  temporal  honours,  at 
 the  same  time  that  he  rejoiced  that  through  his  labour  and 
 zeal  he  had  attained  the  knowledge  of  the  heavenly  glory. 
 The  copy  of  the  said  letter  is  as  follows  : — 
 
 "  To  the  most  glorious  Lord,  and  his  most  excellent  son, 
 Ethelbert,  king  of  the  English,  Bishop  Gregory.  Almighty 
 God  advances  all  good  men  to  the  government  of  nations,  that 
 he  may  by  their  means  bestow  the  gifts  of  his  mercy  on 
 those  over  whom  they  are  placed.  This  we  know  to  have 
 been  done  in  the  English  nation,  over  whom  your  glory  was 
 therefore  placed,  that  by  means  of  the  goods  which  are 
 granted  to  you,  heavenly  benefits  might  also  be  conferred  on 
 the  nation  that  is  subject  to  you.  Therefore,  my  illustrious 
 son,  do  you  carefully  preserve  the  grace  which  you  have  re- 
 ceived from  the  Divine  goodness,  and  hasten  to  promote  the 
 Christian  faith,  which  you  have  embraced,  among  the  people 
 under  your  subjection  ;  multiply  the  zeal  of  your  upright- 
 ness in  their  conversion  ;  suppress  the  worship  of  idols  ; 
 overthrow  the  structures  of  the  temples  ;  edify  the  manners 
 of  your  subjects  by  much  cleanness  of  life,  exhorting,  terri- 
 fying, soothing,  correcting,  and  giving  examples  of  good 
 works,  that  you  may  find  him  your  rewarder  in  heaven, 
 whose  name  and  knowledge  you  shall  spread  abroad  upon 
 earth.  For  he  also  will  render  the  fame  of  your  honour 
 more  glorious  to  posterity,  whose  honour  you  seek  and  main- 
 tain among  the  nations. 
 
 "For  even  so  Constantine,  our  most  pious  emperor, 
 recovering   the   Roman   commonwealth   from  the   jDerverse 
 
AD.COl.]  Gregory's  LETTER  TO  KING  ETIIELBERT.  59 
 
 worship  of  idols,  subjected  the  same  with  himself  to  our 
 Almighty  God  and  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  was  himself,  with 
 the  people  under  his  subjection,  entirely  converted  to  him. 
 Whence  it  followed,  that  his  praises  transcended  the  fame  of 
 former  princes  ;  and  he  as  much  excelled  his  predecessors  in 
 renown  as  he  did  in  good  works.  Now,  therefore,  let  your 
 glory  hasten  to  infuse  into  the  kings  and  people  that  are  sub- 
 ject to  you,  the  knowledge  of  one  God,  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost  ;  that  you  may  both  surpass  the  ancient  kings 
 of  your  nation  in  praise  and  merit,  and  become  by  so  much 
 the  more  secure  against  your  own  sins  before  the  dreadful 
 judgment  of  Almighty  God,  as  you  shall  wipe  away  the  sins 
 of  others  in  your  subjects. 
 
 "  Willingly  hear,  devoutly  perform,  and  studiously  retain 
 in  your  memory,  whatsoever  you  shall  be  advised  by  our 
 most  reverend  brother,  Bishop  Augustine,  who  is  instructed 
 in  the  monastical  rule,  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  holy 
 Scripture,  and,  by  the  help  of  God,  endued  with  good  works  ; 
 for  if  you  give  ear  to  him  in  what  he  speaks  for  Almighty 
 God,  the  same  Almighty  God  will  the  sooner  hear  him  pray- 
 ing for  you.  But  if  (which  God  avert  !)  you  slight  his 
 words,  how  shall  Almighty  God  hear  liim  in  your  behalf, 
 when  you  neglect  to  hear  him  for  God  ?  Unite  yourself, 
 therefore,  to  him  with  all  your  mind,  in  the  fervour  of  faith, 
 and  further  his  endeavours,  through  the  assistance  of  that 
 virtue  which  the  Divinity  affords  you,  that  He  may  make 
 you  partaker  of  his  kingdom,  whose  faith  you  cause  to  be 
 received  and  maintained  in  your  own. 
 
 "Besides,  we  would  have  your  glory  know,  we  find  in  the 
 holy  Scripture,  from  the  words  of  the  Almighty  Lord,  that 
 the  end  of  this  present  world,  and  the  kingdom  of  the  saints, 
 is  about  to  come,  which  will  never  terminate.  But  as  the 
 same  end  of  the  Avorld  approaches,  many  things  are  at 
 hand  which  were  not  before,  viz.  changes  of  air,  and  terrors 
 from  heaven,  and  tempests  out  of  the  order  of  the  seasons, 
 wars,  famines,  plagues,  earthquakes  in  several  places  ;  which 
 things  will  not,  nevertheless,  happen  in  our  days,  but  vnll 
 all  follow  after  our  days.  If  you,  therefore,  find  any  of 
 these  things  to  happen  in  your  country,  let  not  jour  mind  be 
 in  any  way  disturbed  ;  for  these  signs  of  the  end  of  the 
 world  are  sent  before,  for  this  reason,  that  we  may  be  solicit- 
 
60  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  I.  c.  33. 
 
 ous  for  our  souls,  suspicious  of  the  hour  of  death,  and  may- 
 be found  prepared  with  good  works  to  meet  our  Judge. 
 Thus  much,  my  illustrious  son,  I  have  said  in  few  words,  to 
 the  end  that  when  the  Christian  faith  shall  increase  in  your 
 kingdom,  our  discourse  to  you  may  also  be  more  copious,  and 
 we  may  be  pleased  to  say  the  more,  in  proportion  as  joy  for 
 the  conversion  of  your  nation  is  multiplied  in  our  mind. 
 
 "I  have  sent  you  some  small  presents,  which  will  not 
 appear  small,  when  received  by  you  with  the  blessing  of  the 
 holy  apostle,  Peter.  May  Almighty  God,  therefore,  perfect 
 in  you  his  grace  which  He  has  begun,  and  prolong  your  life 
 here  through  a  course  of  many  years,  and  after  a  time  receive 
 you  into  the  congregation  of  the  heavenly  country.  May 
 heavenly  grace  preserve  your  excellency  in  safety. 
 
 "  Given  the  22nd  day  of  June,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  the 
 reign  of  the  most  pious  emperor,  Mauritius  Tiberius,  in  the 
 eighteenth  year  after  his  consulship.     Fourth  indiction." 
 
 CHAP,  xxxin. 
 
 Augustine  repairs  the  church  of  our  Saviour,  and  builds  the  monastery  oj 
 St.  Peter  the  apostle  ;  Peter  the  first  abbat  of  the  same.     [a.d.  602.] 
 
 Augustine  having  his  episcopal  see  granted  him  in  the  royal 
 city,  as  has  been  said,  and  being  supported  by  the  king,  re- 
 covered therein  a  church,  which  he  was  informed  had  been 
 built  by  the  ancient  Roman  Christians,  and  consecrated  it  in 
 the  name  of  our  holy  Saviour,  God  and  Lord,  Jesus  Chi-ist, 
 and  there  established  a  residence  for  himself  and  his  successors.* 
 He  also  built  a  monastery  not  far  from  the  city  to  the  east- 
 ward, in  which,  by  his  advice,  Ethelbert  erected  from  the 
 foundation  the  church  of  the  blessed  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  + 
 and  enriched  it  with  several  donations  ;  wherein  the  bodies 
 of  the  same  Augustine,  and  of  all  the  bishops  of  Canter- 
 bury, and  of  the  kings  of  Kent,  might  be  buried.  However, 
 Augustine  himself  did  not  consecrate  that  church,  but  Lau- 
 rentius,  his  successor. 
 
 The  first  abbat  of  that  monastery  was  the  priest  Peter, 
 who,  being  sent  ambassador  into  France,  was  droAvned  in  a 
 
 *  This  church  is  now  the  cathedrai^  of  Canterbury;  but  the  present  struc- 
 ture, although  ancient,  is  of  date  long  subsequent  to  the  age  of  St.  Augustine. 
 t  Afterwards  called  St.  Augustine's  Abbey. 
 
A.D.  603.]  BATTLE  OF  DEGSASTAX.  61 
 
 bay  of  the  sea,  wliicli  is  called  Amfleat,*  and  privately 
 buried  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  place  ;  but  Almighty  God, 
 to  show  how  deserving  a  man  he  was,  caused  a  light  to  be 
 seen  over  his  grave  every  night ;  till  the  neighbours  who 
 saw  it,  perceiving  that  he  had  been  a  holy  man  that  was  buried 
 there,  inquiring  who,  and  from  whence  he  was,  carried  away 
 the  body,  and  interred  it  in  the  church,  in  the  city  of  Bou- 
 logne, ^vith  the  honour  due  to  so  great  a  person. 
 
 CHAP.  XXXIV. 
 
 Eihelfrid,  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  having  vanquished  the  nations  of 
 the  Scots,  expels  them  from  the  territories  of  the  English,  [a.d.  603.] 
 
 At  this  time,  Ethelfrid,  a  most  worthy  king,  and  ambitious 
 of  glory,  governed  the  kingdom  of  the  Northumbrians,  and 
 ravaged  the  Britons  more  than  all  the  great  men  of  the 
 English,  insomuch  that  he  might  be  compared  to  Saul,  once 
 king  of  the  Israelites,  excepting  only  this,  that  he  was  igno- 
 rant of  the  true  religion.  For  he  conquered  more  territories 
 from  the  Britons,  either  making  them  tributary,  or  driving  the 
 inhabitants  clean  out,  and  planting  English  in  their  places, 
 than  any  other  king  or  tribune.  To  him  might  justly  be 
 applied  the  saying  of  the  patriarch  blessing  his  son  in  the 
 person  of  Saul,  "Benjamin  shall  ravin  as  a  wolf;  in  the 
 morning  he  shall  devour  the  prey,  and  at  night  he  shall  di- 
 vide the  spoil."  Hereupon,  ^dan,  king  of  the  Scots  that 
 inhabit  Britain,  being  concerned  at  his  success,  came  against 
 him  with  an  immense  and  mighty  army,  but  was  beaten  by 
 an  inferior  force,  and  put  to  flight ;  for  almost  all  his  army 
 v/as  slain  at  a  famous  place,  called  Degsastan,  that  is,  Degsa- 
 stone.  t  In  which  battle  also  Theodbald,  brother  to  Ethel- 
 frid, was  killed,  with  almost  all  the  forces  he  commanded. 
 This  war  Ethelfrid  put  an  end  to  in  the  year  603  after  the 
 incarnation  of  our  Lord,  the  eleventh  of  his  own  reign, 
 which  lasted  twenty-four  years,  and  the  first  year  of  the 
 reign  of  Phocas,  who  then  governed  the  Roman  empire. 
 From  that  time,  no  king  of  the  Scots  durst  come  into  Britain 
 to  make  war  on  the  English  to  this  day. 
 
 *  Now  probably  Ambleteuse,  a  small  sea-port  village  about  two  mil© 
 to  the  north  of  Boulogne. 
 
 t  Perhaps  Dalston,  near  Carlisle  :  or  Dauston,  near  Jedburgh. 
 
62  bede's  ecclesiastical  HISTOEY.  ["• "  c.  I. 
 
 BOOK  11. 
 CHAPTER   I. 
 
 On  the  death  of  the  blessed  Pope  Gregory,     [a.d.  605.] 
 
 At  this  time,  that  is,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  605,  the 
 blessed  Pope  Gregory,  after  having  most  gloriously  governed 
 the  Roman  apostolic  see  thirteen  years,  six  months,  and  ten 
 days,  died,  and  was  translated  to  the  eternal  see  of  the 
 heavenly  kingdom.  Of  whom,  in  regard  that  he  by  Ms  zeal 
 converted  our  nation,  the  English,  from  the  power  of  Satan 
 to  the  faith  of  Christ,  it  behoves  us  to  discourse  more  at 
 large  in  our  Ecclesiastical  History,  for  we  may  and  ought 
 rightly  to  call  him  our  apostle  ;  because,  whereas  he  bore 
 the  pontifical  power  over  all  the  world,  and  was  placed  over 
 the  churches  already  reduced  to  the  fiiith  of  truth,  he  made 
 our  nation,  till  then  given  up  to  idols,  the  church  of  Christ, 
 so  that  we  may  be  allowed  thus  to  attribute  to  him  tlie  cha- 
 racter of  an  apostle  ;  for  thougli  he  is  not  an  apostle  to 
 others,  yet  he  is  so  to  us  ;  for  we  are  the  seal  of  his  aj^ostle- 
 ship  in  our  Lord. 
 
 He  was  by  nation  a  Roman,  son  of  Gordian,  deducing  his 
 race  from  ancestors  that  were  not  only  noble,  but  religious. 
 And  Felix,  once  bishop  of  the  same  apostolical  see,  a  man 
 of  great  honour  in  Christ  and  his  church,  Avas  his  great- 
 grandfather.* Nor  did  he  exercise  the  nobility  of  religion 
 with  less  virtue  of  devotion  than  his  parents  and  kindred. 
 But  that  worldly  nobility  Avhich  he  seemed  to  have,  by  the 
 help  of  the  Divine  Grace,  he  entirely  used  to  gain  the 
 honour  of  eternal  dignity  ;  for  soon  quitting  his  secular 
 habit,  he  repaired  to  a  monastery,  wherein  he  began  to  be- 
 have himself  with  so  much  grace  of  perfection  that  (as  he 
 was  afterwards  wont  with  tears  to  testify)  his  mind  was 
 above  all  transitory  things  ;  that  he  despised  all  that  is  sub- 
 ject to  change  ;  that  he  used  to  think  of  nothing  but  what 
 was  heavenly  ;  that  whilst  detained  by  the  body,  he  by  con- 
 templation broke  tlii'ough  the  bonds  of  flesh  ;  and  that  he 
 
 *  Felix  IV.  was  bishoj)  of  Rome,  a.d.  526. 
 
A.D.  605.]  LIFE  OP  POPE  GREGORY.  63 
 
 loved  death,  which  is  a  terror  to  ahiiost  all  men,  as  the 
 entrance  into  life,  and  the  reward  of  his  labours.  This  he 
 said  of  himself,  not  to  boast  of  his  progress  in  virtue,  but 
 rather  to  bewail  the  decay,  which,  as  he  was  wont  to  declare, 
 he  imagined  he  sustained  through  the  pastoral  care.  In 
 short,  when  he  was,  one  day,  in  private,  discoursing  with 
 Peter,  liis  deacon,  after  having  enumerated  the  former  virtues 
 of  his  mind,  he  with  grief  added,  "  But  now,  on  account  ot 
 the  pastoral  care,  it  is  entangled  with  the  affairs  of  laymen, 
 and,  after  so  beautiful  an  appearance  of  repose,  is  denied 
 with  the  dust  of  eartlily  action.  And  after  having  wasted 
 itself  by  condescending  to  many  things  that  are  without, 
 when  it  desires  the  inward  things,  it  returns  to  them  less 
 qualified  to  enjoy  them.  I  therefore  consider  what  I  endure, 
 I  consider  what  I  have  lost,  and  when  I  behold  that  loss, 
 what  I  bear  appears  the  more  grievous." 
 
 This  the  holy  man  said  out  of  the  excess  of  his  humility. 
 But  it  becomes  us  to  believe  that  he  lost  nothing  of  his 
 monastic  perfection  by  his  pastoral  care,  but  rather  that 
 he  improved  the  more  through  the  labour  of  converting 
 many,  than  by  the  former  repose  of  his  conversation,  and 
 chiefly  because,  whilst  exercising  the  pontifical  function,  he 
 provided  to  have  his  house  made  a  monastery.  And  when 
 first  drawn  from  the  monastery,  ordained  to  the  ministry  of 
 the  altar,  and  sent  as  respondent  to  Constantinople  from  the 
 apostolic  see,  though  he  now  mixed  with  the  people  of  the 
 palace,  yet  he  intermitted  not  his  former  heavenly  life  ;  for 
 some  of  the  brethren  of  l^is  monastery,  having  out  of 
 brotherly  charity  followed  him  to  the  royal  city,  he  kept 
 them  for  the  better  following  of  regular  observances,  viz. 
 that  at  all  times,  by  their  example,  as  he  writes  liimself,  he 
 might  be  held  fast  to  the  calm  shore  of  prayer,  as  it  were 
 with  the  cable  of  an  anchor,  whilst  he  should  be  tossed  up 
 and  down  by  the  continual  waves  of  worldly  affairs  ; 
 and  daily  among  them,  by  the  intercourse  of  studious  read- 
 ing, strengthen  his  mind  whilst  it  was  shaken  with  temporal 
 concerns.  By  their  company  he  was  not  only  guarded  against 
 earthly  assaults,  but  more  and  more  inflamed  in  the  exercises 
 of  a  heavenly  life. 
 
 For  they  persuaded  him  to  give  a  mystical  exposition  of 
 the  book  of  holy  Job,  which  is  involved  in  great  obscurity  , 
 
64  BEDE's  ECCLESL^STICAL  history.  [b.  II.  r.  1. 
 
 nor  could  lie  refuse  to  undertake  that  work,  which  brotherly 
 affection  imposed  on  him  for  the  future  benefit  of  many  ; 
 but  in  a  wonderful  manner,  in  five  and  thirty  books  of  expo- 
 sition, taught  how  that  same  book  is  to  be  understood  literally  ; 
 how  to  be  referred  to  the  mysteries  of  Christ  and  the  church  ; 
 and  in  what  sense  it  is  to  be  adapted  to  every  one  of  the 
 faithful.  This  work  he  began  when  legate  in  the  royal  city, 
 but  finished  it  at  Rome  after  being  made  pope.  Whilst  he 
 was  still  in  the  royal  city,  he,  by  the  assistance  of  the  Divine 
 grace  of  Catholic  truth,  crushed  in  its  first  rise  a  heresy 
 newly  started,  concerning  the  state  of  our  resurrection. 
 For  Eutycliius,  bishop  of  that  city,  taught,  that  our  body,  in 
 that  glory  of  resurrection,  would  be  impalpable,  and  more 
 subtile  than  the  wind  and  air  ;  which  he  hearing,  proved  by 
 force  of  truth,  and  by  the  instance  of  the  resurrection  of  our 
 Lord,  that  this  doctrine  was  every  way  opposite  to  the 
 Cliristian  fiiith.  For  the  Catholic  faith  is  that  our  body, 
 sublimed  by  the  glory  of  immortality,  is  rendered  subtile  by 
 the  effect  of  the  spiritual  power,  but  palpable  by  the  reality 
 of  nature  ;  according  to  the  example  of  our  Lord's  body,  of 
 which,  when  risen  from  the  dead,  he  himself  says  to  his  dis- 
 ciples, "  Touch  me  and  see,  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and 
 bones,  as  ye  see  me  have."  In  asserting  wliich  faith,  the 
 venerable  Father  Gregory  so  earnestly  laboured  against  the 
 rising  heresy,  and  by  the  assistance  of  the  most  pious  empe- 
 ror, Tiberius  Constantine,  so  fully  suj^pressed  it,  that  none 
 has  been  since  found  to  revive  it. 
 
 He  likewise  composed  another  notable  book,  called  "Liber 
 Pastoralis,"  wherein  he  manifestly  showed  what  sort  of  per- 
 sons ought  to  be  preferred  to  govern  the  church  ;  how  such 
 rulers  ouglit  to  live  ;  with  how  much  discretion  to  instruct 
 every  one  of  their  hearers,  and  how  seriously  to  reflect  every 
 day  on  their  own  frailty.  He  also  wrote  forty  homilies  on 
 the  Gospel,  which  he  equally  divided  into  two  volumes  ;  and 
 composed  four  books  of  dialogues,  into  which,  at  the  request 
 of  Peter,  his  deacon,  he  collected  the  miracles  of  the  saints  whom 
 he  either  knew,  or  had  heard  to  be  most  renowned  in  Italy, 
 for  an  example  to  posterity  to  lead  their  lives  ;  to  the  end  that, 
 as  he  taught  in  his  books  of  Expositions,  what  virtues  ought 
 to  be  laboured  for,  so  by  describing  the  miracles  of  saints, 
 he   might   make   known   the   glory   of  those   virtues.     He 
 
y 
 
 A.D.  605.1  LIFE    OF    POPE    GREGORY.  65 
 
 further,  in  twenty-two  homilies,  discovered  how  much  light 
 there  is  concealed  in  the  first  and  last  parts  of  the  prophet 
 Ezekiel,  which  seemed  the  most  obscure.  Besides  which, 
 he  wrote  the  "  Book  of  Answers,"  to  the  questions  of  Augus- 
 tine, the  first  bishop  of  the  English  nation,  as  we  have  shown 
 above,  inserting  the  same  book  entire  in  this  history  ;  besides 
 the  useful  little  "  Synodical  Book,"  which  he  composed  with 
 the  bishops  of  Italy  on  the  necessary  affairs  of  the  church  ; 
 and  also  familiar  letters  to  certain  persons.  Audit  is  the 
 more  wonderful  that  he  could  write  so  many  and  such  large 
 volumes,*  in  regard  that  almost  all  the  time  of  his  youth,  to 
 use  his  own  words,  he  Tvas  often  tormented  with  pains 
 in  his  bowels,  and  a  weakness  of  his  stomach,  whilst  he 
 was  continually  suffering  from  slow  fever.  But  where- 
 as at  the  same  time  he  carefully  reflected  that,  as  the  Scrip- 
 ture testifies,  "  Every  son  that  is  received  is  scourged," 
 the  more  he  laboured  and  was  depressed  under  those 
 present  evils,  the  more  he  assured  himself  of  his  eternal 
 salvation. 
 
 Thus  much  may  be  said  of  his  immortal  genius,  which 
 could  not  be  restrained  by  such  severe  bodily  pains  ;  for  other 
 popes  applied  themselves  to  building,  or  adorning  of  churches 
 with  gold  and  silver,  but  Gregory  was  entirely  intent  upon 
 gaining  souls  Whatsoever  money  he  had,  he  diligently  took 
 care  to  distribute  and  give  to  the  poor,  that  his  righteousness 
 might  endure  for  ever,  and  his  horn  be  exalted  with  honour  ; 
 so  that  w^hat  blessed  Job  said  might  be  truly  said  of  him, 
 "  When  the  ear  heard  me,  then  it  blessed  me  ;  and  when  the 
 eye  saw  me,  it  gave  witness  to  me  :  because  I  delivered  the 
 poor  that  cried,  and  the  fatherless,  and  him  that  had  none  to 
 help  him.  The  blessing  of  him  that  was  ready  to  perish 
 came  upon  me,  and  I  caused  the  widow's  heart  to  sing  for 
 joy.  I  put  on  righteousness,  and  it  clothed  me  ;  my  judg- 
 ment was  as  a  robe  and  diadem.  I  w^as  the  eye  to  the  blind, 
 and  feet  was  I  to  the  lame.  I  was  father  to  the  poor  ;  and 
 the  cause  w^hich  I  knew  not,  I  searched  out.  And  I  brake 
 the  jaws  of  the  wicked,  and  plucked  the  spoil  out  of  his 
 teeth."     And  a  little  after  :  "  K  I  have  withheld,"  bays  he, 
 
 *  St.  Gregory's  numerous  works  have  been  collected  and  published  by 
 fhe  Benedictines  of  St.  Maur,  in  4  vols.  fol.  Paris,  1707,  and  still  more 
 'omplete  in  the  reprints  of  Venice  and  Verona. 
 
 P 
 
66  bede's  ecclesiastical  HISTOKY.  [b.  ri.  c.  1 
 
 "  the  poor  from  their  desire  ;  or  have  caused  the  eye  of  the 
 widow  to  fail ;  or  have  eaten  my  morsel  myself  alone,  and 
 the  fatherless  hath  not  eaten  thereof  For  of  my  youth  com- 
 passion grew  up  with  me,  and  from  my  mother's  womb  it 
 came  forth  with  me." 
 
 To  these  works  of  piety  and  righteousness  this  also  may 
 be  added,  that  he  saved  our  nation,  by  the  preachers  he  sent 
 hither,  from  the  teeth  of  the  old  enemy,  and  made  it  partaker 
 of  eternal  liberty  ;  in  whose  faith  and  salvation  rejoicing, 
 and  worthily  commending  the  same,  he  in  his  exposition  on 
 holy  Job,  says,  "  Behold,  a  tongue  of  Britain,  which  only 
 knew  how  to  utter  barbarous  language,  has  long  since  begun 
 to  resound  the  Hebrew  Hallelujah  !  Behold,  the  once  swell- 
 ing ocean  now  serves  prostrate  at  the  feet  of  the  saints  ;  and 
 its  barbarous  motions,  which  earthly  princes  could  not  sub- 
 due with  the  sword,  are  now,  through  the  fear  of  God,  bound 
 by  the  mouths  of  priests  with  words  only  ;  and  he  that  when 
 an  infidel  stood  not  in  awe  of  fighting  troops,  now  a  believer, 
 fears  the  tongues  of  the  humble  !  For  by  reason  that  the 
 virtue  of  the  Divine  knowledge  is  infused  into  it  by  precepts, 
 heavenly  words,  and  conspicuous  miracles,  it  is  curbed  by 
 the  dread  of  the  same  Divinity,  so  as  to  fear  to  act  Avickedly, 
 and  bends  all  its  desires  to  arrive  at  eternal  glory."  In 
 which  words  holy  Gregory  declares  this  also,  that  St.  Augus- 
 tine and  his  companions  brought  the  English  to  receive  the 
 truth,  not  only  by  the  preaching  of  words,  but  also  by  show- 
 ing of  heavenly  signs.  The  holy  Pope  Gregory,  among 
 other  things,  caused  masses  to  be  celebrated  in  the  churches 
 of  the  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  over  their  bodies.  And  in 
 the  celebration  of  masses,  he  added  three  phrases  full  of  great 
 goodness  and  perfection  :  "  And  dispose  our  days  in  thy 
 l)eace,  and  preserve  us  from  eternal  damnation,  and  rank  us 
 in  the  number  of  thy  elect,  through  Christ  our  Lord." 
 
 He  governed  tlie  church  in  the  days  of  the  Emperors 
 Mauritius  and  Phocas,  but  passing  out  of  this  life  in  the 
 second  year  of  the  same  Phocas,  he  departed  to  the  true  life 
 which  is  in  heaven.  His  body  was  buried  in  the  church  of 
 St.  Peter  the  Apostle,  before  the  sacristy,  on  the  4th  day  of 
 March,  to  rise  one  day  in  the  same  body  in  glory  with  the 
 rest  of  the  holy  pastors  of  the  church.  On  his  tomb  was 
 written  this  epitaph  ; — 
 
A.D.  605.]  LIFE   OF    POPE    GREGORY.  6*? 
 
 Earth  !  take  that  body  which  at  first  you  gave. 
 Till  God  again  shall  raise  it  from  the  gi-ave. 
 His  soul  amidst  the  stiirs  finds  heavenly  day  ; 
 In  vain  the  gates  of  darkness  make  essay 
 On  him  whose  death  but  leads  to  life  the  way. 
 To  the  dark  tomb,  this  prelate,  though  decreed, 
 Lives  in  all  places  by  his  pious  deed. 
 Before  his  bounteous  board  pale  Hunger  fled  ; 
 To  warm  the  poor  he  fleecy  garments  spread  ; 
 And  to  secure  their  souls  from  Satan's  power, 
 He  taught  by  sacred  precepts  every  hour. 
 Nor  only  taught ;  but  first  th'  example  led, 
 Lived  o'er  his  rules,  and  acted  what  he  said. 
 To  English  Saxons  Christian  truth  he  taught. 
 And  a  believing  flock  to  heaven  he  brought. 
 This  was  thy  work  and  study,  this  thy  care, 
 Ofi^erings  to  thy  Redeemer  to  prepare. 
 For  these  to  heavenly  honours  raised  en  high. 
 Where  thy  reward  of  labours  ne'er  shall  die. 
 
 Nor  is  the  account  of  St.  Gregory,  which  has  been  handed 
 down  to  us  by  the  tradition  of  our  ancestors,  to  be  passed  by 
 In  silence,  in  relation  to  his  motives  for  taking  such  interest 
 in  the  salvation  of  our  nation.  It  is  reported,  that  some 
 merchants,  having  just  arrived  at  Rome  on  a  certain  day, 
 exposed  many  things  for  sale  in  the  market-place,  and  abun- 
 dance of  people  resorted  thither  to  buy  :  Gregory  himself 
 went  with  the  rest,  and,  among  other  tilings,  some  boys  were 
 set  to  sale,  their  bodies  white,  their  countenances  beautiful, 
 and  their  hair  very  fine.  Having  viewed  them,  he  asked,  as 
 is  said,  from  what  country  or  nation  they  were  brought  ?  and 
 was  told,  from  the  island  of  Britain,  whose  inhabitants  were 
 of  such  personal  appearance.  He  again  inquired  whether 
 those  islanders  were  Christians,  or  still  involved  in  the  errors 
 of  paganism  ?  and  was  informed  that  they  were  j^agans. 
 Then  fetching  a  deep  sigh  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart, 
 "  Alas  !  what  pity,"  said  he,  "  that  the  author  of  darkness  is 
 possessed  of  men  of  such  fair  countenances  ;  and  that  being 
 remarkable  for  such  graceful  aspects,  their  minds  should  be 
 void  of  inward  grace."  He  therefore  again  asked,  what  was 
 the  name  of  that  nation  ?  and  was  answered,  that  they  were 
 called  Angles.  "  Riglit,"  said  he  "  for  they  have  an  Angelic 
 face,  and  it  becomes  such  to  be  co-heirs  with  the  Angels  in 
 heaven.  What  is  the  name,"  proceeded  he,  "  of  the  province 
 from  which  they  are  broiiizht  ?"    It  was   replied,    that  the 
 
 f2 
 
68  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  It.  c.  2. 
 
 natives  of  that  province  were  called  Deiri.  "  Truly  are  they 
 De  ira^^  said  he,  "  withdrawn  from  wrath,  and  called  to  the 
 mercy  of  Christ.  How  is  the  king  of  that  province  called  ?" 
 They  told  him  his  name  was  ^Ua  ;  and  he,  alluding  to  the 
 name,  said,  "  Hallelujah,  the  praise  of  God  the  Creator  must 
 be  sung  in  tliose  parts." 
 
 Then  repairing  to  the  bishop  of  the  Roman  apostolical  see,* 
 (for  he  was  not  himself  then  made  pope,)  he  entreated  him  to 
 send  some  ministers  of  the  Avord  into  Britain  to  the  nation  of 
 the  English,  by  whom  it  might  be  converted  to  Christ ;  de- 
 claring himself  ready  to  undertake  that  work,  by  the  assist- 
 ance of  God,  if  the  apostolic  pope  should  think  fit  to  have  it 
 so  done.  Which  not  being  then  able  to  perform,  because, 
 thougli  tlie  pope  was  willing  to  grant  his  request,  yet  the 
 citizens  of  Rome  could  not  be  brought  to  consent  that  so 
 noble,  so  renowned,  and  so  learned  a  man  should  depart  the 
 city  ;  as  soon  as  he  was  himself  made  pope,  he  perfected  the 
 long-desired  work,  sending  other  preachers,  but  himself  by 
 his  prayers  and  exhortations  assisting  the  preaching,  that  it 
 might  be  successful.  This  account,  as  we  have  received  it 
 from  the  ancients,  we  have  thought  fit  to  insert  in  our  Eccle- 
 siastical History. 
 
 CHAP.  n. 
 
 Augustine  admonished  the  bishops  of  the  Britons  to  Catholic  peace  atid 
 unity,  and  to  that  effect  ivrought  a  heavenly  miracle  in  their  presence  ; 
 and  of  the  vengeance  that  pursued  them  for  their  contempt,    [a.d.  603.] 
 
 In  the  meantime,  Augustine,  with  the  assistance  of  King  Ethel- 
 bert,  drew  together  to  a  conference  the  bishops,  or  doctors,  of 
 the  next  province  of  the  Britons,  at  a  place  which  is  to  this 
 day  called  Augustine's  Ac,  that  is,  Augustine's  Oak,f  on  the 
 borders  of  the  Wiccii  and  West  Saxons  ;  and  began  by  brotherly 
 admonitions  to  persuade  them,  that  preserving  Cathohc  unity 
 with  him,  they  should  undertake  the  common  labour  ofpreach- 
 
 *  Benedict  I.    Gregorj'  was  made  bishop  of  Rome,  a. p.  5.00. 
 
 t  Tlie  date  of  this  synod  is  not  accurately  knowm  :  Florence  of  Wor- 
 cester gives  A.D.  603  :  Sigebert,  a.d.  602  ;  Spelman,  a.d.  601  ;  and  Ran- 
 dolph of  Chester,  a.d.  599.  It  was  held  probably  near  Aust,  formerly 
 called  Austre  Clive,  Gloucestershire,  neai-  the  site  of  the  ancient  Vectis  of 
 the  Romans. 
 
A.D.  603.]  CONFERENCE    AT    AUGUSTINE'S   OAK.  69 
 
 ing  the  Gospel  to  the  Gentiles.  For  thej  did  not  keep  Easter 
 Sunday  at  the  proper  time,  but  from  the  fourteenth  to  the 
 twentieth  moon  ;  which  computation  is  contained  in  a  revo- 
 lution of  eighty-four  years.  Besides,  they  did  several  other 
 things  which  were  against  the  unity  of  the  church.  When, 
 after  a  long  disputation,  they  did  not  comply  with  the  en- 
 treaties, exhortations,  or  rebukes  of  Augustine  and  his  com- 
 panions, but  preferred  their  own  traditions  before  all  the 
 churches  in  the  Avorld,  which  in  Christ  agree  among  them- 
 selves, the  holy  father,  Augustine,  put  an  end  to  this  trouble- 
 some and  tedious  contention,  saying,  "  Let  us  beg  of  God, 
 who  causes  those  who  are  of  one  mind  to  live  in  liis  Father's 
 house,  that  he  will  vouchsafe,  by  his  heavenly  tokens,  to  de- 
 clare to  us,  which  tradition  is  to  be  followed  ;  and  by  what 
 means  we  are  to  find  our  way  to  his  heavenly  kingdom.  Let 
 some  infirm  person  be  brought,  and  let  the  faith  and  practice 
 of  those,  by  whose  prayers  he  shall  be  healed,  be  looked  upon 
 as  acceptable  to  God,  and  be  adopted  by  all."  The  adverse 
 party  unwillingly  consenting,  a  blind  man  of  the  English 
 race  was  brouglit,  who  having  been  presented  to  the  priests 
 of  the  Britons,  found  no  benefit  or  cure  from  their  ministry ; 
 at  length,  Augustine,  compelled  by  real  necessity,  bowed  his 
 knees  to  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  praying  that 
 the  lost  sight  might  be  restored  to  the  blind  man,  and  by  the 
 corporeal  enlightening  of  one  man,  the  light  of  spiritual  grace 
 might  be  kindled  in  the  hearts  of  many  of  the  faithful.  Ln- 
 mediately  the  blind  man  received  sight,  and  Augustine  was 
 by  all  declared  the  preacher  of  the  Divine  truth.  The 
 Britons  then  confessed,  that  it  was  the  true  way  of  righte- 
 ousness which  Augustine  taught  ;  but  that  they  could  not 
 depart  from  their  ancient  customs  without  the  consent  and 
 leave  of  their  people.  They  therefore  desired  that  a  second 
 synod  might  be  appointed,  at  which  more  of  their  number 
 would  be  present. 
 
 This  being  decreed,  there  came  (as  is  asserted)  seven* 
 bishops  of  the  Britons,  and  many  most  learned  men,  particu- 
 larly from  their  most  noble  monastery,  which,  in  the  English 
 
 •  Modem  writers  enumerate  the  seven  sees,  to  which  these  bishops  be- 
 longed :  they  are  Worcester,  Hereford,  Chester,  Bangor,  St,  Asaph's,  Lan- 
 daff,  and  Menevia  or  St.  David's,  but  there  is  not  the  slightest  authority  for 
 this  hst. 
 
70  BEDE  S   ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  Lb.  ii.  c.  2. 
 
 tongue,  is  called  Bancornburg,*  over  wliicili  the  Abbat  Dinooth 
 is  said  to  hath  presided  at  that  time.  They  that  were  to  go 
 to  the  aforesaid  council,  repaired  first  to  a  certain  holy  and 
 discreet  man,  who  was  wont  to  lead  an  eremitical  life  among 
 them,  advising  with  him,  whether  they  ought,  at  the  preach- 
 ing of  Augustine,  to  forsake  their  traditions.  He  answered, 
 *  If  he  is  a  man  of  God,  follow  him." — "  How  shall  we  know 
 that  ?"  said  they.  He  replied,  "  Our  Lord  saith,  Take  my 
 yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
 heart ;  if  therefore,  Augustine  is  meek  and  lowly  of  heart,  it 
 is  to  be  believed  that  he  has  taken  upon  him  the  yoke  of 
 Christ,  and  offers  the  same  to  you  to  take  upon  you.  But, 
 if  he  is  stern  and  haughty,  it  appears  that  he  is  not  of  God, 
 nor  are  we  to  regard  his  words."  They  insisted  again, 
 "  And  how  shall  we  discern  even  this  ?" — "  Do  you  contrive," 
 said  the  anchorite,  "  that  he  may  first  arrive  with  his  com- 
 pany at  the  place  where  the  synod  is  to  be  held  ;  and  if  at 
 your  approach  he  shall  rise  up  to  you,  hear  him  submissively, 
 being  assured  that  he  is  the  servant  of  Clmst ;  but  if  he 
 shall  despise  you,  and  not  rise  up  to  you,  whereas  you  are 
 more  in  number,  let  him  also  be  despised  by  you." 
 
 They  did  as  he  directed  ;  and  it  happened,  that  when  they 
 came,  Augustine  was  sitting  on  a  chair,  which  they  observing, 
 were  in  a  passion,  and  charging  him  with  pride,  endeavoured 
 to  contradict  all  he  said.  He  said  to  them,  "You  act  in 
 many  particulars  contrary  to  our  custom,  or  rather  the 
 custom  of  the  universal  church,  and  yet,  if  you  will  comply 
 with  me  in  these  three  points,  viz.  to  keep  Easter  at  the 
 due  time  ;  to  administer  baptism,  by  which  we  are  again 
 born  to  God,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  holy  Roman 
 Apostolic  Church  ;  and  jointly  with  us  to  preach  the  word  of 
 God  to  the  English  nation,  we  will  readily  tolerate  all  the 
 other  things  you  do,  though  contrary  to  our  customs."  They 
 answered  they  would  do  none  of  those  things,  nor  receive 
 
 *  This  was  the  station  Banchorium  of  Richard  of  Cirencester,  and  is 
 noAv  called  Bangor-Iscoed,  Flintshire,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  city  of 
 Bangor,  in  Carnarvonshire.  This  monastery  was  one  of  the  most  eminent 
 in  Britain.  William  of  Malmesbury,  who  live.-l  shortly  after  the  conquest, 
 says,  there  remained  only  in  his  time  the  footsteps  of  so  great  a  place,  so 
 many  ruinous  churches,  and  such  heaps  of  rublDish,  as  were  hardly  else- 
 where to  be  met  with.  See  Gibson's  Annotations  to  Camden's  Britannia, 
 Flintshire. 
 
A.D.  603.]  BANGORIAJ^    SLAUGHTER.  71 
 
 him  as  their  archbishop  ;  for  they  alleged  among  themselves, 
 that  "  if  he  would  not  now  rise  up  to  us,  how  mucli  more 
 will  he  contemn  us,  as  of  no  worth,  if  we  shall  begin  to  be 
 under  his  subjection  ?"  To  whom  the  man  of  God,  Augus- 
 tine, is  said,  in  a  threatening  manner,  to  have  foretold,  that 
 in  case  they  would  not  join  in  unity  with  their  bretlii-en, 
 they  should  be  warred  upon  by  their  enemies  ;  and,  if  they 
 would  not  preach  the  way  of  life  to  the  English  nation,  they 
 should  at  their  hands  undergo  the  vengeance  of  death.  All 
 which,  through  the  dispensation  of  the  Divine  judgment, 
 fell  out  exactly  as  he  had  predicted. 
 
 For  afterwards  the  warHke  king  of  the  English,  Ethelfrid, 
 of  whom  we  have  already  spoken,  having  raised  a  mighty 
 army,  made  a  very  great  slaughter  of  that  perfidious  nation, 
 at  the  City  of  Legions,  which  by  the  English  is  called  Lega- 
 cestir,  but  by  the  Britons  more  rightly  Carlegion.*  Being 
 about  to  give  battle,  he  observed  their  priests,  who  were  come 
 together  to  offer  up  their  prayers  to  God  for  the  soldiers, 
 standing  apart  in  a  place  of  more  safety  ;  he  inquired  who 
 they  were  ?  or  what  they  came  together  to  do  in  that  place  ? 
 Most  of  them  were  of  the  monastery  of  Bangor,  in  which,  it 
 is  reported,  there  was  so  great  a  number  of  monks,  that  the 
 monastery  being  divided  into  seven  parts,  with  a  ruler  over 
 each,  none  of  those  parts  contained  less  than  three  hundred 
 men,  who  all  Hved  by  the  labour  of  their  hands.  Many  of 
 these,  having  observed  a  fast  of  three  days,  resorted  among 
 others  to  pray  at  the  aforesaid  battle,  having  one  Brocmail 
 appointed  for  their  protector,  to  defend  them  whilst  they 
 were  intent  upon  their  prayers,  against  the  swords  of  the 
 barbarians.  King  Ethelfridf  being  informed  of  the  occasion 
 of  their  coming,  said,  "  If  then  they  cry  to  their  God  against 
 us,  in  truth,  though  they  do  not  bear  arms,  yet  they  fight 
 against  us,  because  they  oppose  us  by  their  prayers."  He, 
 therefore,  commanded  them  to  be  attacked  first,  and  then 
 destroyed  the  rest  of  the  impious  army,  not  without  consider- 
 able loss  of  his  own  forces.     About  twelve  hundi-ed|  of  those 
 
 ♦  Chester,  the  Roman  colony  Deva,  the  work  of  the  twentieth  legion, 
 called  Victrix. 
 
 t  King  of  NorthuTTihria. 
 
 I  The  Saxon  Chronicle  (a.d.  607)  mentions  but  two  hundred.  The 
 destruction  of  the  monastery  of  Bangor-Iscoed  followed  the  massacre  of  its 
 
72  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b-  II.  c.  3. 
 
 tliat  came  to  pray  are  said  to  have  been  killed,  and  only  fifty 
 to  have  escaped  by  flight.  Brocmail  turning  his  back  with 
 his  men,  at  the  first  approach  of  the  enemy,  left  those  whom 
 he  ought  to  have  defended,  unarmed  and  exposed  to  the 
 swords  of  the  enemies.  Thus  was  fulfilled  the  prediction  of 
 the  holy  Bishop  Augustine,  though  he  himself  had  been  long 
 before  taken  up  into  the  heavenly  kingdom  ;*  that  those  per- 
 fidious men  should  feel  the  vengeance  of  temporal  death  also, 
 because  they  had  despised  the  ofier  ot  eternal  salvation. 
 
 CHAP.  III. 
 
 IIoiv  St.  Augusiine  made  Mellitus  and  Justus  bishops;   and  of  his  death. 
 [a.d.  604.] 
 
 Ix  the  year  of  our  Lord  604,  Augustine,  archbishop  of  Bri- 
 tain, ordained  two  bishops,  viz.  Mellitus  and  Justus  ;  Melli- 
 tus to  preach  to  the  province  of  the  East- Saxons,  who  are 
 divided  from  Kent  by  the  river  Thames,  and  border  on  the 
 Eastern  sea.  Their  metropolis  is  the  city  of  London,  which 
 is  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  aforesaid  river,  and  is  the 
 mart  of  many  nations  resorting  to  it  by  sea  and  land.  At 
 that  time,  Sabert,  nephew  to  Ethelbert  by  his  sister  Ricula, 
 reigned  over  the  nation,  though  he  was  under  subjection  to 
 Ethelbert,  who,  as  has  been  said  above,  had  command  over 
 all  the  nations  of  the  English  as  far  as  the  river  Humber. 
 But  when  this  province  also  received  the  word  of  truth,  by 
 
 members,  and  the  calamity  must  have  caused  a  great  diminution  in  the 
 number  of  the  British  clergy. 
 
 *  Those  who  would  throw  the  odium  of  this  murder  upon  Augustine's 
 curse,  make  this  passage  to  have  been  added  to  Bede  some  years  after  his 
 death,  and  it  is  certain  the  royal  paraphraser  has  made  no  mention  of  his 
 death.  j\Ir.  Whelock  and  Dr.  Smith  assert  it  to  be  in  all  the  ancient  Latin 
 manuscripts  they  had  seen.  The  time  of  this  battle  is  placed  by  the  Saxon 
 Annals  in  GOZ.  Bishop  Godwin  asserts  his  seeing  an  instrument  signed  by 
 Augustine  in  G05,  Avhich  Sir  Henry  Spelman  proves  spurious,  no  instni- 
 ments  being  used  till  700,  But  the  learned  j\Ir.  Whartnn  proves,  beyond 
 dispute,  St.  Augustine's  death  to  be  in  604,  which  was  long  before  this,  if 
 we  follow  the  Saxon  Annals,  which  place  it  in  607  ;  and  very  long  before,  if 
 we  follow  Archbishop  Usher's  and  the  Ulster  Annals,  which  place  it  in 
 613;  to  this  we  may  add  Bede's  authority,  that  Pope  Gregory  had  obiits 
 said  over  him  in  the  church  at  Canterbury;  which  plainly  shows  his  death 
 to  have  been  before  that  pope's.  And  though  we  find  him  in  the  next 
 chapter  consecrating  two  bishops,  this  is  frequent  with  Bede  to  go  back- 
 wards for  the  series  of  every  distinct  pai-t  of  his  history,  or  to  work  through 
 a  branch  of  it  at  once. 
 
A.D  C04.]  DEATH  OF  ST.  AUGUSTINE.  73 
 
 the  preaching  of  Mellitus,  King  Ethelbert  built  the  church 
 of  St.  Paul,  in  the  city  of  London,  where  he  and  his  succes- 
 sors should  have  their  episcopal  see.  As  for  Justus,  Augus- 
 tine ordained  him  bishop  in  Kent,  at  the  citj  which  the  Eng- 
 lish nation  named  Rhofescestir,*  from  one  that  was  formerly 
 the  chief  man  of  it,  called  Rhof.  It  was  almost  twenty-four 
 miles  distant  from  the  city  of  Canterbury  to  the  westward, 
 and  contains  a  church  dedicated  to  St.  Andrew,  the  apostle. 
 King  Ethelbert,  who  built  it,  bestowed  many  gifts  on  the 
 bishops  of  both  those  churches,  as  well  as  on  that  of  Canter- 
 bury, adding  lands  and  possessions  for  the  use  of  those  who 
 were  with  the  bishops. 
 
 After  this,  the  beloved  of  God,  Father  Augustine,  died, 
 and  his  body  was  deposited  without,  close  by  the  church  of 
 the  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  above  spoken  of,  by  reason  that 
 the  same  was  not  yet  finished,  nor  consecrated,  but  as  soon 
 as  it  was  dedicated,!  the  body  was  brought  in,  and  decently 
 buried  in  the  north  porch  thereof ;  wherein  also  were  in- 
 terred the  bodies  of  all  the  succeeding  archbishops,  except 
 two  only,  Theodorus  and  Berthwald,  whose  bodies  are  with- 
 in that  church,  because  the  aforesaid  porch  could  contain  no 
 more.  Almost  in  the  midst  of  this  church  is  an  altar  dedi- 
 cated in  honour  of  the  blessed  Pope  Gregory,  at  which  every 
 Saturday  their  service  is  solemnly  performed  by  the  priest  of 
 that  place.  On  the  tomb  of  the  said  Augustine  is  written 
 this  epitaph  : — 
 
 "  Here  rests  the  Lord  Augustine,  first  archbishop  of  Can- 
 terbury, who,  being  formerly  sent  hither  by  the  blessed  Gre- 
 gory, bishop  of  the  city  of  Rome,  and  by  God's  assistance 
 supported  with  miracles,  reduced  King  Ethelbert  and  his  na- 
 
 *  Now  Rochester.  A  chapter  of  secular  priests  was  first  established 
 here,  which  was  endowed  by  Ethelbert  with  a  portion  of  land  called  Priest- 
 tield,  to  the  south  of  the  cit^y;  he  afterwards  gave  other  parcels  of  land 
 within  and  without  the  walls  of  the  city  for  its  support. — Dugdale's  Mon- 
 asticon,  i.  133. 
 
 t  Which  was  in  a.d.  613.     The  body  of  St.  Augustine  was  afterwards 
 removed  by  Thomas  Fyndon,  the  abbat,  a.d.  1300,  and  placed  near  the 
 high  altar  in  a  sumptuous  monument  -with  this  inscription  : 
 Inclytus  Anglorum  Prasul,  plus,  et  decus  altum, 
 Hie  Augustinus  requiescit  corpore  sanctus  ; 
 Ad  tumulum  laudis  Patris  almi  ductus  amore 
 Abbas  hmic  txunulum  Thomas  dictavit  honore. 
 
 Dugdale's  Monast.  i.  8L 
 
74  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  h.  c.  4. 
 
 tion  from  the  worsliip  of  idols  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  and 
 having  ended  the  days  of  his  olhce  in  peace,  died  the  26tli 
 day  of  May,  in  the  reign  of  the  same  l^ng." 
 
 CHAP.  ly. 
 
 Laiirentius  and  his  bishops  admonish  the  Scots  to  observe  the  unit?/  of  the 
 Holy  Church,  particularly  in  keeping  of  Easter  ;  MeUitus  goes  to 
 Rome.     [a.d.  605.] 
 
 Laurentius  succeeded  Augustine  in  the  bishopric,  having 
 been  ordained  thereto  by  the  Latter,  in  his  lifetime,  lest,  upon 
 his  death,  the  state  of  the  church,  as  yet  unsettled,  might 
 begin  to  falter,  if  it  should  be  destitute  of  a  pastor,  though 
 but  for  one  hour.  Wherein  he  also  followed  the  example 
 of  the  first  pastor  of  the  church,  that  is,  of  the  most  blessed 
 prince  of  the  apostles,  Peter,  who,  having  founded  the 
 church  of  Christ  at  Rome,  is  said  to  have  consecrated  Cle- 
 ment his  assistant  in  preaching  the  Gospel,  and  at  the  same 
 time  his  successor.  Laurentius,  being  advanced  to  the  de- 
 gree of  an  archbishop,  laboured  indefatigably,  both  by  fre- 
 quent exhortations  and  examples  of  piety,  to  raise  to  perfec- 
 tion the  foundations  of  the  church,  which  had  been  so  nobly 
 laid.  In  short,  he  not  only  took  care  of  the  new  church 
 formed  among  the  English,  but  endeavoured  also  to  employ 
 his  pastoral  solicitude  among  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Bri- 
 tain, as  also  the  Scots,  who  inhabit  the  island  of  Ireland, 
 which  is  next  to  Britain.  For  when  he  understood  that  the 
 course  of  life  and  profession  of  the  Scots  in  their  aforesaid 
 country,  as  well  as  of  the  Britons  in  Britain,  was  not  truly 
 ecclesiastical,  especially  that  they  did  not  celebrate  the 
 solemnity  of  Easter  at  the  due  time,  but  thought  that  the 
 day  of  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord  was,  as  has  been  said 
 above,  to  be  celebrated  between  the  14th  and  20th  of  the 
 moon  ;  he  wrote,  jointly  with  his  fellow  bishops,  an  exhort- 
 atory  epistle,  entreating  and  conjuring  them  to  observe  unity 
 of  peace,  and  conformity  with  the  church  of  Christ  spread 
 thi'oughout  the  world.  The  beginning  of  which  epistle  is 
 as  follows  : — 
 
 "  To  our  most  dear  brothers,  the  lords  bishops  and  ahhat^ 
 throughout  all  Scotland,*  Laurentius,  MeUitus,  and  Justub, 
 *  Ireland.     See  ante,  page  5. 
 
A.D.  60J-610.]  MELLITUS  GOES  TO  KOME.  75 
 
 servants  of  the  servants  of  God.  When  the  apostolic  see, 
 according  to  the  universal  custom  which  it  has  followed 
 elsewhere,  sent  us  to  these  western  parts  to  preach  to  pagan 
 nations,  we  came  into  this  island,  which  is  called  Britain, 
 without  possessing  any  previous  knowledge  of  its  inhabit- 
 ants. We  held  both  the  Britons  and  Scots  in  great  esteem 
 for  sanctity,  believing  that  they  had  proceeded  according  to 
 the  custom  of  the  universal  church  ;  but  coming  acquainted 
 with  the  errors  of  the  Britons,  we  thought  the  Scots  had 
 been  better  ;  but  we  have  been  informed  by  Bishop  Dagan,* 
 coming  into  this  aforesaid  island,  and  the  Abbat  Columbanus  j" 
 in  France,  that  the  Scots  in  no  way  differ  from  the  Britons 
 in  their  behaviour  ;  for  Bishop  Dagan  coming  to  us,  not  only 
 refused  to  eat  with  us,  but  even  to  take  his  repast  in  the 
 same  house  where  we  were  entertained." 
 
 The  same  Laurentius  and  his  fellow  bishops  wrote  a  letter 
 to  the  priests  of  the  Britons,  suitable  to  his  rank,  by  which 
 he  endeavoured  to  confirm  them  in  Catholic  unity  ;  but 
 what  he  gained  by  so  doing  the  present  times  still  declare. 
 
 About  this  time,  JMellitus,  bishop  of  London,  went  to 
 Rome,  to  confer  with  Pope  Boniface  about  the  necessary 
 affairs  of  the  English  church.  And  the  same  most  reverend 
 pope,  assembling  a  synod  of  the  bishops  of  Italy,  to  prescribe 
 orders  for  the  life  and  peace  of  the  monks,  Mellitus  also  sat 
 among  them,  in  the  eighth  year  of  the  reign  of  the  Emperor 
 Phocas,  the  tliirteenth  indiction,  on  the  27th  of  February,  to 
 the  end  that  he  also  by  his  authority  might  confirm  such 
 things  as  should  be  regularly  decreed,  and  at  his  return  into 
 Britain  might  carry  the  same  to  the  churches  of  the  English, 
 to  be  prescribed  and  observed  ;  together  with  letters  which 
 the  same  pope  sent  to  the  beloved  of  God,  Archbishop  Lau- 
 rentius, and  to  all  the  clergy  ;  as  hkewise  to  King  Ethelbert 
 and  the  English  nation.  This  pope  was  Boniface,  who  came 
 fourth  after  Pope  Gregory,  and  who  obtained  of  the  Empe- 
 ror Phocas  that  the  temple  called  by  the  ancients  Pantheon, 
 as  representing  all  the  gods,  should  be  given  to  the  Church 
 of  Christ ;  wherein  he,  having  purified  it  from  contamina- 
 
 *  Dagan  is  said  to  have  come  from  the  monastery  of  Banchor,  Ireland, 
 and  was  bishop  to  the  Scots.  Bale  says,  he  wrote  a  book  on  the  British 
 churches. 
 
 f  Columbanus  was  the  founder  of  monasteries  in  France  and  Italy. 
 
76  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  II.  c.  5. 
 
 tion,  dedicated  a  cliurcli  to  the  holy  mother  of  God,  and  to 
 all  Christ's  martyrs,  to  the  end  that,  the  devils  being  ex- 
 cluded, the  blessed  company  of  the  saints  might  have  therein 
 a  perpetual  memorial. 
 
 CHAP.  V. 
 
 How,  after  the  death  of  the  Icings  Ethelhert  and  Sabert,  their  successors 
 restored  idolatry  ;  for  which  reason,  both  Mellitus  and  Justus  departed 
 out  of  Britain,     [a.d.  616.] 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  616,  which  is  the 
 twenty-first  year  after  Augustine  and  his  companions  were 
 sent  to  preach  to  the  English  nation,  Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent, 
 having  most  gloriously  governed  his  temporal  kingdom  fifty- 
 six  years,  entered  into  the  eternal  joys  of  the  kingdom  which 
 is  heavenly.  He  was  the  third  of  the  English  kings  that 
 had  the  sovereignty*  of  all  the  southern  provinces  that  are 
 divided  from  the  northern  by  tlie  river  Humber,  and  the 
 borders  contiguous  to  the  same  ;  but  the  first  of  the  kings 
 that  ascended  to  the  heavenly  kingdom.  The  first  who  had 
 the  like  sovereignty  was  Elli,  king  of  the  South- Saxons  ; 
 the  second,  Cehn,  king  of  the  West- Saxons,  who,  in  their 
 own  language,  is  called  Ceaulin  ;  the  third,  as  has  been  said, 
 was  Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent  ;  the  fourth  Avas  Redwald,  king 
 of  the  East- Angles,  who,  whilst  Ethelbert  lived,  had  been 
 subservient  to  him.  The  fifth  was  Edwin,  king  of  the  na- 
 tion of  the  Northumbrians,  that  is,  of  those  who  live  on  the 
 north  side  of  the  river  Humber,  \A\o,  with  great  power, 
 commanded  all  the  nations,  as  well  of  the  English  as  of  the 
 Britons  who  inhabit  Britain,  except  only  the  people  of  Kent, 
 and  he  reduced  also  under  the  dominion  of  the  English,  the 
 Mevanian  Islands  f  of  the  Britons,  lying  between  Ireland  and 
 Britain  ;  the  sixth  was  Oswald,  the  most  Christian  king  of 
 the  Northumbrians,  who  also  had  the  same  extent  under  his 
 command  ;  the  seventh,  Oswy,  brother  to  the  former,  held 
 the  same  dominions  for  some  time,  and  for  the  most  part 
 subdued  and  made  tributary  the  nations  of  the  Picts  and 
 Scots,  which  possess  the  northern  parts  of  Britain  ;  but  of 
 these  hereafter. 
 
 King  Ethelbert  died  on  the  24th  day  of  the  month  of 
 
 •  As  Bretwalda,  or  paramount  sovereign.         t  An^lesea  and  Man, 
 
A,D.  616.J  DEATH  OF  KING  ETHELBERT.  77 
 
 February,  twenty-one  years  after  he  had  received  the  faith, 
 and  was  buried  in  St.  Martin's  porch  within  the  church  of  the 
 blessed  apostles  Peter  and  Paul,  where  also  lies  his  queen, 
 Bertha.  Among  other  benefits  which  he  conferred  upon  the 
 nation,  he  also,  by  the  advice  of  wise  persons,*  introduced 
 judicial  decrees,  after  the  Roman  model ;  which,  being  w^rit- 
 ten  in  EngHsh,  are  still  kept  and  observed  by  them.  Among 
 which,  he  in  the  first  place  set  down  what  satisfaction  should 
 be  given  by  those  who  should  steal  anything  belonging  to 
 the  church,  the  bishop,  or  the  other  clergy,  resolving  to  give 
 protection  to  those  whose  doctrine  he  had  embraced. 
 
 This  Ethelbert  was  the  son  of  Irminric,  whose  father  was 
 Octa,  whose  father  was  Orric,  surnamed  Oisc,  from  whom 
 the  kings  of  Kent  are  wont  to  be  called  Oiscings.  His 
 father  was  Hengist,  who,  being  invited  by  Yortigern,  first 
 came  into  Britain,  with  his  son  Oisc,  as  has  been  said  above. 
 
 But  after  the  death  of  Ethelbert,  the  accession  of  his  son 
 Eadbald  proved  very  prejudicial  to  the  new  church  ;  for  he 
 not  only  refused  to  embrace  the  faith  of  Christ,  but  was  also 
 defiled  mth  such  a  sort  of  fornication,  as  the  apostle  testifies, 
 was  not  heard  of,  even  among  the  Gentiles  ;  for  he  kept  his 
 father's  wife.  By  both  which  crimes  he  gave  occasion  to 
 those  to  return  to  their  former  uncleanness,  who,  under  his 
 father,  had,  either  for  favour,  or  through  fear  of  the  king, 
 submitted  to  the  laws  of  faith  and  chastity.  Nor  did  the 
 perfidious  king  escape  without  Divine  punishment  and  cor- 
 rection ;  for  he  was  troubled  ^vith  frequent  fits  of  madness, 
 and  possessed  by  an  evil  spirit.  This  confusion  was  in- 
 creased by  the  death  of  Sabert,  king  of  the  East  Saxons,  who 
 departing  to  the  heavenly  kingdom,  left  three  sons,  still 
 pagans,  to  inherit  his  temporal  crown.  They  immediately 
 began  to  profess  idolatry,  which,  during  their  father's  reign, 
 they  had  seemed  a  little  to  abandon,  and  they  granted  free 
 liberty  to  the  people  under  their  government  to  serve  idols. 
 And  when  they  saw  the  bishop,  whilst  celebrating  mass  in 
 the  church,  give  the  eucharist  to  the  people ,  they,  puffed  up 
 with  barbarous  folly,  were  wont,  as  it  is  reported,  to  say  to 
 him,  "  Why  do  you  not  give  us  also  that  white  bread,  which 
 you  used  to  give  to  our  lather  Saba,  (for  so  they  used  to  call 
 
 *  Tlie  Witena-Gemot,  the  legislative  and  supreme  judicial  assembly. 
 
78  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [e.  ii.  c.  6. 
 
 him,)  and  wliich  you  still  continue  to  give  to  tlie  people  in 
 the  church  ?"  To  whom  he  answered,  "  If  you  will  be 
 washed  in  that  laver  of  salvation,  in  which  your  father  was 
 washed,  you  may  also  partake  of  the  holy  bread  of  which  he 
 partook  ;  but  if  you  despise  the  laver  of  life,  you  may  not 
 receive  the  bread  of  life."  They  replied,  "  We  Avill  not  enter 
 into  that  laver,  because  we  do  not  know  that  we  stand  in 
 need  of  it,  and  yet  we  will  eat  of  that  bread."  And  being 
 often  earnestly  admonished  by  him,  that  the  same  could  not 
 be  done,  nor  any  one  admitted  to  partake  of  the  sacred  obla- 
 tion without  the  holy  cleansing,  at  last,  they  said  in  anger, 
 "  If  you  will  not  comply  with  us  in  so  small  a  matter  as  that 
 is  which  we  require,  you  shall  not  stay  in  our  province." 
 And  accordingly  they  obliged  him  and  his  followers  to  de- 
 part from  their  kingdom.  Being  forced  from  thence,  he  came 
 into  Kent,  to  advise  with  his  fellow  bishops,  Laureiitius  and 
 Justus,  what  was  to  be  done  in  that  case  ;  and  it  was  unani- 
 mously agreed,  that  it  was  better  for  them  all  to  return  to  their 
 own  country,  where  they  might  serve  God  in  freedom,  than 
 to  continue  without  any  advantage  among  those  barbarians, 
 who  had  revolted  from  the  faith.  Mellitus  and  Justus 
 accordingly  went  away  first,  and  withdrew  into  France,  de- 
 signing there  to  await  the  event  of  things.  But  the  Icings, 
 who  had  driven  from  them  the  preacher  of  the  truth,  did  not 
 continue  long  unpunished  in  their  heathenish  worshij).  For 
 marching  out  to  battle  against  the  nation  of  the  Gewissa^,* 
 they  were  all  slain  with  their  army.  However,  the  people, 
 having  been  once  turned  to  wickedness,  though  the  authors 
 of  it  were  destroyed,  would  not  be  corrected,  nor  return  to 
 the  unity  of  faith  and  charity  which  is  in  Chiist. 
 
 CHAP.  VI. 
 
 Laurcntius,  being  reproved  by  the  apostle,  converts  King  Eadbald  to  Christ; 
 Mellitus  and  Justus  are  recalled,     [a.d.  616.] 
 
 Lauiientius,  being  about  to  follow  Mellitus  and  Justus,  and 
 to  quit  Britain,  ordered  his  bed  to  be  laid  the  night  before  in 
 the  church  of  the  blessed  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  which  has 
 been  often  mentioned  before  ;  wherein  having  laid  himself  to 
 
 •  West  Saxons. 
 
A.D.  616.J  MELLITUS  AIvD  JUSTUS  RECALLED.  79 
 
 take  some  rest,  after  he  had  poured  out  many  prayers  and 
 tears  to  God  for  the  state  of  tJie  church,  he  fell  asleep  ;  in 
 the  dead  of  night,  the  blessed  prince  of  the  apostles  appeared 
 to  him,  and  scourging  him  a  long  time  with  apostohcal 
 severity,  asked  of  him,  "Why  he  would  forsake  the  flock 
 which  he  had  committed  to  him  ?  or  to  what  shepherds  he 
 would  commit  Christ's  sheep  that  were  in  the  midst  of  wolves  ? 
 Have  you,"  said  he,  "  forgotten  my  example,  Avho,  for  the 
 sake  of  those  little  ones,  whom  Christ  recommended  to  me  in 
 token  of  his  affection,  underwent  at  the  hands  of  infidels  and 
 enemies  of  Christ,  bonds,  stripes,  imprisonment,  afflictions, 
 and  lastly,  the  death  of  the  cross,  that  I  might  at  last  be 
 crowned  "v\dth  him  ?"  Laurentius,  the  servant  of  Christ, 
 being  excited  by  these  words  and  stripes,  the  very  next  morn- 
 ing repaired  to  the  king,  and  taking  off  his  garment,  showed 
 the  scars  of  the  stripes  which  he  had  received.  The  king, 
 astonished,  asked,  "  Who  had  presumed  to  give  such  stripes 
 to  so  great  a  man  ?"  And  was  much  frightened  when  he 
 heard  that  the  bishop  had  suffered  so  much  at  the  hands  of 
 the  apostle  of  Chi'ist  for  his  salvation.  Then  abjuring  the 
 worship  of  idols,  and  renouncing  his  unlaAvful  marriage,  he 
 embraced  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  being  baptized,  promoted 
 the  affairs  of  the  churcli  to  the  utmost  of  his  power. 
 
 He  also  sent  over  into  France,  and  recalled  Meilitus  and 
 Justus,  and  commanded  them  freely  to  return  to  govern  their 
 churches,  wliicli  they  accordingly  did,  one  year  after  their 
 departure.  Justus,  indeed,  returned  to  the  city  of  Rochester, 
 where  he  had  before  presided  ;  but  the  Londoners  would  not 
 receive  Bishop  Meilitus,  choosing  rather  to  be  under  their 
 idolatrous  high  priests  ;  for  King  Eadbald  had  not  so  much 
 authority  in  the  kingdom  as  his  father,  nor  was  he  able  to 
 restore  the  bishop  to  his  church  against  the  will  and  consent 
 of  the  pagans.  But  he  and  his  nation,  after  his  conversion 
 to  our  Lord,  diligently  followed  the  Divine  precepts.  Lastly, 
 he  built  the  church  of  the  holy  Mother  of  God,*  in  the  monas- 
 tery of  the  most  blessed  prince  of  the  apostles,  which  was 
 afterwards  consecrated  by  Archbishop  Meilitus. 
 
 *  Eadbald,  besides  building  St.  Mary's  chapel,  endowed  it  -\yith  the 
 manor  of  Northbourne.  This  chapel  was  taken  do\vn  by  the  abbat  Scot- 
 land in  the  time  of  Lanfranc,  and  a  new  and  more  splendid  chmxh  erected 
 in  its  place.     Thorn^col.  1768 
 
80  BEDE's   ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  fc  ii.  c.  7 
 
 CHAP.  vn. 
 
 Bishop  Mellitus  by  prayer  quenches  afire  in  his  oily.     [a.d.  619.] 
 
 In  tliis  king's  reign,  the  holy  Ai'chbishop  Laurentius  was 
 taken  up  to  the  heavenly  kingdom  :  he  was  buried  in  the 
 church  and  monastery  of,  the  holy  Apostle  Peter,  close  by  his 
 predecessor  Augustine,  on  the  2nd  day  of  the  month  of 
 February.  Mellitus,  who  was  bishop  of  London,  was  the 
 tliird  archbishop  of  Canterbury  from  Augustine  ;  Justus,  who 
 was  still  living,  governed  the  church  of  Rochester.  These 
 ruled  the  church  of  the  English  with  much  industry  and 
 labour,  and  received  letters  of  exhortation  from  Boniface, 
 bishop  of  the  Roman  apostolic  see,  who  presided  over  the 
 church  after  Deusdedit,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  619.  Melli- 
 tus laboured  under  an  infirmity  of  body,  that  is,  the  gout ; 
 but  his  mind  was  sound,  cheerfully  passing  over  all  earthly 
 things,  and  always  aspiring  to  love,  seek,  and  attain  to  those 
 which  are  celestial.  He  was  noble  by  birth,  but  much  nobler 
 m  mind. 
 
 Li  short,  that  I  may  give  one  testimony  of  his  virtue,  by 
 which  the  rest  may  be  guessed  at,  it  happened  once  that  the 
 city  of  Canterbury,  being  by  carelessness  set  on  fire,  was  in 
 danger  of  being  consumed  by  the  spreading  conflagration  ; 
 water  was  thrown  over  the  fire  in  vain  ;  a  considerable  part 
 of  the  city  was  already  destroyed,  and  the  fierce  flame  ad- 
 vancing towards  the  bishop,  when  he,  confiding  in  the 
 Divine  assistance,  where  human  failed,  ordered  himself  to  be 
 carried  towards  the  raging  fire,  that  was  spreading  on  every 
 side.  The  church  of  the  four  croAvned  Martyrs  was  in  the 
 place  where  the  fire  raged  most.  The  bishop  being  carried 
 thither  by  his  servants,  the  sick  man  averted  the  danger  by 
 prayer,  which  a  number  of  strong  men  had  not  been  able  to 
 perform  by  much  labour.  Immediately,  the  wind,  which 
 bloAving  from  the  south  had  spread  the  conflagration  through- 
 out the  city,  turning  to  the  north,  prevented  the  destruction 
 of  those  places  that  had  lain  in  its  way,  and  then  ceasing 
 entirely,  the  flames  were  inmiediately  extinguished.  And 
 tlius  the  man  of  God,  whose  mind  was  inflamed  with  the 
 fire  of  Divine  charity,  and  wlio  was  wont  to  drive  away  the 
 powers  of  the  air  by  his  frequent  prayers,  from  doing  harm 
 
A.j>.  624.1  Boniface's  epistle  to  jijstus.  81 
 
 to  himself,  or  his  people,  was  deservedly  allowed  to  prevail 
 over  the  worldly  winds  and  flames,  and  to  obtain  that  they 
 should  not  injure  him  or  his. 
 
 This  archbishop  also,  having  ruled  the  church  five  years, 
 departed  to  heaven  in  the  reign  of  King  Eadbald,  and  was 
 buried  with  his  predecessors  in  the  monastery  and  church, 
 which  we  have  so  often  mentioned,  of  the  most  blessed  prince 
 of  the  apostles,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  624,  on 
 the  24th  day  of  April. 
 
 CHAP.  vm. 
 
 Pope  Boniface  sends  the  Pall  and  an  Epistle  to  Justus,  successor  to 
 Mellitus.     [a.d.  624.] 
 
 Justus,  bishop  of  Rochester,  immediately  succeeded  Mellitus 
 in  the  archbishopric.  He  consecrated  Romanus  bishop  of 
 that  see  in  his  own  stead,  having  obtained  leave  of  ordaining 
 bishops  from  Pope  Boniface,  whom  we  mentioned  above  to 
 have  been  successor  to  Deusdedit :  of  wliich  licence  this  is 
 the  form  : 
 
 "  Boniface,  to  his  most  beloved  brother  Justus.  Not  only 
 the  contents  of  your  letter,  but  the  perfection  which  your 
 work  has  obtained,  has  informed  us  how  devoutly  and 
 diligently  you  have  laboured,  my  brother,  for  the  Gospel  of 
 Christ  ;  for  Almighty  God  has  not  forsaken  either  the 
 mystery  of  his  name,  or  the  fruit  of  your  labours,  having 
 himself  faithfully  promised  to  the  preachers  of  the  Gospel, 
 '  Lo  !  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world ;' 
 which  promise  his  mercy  has  particularly  manifested  in  this 
 ministry  of  yours,  opening  the  hearts  of  nations  to  receive 
 the  mystery  of  your  preaching.  For  he  has  enlightened  the 
 acceptable  course  of  your  endeavours,  by  the  approbation  of 
 his  grace ;  granting  a  plentiful  increase  to  your  faithful 
 management  of  the  talents  committed  to  you,  and  which  you 
 may  secure  for  many  generations.  This  is  by  that  reward 
 conferred  on  you,  who,  constantly  adhering  to  the  ministry 
 enjoined  you,  with  laudable  patience  await  the  redemption  of 
 that  nation,  whose  salvation  is  set  on  foot  that  they  may 
 profit  by  your  merits,  our  Lord  himself  saying,  '  He  that 
 perseveres  to  the  end  shall  be  saved.'  You  are,  therefore, 
 saved  by  the  hope  of  patience,  and  the  virtue  of  endurance, 
 
82  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   history.  [B.n.  c.  9. 
 
 to  the  end  that  the  hearts  of  infidels,  being  cleansed  from 
 their  natural  and  superstitious  disease,  might  obtain  the 
 mercy  of  their  Redeemer  :  for  having  received  the  letters  of 
 our  son  Ethelwald,  we  perceive  with  how  much  knowledge 
 of  the  sacred  word  your  mind,  my  brother,  has  brought  over 
 his  mind  to  the  belief  in  real  conversion  and  the  true  faith. 
 Therefore,  firmly  confiding  in  the  long-suffering  of  the 
 Divine  clemency,  we  beheve  there  will,  tlirough  the  ministry 
 of  your  preaching,  ensue  most  full  salvation  not  only  of  the 
 nations  subject  to  him,  but  also  of  those  that  neighbour  round 
 about ;  to  the  end,  that  as  it  is  written,  the  reward  of  a  perfect 
 work  may  be  conferred  on  you  by  our  Lord,  the  giver  of  all 
 good  things  ;  and  that  the  universal  confession  of  all  nations, 
 having  received  the  mystery  of  the  Christian  faith,  may 
 declare,  that  their  '  Sound  went  into  all  the  earth,  and  their 
 words  unto  the  ends  of  the  world.' 
 
 "  We  have  also,  my  brother,  encouraged  by  zeal  for  what 
 is  good,  sent  you  by  the  bearer  of  these,  the  pall,  which  we 
 have  only  given  leave  to  use  in  the  celebration  of  the  sacred 
 mysteries  ;  granting  you  likewise  to  ordain  bishops  when 
 thare  shall  be  occasion,  through  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  ;  that 
 so  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  by  the  preaching  of  many,  may  be 
 spread  abroad  in  all  the  nations  that  are  not  yet  converted. 
 You  must,  therefore,  endeavour,  my  brother,  to  preserve  with 
 unblemished  sincerity  of  mind  that  which  you  have  received 
 through  the  favour  of  the  Apostolic  See,  as  an  emblem 
 whereof  you  have  obtained  so  principal  an  ornament  to  be 
 borne  on  your  shoulders.  And  make  it  your  business,  im- 
 ploring the  Divine  goodness,  so  to  behave  yourself,  that  you 
 may  present  before  the  tribunal  of  the  Supreme  Judge  that 
 is  to  come,  the  rewards  of  the  favour  granted  you,  not  with 
 guiltiness,  but  with  tlie  benefit  of  souls. 
 
 "  God  preserve  you  in  safety,  most  dear  brother  !" 
 
 CHAP.  IX. 
 
 The  reign  of  King  Edivin,  and  how  Paulinvs,  coming  to  preach  the  gospel, 
 first  converted  his  daughter  and  others  to  the  faith  of  Christ.  [a.d.  625.] 
 
 At  this  time  the  nation  of  the  Northumbrians,  that  is,  the 
 nation  of  the  Angles  that  live  on  the  north  side  of  the  river 
 Ilumber,  with  their  king,  Edwin,  received  the  faith  through 
 
A.E.  625.]         MARRIAGE  OF  EDWIN  AJTD  ETHELBERGA.  33 
 
 the  preaching  of  Paulinus,  abovementioned.  This  Edwin, 
 as  a  reward  of  his  receiving  the  faith,  and  as  an  earnest  of 
 his  share  in  the  heavenly  kingdom,  received  an  increase  of 
 that  which  he  enjoyed  on  earth,  for  he  reduced  under  his 
 dominion  all  the  borders  of  Britain  that  were  provinces 
 either  of  the  aforesaid  nation,  or  of  the  Britons,  a  thing 
 which  no  British  king  had  ever  done  before  ;  and  he  in  like 
 manner  subjected  to  the  English  the  Mevanian  islands,  as 
 has  been  said  above.  The  first  Vv^hereof,  wliich  is  to  the 
 southward,  is  the  largest  in  extent,  and  most  fruitful,  con- 
 taining nine  hundred  and  sixty  families,  according  to  the 
 English  computation  ;  the  other  above  three  hundred. 
 
 The  occasion  of  this  nation's  embracing  the  faith  was, 
 their  aforesaid  king,  being  allied  to  the  kings  of  Kent,  hav- 
 ing taken  to  wife  Ethelberga,  otherwise  called  Tate,  daughter 
 to  King  Ethelbert.  He  having  by  his  ambassadors  asked 
 her  in  marriage  of  her  brother  Eadbald,  who  then  reigned 
 in  Kent,  was  answered,  "  That  it  was  not  lawful  to  marry  a 
 Christian  virgin  to  a  pagan  husband,  lest  the  fiiitli  and  the 
 mysteries  of  the  heavenly  King  should  be  profaned  by  her 
 cohabiting  with  a  king  that  was  altogether  a  stranger  to  the 
 worship  of  the  true  God."  This  answer  being  brought  to 
 Edwin  by  his  messengers,  he  promised  in  no  manner  to  act 
 in  opposition  to  the  Christian  faith,  which  the  virgin  pro- 
 fessed ;  but  would  give  leave  to  her,  and  all  that  went  with 
 her,  men  or  women,  priests  or  ministers,  to  follow  their  faith 
 and  worship  after  the  custom  of  the  Christians.  Nor  did  he 
 deny,  but  that  he  w^ould  embrace  the  same  religion,  if,  being 
 examined  by  wise  persons,  it  should  be  found  more  holy 
 and  more  worthy  of  God. 
 
 Hereupon  the  virgin  was  promised,  and  sent  to  Edwin, 
 and  pursuant  to  what  had  been  agreed  on,  Paulinus,  a  man 
 beloved  of  God,  was  ordained  bishop,  to  go  with  her,  and  by 
 daily  exhortations,  and  celebrating  the  heavenly  mysteries,  to 
 confirm  her  and  her  company,  lest  they  should  be  corrupted 
 by  the  company  of  the  pagans.  Paulinus  was  ordained  bishop 
 by  the  Archbishop  Justus,  on  the  21st  day  of  July,  in  the 
 year  of  our  Lord  625,  and  so  he  came  to  King  Edwin  with 
 the  aforesaid  virgin  as  a  companion  of  their  union  in  the  flesh. 
 But  his  mind  w^as  wholly  bent  upon  reducing  the  nation  to 
 which  he  was  sent  to  the  knowledge  of  truth  ;  according 
 
 g2 
 
84  BEDE'S  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [b.  n.  n.  9. 
 
 to  the  words  of  the  apostle,  "  To  espouse  her  to  one  husband, 
 that  he  might  present  her  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Christ." 
 Being  come  into  that  province,  he  laboured  much,  not  onl}- 
 to  retain  tliose  that  went  with  him,  by  the  help  of  God,  that 
 tliey  should  not  revolt  from  the  faith,  but,  if  he  could,  to 
 convert  some  of  the  pagans  to  a  state  of  grace  by  his  preach- 
 ing. But,  as  the  apostle  says,  though  he  laboured  long  in 
 the  "word,  "  The  god  of  this  world  blinded  the  minds  of 
 them  that  believed  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel 
 of  Christ  should  shine  unto  them." 
 
 The  next  year  there  came  into  the  province  a  certain 
 assassin,  called  Eumer,  sent  by  the  king  of  the  West- Saxons, 
 whose  name  was  Cuichelm,  in  hopes  at  once  to  deprive  King 
 Edwin  of  his  kingdom  and  his  life.  He  had  a  two-edged 
 dagger,  dipped  in  poison,  to  the  end,  that  if  the  wound  were 
 not  sufficient  to  kill  the  king,  it  might  be  performed  by  the 
 venom.  He  came  to  the  king  on  the  first  day  of  Easter,  at 
 the  river  Derwent,  where  then  stood  the  regal  city,*  and  be- 
 ing admitted  as  if  to  deliver  a  message  from  his  master,  whilst 
 he  was  in  an  artful  manner  delivering  his  pretended  em- 
 bassy, he  started  on  a  sudden,  and  drawing  the  dagger  from 
 under  his  garment,  assaulted  the  king  ;  which  Lilla,  the 
 king's  beloved  minister,  observing,  having  no  buckler  at  hand 
 to  secure  the  king  from  death,  interposed  his  own  body  to 
 receive  the  stroke  ;  but  the  wretch  struck  so  home,  that  he 
 w^ounded  the  king  through  the  knight's  body.  Being  then 
 attacked  on  all  sides  with  swords,  he  in  that  confusion  also 
 slew  another  soldier,  whose  name  was  Forthhere. 
 
 On  that  same  holy  night  of  Easter  Sunday,  the  queen  had 
 brought  forth  to  the  king  a  daughter,  called  Eanfled.  The 
 king,  in  the  presence  of  Bishop  Paulinus,  gave  thanks  to  his 
 gods  for  the  birth  of  his  daughter  ;  and  the  bishop,  on  the 
 other  hand,  returned  thanks  to  Christ,  and  endeavoured  to 
 persuade  the  king,  that  by  his  prayers  to  him  he  had  obtained 
 that  the  queen  should  bring  forth  the  child  in  safety,  and 
 without  much  pain.  The  king,  delighted  with  his  words, 
 promised,  that  in  case  God  would  grant  him  life  and  victory 
 
 *  Supposed  to  be  near  the  Roman  city  Derventione,  on  the  Derwent, 
 near  Stamford  Bridge,  between  seven  and  eight  miles  from  York.  It  is 
 now  a  village  called  Alby,  i.  e.  the  old  habitation,  and  near  it  are  the  niins 
 of  an  ancient  castle. 
 
A.  D.  625.]  LETTER  OF  POPE  BONIFACE  TV.  85 
 
 over  the  king  by  whom  the  assassin  had  been  sent,  he  would 
 cast  off  his  idols,  and  serve  Christ ;  and  as  a  pledge  that  lie 
 would  perform  his  promise,  he  delivered  up  that  same  daugh- 
 ter to  Paulinus,  to  be  consecrated  to  Christ.  She  was  the 
 first  baptized  of  the  nation  of  the  Northumbrians,  on  Whit- 
 sunday, with  twelve  others  of  her  family.*  At  that  time,  the 
 king,  being  recovered  of  the  wound  which  he  had  received, 
 marched  with  his  army  against  the  nation  of  the  West- 
 Saxons  ;  and  having  begun  the  war,  either  slew  or  subdued 
 all  those  that  he  had  been  informed  had  conspired  to  murder 
 him.  Returning  thus  victorious  into  his  own  country,  he  would 
 not  immediately  and  unadvisedly  embrace  the  mysteries  of 
 the  Christian  faith,  though  he  no  longer  worshipped  idols, 
 ever  since  he  made  the  promise  that  he  would  serve  Christ ; 
 but  thought  fit  first  at  leisure  to  be  instructed,  by  the  vener- 
 able Paulinus,  in  the  knowledge  of  faith,  and  to  confer  with 
 such  as  he  knew  to  be  the  wisest  of  his  prime  men,  to  ad- 
 vise what  they  thought  was  fittest  to  be  done  in  that  case. 
 And  being  a  man  of  extraordinary  sagacity,  he  often  sat 
 alone  by  himself  a  long  time,  silent  as  to  his  tongue,  but  de- 
 liberating in  Ills  heart  how  he  should  proceed,  and  which 
 reliofion  he  should  adhere  to. 
 
 CHAP.  X.t 
 
 Pope  Boniface,  by  letter,  e^chorts  the  same  king  to  embrace  the  faith. 
 [a.d.  625.] 
 
 At  this  time  he  received  letters  from  Pope  Boniface  [IV.]  ex- 
 horting him  to  embrace  the  faith,  which  were  as  follows  : — 
 
 COPY  OF  THE  LETTER  OF  THE  HOLY  AND  APOSTOLIC  POPE  OF 
 THE  CHURCH  OF  ROME,  BONIFACE,  TO  THE  GLORIOUS  EDWIN, 
 KLNG  OF  THE  ENGLISH. 
 
 "  To  the  illustrious  Edwin,  king  of  the  English,  Bishop 
 Boniface,  the  servant  of  the  servants  of  God.  Although  the 
 power  of  the  Supreme  Deity  cannot  be  expressed  by  human 
 speech,  as  consisting  in  its  own  greatness,  and  in  invisible 
 
 *  The  Saxon  Chronicle  mentions  no  number.  Matthew  Paris  says 
 thirty  ;  but  several  manuscripts  of  Bede  have  twelve. 
 
 +  This  and  the  following  chapter  should  have  been  placed  before  the  for- 
 mer, which  takes  in  the  year  626  j  for  Pope  Boniface  died  on  October  22,025. 
 
86  BEDE's   ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  lie.  10. 
 
 and  unsearchable  eternity,  so  that  no  sharpness  of  wit  can 
 comprehend  or  express  it  ;  yet  in  regard  that  the  goodness 
 of  God,  to  give  some  notion  of  itself,  having  opened  the 
 doors  of  the  heart,  has  mercifully,  by  secret  inspiration,  in- 
 fused into  the  minds  of  men  such  things  as  he  is  willing 
 shall  be  declared  concerning  himself,  we  have  thought  fit  to 
 extend  our  priestly  care  to  make  known  to  you  the  fidness  of 
 the  Christian  faith  ;  to  the  end  that,  informing  you  of  the 
 Gospel  of  Christ,  which  our  Saviour  commanded  should  be 
 preached  to  all  nations,  they  might  offer  to  you  the  cup  of 
 life  and  salvation. 
 
 "  Thus  the  goodness  of  the  Supreme  Majesty,  which,  by 
 the  word  of  his  command,  made  and  created  all  things,  the 
 heaven,  the  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  is  in  them,  disposing 
 the  order  by  which  they  should  subsist,  hath,  -with  the  coun- 
 sel of  liis  co-eternal  Word,  and  the  unity  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 formed  man  after  his  own  likeness,  out  of  the  slime  of  the 
 earth  ;  and  granted  him  such  supereminent  prerogative,  as 
 to  place  him  above  all  others  ;  so  that,  observing  the  com- 
 mand which  was  given  him,  his  continuance  should  be  to 
 eternity.  This  God, — Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  which 
 is  an  undivided  Trinity, — mankind,  from  the  east  unto  the 
 west,  by  confession  of  faith  to  the  saving  of  their  souls,  do 
 worship  and  adore,  as  the  Creator  of  all  things,  and  their 
 own  Maker  ;  to  whom  also  the  heights  of  empire,  and  the 
 powers  of  the  world,  are  subject,  because  the  bestoAval  of  all 
 kingdoms  is  granted  by  his  disposition.  It  hath  pleased 
 liim,  therefore^  of  his  great  mercy,  and  for  the  greater  bene- 
 fit of  all  his  creatures,  by  his  Holy  Spirit  wonderfully  to 
 kindle  the  cold  hearts  also  of  the  nations  seated  at  the  extre- 
 mities of  the  earth  in  the  knowledge  of  himself. 
 
 "For  we  suppose  your  excellency  has,  from  the  country 
 lying  so  near,  fidly  understood  what  the  clemency  of  our 
 Redeemer  has  effected  in  the  enlightening  of  our  glorious 
 son,  King  Eadbald,  and  the  nations  under  his  subjection  ; 
 we  therefore  trust,  with  assured  confidence  of  celestial  hope, 
 that  his  wonderful  gift  will  be  also  conferred  on  you  ;  since 
 we  understand  that  your  illustrious  consort,  wliich  is  known 
 to  be  a  part  of  your  body,  is  illuminated  with  the  reward  of 
 eternity,  through  the  regeneration  of  holy  baptism.  We 
 have,  therefore,  taken  care  by  these  presents,  with  all  pos- 
 
A.D.  625.]  LETTER  OF  POPE  BONIFACE  IV  87 
 
 sible  affection,  to  exhort  your  illustrious  selves,  tliat,  abhor- 
 ring idols  and  their  worship,  and  contemning  the  follies  of 
 temples,  and  the  deceitful  flatteries  of  auguries,  you  believe 
 in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  to  the  end  that,  being  discharged  from  the 
 bonds  of  captivity  to  the  Devil,  by  believing  you  may, 
 through  the  co-operating  power  of  the  holy  and  undivided 
 Trinity,  be  partaker  of  the  eternal  life. 
 
 "  How  great  guilt  they  lie  under,  who  adhere  to  the  per- 
 nicious superstitions  and  worship  of  idolatry,  appears  by  the 
 examples  of  the  perdition  of  those  whom  they  worship. 
 Wherefore  it  is  said  of  them  by  the  Psalmist,  '  All  the  gods 
 of  the  Gentiles  are  devils,  but  the  Lord  made  the  heavens.' 
 And  again,  they  have  eyes  and  do  not  see,  they  have  ears 
 and  do  not  hear,  they  have  noses  and  do  not  smell,  they 
 have  hands  and  do  not  feel,  they  have  feet  and  do  not  walk. 
 Therefore  they  are  like  those  that  confide  in  them.'  For 
 how  can  they  have  any  power  to  yield  assistance,  that  are 
 made  for  you  out  of  corruptible  matter,  by  the  hands  of 
 your  inferiors  and  subjects,  to  wit,  on  whom  you  have  by 
 human  art  bestowed  an  inanimate  similitude  of  members  ? 
 Who,  unless  they  be  moved  by  you,  will  not  be  able  to  walk  ; 
 but,  like  a  stone  fixed  in  one  place,  being  so  formed,  and 
 having  no  understanding,  but  absorbed  in  insensibility,  have 
 no  power  of  doing  harm  or  good.  We  cannot,  therefore, 
 upon  mature  deliberation,  find  out  how  you  come  to  be  so 
 deceived  as  to  follow  and  worship  those  gods,  to  whom  you 
 yourselves  have  given  the  likeness  of  a  body. 
 
 "  It  behoves  you,  therefore,  by  taking  upon  you  the  sign 
 of  the  holy  cross,  by  which  the  human  race  is  redeemed,  to 
 root  out  of  your  hearts  all  those  arts  and  cunning  of  the 
 Devil,  who  is  ever  jealous  of  the  works  of  the  divine  good- 
 ness, and  to  lay  hold  and  break  in  pieces  those  which  you 
 have  hitherto  made  your  material  gods.  For  the  very  de- 
 struction and  abolition  of  these,  which  could  never  receive 
 life  or  sense  from  their  makers,  may  plainly  demonstrate  to 
 you  how  worthless  they  were  which  you  till  then  had 
 worshipped,  when  you  yourselves,  who  have  received  life 
 from  the  Lord,  are  certainly  better  than  they,  as  Almighty 
 God  has  appointed  you  to  be  descended,  after  many  ages  and 
 through  many  generations,    from  the  fii'st   man   whom  he 
 
88  BEDe's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [b.  n.  c.  11 
 
 formed.  Draw  near,  then,  to  the  knowledge  of  Him  who 
 created  you,  Avho  breathed  the  breath  of  life  into  you,  who 
 sent  his  only-begotten  Son  for  your  redemption,  to  cleanse 
 you  from  original  sin,  that  being  delivered  from  the  power 
 of  the  Devil's  wickedness,  He  might  bestow  on  you  a 
 heavenly  reward. 
 
 "  Hear  the  words  of  the  preachers,  and  the  Gospel  of 
 God,  which  they  declare  to  you,  to  the  end  that,  believing, 
 as  has  been  said,  in  God  the  Father  Ahnighty,  and  in  Jesus 
 Christ  his  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  indivisible 
 Trinity,  having  put  to  flight  the  sensualities  of  devils,  and 
 driven  from  you  the  suggestions  of  the  venomous  and  deceit- 
 ful enemy,  and  being  born  again  by  water  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  you  may,  through  his  assistance  and  bounty,  dwell 
 in  the  brightness  of  eternal  glory  -with  Him  in  whom  you  shall 
 believe.  We  have,  moreover,  sent  you  the  blessing  of  your 
 protector,  the  blessed  Peter,  prince  of  the  apostles,  that  is, 
 a  shirt,  with  one  gold  ornament,  and  one  garment  of  Ancyra, 
 which  we  pray  your  highness  to  accept  with  the  same  good- 
 will as  it  is  friendly  intended  by  us." 
 
 CHAP.  XI. 
 
 Pope  Boniface  advises  Queen  Ethelberga  to  nse  her  best  endeavours  for 
 the  salvation  of  her  consort.  King  Edwin,     [a.d.  625.] 
 
 The  same  pope  also  wrote  to  King  Edwin's  consort,  Ethel- 
 berga, to  this  effect : — 
 
 THE  COPY  OF  THE  LETTER  OF  THE  MOST  BLESSED  AND  APOS- 
 TOIJC  BONIFACE,  POPE  OF  THE  CITY  OF  ROME,  TO  ETHEL- 
 BERGA, KING  EDVTIN's  queen. 
 
 "  To  the  illustrious  lady  his  daughter,  Queen  Ethelberga, 
 Boniface,  bishop,  servant  of  the  servants  of  God:  The 
 goodiiess  of  our  Redeemer  has  with  much  providence 
 offered  the  means  of  salvation  to  the  human  race,  which  he 
 rescued,  by  the  shedding  of  liis  precious  blood,  from  the 
 bonds  of  captivity  to  the  Devil  ;  so  that  making  his  name 
 known  in  divers  ways  to  the  Gentiles,  they  might  acknow- 
 ledge their  Creator  by  embracing  the  mystery  of  the  Chris- 
 tian faith,  which  thing,  the  mystical  purification  of  your 
 regeneration  plainly  shows  to  have  been  bestowed  upon  the 
 
A.b.  625.:  LETTER  OF  BONIFACE  TO  ETHELBEEGA.  89 
 
 mind  of  your  highness  by  God's  bounty.  Our  mind,  there- 
 fore, has  been  much  rejoiced  in  the  benefit  of  our  Lord's 
 goodness,  for  that  he  has  vouchsafed,  in  your  conversion,  to 
 kindle  a  spark  of  the  orthodox  religion,  by  which  he  might 
 the  more  easily  inflame  in  his  love  the  understanding,  not 
 only  of  your  glorious  consort,  but  also  of  all  the  nation  that 
 is  subject  to  you. 
 
 "  For  we  have  been  informed  by  those,  who  came  to 
 acquaint  us  with  the  laudable  conversion  of  our  illustrious 
 son,  King  Eadbald,  that  your  highness,  also,  having  received 
 the  wonderful  sacrament  of  the  Christian  faith,  continually 
 excels  in  the  performance  of  works  pious  and  acceptable  to 
 God.  That  you  likewise  carefully  refrain  from  the  worship 
 of  idols,  and  the  deceits  of  temples  and  auguries,  and  having 
 changed  your  devotion,  are  so  wholly  taken  up  with  the  love 
 of  your  Redeemer,  as  never  to  cease  lending  your  assistance 
 for  the  propagation  of  the  Christian  faith.  And  our  fatherly 
 charity  having  earnestly  inquired  concerning  your  illustrious 
 husband,  we  were  given  to  understand,  that  he  still  served 
 abominable  idols,  and  would  not  yield  obedience  or  give  ear 
 to  the  voice  of  the  preachers.  This  occasioned  us  no  small 
 grief,  for  that  part  of  your  body  still  remained  a  stranger  to 
 the  knowledge  of  the  supreme  and  undivided  Trinity. 
 Whereupon  we,  in  our  fatherly  care,  did  not  delay  to  ad- 
 monish your  Christian  highness,  exhorting  you,  that,  with 
 ^he  help  of  the  Divine  inspiration,  you  will  not  defer  to  do 
 that  which,  both  in  season  and  out  of  season,  is  required  of 
 us  ;  that  with  the  co-operating  power  of  our  Lord  and 
 Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  your  husband  also  may  be  added  to 
 the  number  of  Christians  ;  to  the  end  that  you  may 
 thereby  enjoy  the  rights  of  marriage  in  the  bond  of  a  holy 
 and  unblemished  union.  For  it  is  written,  '  They  two  shall 
 be  in  one  flesh.'  How  can  it  be  said,  that  there  is  unity 
 between  you,  if  he  continues  a  stranger  to  the  brightness 
 of  your  faith,  by  the  interposition  of  dark  and  detestable 
 error  ? 
 
 "  Wherefore,  applying  yourself  continually  to  prayer,  do  not 
 cease  to  beg  of  the  Divine  Mercy  the  benefit  of  his  illumina- 
 tion ;  to  the  end,  that  those  whom  the  union  of  carnal  affec- 
 tion has  made  in  a  manner  but  one  body,  may,  after  death, 
 continue  in  perpetual  union,  by  the  bond  of  faith.     Persist, 
 
90  BEDE'S   ecclesiastical   history.  Lb.  ti.  c.  12. 
 
 therefore,  illustrious  daughter,  and  to  the  utmost  of  your 
 power  endeavour  to  soften  the  hardness  of  his  heart  by  in- 
 sinuating the  Divine  precepts  ;  making  liim  sensible  how 
 noble  the  mystery  is  which  you  have  received  by  believing, 
 and  how  wonderful  is  the  reward  wliich,  by  the  new  birth, 
 you  have  merited  to  obtain.  Inflame  the  coldness  of  liis 
 heart  by  the  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  by  the 
 abolition  of  the  cold  and  pernicious  worship  of  paganism,  the 
 heat  of  Divine  faith  may  enlighten  his  understanding  through 
 your  frequent  exhortations  ;  that  the  testimony  of  the  holy 
 Scripture  may  appear  the  more  conspicuous,  fulfilled  by  you, 
 '  The  unbeheving  husband  shall  be  saved  by  the  believing 
 wife.'  For  to  this  effect  you  have  obtained  the  mercy  of  our 
 Lord's  goodness,  that  you  may  return  with  increase  the  fruit 
 ol  faith,  and  the  benefits  entrusted  in  your  hands  ;  for 
 through  the  assistance  of  His  mercy  we  do  not  cease  with 
 frequent  prayers  to  beg  that  you  may  be  able  to  perform  the 
 same. 
 
 "  Having  premised  thus  much,  in  pursuance  of  the  duty 
 of  our  fatherly  affection,  we  exhort  you,  that  when  the 
 opportunity  of  a  bearer  shall  offer,  you  will  as  soon  as  possible 
 acquaint  us  with  the  success  which  the  Divine  Power  shall 
 grant  by  your  means  in  the  conversion  of  your  consort,  and 
 of  the  nation  subject  to  you  ;  to  the  end,  that  our  solicitude, 
 which  earnestly  expects  what  appertains  to  the  salvation  of 
 you  and  yours,  may,  by  hearing  from  you,  be  set  at  rest  ;  and 
 that  we,  discerning  more  fully  the  brightness  of  the  Divine 
 propitiation  diffused  in  you,  may  with  a  joyful  confession 
 abundantly  return  due  thanks  to  God,  the  Giver  of  all  good 
 things,  and  to  St.  Peter,  the  prince  of  apostles.  We  have, 
 moreover,  sent  you  the  blessing  of  your  protector,  St.  Peter, 
 the  prince  of  the  apostles,  that  is,  a  silver  looking-glass,  and 
 a  gilt  ivory  comb,  which  we  entreat  your  glory  will  receive 
 with  the  same  kind  affection  as  it  is  known  to  be  sent  by  us." 
 
 CHAP.  xn. 
 
 King  Edwin  is  persuaded  to  believe  by  a  vision  which  he  had  seen  when 
 he  was  in  exile,     [before  a.d.  625.] 
 
 Thus  the  aforesaid  Pope  Boniface  wrote  for  the  salvation  of 
 King  Edwin  and  his  nation.     But  a  heavenly  vision,  which 
 
A.D.  626.]  VISION   OF    KING   EDWIN.  91 
 
 the  Divine  Mercy  was  pleased  once  to  reveal  to  this  king, 
 when  he  was  in  banishment  at  the  court  of  Eedwald,  king  of 
 the  Angles,*  was  of  no  little  use  in  urging  him  to  embrace 
 and  understand  the  doctrines  of  salvation.  Paulinus,  there- 
 fore, perceiving  that  it  was  a  very  difficult  task  to  incline  the 
 king's  lofty  mind  to  the  humility  of  the  way  of  salvation, 
 and  to  embrace  the  mystery  of  the  cross  of  Hfe,  and  at  the 
 same  time  using  both  exhortation  with  men,  and  prayer  to 
 God,  for  his  and  his  subjects'  salvation  ;  at  length,  as  we  may 
 suppose,  it  was  shown  him  in  spirit  what  was  the  vision  that 
 had  been  formerly  revealed  to  the  king.  Nor  did  he  lose 
 any  time,  but  immediately  admonished  the  king  to  perform 
 the  vow  which  he  made,  when  he  received  the  oracle,  pro- 
 mising to  put  the  same  in  execution,  if  he  was  delivered 
 from  the  trouble  he  was  at  that  time  under,  and  should  be 
 advanced  to  the  throne. 
 
 The  vision  was  this.  When  Ethelfrid,  his  predecessor, 
 was  persecuting  him,  he  for  many  years  wandered  in  a  pri- 
 vate manner  through  several  places  and  kingdoms,  and  at 
 last  came  to  Eedwald,  beseeching  him  to  give  him  protection 
 against  the  snares  of  his  powerful  persecutor.  Redwald 
 willingly  admitted  him,  and  promised  to  perform  what  he 
 requested.  But  when  Ethehldd  understood  that  he  had 
 appeared  in  that  province,  and  that  he  and  his  companions 
 were  hospitably  entertained  by  Redwald,  he  sent  messengers 
 to  offer  that  king  a  great  sum  of  money  to  murder  him,  but 
 without  effect.  He  sent  a  second  and  a  third  time,  bidding 
 more  and  more  each  time,  and  threatening  to  make  war  on 
 him  if  he  refused.  Redwald,  either  terrified  by  his  threats, 
 or  gained  by  his  gifts,  complied  with  his  request,  and  promised 
 either  to  kill  Edwin,  or  to  deliver  him  up  to  the  ambassadors. 
 This  being  observed  by  a  trusty  friend  of  his,  he  went  into 
 his  chamber,  where  he  was  going  to  bed,  for  it  was  the 
 first  hour  of  the  night ;  and  calling  him  out,  discovered  what 
 the  king  had  promised  to  do  with  him,  adding,  "  If,  there- 
 fore, you  think  fit,  I  will  this  very  hour  conduct  you  out  of 
 this  province,  and  lead  you  to  a  place  where  neither  Redwald 
 
 *  Redwald,  was  king  of  East  Anglia,  which  included  Norfolk,  Suffolk, 
 Cambridge,  and  part  of  Bedfordshii-e.  He  was  the  fourth  Bretwaida,  and 
 reigned  a.d.  617 — 633. 
 
92  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [b.ii.c.  12. 
 
 nor  Ethelfrid  shall  ever  find  you."  He  answered,  "  I  thank 
 you  for  your  good  will,  yet  I  cannot  do  what  you  propose, 
 or  be  guilty  of  breaking  the  compact  I  have  made  with  so 
 great  a  king,  when  he  has  done  me  no  harm,  nor  oifered  me 
 any  injury  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  if  I  must  die,  let  it  rather 
 be  by  liis  hand  than  by  that  of  any  meaner  person.  For 
 whither  shall  I  now  fly,  when  I  have  for  so  many  years 
 been  a  vagabond  tln-ough  all  the  provinces  of  Britain,  to 
 escape  the  hands  of  my  enemies  ?"  His  friend  being  gone, 
 Edwin  remained  alone  ^vithout,  and  sitting  with  a  heavy 
 heart  before  the  palace,  began  to  be  overwhelmed  with  many 
 thoughts,  not  knowing  what  to  do,  or  which  way  to  turn 
 himself. 
 
 When  he  had  remained  a  long  time  in  silence,  brooding 
 over  his  misfortunes  in  anguish  of  mind,  he,  on  a  sudden,  in 
 the  dead  of  night,  saw  approaching  a  person,  whose  face  and 
 habit  were  equally  strange,  at  which  unexpected  sight  he 
 was  not  a  little  frightened.  The  stranger  coming  close  up, 
 saluted  him,  and  asked  him,  "  Why  he  sat  there  alone  and 
 melancholy  on  a  stone  at  that  time,  when  all  others  were 
 taking  their  rest,  and  were  fast  asleep  ?"  Edwin,  in  his  turn, 
 asked,  "What  it  was  to  him,  whether  he  spent  the  night 
 witliin  doors  or  abroad  ?"  The  stranger,  in  reply,  said, 
 "  Do  not  think  that  I  am  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  your  grief, 
 your  watching,  aud  sitting  alone  without.  For  I  know  who 
 you  are,  and  why  you  grieve,  and  the  evils  which  you  fear 
 will  fall  upon  you.  But  tell  me,  what  reward  you  will  give 
 the  man  that  shall  deliver  you  out  of  this  anguish,  and  per- 
 suade Redwald  neither  to  do  you  any  harm  himself,  nor  to 
 deliver  you  up  to  be  murdered  by  your  enemies."  Edwin 
 replied,  "  That  he  would  give  that  person  all  that  he  was 
 able  for  so  singular  a  favour."  The  other  further  added, 
 "  What  if  I  also  assure  you,  that  you  shall  overcome  your 
 enemies,  and  surpass  in  power,  not  only  all  your  own  pro- 
 genitors, but  even  all  that  have  reigned  before  you  over  the 
 English  nation  ?"  Edwin,  encouraged  by  these  questions,  did 
 not  hesitate  to  promise  that  he  would  make  a  suitable  return 
 to  him  who  should  so  highly  oblige  him.  Then  said  the 
 other,  "But  if  he  who  foretells  so  much  good  as  is  to  befall  you, 
 can  also  give  you  better  advice  for  your  life  and  salvation 
 than  any  of  your  progenitors  or  kindred  ever  heard  of,  do 
 
A.D.  626.]  VISIOX    OF    KIKG   EDWIN.  93 
 
 you  consent  to  submit  to  him,  and  to  follow  his  wholesome 
 counsel  ?"  Edwin  did  not  hesitate  to  promise  that  he  would 
 in  all  things  follow  the  directions  of  that  man  who  should 
 deliver  him  from  so  many  calamities,  and  raise  him  to  a 
 throne. 
 
 Having  received  this  answer,  the  person  that  talked  to  him 
 laid  his  hand  on  his  head  saying,  "  When  this  sign  sliall  be 
 given  you,  remember  this  present  discourse  that  has  passed 
 between  us,  and  do  not  delay  the  performance  of  what  you 
 now  promise."  Having  uttered  these  words,  he  is  said  to 
 have  immediately  vanished,  that  the  king  might  understand 
 it  was  not  a  man,  but  a  spirit,  that  had  appeared  to  him. 
 
 Whilst  the  royal  youth  still  sat  there  alone,  glad  of  the 
 comfort  he  had  received,  but  seriously  considering  who  he 
 was,  or  whence  he  came,  that  had  so  talked  to  him,  his  above- 
 mentioned  friend  came  to  him,  and  saluting  him  with  a 
 pleasant  countenance,  "  Rise,"  said  he,  "  go  in  and  compose 
 yourself  to  sleep  without  fear  ;  for  the  king's  resolution  is 
 altered,  and  he  designs  to  do  you  no  harm,  but  rather  to  per- 
 form the  promise  which  he  made  you  ;  for  when  he  had 
 23rivately  acquainted  the  queen  with  his  intention  of  doing 
 what  I  told  you  before,  she  dissuaded  him  from  it,  declaring 
 it  was  unworthy  of  so  great  a  king  to  sell  his  good  friend  in 
 such  distress  for  gold,  and  to  sacrifice  his  honour,  which  is 
 more  valuable  than  all  other  ornaments,  for  the  lucre  of 
 money."  In  short,  the  king  did  as  he  was  advised,  and  not 
 only  refused  to  deliver  up  the  banished  man  to  his  enemy's 
 messengers,  but  assisted  him  to  recover  his  kingdom.  For 
 as  soon  as  the  ambassadors  were  returned  home,  he  raised  a 
 mighty  army  to  make  war  on  Ethelfrid  ;  who,  meeting  him 
 with  much  inferior  forces,  (for  Redwald  had  not  given  him 
 time  to  gather  all  his  power,)  was  slain  on  the  borders  of  the 
 kingdom  of  Mercia,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  that  is  called 
 Idle.*  In  this  battle,  Redwald's  son,  called  Regnhere,  was 
 killed  ;  and  thus  Edwin,  pursuant  to  the  oracle  he  had  re- 
 ceived, not  only  escaped  the  danger  from  the  king  his  enemy, 
 but,  by  his  death,  succeeded  him  in  the  throne. 
 
 King  Edwin,  therefore,  delaying  to  receive  the  word  of 
 God  at  the  preaching  of  Paulinus,  and  using  for  some  time, 
 
 *  Near  Retford  in  the  southena  part  of  Nottinghamshire. 
 
94  BEDe's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [b.  u.  c.l3. 
 
 as  has  been  said,  to  sit  several  hours  alone,  and  seriously  to 
 ponder  with  himself  what  he  was  to  do,  and  what  religion  he 
 was  to  follow,  the  man  of  God  came  to  him,  laid  his  right 
 hand  on  his  head,  and  asked,  "  Whether  he  knew  that  sign  ?" 
 The  king  in  a  trembling  condition,  was  ready  to  fall  down  at 
 his  feet,  but  he  raised  him  up,  and  in  a  familiar  manner  said 
 to  him,  "  Behold,  by  the  help  of  G-od  you  have  escaped  the 
 hands  of  the  enemies  whom  you  feared.  Behold  you  have  of 
 his  gift  obtained  the  kingdom  which  you  desired.  Take 
 heed  not  to  delay  that  which  you  promised  to  perform  ;  em- 
 brace the  faith,  and  keep  the  precepts  of  Him  who,  dehvering 
 you  from  temporal  adversity,  has  raised  you  to  the  honour  of 
 a  temporal  kingdom  ;  and  if,  from  this  time  forward,  you  shall 
 be  obedient  to  his  will,  which  through  me  he  signifies  to  you, 
 he  will  not  only  deliver  you  from  the  everlasting  torments  of 
 the  wicked,  but  also  make  you  partaker  with  him  of  his 
 eternal  kingdom  in  heaven." 
 
 CHAP.  xni. 
 
 0/  the  Council  he  held  with  his  chief  men  about  embracing  the  faith  of 
 Christ,  and  how  the  high  priest  profaned  his  own  altars,     [a.d.  627.] 
 
 The  king,  hearing  these  words,  answered,  that  he  was  both 
 willing  and  bound  to  receive  the  faith  which  he  taught ;  but 
 that  he  would  confer  about  it  with  his  principal  friends  and 
 counsellors,  to  the  end  that  if  they  also  were  of  his  opinion, 
 they  might  all  together  be  cleansed  in  Chi'ist  the  Fountain  of 
 Life.  Paulinus  consenting,  the  king  did  as  he  said  ;  for, 
 holding  a  council  with  the  wise  men,  he  asked  of  every  one 
 in  particular  what  he  thought  of  the  new  doctrine,  and  the 
 new  worship  that  was  preached  ?  To  which  the  cliief  of  liis 
 own  priests,  Coifi,  immediately  answered,  "  0  king,  consider 
 what  this  is  which  is  now  preached  to  us  ;  for  I  verily  de- 
 clare to  you,  that  the  religion  which  we  have  hitherto  pro- 
 fessed has,  as  far  as  I  can  learn,  no  virtue  in  it.  For  none 
 of  your  people  has  applied  himself  more  diligently  to  the 
 worship  of  our  gods  than  I  ;  and  yet  there  are  many  who 
 receive  greater  favours  from  you,  and  are  more  preferred 
 than  I,  and  are  more  prosperous  in  all  their  undertakings. 
 Now  if  the  gods  were  good  for  any  thing,  they  would  rather 
 forward  me,  who  have  been  more  careful  to  serve  them.     It 
 
A.r.  627.]  COUNCIL   OF   ED^YTN's   NOBLES.  95 
 
 remains,  tlierefore,  that  if  upon  examination  you  find  tliose 
 new  doctrines,  which  are  now  preached  to  us,  better  and 
 more  efficacious,  we  immediately  receive  them  without  any 
 delay." 
 
 -Ajiother  of  the  king's  chief  men,  approving  of  his  words 
 and  exhortations,  presently  added  :  "  The  present  life  of  man, 
 O  king,  seems  to  me,  in  comparison  of  that  time  which  is 
 unknown  to  us,  like  to  the  swift  flight  of  a  sparrow  through 
 the  room  wherein  you  sit  at  supper  in  mnter,  with  your 
 commanders  and  ministers,  and  a  good  fire  in  the  midst, 
 whilst  the  storms  of  rain  and  snow  prevail  abroad  ;  the  spar- 
 row, I  say,  flying  in  at  one  door,  and  immediately  out  at 
 another,  whilst  he  is  within,  is  safe  from  the  wintry  storm  ; 
 but  after  a  short  space  of  fair  weather,  he  immediately 
 vanishes  out  of  your  sight,  into  the  dark  winter  from  which 
 he  had  emerged.  So  this  life  of  man  appears  for  a  short 
 space,  but  of  what  went  before,  or  what  is  to  follow,  we  are 
 utterly  ignorant.  If,  therefore,  this  new  doctrine  contains 
 sometliing  more  certain,  it  seems  justly  to  deserve  to  be  fol- 
 lowed." The  other  elders  and  king's  counsellors,  by  Divine 
 inspiration,  spoke  to  the  same  effect. 
 
 But  Coifi  added,  that  he  wished  more  attentively  to  hear 
 Paulinus  discourse  concerning  the  God  whom  he  preached  ; 
 wliich  he  having  by  the  king's  command  performed,  Coifi, 
 hearing  his  words,  cried  out,  "I  have  long  since  been  sensible 
 that  there  was  nothing  in  that  which  we  worshipped  ;  because 
 the  more  diligently  I  sought  after  truth  in  that  worship,  the 
 less  I  found  it.  But  now  I  freely  confess,  that  such  truth 
 evidently  appears  in  this  preaching  as  can  confer  on  us  the 
 gifts  of  life,  of  salvation,  and  of  eternal  happiness.  For 
 which  reason  I  advise,  O  king,  that  we  instantly  abjure  and 
 set  fire  to  those  temples  and  altars  wliich  we  have  conse- 
 crated without  reaping  any  benefit  from  them."  In  short, 
 the  king  publicly  gave  his  licence  to  Paulinus  to  preach  the 
 Gospel,  and  renouncing  idolatry,  declared  that  he  received 
 the  faith  of  Christ :  and  when  he  inquired  of  the  high  priest 
 who  should  first  profane  the  altars  and  temples  of  their  idols, 
 with  the  enclosures  that  were  about  them,  he  answered,  "  I ; 
 for  who  can  more  properly  than  myself  destroy  those  things 
 which  I  worshipped  through  ignorance,  for  an  example  to  all 
 Others,  through  the  wisdom  which  has  been  given  me  by  the 
 
96  BEDE's   ecclesiastical    history.  [B.1I.G.U. 
 
 true  God  ?"  Then  immediately,  in  contempt  of  his  former 
 superstitions,  he  desired  the  king  to  furnish  him  with  arms 
 and  a  stallion ;  and  mounting  the  same,  he  set  out  to  destroy 
 the  idols  ;  for  it  was  not  lawful  before  for  the  high  priest 
 either  to  carry  arms,  or  to  ride  on  any  but  a  mare.  Having, 
 therefore,  girt  a  sword  about  him,  with  a  spear  in  his  hand, 
 he  mounted  the  king's  stallion  and  proceeded  to  the  idols^ 
 The  multitude,  beholding  it,  concluded  he  was  distracted  ;  but 
 he  lost  no  time,  for  as  soon  as  he  di'ew  near  the  temple  he 
 profaned  the  same,  casting  into  it  the  spear  which  he  held  ; 
 and  rejoicing  in  the  knowledge  of  the  worship  of  the  true 
 God,  he  commanded  his  companions  to  destroy  the  temple, 
 with  all  its  enclosures,  by  fire.  This  place  where  the  idols 
 were  is  still  shown,  not  far  from  York,  to  the  eastward,  be- 
 yond the  river  Derwent,  and  is  now  called  Godmundingham,* 
 where  the  high  priest,  by  the  inspiration  of  the  true  God, 
 profaned  and  destroyed  the  altars  which  he  had  himself  con- 
 secrated. 
 
 CHAP.  XIV. 
 
 King  Edwin  and  his  nation  become  Christians  ;  Paulinus  baptizes  them, 
 [a.d.  627.] 
 
 King  Edwin,  therefore,  with  all  the  nobility  of  the  nation, 
 and  a  large  number  of  the  common  sort,  received  the  faith, 
 and  the  washing  of  regeneration,  in  the  eleventh  year  of  his 
 reign,  which  is  the  year  of  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  627, 
 and  about  one  huncked  and  eighty  after  the  coming  of  the 
 English  into  Britain.  He  was  baptized  at  York,  on  the  holy 
 day  of  Easter,  being  the  12th  of  April,  in  the  church  of  St. 
 Peter  the  Apostle,  which  he  himself  had  built  of  timber, 
 whilst  he  was  catechising  and  instructing  in  order  to  receive 
 baptism.  In  that  city  also  he  appointed  the  see  of  the 
 bishopric  of  his  instructor  and  bishop,  Paulinus.  But  as 
 soon  as  he  was  baptized,  he  took  care,  by  the  direction  of  the 
 same  Paulinus,  to  build  in  the  same  place  a  larger  and  nobler 
 church  of  stone,  in  the  midst  whereof  that  same  oratory  which 
 
 *  Or,  "The  home  of  the  protection  of  tlie  gods."  Its  modem  name  is 
 Goodmanham,  in  Hartliill  wapentake,  East  Riding  of  York.  Stukeley 
 says,  "  The  Apostle  Paulinus  built  the  parish  church  of  Godmundham, 
 where  is  the  font  in  which  he  baptized  the  heathen  priest  Coifi." 
 
A  D.  027]  KING    ED^'TSi'S    FAMILY    BAPTIZED.  97 
 
 he  had  first  erected  should  be  enclosed.*  Having,  therefore, 
 kiid  the  foundation,  he  began  to  build  the  church  square,  en- 
 compassing the  former  oratory.  But  before  the  whole  was 
 raised  to  the  proper  height,  the  wicked  assassination  of  tjie 
 king  left  that  work  to  be  finished  by  Oswald  his  successor. 
 PauHnus,  for  the  space  of  six  years  from  that  time,  that  is, 
 till  the  end  of  the  reign  of  that  king,  by  his  consent  and 
 favour,  preached  the  word  of  G  od  in  that  country,  and  all 
 that  wej'e  preordained  to  eternal  life  believed  and  were  bap- 
 tized. Among  whom  were  Osfrid  and  Eadfrid,  King  Edwin's 
 sons,  who  were  both  born  to  him,  whilst  he  was  in  banishment, 
 of  Quenberga,  the  daughter  of  Cearl,  king  of  the  Mercians. 
 
 Afterwards  other  children  of  liis  by  Queen  Ethelberga 
 were  baptized,  viz.  Ethelhun  and  his  daughter  Etheldiith, 
 and  another,  Wuscfrea,  a  son  ;  the  first  two  of  which  were 
 snatched  out  of  this  life  whilst  they  were  still  in  their  white 
 garments,  and  buried  in  the  church  at  York.  Iffi,  the  son  of 
 Osfrid,  was  also  baptized,  and  many  more  noble  and  illustri- 
 ous persons.  So  great  was  then  the  fervour  of  the  faith,  as 
 is  reported,  and  the  desire  of  the  washing  of  salvation  among 
 the  nation  of  the  Northumbrians,  that  Paulinus  at  a  certain 
 time  coming  with  the  king  and  queen  to  the  royal  country- 
 seat,  wliich  is  called  Adgefrin,"]"  stayed  there  with  them  thirty- 
 six  days,  fully  occupied  in  catechising  and  baptizing ;  during 
 which  days,  from  morning  till  night,  he  did  nothing  else  but 
 instruct  the  people  resorting  from  all  villages  and  places,  in 
 Christ's  saving  word  ;  and  when  instructed,  he  washed  them 
 with  the  water  of  absolution  in  the  river  Grlen,J  wliich  is 
 close  by.  This  town,  under  the  following  kings,  was  aban- 
 doned, and  another  was  built  instead  of  it,  at  the  place  called 
 Mehnin.§ 
 
 *  Parts  of  this  fabric  were  discovered  beneath  the  choir  of  the  present 
 Cathedral  during  tlie  repairs  rendered  necessary  by  the  mad  act  of  the  in- 
 cendiary Jonathan  Martin.  In  the  first  number  of  Bro^vn's  History  of  the 
 Edifice  of  the  Metropolitan  Church  of  St.  Peter,  York,  in  plate  III.  is 
 given  a  plan  of  Paulinus'  second  edifice  ;  where  the  probable  position  of 
 the  wooden  baptistery,  enclosing  a  spring  still  remaining,  is  pointed  out,  and, 
 though  obscured  by  several  successive  subsequent  erections,  this  discovery 
 is  very  valuable  to  the  ecclesiastical  antiquary. — Rev.  A.  Poolers  Lectures 
 on  Churches. 
 
 t  Yeverin  in  Glendale,  near  Wooler  in  Northumberland, 
 
 X  The  River  Bowent.  §  MilHeld. 
 
 H 
 
98  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  n.  c.  15. 
 
 These  things  happened  in  the  province  of  the  Bernicians  ; 
 but  in  that  of  the  Deiri  also,  where  he  was  wont  often  to  be 
 with  the  king,  he  baptized  in  the  river  Swale,  which  runs  by 
 the  village  of  Cataract  ;*  for  as  yet  oratories,  or  fonts,  could 
 not  be  made  in  the  early  infancy  of  the  church  in  those  parts. 
 But  he  built  a  church  in  Campodonum,t  which  afterwards 
 the  pagans,  by  whom  King  Edwin  was  slain,  burnt,  together 
 with  all  the  town.  In  the  place  of  which  the  later  kings 
 built  themselves  a  country-seat  in  the  country  called  Loidis.J 
 But  the  altar,  being  of  stone,  escaped  the  fire  and  is  still  pre- 
 served in  the  monastery  of  the  most  reverend  abbat  and 
 priest,  Thridwulf,  which  is  in  Elmete  wood.§ 
 
 CHAP.  XV. 
 
 The  province  of  the  East  Angles  receives  the  faith  of  Christ,  [a.  d.  627.] 
 
 Edavin  was  so  zealous  for  the  worship  of  truth,  that  he 
 likewise  persuaded  Eorpwald,  king  of  the  East  Saxons,  and 
 son  of  Redwald,  to  abandon  his  idolatrous  superstitions,  and 
 with  his  whole  province  to  receive  the  faith  and  sacraments 
 of  Christ.  And  indeed  his  father  Redwald  had  long  before 
 been  admitted  to  the  sacrament  of  the  Christian  faith  in 
 Kent,  but  in  vain  ;  for  on  his  return  home,  he  was  seduced 
 by  his  wife  and  certain  perverse  teachers,  and  turned  back 
 from  the  sincerity  of  the  faith ;  and  thus  his  latter  state  was 
 worse  than  the  former  ;  so  that,  like  the  ancient  Samaritans, 
 he  seemed  at  the  same  time  to  serve  Christ  and  the  gods 
 whom  he  had  served  before  ;  and  in  the  same  temple  he  had 
 an  altar  to  sacrifice  to  Christ,  and  another  small  one  to  offer 
 victims  to  devils  ;  which  temple,  Aldwulf,  king  of  that  same 
 province,  who  lived  in  our  time,  testifies  had  stood  until  his 
 time,  and  that  he  had  seen  it  when  he  was  a  boy.     The 
 
 *  Or  Catterick,  in  Gilling-East  wapentake,  North  Riding  of  York.  This 
 is  a  place  of  great  antiquity,  having  been  the  site  of  a  Roman  station  called 
 Cataran/oniinn^  where  the  Ermin  Street  branches  off  in  two  directions. 
 
 f  Eitlier  Doncaster,  or  Castle-hill  near  Almondbury.  (Archieol.  i.  p. 
 224 — 6.)  In  the  Saxon  paraphrase  it  is  called  Donafelda,  which  Dr.  Gale 
 thinks  to  be  Tanfield,  near  Ripon.  +  Leeds. 
 
 §  Probably  Barwick-in-Elmctt,  in  SkjTack  wapentake,  West  Riding  of 
 York.  Here  was  anciently  a  castle  of  considerable  extent  and  importance, 
 supposed  to  have  been  the  residence  of  some  of  the  Northumbrian  monaxchs. 
 
A.D.  628.1  THE    EAST   ANGLES    CONVERTED.  99 
 
 aforesaid  King  Redwald  was  noble  bj  birth,  tbougli  ignoble 
 in  his  actions,  being  the  son  of  Tytilus,  whose  father  was 
 Uuffa,  from  whom  the  kings  of  the  East  Angles  are  called 
 Uuffings.* 
 
 Eorpwald  was,  not  long  after  he  had  embraced  the 
 Christian  faith,  slain  bj  one  Richbert,  a  pagan  ;  and  from 
 that  time  the  province  was  under  error  for  three  years,  till 
 the  crown  came  into  the  possession  of  Sigebert,  brother  to 
 the  same  Eorpwald,  a  most  Christian  and  learned  man,  who 
 was  banished,  and  went  to  live  in  France  during  his 
 brother's  life,  and  was  there  admitted  to  the  sacraments  of 
 the  faith,  whereof  he  made  it  his  business  to  cause  all  his 
 province  to  partake  as  soon  as  he  came  to  the  throne.  His 
 exertions  were  much  promoted  by  the  Bishop  Felix,  who, 
 coming  to  Honorius,  the  archbishop,  from  Burgundy,  where 
 he  had  been  born  and  ordained,  and  having  told  him  what 
 he  desired,  he  sent  him  to  preach  the  word  of  life  to  the 
 aforesaid  nation  of  the  Angles.  Nor  were  his  good  wishes 
 in  vain  ;  for  the  pious  husbandman  reaped  therein  a  large 
 harvest  of  believers,  delivering  all  that  province  (according 
 to  the  signification  of  his  name,  Felix)  from  long  iniquity 
 and  infelicity,  and  bringing  it  to  the  faith  and  works  of 
 righteousness,  and  the  gifts  of  everlasting  happiness.  He 
 had  the  see  of  his  bishopric  appointed  him  in  the  city 
 Dommoc,!  and  having  presided  over  the  same  province  with 
 pontifical  authority  seventeen  years,  he  ended  his  days  there 
 in  peace. 
 
 CHAP.  XVI. 
 
 How  Paulinus  preached  in  the  province  of  Lindsey  ;  and  of  the  reign  of 
 Edwin,  [a.d.  628.] 
 
 Paulinus    also    preached    the   word   to   the    province    of 
 Lindsey, J  which  is  the  first  on  the  south  side  of  the  river 
 
 *  As  the  kings  of  Kent  were  kno-\vn  as  ^scingas,  so  were  the  sovereigns 
 of  East  Anglia  distinguished  by  the  patronymic  of  Uffingas,  or  sons  of 
 Uffa.  But  their  annals  have  been  almost  wholly  lost ;  and  the  history  of 
 East  Anglia  is  nearly  a  blank  in  the  Ciironicles  of  England. — Falgrave. 
 
 f  Afterwards  Dumvich,  but  now  no  longer  in  existence,  having  been 
 overwhelmed  by  the  sea.  The  name  of  this  bishop  appears  to  be  still 
 preserved  by  the  village  of  Felixstow,  "  the  dwelling  of  Felix,"  on  the 
 Suffolk  coast. 
 
 X  Lindsey  is  by  Camden  computed  to  be  the  third  part  of  Lincolnshire, 
 and  appears  to  have  been  a  subordinate  state  dependent,  upon  Mercia. 
 
 H   2 
 
100  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  ii.  c.  16. 
 
 Humber,  stretching  out  as  far  as  the  sea ;  and  he  first 
 converted  the  governor  of  the  city  of  Lincoln,  whose  name 
 was  Blecca,  with  his  wliole  family.  He  likewise  built,  in 
 that  city,  a  stone  church  of  beautiful  workmanship ;  the  roof 
 of  which  having  cither  fallen  through  age,  or  been  thrown 
 down  by  enemies,  the  walls  are  still  to  be  seen  standing 
 and  every  year  some  miraculous  cures  are  wrought  in 
 that  place,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  faith  to  seek 
 the  same.  In  that  church,  Justus  having  departed  to  Clirist, 
 Paulinus  consecrated  Honorius  bishop  in  liis  stead,  as  will 
 be  hereafter  mentioned  in  its  proper  place.  A  certain  abbat 
 and  priest  of  the  monastery  of  Peartaneu,*  a  man  of 
 singular  veracity,  whose  name  was  Deda,  in  relation  to  the 
 faith  of  this  province  told  me  that  one  of  the  oldest  persons 
 had  informed  him,  that  he  himself  had  been  baptized  at 
 noon-day,  by  the  Bishop  Paulinus,  in  the  presence  of  King 
 Edmn,  with  a  great  number  of  the  people,  in  the  river 
 Trent,  near  the  city,  which  in  the  EngUsli  tongue  is  called 
 Tiovulfingacestir  ;  f  and  he  was  also  wont  to  describe  the 
 person  of  the  same  Paulinus,  that  he  was  tall  of  stature,  a  little 
 stooping,  his  hair  black,  his  visage  meagre,  his  nose  slender 
 and  aquiline,  his  aspect  both  venerable  and  majestic.  He 
 had  also  with  him  in  the  ministry,  James,  the  deacon,  a  man 
 of  zeal  and  great  fame  in  Christ's  church,  who  lived  even  to 
 our  days. 
 
 It  is  reported  that  there  was  then  such  perfect  peace  in 
 Britain,  wheresoever  the  dominion  of  King  Edwin  extended, 
 that,  as  is  still  proverbially  said,  a  woman  with  her  new- 
 born babe  might  walk  throughout  the  island,  from  sea  to  sea, 
 without  receiving  any  harm.  That  king  took  such  care  for 
 the  good  of  his  nation,  that  in  several  places  where  he  had 
 seen  clear  springs  near  the  highways,  he  caused  stakes  to  be 
 fixed,  with  brass  dishes  hanging  at  them,  for  the  conveniency 
 of  travellers  ;  nor  durst  any  man  touch  them  for  any  other 
 purpose  than  that  for  which  they  were  designed,  either 
 through  the  dread  they  had  of  the  king,  or  for  the  afi'ectio.'j 
 which  they  boie  him.  His  dignity  was  so  great  thi'oughout 
 his  dominions,  that  his  banners  were  not  only  borne  before 
 
 •  Or  Parteney,  a  cell  to  Bardney  Abbey.  Deda  was  the  first  abbat. 
 t  Southwell,  Nottinghamshire. 
 
A.D.  634.]  LETTER   OF   HONORICS   TO    EDTNTN.  101 
 
 him  in  battle,  but  even  in  time  of  peace,  when  he  rode  about 
 his  cities,  towns,  or  provinces,  with  his  officers,  the  standard- 
 bearer  was  wont  to  go  before  him.  Also,  when  he  walked 
 along  the  streets,  that  sort  of  banner  which  the  Romans  call 
 Tufa,*  and  the  English,  Tuuf,  was  in  like  manner  borne 
 before  him. 
 
 CHAP.  xvn. 
 
 Edwin  receives  letters  of  exhortation  from  Pope  Honorius,  who  also  sends 
 Paulinus  the  Pall.      [a.d.  634.] 
 
 At  that  time  Honorius,  successor  to  Boniface,  was  prelate  of 
 the  apostolic  see,  who,  when  he  understood  that  the  nation  of 
 the  Northumbrians,  with  their  king,  had  been,  by  the 
 preaching  of  Paulinus,  converted  to  the  faith  and  confession 
 of  Christ,  sent  the  pall  to  the  said  PauHnus,  and  with  it 
 letters  of  exhortation  to  King  Edwin,  exciting  him,  with 
 fatherly  charity,  that  his  people  should  persist  in  the  faith  of 
 truth,  which  they  had  received.  The  contents  of  which 
 letter  were  as  follow  :  — 
 
 "  To  his  most  noble  son,  and  excellent  lord,  Edwin  king  of 
 the  Angles,  Bishop  Honorius,  servant  of  the  servants  of  God, 
 greeting:  The  integrity  of  your  Christian  character,  in  the 
 worship  of  vour  Creator,  is  so  much  inflamed  with  the  fire 
 of  faith,  that  it  shines  out  far  and  near,  and,  being  reported 
 throughout  the  world,  brings  forth  plentiful  fruits  of  your 
 labours.  For  your  conduct  as  a  king  is  based  upon  the 
 knowledge  which  by  orthodox  preaching  you  have  obtained 
 of  your  God  and  Creator,  v/hereby  you  believe  and  worship 
 him,  and  as  far  as  man  is  able,  pay  him  the  sincere  devotion 
 of  your  mind.  For  what  else  are  we  able  to  offer  to  our 
 God,  but  in  endeavouring  to  worship,  and  to  pay  him  our 
 vows,  persisting  in  good  actions,  and  confessing  him  the 
 Creator  of  mankind  ?  And,  therefore,  most  excellent  son, 
 we  exhort  you  with  such  fatherly  charity  as  is  requisite,  that 
 you  with  careful  mind,  and  constant  prayers,  every  way 
 labour  to  preserve  this  gift,  that  the  Divine  Mercy  has 
 vouchsafed  to  call  you  to  his  grace  ;  to  the  end,  that  He, 
 who  has  been  pleased  to  deliver  you  from  all  errors,  and 
 bring   you  to  the  knowledge  of  his   name,  may  likewise 
 
 •  A  globe,  or  a  tuft  of  feathers  fixed  on  a  spear. 
 
102  BEDES   ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  [b.  ii.  c.lS. 
 
 prepare  you  mansions  in  the  heavenly  country.  Employing 
 yourselves,  therefore,  in  reading  the  works  of  my  Lord 
 Gregory,  your  preacher,  of  apostolical  memory,  represent 
 before  yourself  the  tenderness  of  his  doctrine,  which  he 
 zealously  employed  for  the  sake  of  your  souls  ;  that  his 
 prayers  may  increase  your  kingdom  and  people,  and  present 
 you  blameless  before  Almighty  God.  We  are  preparing  with 
 a  willing  mind  immediately  to  grant  those  things  Avhich  you 
 hoped  would  be  by  us  ordained  for  your  priests,  which  we 
 do  on  account  of  the  sincerity  of  your  faith,  wliich  has  been 
 often  made  known  to  us  in  terms  of  praise  by  the  bearers  of 
 these  presents.  We  have  sent  two  palls  to  the  two 
 i;netropohtans,  Honorius  and  Paulinus  ;  to  the  intent,  that 
 when  either  of  them  shall  be  called  out  of  this  world  to  his 
 Creator,  the  other  may,  by  this  authority  of  ours,  substitute 
 another  bishop  in  his  place  ;  wliich  privilege  we  are  induced 
 to  grant,  as  well  in  regard  to  your  charitable  affection,  as  of 
 the  large  and  extensive  provinces  which  lie  between  us  and 
 you  ;  that  we  may  in  all  tilings  aiford  our  concurrence  to 
 your  devotion,  according  to  your  desires.  May  God's  grace 
 preserve  your  excellency  in  safety  ! " 
 
 CHAP.  XVIII. 
 
 Honorius,  who  succeeded  Justus  in  the  bishopric  of  Carderbury,  receives 
 the  pall  and  letters  from  Pope  Honarius.     [a.d.  634.] 
 
 In  the  meantime,  Archbishop  Justus  was  taken  up  to  the 
 heavenly  kingdom,  on  the  lOtii  of  jSI'ovember,*  and  Honorius, 
 who  was  elected  to  the  see  in  liis  stead,  came  to  Paulinus  to 
 be  ordained,  and  meeting  liim  at  Lincohi  was  there  conse- 
 crated the  fifth  prelate  of  the  church  of  Canterbury  from 
 Augustine.  To  him  also  the  aforesaid  Pope  Honorius  sent 
 the  pall,  and  a  letter,  wherein  he  ordains  the  same  that  he 
 had  before  established  in  his  epistle  to  King  Edwin,  viz.  that 
 when  either  of  the  bishops  of  Canterbury  or  of  York  shall 
 depart  this  life,  the  survivor  of  the  same  degree  shall  have 
 power  to  ordain  a  priest  in  the  room  of  him  that  is  departed  ; 
 that  it  might  not  be  necessary  always  to  travel  to  Rome,  at 
 so  great  a  distance  by  sea  and  laud,  to  ordain  an  archbishop. 
 
 •  Bede  does  not  mention  the  year  of  his  death.      The  Saxon  Chronicle 
 places  it  in  627,  and  Dr.  Smith  in  (j30. 
 
A.D.  C34.  I  HE  pope's  LETTER  TO  nOXORIUS.  103 
 
 Which  letter  we  have  also  thought  fit  to  insert  in  this  our 
 history  : — 
 
 "Ho7wrius  to  his  7nost  beloved  brother  Honorius  :  Among 
 the  many  good  gifts  which  the  mercy  of  our  Redeemer  is 
 pleased  to  bestow  on  his  servants,  the  munificent  bounty  of 
 love  is  never  more  conspicuous  than  when  he  permits  us  by 
 brotherly  intercourse,  as  it  were  face  to  face,  to  exhibit  our 
 mutual  love.  For  which  gift  we  continually  return  thanks 
 to  liis  majesty  ;  and  we  humbly  beseech  him,  that  he  will 
 ever  confirm  your  piety  in  preaching  the  Gospel,  and  bring- 
 ing forth  fruit,  and  following  the  rule  of  your  master  and 
 head,  his  holy  servant,  St.  Gregory  ;  and  that,  for  the  ad- 
 vancement of  his  church,  he  may  by  your  means  add  further 
 increase  ;  to  the  end,  that  the  souls  already  won  by  you  and 
 your  predecessors,  beginning  with  our  Lord  Gregory,  may 
 grow  strong  and  be  further  extended  by  faith  and  works  in 
 the  fear  of  God  and  charity;  that  so  the  promises  of  the 
 word  of  God  may  hereafter  be  brought  to  pass  in  you  ;  and 
 that  this  voice  may  call  you  away  to  the  everlasting  happi- 
 ness. 'Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy 
 laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'  And  again,  '  Well  done, 
 thou  good  and  faithful  servant ;  thou  hast  been  faithful  over 
 a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things  ; 
 enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord.'  And  we,  most  be- 
 loved brothers,  offering  you  these  words  of  exhortation,  out 
 of  our  abundant  charity,  do  not  hesitate  further  to  grant 
 those  things  which  we  perceive  may  be  suitable  for  the 
 privileges  of  your  churches. 
 
 "  Wherefore,  pursuant  to  your  request,  and  to  that  of  the 
 kings  our  sons,  we  do  by  these  presents,  in  the  name  of  St. 
 Peter,  prince  of  the  apostles,  grant  you  authority,  that  when 
 the  Divine  Grace  shall  call  either  of  you  to  himself,  the 
 survivor  shall  ordain  a  bishop  in  the  room  of  him  that  is 
 deceased.  To  which  effect  also  we  have  sent  a  pall  to  each 
 of  you,  for  celebrating  the  said  ordination  ;  that  by  the 
 authority  of  our  precept,  you  may  make  an  ordination  accept- 
 able to  God  ;  because  the  long  distance  of  sea  and  land  that 
 lies  between  us  and  you,  has  obliged  us  to  grant  you  this, 
 that  no  loss  may  happen  to  your  church  in  any  way,  on 
 account  of  any  pretence  whatever,  but  that  the  devotion  of 
 the  people  committed  to  you  may  be  more  fuUy  extended. 
 
104  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  ii.  c.  19. 
 
 God  preserve  you  in  safety,  most  dear  brother  !  Given  the 
 1 1th  day  of  June,  in  the  twenty-fourth  year  of  the  reign  of 
 our  most  pious  emperor,  Heraclius,  and  the  twenty-third 
 after  his  consulship  ;  and  in  the  twenty-third  of  his  son 
 Constantino,  and  the  third  after  his  consulship  ;  and  in 
 the  third  year  of  tlie  most  illustrious  Csesar,  his  son  Hera- 
 clius, the  seventh  indiction  ;  that  is,  in  the  year  of  the  in- 
 carnation of  our  Lord,  634." 
 
 CHAP.  XIX. 
 
 How  the  aforesaid  Honorius  first,  and  afterwards  John,  wrote  letters  to 
 tfie  nation  of  the  Scots,  concerning  the  observance  of  Easter,  and  the 
 Pelagian  heresy,    [a.d.  634.] 
 
 The  same  Pope  Honorius  also  wrote  to  the  Scots  [Irish], 
 whom  he  had  found  to  err  in  the  observance  of  Easter,  as 
 has  been  shown  above,  earnestly  exhorting  them  not  to  think 
 their  small  number,  placed  in  the  utmost  borders  of  the  earth, 
 wiser  than  all  the  ancient  and  modern  churches  of  Christ, 
 tliroughout  the  world  ;  and  not  to  celebrate  a  different 
 Easter,  contrary  to  the  Paschal  calculation,  and  the  synodical 
 decrees  of  all  the  bishops  upon  earth.  Likewise  John,*  who 
 succeeded  Severinus,|  successor  to  the  same  Honorius,  being 
 yet  but  pope  elect,  sent  to  them  letters  of  great  authority  and 
 erudition  for  correcting  the  same  error  ;  evidently  showing, 
 that  Easter  Sunday  is  to  be  found  between  the  fifteenth 
 moon  and  the  twenty-first,  as  was  proved  in  the  Council  of 
 Nice.  J     He  also  in  the  same  epistle  admonished  them  to  be 
 
 *  John  IV.  +  Who  was  Pope  for  a  few  months  only. 
 
 X  It  has  been  erroneously  supposed  that  the  dispute  between  the  British 
 and  Saxon  clergy  rcspectinp;  the  Easter  festival  was  the  same  as  that  which 
 distiu-bed  the  peace  of  the  church  in  the  time  of  Polycarp;  and  consequently 
 it  has  been  assumed  that  the  former  were  Quartodecimans,  who  observed 
 it  at  the  Jewish  passover,  the  fourteenth  day  of  Nisan.  But  this  was 
 never  the  case,  except  when  that  day  happened  to  fall  on  a  Sunday.  It 
 was  owing  to  the  disturbed  state  of  Britain  in  the  fifth  century  that  the 
 Irish  and  British  clergy  were  unacquainted  with  the  improved  cycle  of 
 nineteen  years  observed  at  Home  in  the  time  of  Pope  Hilarius,  (a.d. 
 4G3)  ;  but  continued  to  use  the  ancient  but  incorrect  cycle  of  eighty- 
 four  years.  Dr.  Smith,  in  his  Appendix  to  Bedo  (No.  IX.),  observes, 
 "  that  it  ought  to  be  particularly  borne  in  mind,  that  those  who  think 
 that  the  Britons  were  taught  the  paschal  rite  by  the  Orientals,  or 
 Eastern  church,  and  not  by  the  Roman  or  Western  church,  give  way  to  a 
 very  great  error." 
 
AD.  634.1  THE  pope's  LETTER  TO  THE  SCOTS.  105 
 
 careful  to  crush  the  Pelagian  heresy,  which  he  had  been  i'.^' 
 formed  was  reviving  among  them.  The  beginning  of  the 
 epistle  was  as  foUows  : — 
 
 "  To  our  most  beloved  and  most  holy  TomianuSy  Columba- 
 nus,*  Cromanus,  Dimanus,  and  Baithanus,  bishops ;  to  Cro- 
 manus,  Hernianus^  Laistranus,  Scellanus,  and  Segcnus, 
 priests ;  to  Saranus  and  the  rest  of  the  Scottish  doctors^  or 
 abbats,  health  from  Hilarius,  the  arch-priest,  and  keeper  of 
 the  place  of  the  holy  Apostolic  See ;  John,  the  deacon,  and 
 elect  in  the  name  of  God ;  from  John,  the  chief  secretary 
 and  keeper  of  the  place  of  the  holy  Apostolic  See,  and  from 
 John,  the  servant  of  God,  and  counsellor  of  the  same  Apos- 
 tolic See.  The  writings  which  were  brought  by  the  bearers 
 to  Pope  Severinus,  of  holy  memory,  were  left,  at  his  death, 
 A\dthout  an  answer  to  the  things  contained  in  them.  Lest 
 such  intricate  questions  should  remain  unresolved,  we  opened 
 the  same,  and  found  that  some  in  your  province,  endeavour- 
 ing to  revive  a  new  heresy  out  of  an  old  one,  contrary  to  the 
 orthodox  faith,  do  through  ignorance  reject  our  Easter,  when 
 Christ  was  sacrificed  ;  and  contend  that  the  same  should  be 
 kept  on  the  fourteenth  moon  with  the  Hebrews." 
 
 By  this  beginning  of  the  epistle  it  evidently  appears  that 
 this  heresy  sprang  up  among  them  of  very  late  times,  and 
 that  not  all  their  nation,  but  only  some  of  them,  had  fallen 
 into  the  same. 
 
 After  having  laid  down  the  manner  of  keeping  Easter, 
 they  add  this  concerning  the  Pelagians  in  the  same  epistle. 
 
 "  And  we  have  also  understood  that  the  poison  of  the  Pe- 
 lagian heresy  again  springs  up  among  you  ;  we,  therefore, 
 exhort  you,  that  you  put  away  from  your  thoughts  aU  such 
 venomous  and  superstitious  wickedness.  For  you  cannot  be 
 ignorant  how  that  execrable  heresy  has  been  condemned  ; 
 for  it  has  not  only  been  abolished  these  two  hundred  years, 
 but  it  is  also  daily  anathematized  for  ever  by  us  ;  and  we 
 exhort  you,  now  that  the  weapons  of  their  controversy  have 
 been  burnt,  not  to  rake  up  the  ashes.  For  who  will  not  de- 
 test that  insolent  and  impious  proposition,  '  That  man  can 
 live  without  sin  of  his  own  free  will,  and  not  through  God's 
 grace  ?'     And  in  the  first  place,  it  is  the  folly  of  blasphemy 
 
 *  Tliis  Columbanus,  most  likely,  was  bishop  of  Clunii-ard,  who  di3d 
 A.D.  6o2. 
 
106  BEDE'S   ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTOET.  Lb.h.  c.20. 
 
 to  say  that  man  is  without  sin,  which  none  can  be,  but  only 
 the  Mediator  of  God  and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who 
 was  conceived  and  born  without  sin  ;  for  all  other  men,  be- 
 ing born  in  original  sin,  are  known  to  bear  the  mark  of 
 Adam's  prevarication,  even  whilst  they  are  mthout  actual 
 sin,  according  to  the  saying  of  the  prophet,  *  For  behold, 
 I  was  shapen  in  iniquity  j  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  con- 
 ceive me.'" 
 
 CHAP.  XX. 
 
 Edwin  being  slain,  Paidinus  returns  into  Kent,  and  has  the  bishopric  of 
 of  Rochester  conferred  upon  him,     [a  d.  633.] 
 
 Edwin  reigned  most  gloriously  seventeen  years  over  the  na- 
 tions of  the  English  and  the  Britons,  six  whereof,  as  has  been 
 said,  he  also  was  a  servant  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  Cad- 
 walla,  king  of  the  Britons,  rebelled  against  him,  being  sup- 
 ported by  Penda,  a  most  warlike  man  of  the  royal  race  of 
 the  Mercians,  and  who  from  that  time  governed  that  nation 
 twenty-two  years  ^vith  various  success.  A  great  battle  being 
 fought  in  the  plain  that  is  called  Heathfield,*  Edmn  was 
 killed  on  the  12th  of  October,!  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  633, 
 being  then  forty-seven  years  of  age,  and  all  his  army  was 
 either  slain  or  dispersed.  In  the  same  war  also,  before  him, 
 fell  Osfrid,  one  of  his  sons,  a  warlike  youth  ;  Eanfrid,  an- 
 other of  them,  compelled  by  necessity,  went  over  to  King 
 Penda,  and  was  by  him  afterwards,  in  the  reign  of  Oswald, 
 slain,  contrary  to  liis  oath.  At  this  time  a  great  slaughter 
 was  made  in  the  church  or  nation  of  the  Northumbrians  ; 
 and  the  more  so  because  one  of  the  commanders,  by  whom 
 it  was  made,  was  a  pagan,  and  the  other  a  barbarian,  more 
 cruel  than  a  pagan  ;  for  Penda,  with  all  the  nation  of  the 
 Mercians,  was  an  idolater,  and  a  stranger  to  the  name  of 
 Christ ;  but  Cadwalla,|  though  he  bore  the  name  and  j^ro- 
 fessed  himself  a  Christian,  was  so  barbarous  in  his  disposi- 
 
 *  Hatfield,  in  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  about  seven  miles  to  the 
 north-east  of  Doncaster. 
 
 +  In  tlie  Saxon  Chronicle,  the  date  is  the  second  before  the  Ides  of 
 October,  [Oct.  14.] 
 
 X  King  of  the  Western  Britons.  For  an  account  of  Cadwalla's  victories, 
 see  Llewarch  Hen,  as  quoted  in  Turner's  History  of  the  Anglo-Saxons, 
 i.  367. 
 
A.D.  633.]  PAULINUS  MADE  BISHOP  OF  KOCIIESTER.  107 
 
 tion  and  behaviour,  that  lie  neither  spared  the  female  sex, 
 nor  the  innocent  age  of  childi-en,  but  with  savage  cruelty 
 put  them  to  tormenting  deaths,  ravaging  all  their  country  for 
 a  long  time,  and  resolving  to  cut  oif  all  the  race  of  the 
 English  within  the  borders  of  Britain.  Nor  did  he  pay  any 
 respect  to  the  Christian  religion  which  had  newly  taken 
 root  among  them  ;  it  being  to  this  day  the  custom  of  the 
 Britons  not  to  pay  any  respect  to  the  faith  and  religion  of 
 the  English,  nor  to  correspond  with  them  any  more  than 
 with  pagans.  King  Edwin's  head  was  brought  to  York,  and 
 afterwards  into  the  church  of  St.  Peter  the  Apostle,  which 
 he  had  begun,  but  which  his  successor  Oswald  finished,  as 
 has  been  said  before.  It  was  deposited  in  the  porch  of  St. 
 Gregory,  Pope,  from  whose  disciples  he  had  received  the 
 word  of  life. 
 
 The  affairs  of  the  Northumbrians  being  in  confusion,  by 
 reason  of  this  disaster,  mthout  any  prospect  of  safety  except 
 in  flight,  Paulinus,  taking  ^vith  him  Queen  Ethelberga, 
 whom  he  had  before  brought  thither,  returned  into  Kent  by 
 sea,  and  was  honourably  received  by  the  Archbishop  Hono- 
 rius  and  King  Eadbald.  He  came  thither  under  the  conduct 
 of  Bassus,  a  most  valiant  soldier  of  King  Edwin,  having 
 with  liim  Eanfleda,  the  daughter,  and  Wuscfrea,  the  son  of 
 Edwin,  as  also  Iffi,  the  son  of  Osfrid,  his  son,  whom  after- 
 wards the  mother,  for  fear  of  Eadbald  and  Oswald,  sent  over 
 into  France  to  be  bred  up  by  King  Dagobert,  who  was  her 
 friend ;  and  there  they  both  died  in  infancy,  and  were 
 buried  in  the  church  with  the  honour  due  to  royal  children 
 and  to  innocents  of  Christ.  He  also  brought  v.dth  him 
 many  rich  goods  of  King  Edwin,  among  which  were  a  large 
 gold  cross,  and  a  golden  chalice,  dedicated  to  the  use  of  the 
 altar,  which  are  still  preserved,  and  shown  in  the  church  of 
 Canterbury. 
 
 At  that  time  the  church  of  Rochester  had  no  bishop,  for 
 Romanus,  the  prelate  thereof,  being  sent  to  Pope  Honorius, 
 by  Archbishop  Justus,  as  his  legate,  was  drowned  in  the 
 Italian  Sea ;  and  thereupon,  Paulinus,  at  the  request  of 
 Archbishop  Honorius,  and  King  Eadbald,  took  upon  him  the 
 charge  of  the  same,  and  held  it  until  he  departed  to  heaven, 
 with  the  glorious  fruits  of  his  labours  ;  and,  dying  in  that 
 church,  he  left  there  the  pall  which  he  had  received  from  the 
 
108  BEDe's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  hi.  c.  1. 
 
 pope  of*  Rome.  He  had  left  beliind  liim  in  Hs  churcli  at 
 York,  James,  the  deacon,  a  holy  ecclesiastic,  who  continuing 
 long  after  in  that  church,  by  teaching  and  baptizing,  rescued 
 much  prey  from  the  power  of  the  old  enemy  of  mankind  ; 
 from  whom  the  village,*  where  he  mostly  resided,  near 
 Cataract,  has  its  name  to  this  day.  He  was  extraordinarily 
 skilful  in  singing,  and  when  the  province  was  afterwards 
 restored  to  peace,  and  the  number  of  the  faithful  increased, 
 he  began  to  teach  many  of  the  church  to  sing,  according  to 
 the  custom  of  the  Romans,  or  of  the  Cantuarians.  And  being 
 old  and  full  of  days,  as  the  Scripture  says,  he  went  the  way 
 of  his  forefathers. 
 
 BOOK  III. 
 
 CHAPTER  I 
 
 How  King  Edwin's  next  successors  lost  both  the  faith  of  their  nation  and 
 the   kingdom ;    but  the  most  Christian    King  Oswald  retrieved  both. 
 
 LA.D.  Ooo.J 
 
 Edwtn  being  slain  in  battle,  the  kingdom  of  the  Deira,  to 
 which  province  his  family  belonged,  and  where  he  first  be- 
 gan to  reign,  devolved  on  Osric,  the  son  of  his  uncle  Elfric, 
 who,  through  the  preaching  of  Paulinus,  had  also  received  the 
 faith.  But  the  kingdom  of  the  Bernicians — for  into  these 
 two  provinces  the  nation  of  the  Northumbrians  was  formerly 
 dividedf — was  possessed  by  Eanfrid,  the  son  of  Ethelfrid, 
 who  derived  his  origin  from  the  royal  family  of  that  province. 
 For  all  the  time  that  Edwin  reigned,  the  sons  of  the  afore- 
 said Ethelfrid,  who  had  reigned  before  him,  with  many  of 
 the  nobility,  lived  in  banislmient  among  the  Scots  or  Picts, 
 and  were  there  instructed  according  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
 
 *  Now  called  Akeburgh,  near  Richmond. 
 
 +  The  kingdom  of  the  Northumbrians  was  di\nided  into  two  provinces, 
 Deira  and  Bernicia.  Deira  reached  from  the  Humber  to  the  Tyne  ;  Ber- 
 nieia  from  the  Tyne  to  the  Tweed.  Though  not  united  into  one  comir-u- 
 niiy,  the  two  states  were  generally  governed  by  one  monarch,  and  becaiue, 
 at  such  times,  the  most  powerful  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms. 
 
A.D  635.]  Oswald's  a^ctory  at  denis's-brook.         109 
 
 Scots,  and  received  the  grace  of  baptism.  Upon  the  death 
 of  the  king,  their  enemy,  they  returned  home,  and  Eanfrid, 
 as  the  eldest  of  them,  mentioned  above,  became  king  of  the 
 Bernicians.  Both  those  kings,  as  soon  as  they  obtained  the 
 government  of  their  earthly  kingdoms,  renounced  and  lost 
 the  faith  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  and  again  delivered  them- 
 selves up  to  be  defiled  by  the  abominations  of  their  former 
 idols. 
 
 But  soon  after,  the  king  of  the  Britons,  Cadwalla,  slew 
 them  both,  through  the  rightful  vengeance  of  Heaven,  though 
 the  act  was  base  in  him.  He  first  slew  Osric,  the  next  sum- 
 mer ;  for,  being  besieged  by  him  in  a  strong  town,  he  sallied 
 out  on  a  sudden  with  all  his  forces,  by  surprise,  and  destroyed 
 him  and  all  his  army.  After  this,  for  the  space  of  a  year,  he 
 reigned  over  the  provinces  of  the  Northumbrians,  not  like  a 
 victorious  king,  but  like  a  rapacious  and  bloody  tyrant,  and 
 at  length  brought  to  the  same  end  Eanfrid,  who  unadvisedly 
 came  to  him  with  only  twelve  chosen  soldiers,  to  sue  for 
 peace.  To  this  day,  that  year  is  looked  upon  as  unhappy, 
 and  hateful  to  all  good  men  ;  as  well  on  account  of  the  apos- 
 tacy  of  the  English  kings,  who  had  renounced  the  faith,  as  of 
 the  outrageous  tyranny  of  the  British  king.  Hence  it  has 
 been  agreed  by  all  who  have  written  about  the  reigns  of  the 
 kings,  to  abolish  the  memory  of  those  perfidious  monarchs, 
 and  to  assign  that  year  to  the  reign  of  the  following  king, 
 Oswald,  a  man  beloved  by  God.  This  last  king,  after  the 
 death  of  his  brother  Eanfrid,  advanced  vsdth  an  army,  small, 
 indeed,  in  number,  but  strengthened  with  the  faith  of  Christ ; 
 and  the  impious  commander  of  the  Britons  was  slain,  though 
 he  had  most  numerous  forces,  which  he  boasted  nothing  could 
 withstand,  at  a  place  in  the  English  tongue  called  Denises- 
 burn,  that  is,  Denis's-brook.* 
 
 CHAP.  n. 
 
 How,  among  innumerable  other  miraculous  cures  wrought  by  the  cross 
 which  King  Oswald,  being  ready  to  engage  against  the  barbarians, 
 erected,  a  certain  youth  had  his  lame  arm  healed,     [a.d.  635.] 
 
 The  place  is  shown  to  this  day,  and  held  in  much  veneration 
 where  Oswald,  being  about  to  engage,  erected  the  sign  of  the 
 
 *  Dilston  is  identified  ^vith  the  ancient  Denisesburn,  but  on  no  authority. 
 Nennius  says  the  battle  took  place  at  Catscaul. 
 
110  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  [b.  iii.  c  2. 
 
 holy  cross,  and  on  his  knees  prayed  to  God  that  he  would 
 assist  his  worshippers  in  their  great  distress.  It  is  further 
 reported,  that  the  cross  being  made  in  haste,  and  tli*^-  hole  dug 
 in  which  it  was  to  be  fixed,  the  king  himself,  full  of  faith,  laid 
 hold  of  it  and  held  it  with  both  liis  hands,  till  it  was  set  fast  by 
 throwing  in  the  earth  ;  and  this  done,  raising  his  voice,  he 
 cried  to  his  army,  "Let  us  all  kneel,  and  jointly  beseech  the 
 true  and  living  God  Almighty,  in  his  mercy,  to  defend  us 
 from  the  haughty  and  fierce  enemy  ;  for  He  knows  that  we 
 have  undertaken  a  just  war  for  the  safety  of  our  nation."  All 
 did  as  he  had  commanded,  and  accordingly  advancing  towards 
 the  enemy  with  the  first  dawn  of  day,  they  obtained  the 
 victory,  as  their  faith  deserved.  In  that  place  of  prayer 
 very  many  miraculous  cures  are  known  to  have  been  per- 
 formed, as  a  token  and  memorial  of  the  king's  faith ;  for  even 
 to  this  day,  many  are  wont  to  cut  off  small  chips  from  the 
 wood  of  the  holy  cross,  which  being  put  into  Avater,  men  or 
 cattle  drinking  thereof,  or  sprinkled  with  that  water,  are 
 immediately  restored  to  health. 
 
 The  place  in  the  English  tongue  is  called  Heavenfield,  or 
 the  Heavenly  Field,*  which  name  it  formerly  received  as  a 
 presage  of  what  was  afterwards  to  happen,  denoting,  that 
 there  the  heavenly  trophy  would  be  erected,  the  heavenly 
 victory  begun,  and  heavenly  miracles  be  wrought  to  this  day. 
 The  same  place  is  near  the  wall  with  which  the  Romans 
 formerly  enclosed  the  island  from  sea  to  sea,  to  restrain  the 
 fury  of  the  barbarous  nations,  as  has  been  said  before. 
 Hither  also  the  brothers  of  the  church  of  Hagulstad,!  which 
 is  not  far  from  thence,  repair  yearly  on  the  day  before  that 
 on  which  King  Oswald  was  afterwards  slain,  to  watch  there 
 for  the  health  of  his  soul,  and  having  sung  many  psalms,  to 
 offer  for  him  in  the  morning  the  sacrifice  of  the  holy  oblation. 
 And  since  that  good  custom  has  spread,  they  have  lately 
 
 *  Dr.  Smith  (App.  to  Bede,  p.  730)  says,  that  about  a  mile  beyond 
 Bingfield  to  the  north  is  Hallington,  anciently  Havenfelth,  or  Heavenfield  ; 
 though  probably  the  whole  country  for  two  miles  from  Hallington  through 
 Bingfield  to  the  wall  was  called  Havenfelth.  On  the  place  where  Oswald 
 erected  a  cross  a  church  was  afterwards  built. 
 
 t  Hexham.  About  673,  V/ilfrid,  archbishop  of  York,  foimded  a 
 monastery  and  erected  a  church  at  this  place,  which,  according  to  Richard 
 of  Hexham,  was  the  most  beautiful  and  magiiificent  ecclesiastical  edifice  in 
 the  kingdom.     The  ancient  name  is  also  written  Hagustald, 
 
A.D. 635.]  Oswald's  cross.  Ill 
 
 built  and  consecrated  a  church  there,  which  has  attached 
 additional  sanctity  and  honour  to  that  place  :  and  this  with 
 good  reason  ;  for  it  appears  that  there  was  no  sign  of  the 
 Christian  faith,  no  church,  no  altar  erected  throughout  all  the 
 nation  of  the  Bernicians,  before  that  new  commander  of  the 
 army,  prompted  by  the  devotion  of  liis  faith,  set  up  the  cross 
 as  he  was  going  to  give  battle  to  his  barbarous  enemy. 
 
 Nor  is  it  foreign  to  our  purpose  to  relate  one  of  the  many 
 miracles  that  have  been  wrought  at  this  cross.  One  of  the 
 brothers  of  the  same  church  of  Hagulstad,  whose  name  is 
 Bothelm,  and  who  is  still  Kving,  a  few  years  since,  walking 
 carelessly  on  the  ice  at  night,  suddenly  fell  and  broke  his 
 arm  ;  a  most  raging  pain  commenced  in  the  broken  part,  so 
 that  he  could  not  lift  his  arm  to  his  mouth  for  the  violence 
 of  the  anguish.  Hearing  one  morning  that  one  of  the 
 brothers  designed  to  go  to  the  place  of  the  holy  cross,  he 
 desired  him,  at  his  return,  to  bring  liim  a  bit  of  that  vener- 
 able wood,  saying,  he  believed  that  with  the  help  of  God 
 he  might  thereby  be  healed.  The  brother  did  as  he  was 
 desired  ;  and  returning  in  the  evening,  when  the  brothers 
 were  sitting  at  table,  gave  liim  some  of  the  old  moss  which 
 grew  on  the  surface  of  the  wood.  As  he  sat  at  table, 
 having  no  place  to  lay  up  that  which  was  brought  liim, 
 he  put  the  same  into  liis  bosom  ;  and  forgetting  when  he 
 went  to  bed  to  put  it  by,  left  it  in  his  bosom.  Awaking  in 
 the  middle  of  the  night,  he  felt  something  cold  lying  by  his 
 side,  and  putting  his  hand  to  feel  what  it  was,  he  found  his 
 arm  and  hand  as  sound  as  if  he  had  never  felt  any  such 
 pain. 
 
 CHAP.  ni. 
 
 The  same  king  Oswald,  asking  a  bishop  of  the  Scottish  nation,  had  Aidan 
 sent  him,  and  granted  him  an  episcopal  see  in  the  Isle  of  Lindisfarne, 
 [a.  d.  633.] 
 
 The  same  Oswald,  as  soon  as  he  ascended  the  throne,  being 
 desirous  that  all  his  nation  should  receive  the  Christian 
 faith,  whereof  he  had  found  happy  experience  in  vanquish- 
 ing the  barbarians,  sent  to  the  elders  of  the  Scots,  among 
 whom  himself  and  his  foUov/ers,  when. in  banishment,  had 
 received  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  desiring  they  v/ ould  send 
 
112  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [B.III.  c.3. 
 
 him  a  bishop,  by  whose  instruction  and  ministry  the  English 
 nation,  which  he  governed,  might  be  taught  the  advantages, 
 and  receive  the  sacraments  of  the  Christian  faith.  Nor 
 were  they  slow  in  granting  his  request ;  but  sent  him  Bishop 
 Aidan,  a  man  of  singular  meekness,  piety,  and  moderation  ; 
 zealous  in  the  cause  of  God,  though  not  altogether  according 
 to  knowledge  ;  for  he  was  wont  to  keep  Easter  Sunday  ac- 
 cording to  the  custom  of  his  country,  which  we  have  before 
 so  often  mentioned,  from  the  fourteenth  to  the  twentieth 
 moon ;  the  northern  province  of  the  Scots,  and  all  the 
 nation  of  the  Picts,  celebrating  Easter  then  after  that  man- 
 ner, and  beheving  that  they  therein  followed  the  writings  of 
 the  holy  and  praiseworthy  Father  Anatolius  ;  the  truth  of 
 which  every  skilful  person  can  discern.  But  the  Scots 
 which  dwelt  in  the  South  of  Ireland  had  long  since,  by 
 the  admonition  of  the  bishop  of  the  ApostoHc  See,  learned 
 to  observe  Easter  according  to  the  canonical  custom. 
 
 On  the  arrival  of  the  bishop,  the  king  appointed  him 
 his  episcopal  see  in  the  isle  of  Lindisfarne,*  as  he  desired. 
 Which  place,  as  the  tide  flows  and  ebbs  twice  a  day,  is  en- 
 closed by  the  waves  of  the  sea  like  an  island  ;  and  again, 
 twice  in  the  day,  when  the  shore  is  left  dry,  becomes  con- 
 tiguous to  the  land.  The  king  also  humbly  and  willingly  in 
 all  cases  giving  ear  to  his  admonitions,  industriously  applied 
 himself  to  build  and  extend  the  church  of  Christ  in  his 
 kingdom  ;  wherein,  when  the  bishop,  who  was  not  skilful 
 in  the  English  tongue,  preached  the  gospel,  it  was  most 
 delightful  to  see  the  king  himself  interpreting  the  word  of 
 God  to  his  commanders  and  ministers,  for  he  had  perfectly 
 learned  tlie  language  of  the  Scots  during  his  long  banish- 
 ment.    From  that  time  many  of  the  Scots  came  daily  into 
 
 *  From  the  monastery  of  Lindisfarne,  or  Holy  Island,  all  the  churches 
 of  Bernicia,  from  the  Tyne  to  the  Tweed,  had  their  beginning;  as  had  also 
 some  of  those  of  the  Deira,  from  the  Tyne  to  the  Humber.  The  prospect 
 from  the  island  is  beautiful ;  to  the  northward  you  command  the  tovm.  of 
 Berwick,  over  an  arm  of  the  sea,  about  seven  miles  in  breadth.  At  near  the 
 same  distance,  to  the  south  you  view  Bambrough  Castle,  on  a  bold  pro- 
 montory. On  the  one  hand  you  have  a  view  of  the  open  sea,  which  at  the 
 time  of  our  observation,  was  calm  and  resplendent,  scattered  o\  er  with  vessels; 
 and  on  the  other  hand  a  narrow  channel,  by  which  this  land  is  insulated, 
 about  two  miles  in  width.  The  distant  shore  exhibits  a  beautiful  hanging 
 landscape  of  cultivated  country,  graced  ^\ith  a  multitude  of  hamlets,  vil- 
 lages, and  woodlands. 
 
A.n.  565.]  C0N^T:RSI0N   OF    THE   PICTS.  113 
 
 Britain,  and  with  great  devotion  preached  tlie  word  to  tho«e 
 provinces  of  the  English,  over  which  King  Oswald  reigned, 
 and  those  among  them  that  had  received  priest's  orders,  ad- 
 ministered to  them  the  grace  of  baptism.  Churches  were 
 built  in  several  places  ;  the  people  joyfullj  flocked  together 
 to  hear  the  word  ;  money  and  lands  were  given  of  the  king's 
 bounty  to  build  monasteries  ;  the  English,  great  and  small, 
 were,  by  their  Scottish  masters,  instructed  in  the  rules  and 
 observance  of  regular  discipKne  ;  for  most  of  them  that 
 came  to  preach  were  monks.  Bishop  Aidan  was  himself  a 
 monk  of  the  island  called  Hii,*  whose  monastery  was  for  a 
 long  time  the  chief  of  almost  all  those  of  the  northern  Scots, 
 and  all  those  of  the  Picts,  and  had  the  direction  of  their 
 people.  That  island  belongs  to  Britain,  being  di\4ded  from 
 it  by  a  small  arm  of  the  sea,  but  had  been  long  since  given 
 by  the  Picts,  who  inhabit  those  parts  of  Britain,  to  the 
 Scottish  monks,  because  they  had  received  the  faith  of 
 Christ  through  their  preaching. 
 
 CHAP.  TV. 
 
 When  the  nation  of  the  Picts  received  the  faith,     [a.  d.  565.] 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord  565,  when  Justin,  the  younger,  the 
 successor  of  Justinian,  had  the  government  of  the  Roman 
 empire,  there  came  into  Britain  a  famous  priest  and  abbat, 
 a  monk  by  habit  and  life,  whose  name  was  Columba,  to 
 preach  the  word  of  God  to  the  provinces  of  the  northern 
 Picts,  who  are  separated  from  the  southern  parts  by  steep 
 and  rugged  mountains  ;  for  the  southern  Picts,  who  dwell  on 
 this  side  of  those  mountains,  had  long  before,  as  is  reported, 
 forsaken  the  errors  of  idolatry,  and  embraced  the  truth,  by 
 the  preaching  of  Ninias,"!*  a  most  reverend  bishop  and  holy 
 
 *  Tho  .indent  name  of  lona  was  I,  or  Hi,  or  Aoi,  ■which  was  Latinized 
 into  Hvona,  or  lona.  The  common  name  of  it  now  is,  I-colum-kill,  the 
 Island  of  Colum  of  the  Cells.  It  is  one  of  the  most  fertile  and  most 
 romantic  of  the  Scottish  islands,  separated  from  the  west  point  of  Ross  by 
 a  narrow  channel,  called  the  Sound  of  I ;  and  is  about  three  miles  long, 
 and  nearly  a  mile  in  breadth.  A  chart  of  the  island  may  be  seen  in  Pin- 
 kerton's  Collection  of  the  Lives  of  the  Ancient  Saints  in  Scotland. 
 
 +  St.  Ninias  was  a  native  of  North  Wales,  where  the  British  church 
 was  then  flourishing.     His  faith  was  rewarded  by  the  conversion  of  the 
 
 I 
 
114  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   history.  [B.iii.  c.4. 
 
 man  of  the  British  nation,  who  had  been  regularly  in- 
 structed at  Rome,  in  the  faith  and  mysteries  of  the  truth  ; 
 whose  episcopal  see,  named  after  St.  Martin  the  bishop,  and 
 famous  for  a  stately  church,  (wherein  he  and  many  other 
 saints  rest  in  the  body,)  is  still  in  existence  among  the 
 English  nation.  The  place  belongs  to  the  province  of  the 
 Bernicians,  and  is  generally  called  tlie  White  House,*  be- 
 cause he  there  built  a  church  of  stone,  which  was  not  usual 
 among  the  Britons. 
 
 Columba  came  into  Britain  in  the  ninth  year  of  the  reign 
 of  Bridius,  who  was  the  son  of  Meilochon,t  and  the  powerful 
 king  of  the  Pictish  nation,  and  he  converted  that  nation  to 
 the  faith  of  Christ,  by  his  preacliing  and  example,  whereupon 
 he  also  received  of  them  the  aforesaid  island  for  a  monastery, 
 for  it  is  not  very  large,  but  contains  about  five  families, 
 according  to  the  English  computation.  His  successors  hold 
 the  island  to  this  day  ;  he  was  also  buried  therein,  having 
 died  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven,  about  thirty -two  years  after 
 he  came  into  Britain  to  preach.  Before  he  passed  over  into 
 Britain,  he  had  built  a  noble  monastery  in  Ireland,  which, 
 from  the  great  number  of  oaks,  is  in  the  Scottish  tongue 
 called  Dearm-ach — The  Field  of  Oaks.J  From  both  which 
 monasteries,  many  others  had  their  beginning  through  his 
 disciples,  both  in  Britain  and  Ireland  ;  but  the  monastery 
 in  the  island  where  his  body  lies,  is  the  principal  of 
 them  all. 
 
 Tiiat  island  has  for  its  ruler  an  abbat,  who  is  a  priest,  to 
 whose  direction  all  the  province,  and  even  the  bishops, 
 contrary  to  the  usual  method,  are  subject,  according  to  the 
 example  of  their  first  teacher,  who  was  not  a  bishop,  but  a 
 
 southern  Picts.  He  maintained  the  catholic  faith  when  the  teaching  of 
 Pelagius,  his  contemporary  and  countryman,  was  making  great  advances. 
 St.  ISinias  wrote  a  comment  on  the  Psalms,  and  he  visited  and  corre- 
 sponded with  St.  Martin,  bishop  of  Tours. 
 
 *  Whitheme,  or  Candida  Casa,  Galloway.  Usher  supposes  that  St. 
 Ninias's  diocese  extended  from  the  modern  Glasgow  to  Staimiore  Cross, 
 on  the  borders  of  Westmoreland ;  Bishop  Nicolson,  however,  is  of  opinion, 
 that  the  bishops  of  Scotland  had  anciently  no  fixed  sees;  but  that  every 
 prelate  exercised  his  episcopal  office  indiscriminately,  in  whatever  part  of 
 the  kingdom  he  resided.     (Scottish  Hist.  Lib.  p.  74.) 
 
 t  Elsewhere  called  Mailcuin. 
 
 i  Now  Derry. 
 
A.D.  565.]  EASTER   CONTROVERSY.  115 
 
 priest  and  monk ;  *  of  whose  life  and  discourses  some 
 writings  are  said  to  be  preserved  bj  his  disciples.  But 
 whatsoever  he  was  himself,  this  we  know  for  certain,  that 
 he  left  successors  renowned  for  their  continencj,  their  love 
 of  God,  and  observance  of  monastic  rules.  It  is  true  they 
 followed  uncertain  rules  in  their  observance  of  the  great 
 festival,  as  having  none  to  bring  them  the  synodal  decrees 
 for  the  observance  of  Easter,  by  reason  of  their  being  so  far 
 away  from  the  rest  of  the  world ;  wherefore  they  only 
 practised  such  works  of  piety  and  chastity  as  they  could 
 learn  from  the  prophetical,  evangelical,  and  apostolical 
 writings.  This  manner  of  keeping  Easter  continued  among 
 them  for  the  space  of  150  years,  till  the  year  of  our  Lord's 
 incarnation  715. 
 
 But  then  the  most  reverend  and  holy  father  and  priest, 
 Egbert,  of  the  English  nation,  who  had  long  lived  in 
 banishment  in  Ireland  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  and  was  most 
 learned  in  the  Scriptures,  and  renowned  for  long  perfection 
 of  life,  came  among  them,  corrected  their  error,  and  reduced 
 them  to  the  true  and  canonical  day  of  Easter  ;  the  which 
 they  nevertheless  did  not  always  keep  on  the  fourteenth 
 moon  with  the  Jews,  as  some  imagined,  but  on  Sunday, 
 although  not  in  the  proper  week,  f  For,  as  Christians,  they 
 knew  that  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord,  which  happened  on 
 the  first  day  after  the  Sabbath,  was  always  to  be  celebrated 
 on  the  first  day  after  the  Sabbath  ;  but  being  rude  and 
 barbarous,  they  had  not  learned  when  that  same  first  day 
 after  the  Sabbath,  which  is  now  called  the  Lord's  day,  should 
 come.  But  because  they  had  not  laid  aside  the  fervent  grace 
 of  charity,  they  were  worthy  to  be  informed  in  the  true 
 knowledge  of  this  particular,  according  to  the  promise  of 
 the  apostle,  saying,  "  And  if  in  any  thing  ye  be  otherwise 
 minded,  God  shall  reveal  even  this  unto  you."  Of  which 
 we  shall  speak  more  fuUy  in  its  proper  place. 
 
 *  This  statement  of  Bede  gave  rise  to  a  keen  controversy  on  Church 
 government  at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  reader  may  con- 
 sult Mr.  Goodall's  Preface  to  Keith's  Catalogiie  of  Scottish  Bishops,  and 
 Bi3hop  Lloyd's  Historical  Account  of  Church  Governm.ent. 
 
 f  See  note,  at  page  104. 
 
 X  ^ 
 
116  BEDe's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [b.  in.c5. 
 
 CHAP.  V. 
 
 Of  the  life  of  Bishop  Aidan.     [a.d.  635.] 
 
 From  the  aforesaid  island,  and  college  of  monks,  was  Aidan 
 sent  to  instruct  the  English  nation  in  Chiist,  having  received 
 the  dignity  of  a  bishop  at  the  time  when  Segenius,*  abbat 
 and  priest,  presided  over  that  monastery  ;  whence,  among 
 other  instructions  for  life,  he  left  the  clergy  a  most  salutary 
 example  of  abstinence  or  continence  ;  it  was  the  highest 
 commendation  of  his  doctrine,  with  all  men,  that  he  taught 
 no  otherAvise  than  he  and  his  followers  had  lived  ;  for  he 
 neither  sought  nor  loved  any  thing  of  this  world,  but 
 delighted  in  distributing  immediately  among  the  poor 
 whatsoever  was  given  him  by  the  kings  or  rich  men  of  the 
 world.  He  was  wont  to  traverse  both  town  and  country  on 
 foot,  never  on  horseback,  unless  compelled  by  some  urgent 
 necessity  ;  and  wherever  in  his  way  he  saw  any,  either 
 rich  or  poor,  he  invited  them,  if  infidels,  to  embrace  the 
 mystery  of  the  faith  ;  or  if  they  were  believers,  to  strengthen 
 them  in  the  faith,  and  to  stir  them  up  by  words  and  actions 
 to  alms  and  good  works. 
 
 His  course  of  life  was  so  different  from  the  slothfulness  of 
 our  times,  that  all  those  who  bore  him  company,  whether 
 they  were  shorn  monks  or  laymen,  were  employed  in 
 meditation,  that  is,  either  in  reading  the  Scriptures,  or 
 learning  psalms.  Tliis  was  the  daily  employment  of  himself 
 and  all  that  were  with  him,  wheresoever  they  went  ;  and  if 
 it  happened,  which  was  but  seldom,  that  he  was  invited  to 
 eat  with  the  king,  he  went  with  one  or  two  clerks,  and 
 having  taken  a  small  repast,  made  haste  to  be  gone  with 
 them,  either  to  read  or  write.  At  that  time,  many  religious 
 men  and  women,  stirred  up  by  his  example,  adopted  the 
 custom  of  fasting  on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  till  the  ninth 
 hour,  throughout  the  year,  except  during  the  fifty  days  after 
 Easter.  He  never  gave  money  to  the  powerful  men  of  the 
 world,  but  only  meat,  if  he  happened  to  entertain  them  ;  and, 
 on  the  contrary,  whatsoever  gifts  of  money  he  received  from 
 the  rich,  he  either  distributed  them,  as  has  been  said,  to  the 
 use  of  the  poor,  or  bestowed  them  in  ransoming  such  as  had 
 *  The  fourth  abbat  from  St.  Columba. 
 
AD. 635.]  Oswald's  piety.  117 
 
 been  wrongfully  sold  for  slaves.  Moreover,  lie  aftei-wards 
 made  many  of  those  lie  had  ransomed  his  disciples,  and  after 
 having  taught  and  instructed  them,  advanced  them  to  the 
 order  of  priesthood. 
 
 It  is  reported,  that  when  King  Oswald  had  asked  a  bishop 
 of  the  Scots  to  administer  the  word  of  faith  to  him  and  his 
 nation,  there  was  first  sent  to  him  another  man  of  more 
 austere  disposition,  who,  meeting  with  no  success,  and  being 
 unregarded  by  tlie  English  people,  returned  home,  and  in  an 
 assembly  of  the  elders  reported,  that  he  had  not  been  able  to 
 do  any  good  to  the  nation  he  had  been  sent  to  preach  to, 
 because  they  were  uncivilized  men,  and  of  a  stubborn  and 
 barbarous  disposition.  They,  as  is  testified,  in  a  great 
 council  seriously  debated  what  was  to  be  done,  being  desirous 
 that  the  nation  should  receive  the  salvation  it  demanded,  and 
 grieving  that  they  had  not  received  the  preacher  sent  to 
 them.  Then  said  Aidan,  who  was  also  present  in  the 
 council,  to  the  priest  then  spoken  of,  "I  am  of  opinion, 
 brother,  that  you  weie  more  severe  to  your  unlearned 
 hearers  than  you  ought  to  have  been,  and  did  not  at  first, 
 conformably  to  the  apostolic  rule,  give  them  the  millc  of  more 
 easy  doctrine,  till  being  by  degrees  nourished  with  the  word 
 of  God,  they  should  be  capable  of  greater  perfection,  and  be 
 able  to  practise  God's  sublimer  precepts."  Having  heard 
 these  words,  all  present  began  diligently  to  weigh  what  he 
 had  said,  and  presently  concluded,  that  he  de.served  to  be 
 made  a  bishop,  and  ought  to  be  sent  to  instruct  the 
 incredulous  and  unlearned  ;  since  he  was  found  to  be  endued 
 with  singular  discretion,  which  is  the  mother  of  other  virtues, 
 and  accordingly  being  ordained,  they  sent  him  to  their  fi-iencl. 
 King  Oswald,  to  preach  ;  and  he,  as  time  proved,  afterwards 
 appeared  to  possess  all  other  virtues,  as  well  as  the  discretion 
 for  which  he  was  before  remarkable. 
 
 CHAP.  YI. 
 
 Of  King  OswaWs  wonderful  piety,     [a.d.  635.] 
 
 King  Oswald,  with  the  nation  of  the  English  which  he 
 governed  being  instructed  by  the  teacliing  of  tliis  most 
 reverend  prelate,  not  only  learned  to  hope  for  a  heavenly 
 kingdom  unknown  to  his  progenitors,  but  also  obtained  of 
 
118  BEDE's    ECCLESIASIICAL    history.  [b.  ni.  c.  7. 
 
 the  same  one  Almighty  God,  who  made  heaven  and  earth, 
 lari.«r  earthly  kingdoms  than  any  of  his  ancestors.  In  short, 
 he  brought  under  his  dominion  all  the  nations  and  provinces 
 of  Britain,  which  are  divided  into  four  languages,  viz.  the 
 Britons,  the  Picts,  the  Scots,  and  the  English.  When  raised 
 to  that  height  of  dominion,  wonderful  to  relate,  he  always  con- 
 tinued humble,  affable,  and  generous  to  the  poor  and  strangers. 
 In  short,  it  is  reported,  that  when  he  was  once  sitting  at 
 dinner,  on  the  holy  day  of  Easter,  with  the  aforesaid  bishop, 
 and  a  silver  dish  full  of  dainties  before  him,  and  they  were 
 just  ready  to  bless  the  bread,  the  servant,  wl-om  he  had 
 appointed  to  reliev^e  the  poor,  came  in  on  a  sudden,  and  told 
 the  king,  that  a  great  multitude  of  needy  persons  from  all 
 parts  were  sitting  in  the  streets  begging  some  alms  of  the 
 king  ;  he  immediately  ordered  the  meat  set  before  him  to  be 
 carried  to  the  jDoor,  and  the  dish  to  be  cut  in  pieces  and 
 divided  among  them.  At  which  sight,  the  bishop  who  sat 
 by  him,  much  taken  with  such  an  act  of  piety,  laid  hold  of 
 his  right  hand,  and  said,  "May  this  hand  never  perish.** 
 Which  fell  out  according  to  his  prayer,  for  his  arm  and  hand, 
 being  cut  off  from  Ms  body,  when  he  was  slain  in  battle, 
 remain  entire  and  uncorrupted  to  this  day,  and  are  kept  in  a 
 silver  case,  as  revered  relics,  in  St.  Peter's  church  in-  the 
 royal  city,*  wliich  has  taken  its  name  from  Bebba,  one  of  its 
 former  queens.  Through  this  king's  management  the 
 provinces  of  the  Deiri  and  the  Bernicians,  which  till  then 
 had  been  at  variance,  were  peacefully  united  and  moulded 
 into  one  people.  He  was  nephew  to  King  Edwin  by  his 
 sister  Acha  ;  and  it  was  fit  that  so  great  a  predecessor  should 
 have  in  his  own  family  so  great  a  person  to  succeed  him  in 
 his  religion  and  sovereignty. 
 
 CHAP.  vn. 
 
 Holo  the    West   Saxons  received  the  tvord  of  God  hy  the  preach'infi  of 
 Birinus  ;  and  of  his  successors,  Agilbert  and  Eleutherius.     [a.d.  635.] 
 
 At  that  time,  the  West  Saxons,  formerly  called  Gewissce,"]" 
 
 *  Bambrough,  where  the  remains  of  a  noble  castle  now  stand  on  a  bold 
 promontory  called  Bambrough  Head. 
 
 t  Smith  observes,  in  his  edition  of  Bede's  Ecclesiastical  History,  that 
 Gewissfe  is  the  Saxon  word  for  "  West"  or  "Occidentales  :"  he  instances 
 Visigoths  as  a  word  of  similar  signification. 
 
A.D.  63J.]  COINWALCH    SUCCEEDS    CY^^EGILS.  119 
 
 in  the  reign  of  Cynegils,  embraced  the  faith  of  Christ,  at  the 
 preaching  of  Bishop  Birinus,  who  came  into  Britain  bj  the 
 advice  of  Pope  Honorius  ;  having  promised  in  his  presence 
 that  he  would  sow  the  seed  of  the  holy  faith  in  the  inner 
 parts  beyond  the  dominions  of  the  English,  where  no  other 
 teacher  had  been  before  him.  Hereupon  he  received  epis- 
 copal consecration  from  Asterius,  bishop  of  Genoa  ;  but  on 
 his  arrival  in  Britain,  he  first  entered  the  nation  of  the 
 GewissjB,  and  finding  all  there  most  confirmed  pagans,  he 
 thought  it  better  to  preach  the  word  of  God  there,  than  to 
 proceed  further  to  seek  for  others  to  preach  to. 
 
 Now,  as  he  preached  in  the  aforesaid  province,  it  happened 
 that  the  king  himself,  having  been  catechised,  was  baptized 
 together  with  his  people,  and  Oswald,  the  most  holy  and 
 victorious  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  being  present,  received 
 him  as  he  came  forth  from  baptism,*  and  by  an  alliance  most 
 pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God,  first  adopted  him,  thus  rege- 
 nerated, for  his  son,  and  then  took  his  daughter  in  marriage. 
 The  two  kings  gave  to  the  bishop  the  city  called  Dorcic,f 
 there  to  settle  his  episcopal  see ;  where  having  built  and  con- 
 secrated churches,  and  by  his  labour  called  many  to  the  Lord, 
 he  departed  this  Ufe,  and  was  buried  in  the  same  city  ;  but 
 many  years  after,  when  Hedda  was  bishop,  J  he  was  translated 
 thence  to  the  city  of  Winchester,  and  laid  in  the  church  of 
 the  blessed  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul. 
 
 The  king  also  dying,  his  son  Coinwalch  succeeded  him  in 
 the  throne,  but  refused  to  embrace  the  mysteries  of  the  faith, 
 and  of  the  heavenly  kingdom;  and  not  long  after  also  he 
 lost  the  dominion  of  his  earthly  kingdom  ;  for  he  put  away 
 the  sister  of  Penda,  king  of  the  Mercians,  whom  he  had 
 married,  and  took  another  wife ;  whereupon  a  war  ensuing, 
 he  was  by  him  expelled  his  kingdom,  and  withdrew  to  Anna, 
 king  of  the  East  Saxons,  where  living  three  years  in  banish- 
 ment, he  found  and  received  the  true  faith,  and  was  baptized  ; 
 for  the  king,  with  whom  he  lived  in  his  banisliment,  was  a 
 good  man,  and  happy  in  a  good  and  pious  offspring,  as  we 
 shall  show  hereafter. 
 
 •  The  baptism  of  C}Tiegils,  or  Kingil,  by  Bishop  Birinus,  is  still  repre- 
 sented on  an  old  font  in  Winchester  Cathedral. 
 
 +  Dorchester,  85  miles  from  Oxford.  From  this  see  arose  the  bishopric 
 of  Lincoln,  a.d.  1088.  J  See  book  iv.  c.  12. 
 
120  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [b.  in.  c.  7. 
 
 But  when  Coinwalch  was  restored  to  his  kingdom,  there 
 came  into  that  province  out  of  Ireland,  a  certain  bishop 
 called  Agilbert,  bj  nation  a  Frenchman,  but  who  had  then 
 lived  a  long  time  in  Ireland,  for  the  purpose  of  reading  the 
 Scriptures.  This  bishop  came  of  his  own  accord  to  serve 
 this  king,  and  preach  to  him  the  word  of  life.  The  king, 
 observing  his  erudition  and  industry,  desired  him  to  accept 
 an  episcopal  see,  and  stay  there  as  his  bishop.  Agilbert 
 compUed  with  the  prince's  request,  and  presided  over  those 
 people  many  years.  At  length  the  king,  who  understood 
 none  but  the  language  of  the  Saxons,  grown  weary  of  that 
 bishop's  barbarous  tongue,  brought  into  the  province  another 
 bishop  of  his  own  nation,  whose  name  was  Wini,  who  had 
 been  ordained  in  France  ;  and  dividing  his  province  into  two 
 dioceses,  appointed  this  last  his  episcopal  see  in  the  city  of 
 Winchester,  by  the  Saxons  called  Wintancestir.  Agilbert, 
 being  highly  offended,  that  the  king  should  do  this  without 
 his  advice,  returned  into  France,  and  being  made  bishop 
 of  the  city  of  Paris,  died  there,  aged  and  fuU  of  days.  Not 
 many  years  after  his  departure  out  of  Britain,  Wini  was  also 
 expelled  from  his  bishopric,  and  took  refuge  with  Wulfhere, 
 king  of  the  Mercians,  of  whom  he  purchased  for  money  the 
 see  of  the  city  of  London,  and  remained  bishop  thereof  till 
 his  death.  Thus  the  province  of  the  West  Saxons  continued 
 no  small  time  A^thout  a  bishop. 
 
 During  which  time,  the  king  of  that  nation,  sustaining 
 very  great  losses  in  his  Idngdom  from  his  enemies,  at  length 
 bethought  himself,  that  as  he  had  been  before  expelled  from 
 the  throne  for  his  infidelity,  and  had  been  restored  when 
 he  received  the  fiiith  of  Christ,  his  kingdom,  being  destitute 
 of  a  bishop,  was  justly  deprived  of  the  Divine  protection. 
 He,  therefore,  sent  messengers  into  France  to  Agilbert, 
 humbly  entreating  him  to  return  to  the  bishopric  of  his  nation. 
 But  he  excused  himself,  and  aflirmed  that  he  could  not  go, 
 because  he  was  bound  to  the  bishopric  of  liis  own  city ;  how- 
 ever, that  he  might  not  seem  to  refuse  him  assistance,  he  sent 
 in  his  stead  thither  the  priest  Eleutherius,  his  nephew,  who, 
 if  he  thought  fit,  might  be  ordained  his  bishop,  saying,  "  He 
 thought  him  worthy  of  a  bishopric."  The  king  and  the 
 people  received  him  honourably,  and  entreated  Theodore, 
 then  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  to  consecrate  him  their  bishop. 
 
4.D.  640.]  EARCORNBERT,    KING   OF    KENT.  121. 
 
 He  was  accordingly  consecrated  in  the  same  citj,  and  many 
 years  zealously  governed  the  whole  bishopric  of  the  West 
 Saxons  by  synodical  authority. 
 
 CHAP.  vin. 
 
 Holo  Earconbert,  King  of  Kent^  ordered  the  idols  to  he  destroyed ;  and  of 
 his  daughter  Earcongota,  and  his  kinswoman  Ethelberga,  virgins  conse- 
 crated to  God.     [a.d.  640. J 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord  640,  Eadbald,  king  of  Kent,  de- 
 parted this  life,  and  left  his  kingdom  to  his  son  Earconbert, 
 which  he  most  nobly  governed  twenty-four  years  and  some 
 months.  He  was  the  lirst  of  the  English  kings  that  of  liis 
 supreme  authority  commanded  the  idols,  throughout  his  whole 
 kingdom,  to  be  forsaken  and  destroyed,  and  the  fast  of  forty 
 days  before  Easter  to  be  observed  ;  and  that  the  same  might 
 not  be  neglected,  he  appointed  proper  and  condign  punish- 
 ments for  the  offenders.  His  daughter  Earcongota,  as  became 
 the  offspring  of  such  a  parent,  was  a  most  virtuous  virgin, 
 always  serving  God  in  a  monastery  in  France,  built  by  a 
 most  noble  abbess,  called  Fara,*  at  a  place  called  Brie ;  for  at 
 that  time  but  few  monasteries  being  built  in  the  country  of 
 the  Angles,  many  were  wont,  for  the  sake  of  monastic  con- 
 versation, to  repair  to  the  monasteries  of  the  Franks  or  Gauls ; 
 and  they  also  sent  their  daughters  there  to  be  instructed,  and 
 delivered  to  their  heavenly  bridegroom,  especially  in  the 
 monasteries  of  Brie,  of  Chelles,'j'  and  Andelys.  Among 
 whom  was  also  Sethrid,  daughter  of  the  wife  of  Anna,  king 
 of  the  East  Angles,  above  mentioned;  and  Ethelberga, J 
 natural  daughter  of  the  same  king ;  both  of  whom,  though 
 strangers,  were  for  their  virtue  made  abbesses  of  the  monas- 
 tery of  Brie.     Sexberga,  that  king's  eldest  daughter,  wife  to 
 
 *  Or  Faremoutier  monastery,  founde  I  a'  out  a.d.  6 16,  by  St.  Fara,  some- 
 times called  Burgundofara.  When  first  established  it  followed  the  rule  of 
 St.  Columban. 
 
 f  Chelles,  four  leagues  from  Paris.  This  monastery  was  founded  by  St. 
 Clotilda.  St.  Bathildes  so  much  enlcirged  it,  as  to  be  considered  the  prin- 
 cipal foundress. 
 
 X  Called  by  the  French  St.  Aubierge.  Bede  styles  her  the  natural 
 daughter  of  Anna,  which  in  his  time  did  not  mean  illegitimate  ;  but  was  used 
 m  opposition  to  an  adopted  child. 
 
122  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  ^b.  iii.  c.  8. 
 
 Earconbert,  king  of  Kent,  had  a  daughter  called  Earcongota, 
 of  whom  we  are  about   to  speak. 
 
 Many  wonderful  works  and  miracles  of  this  virgin,  dedi- 
 cated to  God,  are  to  this  day  related  by  the  inhabitants  of 
 that  place ;  but  it  shall  suffice  us  to  say  something  briefly  of 
 her  passage  out  of  this  world  to  the  heavenly  kingdom.  The 
 day  of  her  departure  drawing  near,  she  visited  the  cells  of 
 the  infirm  servants  of  Christ,  and  particularly  those  that 
 were  of  a  great  age,  or  most  noted  for  probity  of  life,  and 
 humbly  recommending  herself  to  their  prayers,  let  them 
 know  that  her  death  was  at  hand,  as  she  knew  by  revelation, 
 which  she  said  she  had  received  in  this  manner.  She  had 
 seen  a  number  of  men,  all  in  white,  come  into  the  monastery, 
 and  being  asked  by  her,  "  What  they  wanted,  and  what  they 
 did  there  ?"  they  answered,  "  Tliey  had  been  sent  thither  to 
 carry  away  with  them  the  gold  medal  that  had  been  brought 
 thither  from  Kent."  That  same  night,  at  the  dawn  of  morn- 
 ing, leaving  the  darkness  of  this  world,  she  departed  to  the 
 light  of  heaven.  Many  of  the  brethren  of  that  monastery 
 that  were  in  other  houses,  declared  they  had  then  plainly 
 heard  concerts  of  angels  singing,  and  the  noise  as  it  were  of 
 a  multitude  entering  the  monastery.  Whereupon  going  out 
 immediately  to  see  what  it  miglit  be,  they  saw  an  extraordi- 
 nary great  light  coming  down  from  heaven,  which  conducted 
 that  holy  soul,  set  loose  from  the  bonds  of  the  flesli,  to  the 
 eternal  joys  of  the  celestial  country.  They  add  other  mira- 
 cles that  were  wrought  the  same  night  in  the  same  monastery; 
 but  as  we  must  proceed  to  other  matters,  we  leave  them  to 
 be  related  by  those  to  whom  such  things  belong.  The  body 
 of  this  venerable  virgin  and  bride  of  Christ  was  buried  in 
 the  church  of  the  blessed  protomartyr,  Stephen.  It  was 
 thought  fit,  three  days  after,  to  take  up  the  stone  that  covered 
 the  grave,  and  to  raise  it  higher  in  the  same  place,  which 
 whilst  they  were  doing,  so  great  a  fragrancy  of  perfume  rose 
 from  below,  thai  it  seemed  to  all  the  brothers  and  sisters 
 there  present,  as  if  a  store  of  the  richest  balsams  had  been 
 opened. 
 
 Her  aunt  also,  Ethelberga  above  mentioned,  preserved  the 
 glory  so  pleasing  to  God,  of  perpetual  virginity,  in  great 
 continency  of  body,  but  the  eocitent  of  her  virtue  became 
 more  conspicuous  after  her  death.     WMlst  she  was  abbess, 
 
A.D.  642.]  DEATH  OF  KTSG  OSWALD.  123 
 
 she  began  to  build  in  her  monastery  a  church,  in  honour  of 
 all  the  apostles,  wherein  she  desired  her  body  might  be 
 buried  ;  but  when  that  work  was  advanced  half  way,  she 
 was  prevented  by  death  from  finishing  it,  and  buried  in  the 
 very  place  of  the  church  where  she  had  desired.  After  her 
 death,  the  brothers  occupied  themselves  with  other  things, 
 and  this  structure  was  intermitted  for  seven  years,  at  the 
 expiration  whereof  they  resolved,  by  reason  of  the  greatness 
 of  the  work,  wholly  to  lay  aside  the  building  of  the  church, 
 but  to  remove  the  abbess's  bones  from  thence  to  some  other 
 church  that  was  finished  and  consecrated  ;  but,  on  opening 
 her  tomb,  they  found  the  body  as  free  from  decay  as  it  had 
 been  from  the  corruption  of  carnal  concupiscence,  and  hav- 
 ing washed  it  again  and  put  on  it  other  clothes,  they  re- 
 moved the  same  to  the  church  of  St.  Stephen,  Martyr,  whose 
 nativity  (or  commemoration-day)  is  celebrated  Avith  much 
 magnificence  on  the  7th  of  July. 
 
 CHAP.  IX. 
 
 How  miractdons  cures  have  been  frequently  done  in  the  place  tohere  King 
 Oswald  IV as  killed ;  and  hoiv,  first,  a  traveller's  horse  was  restored  and 
 afterwards  a  young  girl  cured  of  the  palsy,     [a.d.  642.] 
 
 Oswald,  the  most  Christian  king  of  the  Northumbrians, 
 reigned  nine  years,  including  that  year  which  is  to  be  held 
 accursed  for  the  brutal  impiety  of  the  king  of  the  Britons, 
 and  the  apostacy  of  the  English  kings  ;  for,  as  was  said 
 above,  it  is  agreed  by  the  unanimous  consent  of  all,  that  the 
 names  of  the  apostates  should  be  erased  from  the  catalogue 
 of  the  Christian  kings,  and  no  date  ascribed  to  their  reign. 
 After  which  period,  Oswald  was  killed  in  a  great  battle,  by 
 the  same  pagan  nation  and  pagan  king  of  the  Mercians,  who 
 had  slain  his  predecessor  Edwin,  at  a  place  called  in  the 
 English  tongue  Maserfield,*  in  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  his 
 age,  on  the  fifth  day  of  the  month  of  August. 
 
 How  great  his  faith  was  towards  God,  and  how  remark- 
 
 *  Some  difference  of  opinion  exists  respecting  Maserfield.  Camden, 
 Capgrave,  and  otliers,  place  it  at  Oswestry,  in  Shropshire,  and  the  name 
 certainly  favours  their  opinion.  Alban  Butler,  Powell,  and  Dr.  Cowper 
 place  it  at  Winwick  in  Lancashire,  and  to  support  this  their  view  there  ia 
 an  inscription  on  the  outside  of  the  south  wall  of  the  parish  chiirch. 
 
124  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [B.iri.c.9. 
 
 able  his  devotion,  has  been  made  evident  by  miracles  since 
 his  death  ;  for,  in  the  place  where  he  was  killed  by  the 
 pagans,  fighting  for  his  country,  infirm  men  and  cattle  are 
 healed  to  this  day.  Whereupon  many  took  up  the  very  dust 
 of  the  place  where  his  body  fell,  and  putting  it  into  water, 
 did  much  good  with  it  to  their  friends  who  were  sick.  This 
 custom  came  so  much  into  use,  that  the  earth  being  cai'ried 
 away  by  degrees,  there  remained  a  hole  as  deep  as  the  height 
 of  a  man.  Nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  that  the  sick  should  be 
 healed  in  the  place  where  he  died  ;  for,  whilst  he  lived,  he 
 never  ceased  to  provide  for  the  poor  and  infirm,  and  to  be- 
 stow ahns  on  them,  and  assist  them.  Many  miracles  are 
 said  to  have  been  wi'ought  in  that  place,  or  ^dth  the  earth 
 carried  from  thence  ;  but  we  have  thought  it  sufficient  to 
 mention  two,  which  we  heard  from  our  ancestors. 
 
 It  happened,  not  long  after  his  death,  that  a  man  was  tra- 
 velling near  that  place,  when  liis  horse  on  a  sudden  began  to 
 tire,  to  stand  stock  still,  hang  down  his  head,  and  foam  at 
 the  mouth,  and,  at  length,  as  his  pain  increased,  he  fell  to 
 the  ground  ;  the  rider  dismounted,  and  throwin-r  some  straw 
 under  him,  waited  to  see  whether  the  beast  Avould  recover  or 
 die.  At  length,  after  much  rolhng  about  in  extreme  an- 
 guish, the  horse  happened  to  come  to  the  very  place  where 
 the  aforesaid  king  died.  Immediately  the  pain  ceased,  the 
 beast  gave  over  his  struggles,  and,  as  is  usual  with  tired 
 cattle,  turned  gently  from  side  to  side,  and  then  starting  up, 
 perfectly  recovered,  began  to  graze  on  the  green  herbage  : 
 which  the  man  observing,  being  an  ingenious  person,  lie 
 concluded  there  must  be  some  wonderful  sanctity  in  the 
 place  where  the  horse  had  been  healed,  and  left  a  mark 
 there,  that  he  might  know  the  spot  again.  After  which  he 
 again  mounted  his  horse,  and  repaired  to  the  inn  where  he 
 intended  to  stop.  On  his  arrival  he  found  a  girl,  niece  to 
 the  landlord,  who  had  long  languished  under  the  palsy;  and 
 when  the  friends  of  the  family,  in  his  presence,  lamented  the 
 girl's  calandty,  he  gave  them  an  account  of  the  place  where 
 liis  horse  had  been  cured.  In  short,  she  was  put  into  a  cart 
 and  carried  and  laid  down  at  the  place.  At  first  she  slept 
 awhil';  and  when  she  awaked  found  herself  healed  of  her 
 infirmity.  Upon  which  she  called  for  water,  washed  her 
 face,  put  up  her  hair,  and  dressed  her  head,  and  returned 
 
A.D.  6i2.]        MIRACLES  AT  THE  PLACE  OF  OSWALD'S  DEATH.        125 
 
 home  on  foot,  in  good  health,  with  those  who  had  broiiglit 
 her. 
 
 CHAP.  X. 
 
 The  power  of  the  earth  of  that  place  a  gainst  fire.     [a.d.  642.] 
 
 About  the  same  time,  another  person  of  the  British  nation, 
 as  is  reported,  happened  to  travel  by  the  same  place,  where 
 the  aforesaid  battle  was  fought,  and  observing  one  particular 
 spot  of  ground  greener  and  more  beautiful  than  any  other 
 part  of  the  field,  he  judiciously  concluded  with  liimself  that 
 there  could  be  no  other  cause  for  that  unusual  greenness, 
 but  that  some  person  of  more  holiness  than  any  other  in  the 
 ai-my  had  been  killed  there.  He  therefore  took  along  with 
 him  some  of  that  earth,  tying  it  up  in  a  linen  cloth,  suppos- 
 ing it  would  some  time  or  other  be  of  use  for  curing  sick 
 people,  and  proceeding  on  his  journey,  came  at  night  to  a 
 certain  village,  and  entered  a  house  where  the  neighbours 
 were  feasting  at  supper  ;  being  received  by  the  owners  of 
 the  house,  he  sat  doAvn  with  them  at  the  entertainment, 
 hanging  the  cloth,  in  which  he  had  brought  the  earth,  on  a 
 post  against  the  wall.  They  sat  long  at  supper  and  drank 
 hard,  Avith  a  great  fire  in  the  middle  of  the  room  ;  it  hap- 
 pened that  the  sparks  flev/  up  and  caught  the  top  of  the 
 house,  which  being  made  of  wattles  and  thatch,  was  pre- 
 sently in  a  flame  ;  the  guests  ran  out  in  a  fright,  without 
 being  able  to  put  a  stop  to  the  fire.  The  house  was  conse- 
 quently burnt  down,  only  that  post  on  which  the  earth  hung 
 remained  entire  and  untouched.  On  observing  this,  they 
 were  all  amazed,  and  inquiring  into  it  diligently,  understood 
 that  the  earth  had  been  taken  from  the  place  where  the 
 blood  of  King  Oswald  had  been  shed.  These  miracles  being 
 made  known  and  reported  abroad,  many  began  daily  to  fre- 
 quent that  place,  and  received  health  to  themselves  and 
 theirs. 
 
 CHAP,  XL 
 
 Of  the  heavenly  light  that  appeared  all  the  night  over  the  bones  of  King 
 Oswald,  and  hoio  persons  possessed  vnth  devils  were  delivered  hy  his 
 bones,    [a.d.  697.] 
 
 Among   the   rest,  I  think  we  ought  not  to  pass  over,  in 
 
126  bede's  ecclesiastical  histokt. 
 
 [b.  nr.  r.  11. 
 
 silence,  the  heavenly  favours  and  miracles  that  v/ere  shown 
 when  King  Oswald's  bones  were  found,  and  translated  into 
 the  church  where  thej  are  now  preserved.  This  was  done 
 bj  the  zealous  care  of  Ostiirida,  queen  of  the  Mercians,  the 
 daughter  of  his  brother  Oswy,  who  reigned  after  him,  as 
 shall  be  said  hereafter. 
 
 There  is  a  noble  monastery  in  the  province  of  Lindsey, 
 called  Beardeneu,*  wliich  that  queen  and  her  husband  Ethel- 
 red  much  loved,  and  conferred  upon  it  many  honours  and 
 ornaments.  It  was  here  that  she  was  desirous  to  lay  the 
 venerable  bones  of  her  uncle.  When  the  wagon  in  which 
 those  bones  were  carried  arrived  towards  evening  at  the 
 aforesaid  monastery,  they  that  were  in  it  refused  to  admit 
 them,  because,  though  they  knew  him  to  be  a  holy  man,  yet, 
 as  he  was  originally  of  another  province,  and  had  reigned 
 over  them  as  a  foreign  king,  they  retained  their  ancient  aver- 
 sion to  him  even  after  death.  Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  the 
 relics  were  left  in  the  open  air  all  that  night,  mth  only  a 
 large  tent  spread  over  them  ;  but  the  appearance  of  a  hea- 
 venly miracle  showed  with  how  much  reverence  they  ougiit 
 to  be  received  by  all  the  faithfid  ;  for  during  that  whole 
 night,  a  pillar  of  light,  reaching  from  the  ^s^agon  up  to 
 heaven,  was  seen  by  almost  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  pro- 
 vince of  Lindsey.  Hereupon,  in  the  morning,  the  bretlii-en 
 who  had  refused  it  the  day  before,  began  themselves  earn- 
 estly to  pray  that  those  holy  relics,  so  beloved  by  God,  might 
 be  deposited  among  them.  Accordingly,  the  bones,  being 
 washed,  were  put  into  a  shrine  wliich  they  had  made  for  that 
 purpose,  and  placed  in  the  church,  with  due  honour  ;  and 
 that  there  might  be  a  perpetual  memorial  of  the  royal  per- 
 son of  this  holy  man,  they  hung  up  over  the  monument  his 
 banner  made  of  gold  and  purple  ;  and  poured  out  the  water 
 in  which  they  had  washed  the  bones,  in  a  corner  of  the 
 sacred  place.  From  that  time,  the  very  earth  which  re- 
 ceived that  holy  water,  had  the  virtue  of  expelling  devils 
 from  the  bodies  of  persons  possessed. 
 
 Lastly,  when  the  aforesaid  queen  afterwards  made  some 
 
 •  Bardney  in  Lincolnshire.  The  foundation  of  Bardney  Abbey  is  fixed 
 by  Bishop  Tanner  before  the  year  (JOT,  because  Ofthrida,  or  Ostliryda,  queen 
 of  Mercia,  who  caused  Oswald's  bones  to  be  brought  to  it,  was  murdered 
 in  that  year. 
 
A.D.642.]  ST.  OSWALDS  RELICS.  127 
 
 Stay  in  tliat  monastery,  there  came  to  visit  her  a  certain  vener- 
 able abbess,  who  is  still  living,  called  Ethelliilda,  the  sister  of  the 
 holy  men,  Ethelwin  and  Aldwin,  the  first  of  whom  was  bishop 
 in  the  province  of  Lindsey,*  the  other  abbat  of  the  monastery  of 
 Peartaneu  ;  f  not  far  from  which  was  the  monastery  of  Ethel- 
 hilda.  When  this  lady  was  come,  in  a  conversation  between 
 her  and  the  queen,  the  discourse,  among  other  things,  turn- 
 ing upon  Oswald,  she  said,  that  she  also  had  that  night  seen 
 a  Light  reaching  from  the  rehcs  up  to  heaven.  The  queen 
 thereupon  added,  that  the  very  dust  of  the  pavement  on 
 which  the  water  that  washed  the  bones  had  been  spilt, 
 had  already  healed  many  sick  persons.  The  abbess 
 thereupon  desired  that  some  of  the  said  dust  might  be 
 given  her,  which  she  tied  up  in  a  cloth,  and,  putting  it 
 into  a  casket,  returned  home.  Some  time  after,  when  she 
 was  in  her  monastery,  there  came  to  it  a  guest,  who  was 
 wont  often  in  the  night  to  be  on  a  sudden  grievously  tonnented 
 with  an  evil  spirit ;  he  being  hospitably  entertained,  and  gone 
 to  bed  after  supper,  was  on  a  sudden  seized  by  the  Devil,  and 
 began  to  cry  out,  to  gnash  his  teeth,  to  foam  at  the  mouth,  and 
 to  distort  his  limbs  in  a  most  strange  manner.  Kone  being 
 able  to  hold  or  bind  him,  the  servant  ran,  and  knocking  at  the 
 door,  acquainted  the  abbess.  She,  opening  the  monastery 
 door,  went  out  herself  with  one  of  the  nuns  to  the  men's 
 apartment,  and  calKng  a  priest,  desired  he  Avould  go  with 
 her  to  the  sufferer.  Being  come  thither,  and  seeing  manv 
 more  present,  who  had  not  been  able,  though  they  endea- 
 voured it,  to  hold  the  tormented  person  and  prevent  his  con- 
 vulsive motions,  the  priest  used  exorcisms,  and  did  all  he 
 could  to  assuage  the  madness  of  the  unfortunate  man,  but, 
 though  he  took  much  pains,  could  not  prevail.  When  no 
 hopes  appeared  of  easing  him,  the  abbess  bethought  herself 
 of  the  dust,  and  irmnediately  ordered  her  servant  to  go  and 
 fetch  her  the  casket  in  which  it  was.  As  soon  as  she  came 
 with  what  she  had  been  sent  for  into  the  porch  of  the  house,  in 
 the  inner  part  whereof  the  possessed  person  was  tormented, 
 he  was  presently  silent,  and  laid  down  his  head,  as  if  he  had 
 been  falling  asleep,  stretcliing  out  all  his  limbs  to  rest.     All 
 
 *  Bishop  of  Sidnacester,  afterwards  removed  to  Lincoln. 
 +  Pearteneu,  or  Parteney,  was  a  cell  to  Bardney.      Deda  (see  p.  100), 
 was  the  first  abbat,  and  Aldwin  the  second.— Willie's  Mitred  Abbeys^  i.  29. 
 
128  BEDE's   ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  m.  C.12. 
 
 present  were  silent,  and  stood  attentive  to  see  the  end  of  the 
 affair.  After  some  time,  the  man  that  had  been  tormented 
 sat  up,  and  fetching  a  deep  sigh,  said,  "  Now  I  am  like 
 a  sound  man,  for  I  am  restored  to  my  senses."  They  earn- 
 estly inquired  how  that  came  to  pass,  and  he  answered,  "  As 
 soon  as  that  virgin  drew  near  the  porch  of  tliis  house,  with 
 the  casket  she  brought,  all  the  evil  spirits  that  vexed  me  de- 
 parted, and  were  no  more  to  be  seen."  Then  the  abbess 
 gave  him  a  little  of  that  dust,  and  the  priest  having  prayed, 
 he  had  a  very  quiet  night  ;  nor  did  he,  from  that  time  for- 
 ward, receive  the  least  disturbance  from  his  old  enemy. 
 
 CHAP.  XII. 
 
 Of  a  boy  cured  of  an  ague  at  St.  Oswald's  tomb.     [a.d.  642.] 
 
 Some  time  after,  there  was  a  certain  little  boy  in  the  said 
 monastery,  who  had  been  long  troubled  with  an  ague  ;  he 
 was  one  day  anxiously  expecting  the  hour  that  his  fit 
 was  to  come  on,  when  one  of  the  brothers,  coming  in  to  him, 
 said,  "  Shall  I  tell  you,  child,  how  you  may  be  cured  of  this 
 distemper  ?  Rise,  go  into  the  church,  and  get  close  to  St. 
 Oswald's  tomb  ;  stay  there  quiet,  and  do  not  leave  it ;  do 
 not  come  away,  or  stir  from  the  ^^lace,  till  the  time  that  your 
 fit  is  to  go  off:  then  I  will  go  in  and  fetch  you  away." 
 The  boy  did  as  he  was  advised,  and  the  disease  durst  not 
 affect  liim  as  he  sat  by  the  saint's  tomb  ;  but  fled  so  abso- 
 lutely, that  he  felt  it  no  more,  either  the  second  or  third  day, 
 or  ever  after.  The  brother  that  came  from  thence,  and  told 
 me  this,  added,  that  at  the  time  when  he  was  talking  with 
 me,  the  young  man  was  then  still  living  in  the  monastery,  on 
 whom,  when  a  boy,  that  miraculous  cure  had  been  wrought. 
 Nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  that  the  prayers  of  that  king  who 
 was  then  reigning  with  our  Lord,  should  be  very  efficacious 
 with  him,  since  he,  whilst  yet  governing  his  temporal  king- 
 dom, was  also  wont  to  pray  and  take  more  pains  for  that 
 which  is  eternal.  In  short,  it  is  reported,  that  he  often  con- 
 tinued in  prayer  from  the  hour  of  morning  thanksgiving  till 
 it  was  day  ;  and  that  by  reason  of  his  constant  custom  of 
 praying  or  giving  thanks  to  God,  he  was  wont  ahvays, 
 wherever  he  sat,  to  hold  his  hands  turned  up  on  liis  knees. 
 
A.D.  642.]  OSAYALD'S  relics  IN  IllELAND.  129 
 
 It  is  also  given  out,  and  become  a  proverb,  "  That  lie  ended 
 his  life  in  prayer  ;"  for  when  he  was  beset  with  weapons 
 and  enemies,  he  perceived  he  must  immediately  be  killed, 
 and  prayed  to  God  for  the  souls  of  his  army.  Whence  it  is 
 proverbially  said,  "  Lord  have  mercy  on  their  souls,  said 
 Oswald,  as  he  fell  to  the  ground."  His  bones,  therefore, 
 were  translated  to  the  monastery  which  we  have  mentioned, 
 and  buried  therein  :  but  the  king  that  slew  liim  commanded 
 his  head,  hands,  and  arms  to  be  cut  off  from  the  body,  and 
 set  upon  stakes.  But  his  successor  in  the  throne,  Oswy, 
 coming  thither  the  next  year  with  his  army,  took  them  down, 
 and  buried  his  head  in  the  church  of  Lindisfarne,  and  the 
 hands  and  arms  in  his  royal  city.* 
 
 CHAP.  XIII. 
 
 Of  a  certain  person  in  Ireland  that  ivas  recovered,  u-hen  at  the  point  of 
 death,  by  the  bones  of  King  Oswald,     [a.d.  642.] 
 
 Nor  was  the  fame  of  the  renowned  Oswald  confined  to  Bri- 
 tain, but,  spreading  the  rays  of  liis  healing  brightness  even 
 beyond  the  sea,  reached  also  to  Germany  and  Ireland.  In 
 short,  the  most  reverend  prelate,  Acca,j  is  wont  to  relate, 
 that  when,  in  his  journey  to  Rome,  he  and  his  bishop  Wilfrid 
 stayed  some  time  with  Wilbrcrd,  now  the  holy  bishop  of  the 
 Fresons,  he  had  often  heard  him  talk  of  the  wonders  which 
 had  been  wrought  in  that  province  at  the  relics  of  that  most 
 reverend  king.  And  that  in  Ireland,  when,  being  yet  only 
 a  priest,  he  led  a  pilgrim's  life  therein  for  love  of  the  eternal 
 country,  the  fame  of  that  king's  sanctity  was  ali-eady  spread 
 far  and  near.  One  of  the  miracles,  among  the  rest,  which 
 he  related,  we  have  thought  fit  to  insert  in  our  history. 
 
 "At  the  time,"  said  he,  "of  the  mortality  which  made 
 such  great  havoc  in  Britain  and  L'eland,  among  others, 
 the  infection  reached  a  certain  scholar  of  the  Scottish  race, 
 a  man  indeed  learned  in  worldly  literature,  but  in  no  way 
 solicitous  or  studious  of  his  eternal  salvation  ;  who,  seeing 
 
 *  Of  the  translation  of  these  relics  from  Bardney  to  St.  Oswald's,  Glou- 
 cestershire, A.D.  910,  by  Ethelred,  earl  of  Mercia,  and  Elfleda,  the  daughter 
 of  King  Alfred,  see  Sim.  Dunelm,  col.  152,  Script,  x.  Twysden.  See 
 also  Leland,  Collectanea,  London,  1770,  vol.  ii.  p.  3ti7;  and  iii.  p.  29.9. 
 
 t  Bishop  of  Hexham. 
 
 K 
 
130  l^EDE'S  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  [e-U'..  fc.l3 
 
 his  death  near  at  hand,  began  to  fear,  lest,  as  soon  as  he  was 
 dead  he  shoukl  be  hurried  away  to  heii  for  his  sins.  He 
 sent  for  me,  who  was  in  that  neigiiboiirhood,  and  whilst  he 
 was  trembling  and  sighing,  with  a  mournful  voice  made  his 
 complaint  to  me,  in  this  manner  :  '  You  see  that  mj  distem- 
 per increases,  and  that  I  am  now  reduced  to  the  point  of 
 death.  Nor  do  I  question  but  that  after  the  deatii  of  my 
 body,  I  shall  be  immediately  snatched  away  to  the  perpetual 
 death  of  my  soul,  and  cast  into  the  torments  of  hell,  since 
 for  a  long  time,  amidst  all  my  reading  of  divine  books,  I 
 have  rather  addicted  myself  to  vice,  than  to  keep  the  com- 
 mandments of  God.  But  it  is  my  resolution,  if  tlie  Divine 
 Mercy  shall  grant  me  a  new  term  of  life,  to  correct  my 
 vicious  habits,  and  totally  to  reform  my  mind  and  course 
 of  life  in  obedience  to  the  Divine  will.  But  I  am  sensible, 
 that  T  have  no  merits  of  my  own  to  obtain  a  prolongation 
 of  life,  nor  can  I  confide  in  it,  unless  it  shall  please  God  to 
 forgive  me,  through  the  assistance  of  those  who  have  faith- 
 fully served  him.  We  have  heard,  and  the  report  is  uni- 
 versal, that  there  was  in  your  nation  a  king,  of  wonderful 
 sanctity,  called  Oswald,  the  excellency  of  whose  faith  and 
 virtue  is  become  renowned  even  after  his  death  by  the 
 working  of  miracles.  I  beseech  you,  if  you  have  any  relics 
 of  his  in  your  custody,  that  you  will  bring  the  same  to  me  ; 
 in  case  the  Lord  shall  be  pleased,  through  his  merits,  to  have 
 mercy  on  me.'  I  answered,  'I  have  indeed  some  of  the 
 stake  on  which  his  head  Avas  set  np  by  the  pagans,  when 
 he  was  killed,  and  if  you  believe,  with  a  sincere  heart,  the 
 Divine  Goodness  may,  through  the  merit  of  so  great  a  man, 
 both  grant  you  a  longer  terra  of  life  here,  and  render  you 
 worthy  of  admittance  into  eternal  life.'  He  answered  im- 
 mediately, 'Tliat  he  had  entire  faith  therein.'  Then  I 
 blessed  some  water,  and  put  into  it  a  chip  of  the  aforesaid 
 oak,  and  gave  it  the  sick  man  to  drink.  He  presently  found 
 ease,  and,  recovering  of  his  sickness,  lived  a  long  time  after ; 
 and,  being  entirely  converted  to  God  in  heart  and  actions, 
 wherever  he  came,  he  spoke  of  the  goodness  of  his  merciful 
 Creator,  and  the  honour  of  his  faithful  servant." 
 
A.  D.  642.1  ITHAilAE,    BISHOP    OF    ROCHESTER.  131 
 
 CHAP.  XIV. 
 
 On  the  death  of  Paulinus,  Ithamar  was  made  bishop  of  Ro-hester  in  his 
 stead.  Of  the  wonderful  humUlty  of  King  Oswin,  ivho  ivas  cniellij  stain 
 by  Oswy.     [a.  d.  642.] 
 
 Oswald  being  translated  to  the  heavenly  kingdom,  his 
 brother  Os^vy,  a  young  man  of  about  tliirty  years  of  age, 
 succeeded  him  on  the  throne  of  his  eartlily  kingdom,  and 
 held  it  twenty-eight  years  with  much  trouble,  being  harassed 
 by  the  pagan  king,  Penda,  and  by  the  pagan  nation  of  the 
 Mercians,  that  had  slain  his  brotlier,  as  also  by  his  son 
 Alfred,  and  by  his  cousin-german  Ethelwald,  the  son  of  his 
 brother  who  reigned  before  him.  In  his  second  year,  that 
 is,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  644,  the  most  ]'everend  Father 
 Paulinus,  formerly  bishop  of  York,  but  tlien  of  the  city  of 
 Rochester,  departed  to  our  Lord,  on  the  10th  day  of  October, 
 having  held  the  bishopric  nineteen  years,  two  months,  and 
 t^venty-one  days  ;  and  was  buried  in  the  sacristy  of  the 
 blessed  Apostle  Andrew,  which  King  Ethelbert  had  built 
 from  the  foundation,  in  the  same  city  of  Rochester.  In  his 
 place.  Archbishop  Honorius  ordained  Ithamar,  of  the  Kent- 
 ish nation,  but  not  inferior  to  his  predecessors  for  learning 
 and  conduct  of  life. 
 
 Oswj,  during  the  first  part  of  his  reign,  had  a  partner  in 
 the  royal  dignity  called  Oswin,  of  the  race  of  King  Edwin, 
 and  son  to  Osric,  of  whom  we  liave  spoken  above,  a  man  of 
 wonderful  piety  and  devotion,  who  governed  the  province  of 
 the  Deiri  seven  years  in  very  great  prosperity,  and  was  him- 
 self beloved  by  all  men.  But  Oswy,  who  governed  ail  the 
 other  northern  part  of  the  nation  beyond  the  Humber,  that 
 is,  the  province  of  the  Bernicians,  could  not  live  at  peace 
 with  him  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  the  causes  of  their  disagree- 
 ment being  heightened,  he  murdered  him  most  cruelly.  For 
 when  they  had  raised  armies  against  one  another,  Oswin 
 perceived  that  he  could  not  maintain  a  war  against  one  who 
 had  more  auxiliaries  than  himself,  and  he  thought  it  better 
 at  that  time  to  lay  aside  all  thoughts  of  engaging,  and  to 
 preserve  himself  for  better  times.  He  therefore  dismissed 
 the  army  which  he  had  assembled,  and  ordered  all  liis  men 
 to  return  to  their  own  homes,  from  the  place  that  is  called 
 
 K  2 
 
132  BEDL'S  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  [B.nf.  c.l4. 
 
 Wilfares-dun,*  that  is,  Wilfar's  Hill,  which  is  almost  ten 
 miles  distant  from  the  village  called  Cataract,  towards  the 
 north-west.  He  himself,  with  only  one  trusty  soldier,  whose 
 name  was  Tondhere,  withdrew  and  lay  concealed  in  the 
 house  of  Earl  Hunwald,  whom  he  imagined  to  be  his  most 
 assured  friend.  But,  alas  !  it  was  other-\^ase  ;  for  the  earl 
 betrayed  him,  and  Oswy,  in  a  detestable  manner,  by  the 
 hands  of  his  commander,  Ethilwin,  slew  him  and  the  soldier 
 aforesaid.  This  happened  on  the  20th  of  August,  in  the 
 ninth  year  of  his  reign,  at  a  place  called  Ingethlingum,*!" 
 where  afterwards,  to  atone  for  his  crime,  a  monastery  was 
 built,  Avherein  prayers  were  to  be  daily  oifered  up  to  God 
 for  the  souls  of  both  kings,  that  is,  of  him  that  was  mur- 
 dered, and  of  him  that  commanded  him  to  be  killed. 
 
 King  Oswin  was  of  a  graceful  aspect,  and  tall  of  stature, 
 affiible  in  discourse,  and  courteous  in  behaviour  ;  and  most 
 bountiful,  as  well  to  the  ignoble  as  the  noble  ;  so  that  he  was 
 beloved  by  all  men  for  his  qualities  of  body  and  mind,  and 
 persons  of  the  first  rank  came  from  almost  all  provinces  to 
 serve  him.  Among  other  virtues  and  rare  endowments,  if  I 
 may  so  express  it,  humility  is  said  to  have  been  the  greatest, 
 which  it  will  suffice  to  prove  by  one  example. 
 
 He  had  given  an  extraordinarily  fine  horse  to  Bishop 
 Aidan,  which  he  might  either  use  in  crossing  rivers,  or  in 
 performing  a  journey  upon  any  urgent  necessity,  though  he 
 was  wont  to  travel  ordinarily  on  foot.  Some  short  time  after, 
 a  poor  man  meeting  him,  and  asking  alms,  he  immediately 
 dismounted,  and  ordered  the  horse,  with  all  his  royal 
 furniture,  to  be  given  to  the  beggar  ;  for  he  was  very 
 compassionate,  a  great  friend  to  the  poor,  and,  as  it  were,  the 
 father  of  the  wretched.  This  being  told  to  the  king,  when 
 they  were  going  in  to  dinner,  he  said  to  the  bishop,  "  Why 
 would  you,  my  lord  bishop,  give  the  poor  man  that  royal 
 horse,  which  was  necessary  for  your  use  ?  Had  not  we 
 many  other  horses  of  less  value,  and  of  other  sorts,  which 
 would  have  been  good  enough  to  give  to  the  poor,  and  not  to 
 give    that    horse,    which    I    had    particularly   chosen    for 
 
 *  Thounh  the  distance  of  this  place  from  Catterick  is  so  accurately  J.iid 
 tiovm  by  Bede,  Smith  was  unable  to  find  any  modern  name  of  a  place  at 
 all  answering  to  it,  at  the  required  distance  from  Catterick, 
 
 t  Gilling,  in  the  North  Riding  of  Yorkshire. 
 
0SA\^N'S    DEATH.  133 
 
 yourself  ?"  To  whom  the  bishop  instantly  answered,  "  What 
 is  it  you  say,  O  king  ?  Is  that  foal  of  a  mare  more  dear  to 
 you  than  the  Son  of  God  ?  "  Upon  this  they  went  in  to 
 dinner,  and  the  bishop  sat  in  his  place  ;  but  the  king,  who 
 was  come  from  hunting,  stood  warming  himself,  with  his 
 attendants,  at  the  fire.  Then,  on  a  sudden,  whilst  he  was 
 warming  himself,  calling  to  mind  what  the  bishop  had  said 
 to  him,  he  ungirt  his  sword,  and  gave  it  to  a  servant,  and  in 
 a  hasty  manner  fell  down  at  the  bishop's  feet,  beseeching  him 
 to  forgive  him  ;  "  For  from  this  time  forward,"  said  he,  '*  I 
 will  never  speak  any  more  of  this,  nor  vnll  I  judge  of  what, 
 or  how  much  of  our  money  you  shall  give  to  the  sons  of 
 God."  The  bishop  was  much  moved  at  this  sight,  and 
 starting  up,  raised  him,  saying,  "  He  was  entirely  reconciled 
 to  him,  if  he  would  sit  down  to  his  meat,  and  lay  aside  all 
 sorrow."  The  king,  at  the  bishop's  command  and  request, 
 beginning  to  be  merry,  the  bishop,  on  the  other  hand,  grew 
 so  melancholy  as  to  shed  tears.  His  priest  then  asking  him, 
 in  the  language  of  his  country,  which  the  king  and  his 
 servants  did  not  understand,  why  he  wept,  "  I  know,"  said 
 he,  "  that  the  king  will  not  live  long  ;  for  I  never  before  saw 
 so  humble  a  king  ;  whence  I  conclude  that  he  will  soon  be 
 snatched  out  of  this  life,  because  this  nation  is  not  worthy  of 
 such  a  ruler."  Not  long  after,  the  bishop's  prediction  was 
 fulfilled  by  the  king's  death,  as  has  been  said  above.  But 
 Bishop  Aidan  himself  was  also  taken  out  of  this  world, 
 twelve  days  after  the  king  he  loved,  on  the  31st  of  August, 
 to  receive  the  eternal  reward  of  liis  labours  from  our  Lord. 
 
 CHAP.  XV. 
 
 How  Bishop  Aidan  foretold  to  certain  seamen  a  storm  that  would  happen, 
 and  gave  them  same  holy  oil  to  lay  it.     [a.d.  651.J 
 
 How  great  the  merits  of  Aidan  were,  was  made  manifest  by 
 the  all-seeing  Judge,  with  the  testimony  of  miracles,  whereof 
 it  will  sufiice  to  mention  three  as  a  memorial.  A  certain 
 priest,  whose  name  was  Utta,  a  man  of  great  gravity  and 
 sincerity,  and  on  that  account  honoured  by  all  men,  even  the 
 princes  of  the  world,  being  ordered  to  Kent,  to  bring  from 
 thence,  as  wife  for  King  Oswy,  Eanfieda,  the  daughter  of 
 King  Edwin,  who  had  been  carried  thither  when  her  father 
 
134  BEDE"'S   EJCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  [b.  m.  c  15. 
 
 was  killed  ;  and  intending  to  go  thither  by  land,  but  to 
 return  with  the  virgin  by  sea,  repaired  to  Bishop  Aidan, 
 entreating  him  to  offer  up  his  prayers  to  our  Lord  for  him 
 and  his  company,  who  were  then  to  set  out  on  their  journey, 
 lie,  blessing  and  recommending  them  to  our  Lord,  at  the 
 same  time  gave  them  some  holy  oil,  saving,  "  I  know  that 
 when  you  go  abroad,  you  will  meet  with  a  storm  and 
 contrary  wind  ;  but  do  you  remember  to  cast  this  oil  I  give 
 you  into  the  sea,  and  the  wind  shall  cease  immediately  ; 
 you  will  have  pleasant  calm  weather,  and  return  home 
 safe." 
 
 All  which  fell  out  as  the  bishop  had  predicted.  For  in 
 the  first  place,  the  winds  raging,  the  sai'.ors  endeavoured  tx) 
 ride  it  out  at  anchor,  but  all  to  no  purpose  ;  for  the  sea 
 brealdng  in  on  all  sides,  and  the  ship  beginning  to  be  filled 
 wath  water,  they  all  concluded  that  certain  death  was  at 
 hand  ;  the  priest  at  last,  remembering  the  bishop's  v>'ords, 
 laid  hold  of  the  phial  and  cast  some  of  the  oil  into  the  sea, 
 which,  as  had  been  foretold,  became  presently  calm.  Thus 
 it  came  to  pass  that  the  man  of  God,  by  the  spirit  of 
 prophecy,  foretold  the  storm  that  was  to  happen,  and  by 
 virtue  of  the  same  spirit,  though  absent,  appeased  the 
 same.  Which  miracle  was  not  told  me  by  a  person  of  little 
 credit,  but  by  Cynemund,  a  most  faithful  priest  of  our 
 church,  who  declared  that  it  was  related  to  him  by  Utta,  the 
 priest,  on  and  by  whom  the  same  was  wrought. 
 
 CHAP.  XVL 
 
 How  the  same  Aidan,  by  his  prayers,  saved  the  royal  city  when  fired  by 
 the  enemy,     [a.d.  651.] 
 
 Another  notable  miracle  of  the  same  father  is  related  by 
 many  such  as  were  likely  to  have  knowledge  thereof  ;  for 
 during  the  time  that  he  was  bisliop,  the  hostile  army  of  the 
 Mercians,  under  the  command  of  Penda,  cruelly  ravaged  tlie 
 country  of  the  Northumbrians  far  and  near,  even  to  the 
 royal  city  ;  *  which  has  its  name  from  Bebba,  formerly  its 
 queen.  Not  being  able  to  enter  it  by  force,  or  by  a  long 
 siege,  he  endeavoured  to  burn  it ;  and  having  destroyed  all 
 the  villages  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  city,  he  brought  to  it 
 *■  Bambrousli. 
 
A.u.  Co].]  AIDAN'S    DEATH.  135 
 
 an  immense  quantity  of  planks,  beams,  wattles  and  thatch, 
 wherewith  he  encompassed  the  place  to  a  great  height  on 
 the  land  side,  and  when  the  wind  set  upon  it,  he  fired  the  mass, 
 designing  to  burn  the  town. 
 
 At  that  time,  the  most  reverend  Bishop  Aidan  resided  in 
 the  isle  of  Fame,*  which  is  nearly  two  miles  from  the  city  ; 
 for  thither  he  was  wont  often  to  retire  to  pray  in  private, 
 that  he  might  be  undisturbed.  Indeed,  this  soHtary  residence 
 of  his  is  to  this  day  shown  in  that  island.  When  he  saw  the 
 flames  of  fire  and  the  smoke  carried  by  the  boisterous  Avind 
 above  the  city  walls,  he  is  reported,  with  eyes  and  hands 
 lifted  up  to  heaven,  to  have  said,  "  Behold,  Lord,  how  great 
 mischief  Penda  does  ! "  Which  words  were  hardly  uttered, 
 when  the  wind  immediately  turning  from  the  city,  drove 
 back  the  flames  upon  those  who  had  kindled  them,  so  that 
 some  being  hurt,  and  all  frightened,  they  forbore  any  further 
 attempts  against  the  city,  which  they  perceived  was  protected 
 by  the  hand  of  God. 
 
 CHAP.  XYII. 
 
 Hoio  the  post  of  the  church  on  which  Bishop  Aidan  was  leaning  when  he 
 died,  could  not  be  burnt  when  the  rest  of  the  Church  was  consumed  by 
 fire  ;  and  of  his  inward  life.     [a.d.  651.] 
 
 Aidan  was  in  the  king's  country-house,  not  far  from  the  city 
 of  which  we  have  spoken  above,  at  the  time  when  deatb 
 separated  him  from  liis  body,  after  he  had  been  bishop  six- 
 teen years ;  for  having  a  church  and  a  chamber  there,  he  was 
 wont  often  to  go  and  stay  there,  and  to  make  excursions  to 
 preach  in  the  country  round  about,  which  he  likewise  did  at 
 other  of  the  king's  country-seats,  having  nothing  of  his  own 
 besides  his  church  and  a  few  fields  about  it.  When  he  was 
 sick  they  set  up  a  tent  for  him  close  to  the  wall  at  the  west 
 end  of  the  church,  by  which  means  it  happened  that  he  gave 
 up  the  ghost,  leaning  against  a  post  that  was  on  the  outside 
 to  strengthen  the  wall.  He  died  in  the  seventeenth  year  of 
 his  episcopacy,  the  last  day  of  the  month  of  August.  His 
 body  was  thence  translated  to  the  isle  of  Lindisfarne,  and 
 
 *  A  small  island  in  the  parish  of  Holy  Island,  Durham,  about  two  miles 
 eastward  of  Bambrough  castle  ;  it  is  remarkable  as  the  spot  where  St. 
 Cuthbert  passed  a  few  of  the  latter  years  of  his  life. 
 
136  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.iii.c.17 
 
 buried  in  the  churchyard  belonging  to  the  brethren.  Some 
 time  after,  when  a  larger  church  was  built  there  and  dedi- 
 cated in  honour  of  the  blessed  prince  of  the  apostles,  his 
 bones  were  translated  thither,  and  deposited  on  the  right 
 hand  of  the  altar,  with  the  respect  due  to  so  great  a  prelate. 
 
 Finan,  who  had  likewise  come  from  the  same  monastery 
 of  Hii  in  the  Scottish  island,  succeeded  him,  and  continued 
 a  considerable  time  in  the  bishopric.  It  happened  some  years 
 after,  that  Penda,  king  of  the  Mercians,  coming  into  these 
 parts  with  a  hostile  army,  destroyed  all  he  could  with  fire 
 and  sword,  and  burned  down  the  village  and  church  above 
 mentioned,  where  the  bishop  died ;  but  it  fell  out  in  a  wonder- 
 ful manner  that  the  post,  which  he  had  leaned  upon  when 
 he  died,  could  not  be  consumed  by  the  fire  which  consumed 
 all  about  it.  This  miracle  being  taken  notice  of,  the  church 
 was  soon  rebuilt  in  the  same  place,  and  that  very  post  was 
 set  up  on  the  outside,  as  it  had  been  before,  to  strengthen 
 the  wall.  It  happened  again,  some  time  after,  that  the  same 
 village  and  church  were  burned  down  the  second  time,  and 
 even  then  the  fire  could  not  touch  that  post ;  and  when  in  a 
 most  miraculous  manner  the  fire  broke  through  the  very  holes 
 in  it  wherewith  it  was  fixed  to  the  building,  and  destroyed 
 the  church,  yet  it  could  do  no  hurt  to  the  said  post.  The 
 church  being  therefore  built  there  the  third  time,  they  did 
 not,  as  before,  place  tliat  post  on  the  outside  as  a  support,  but 
 mthin,  as  a  memorial  of  the  miracle ;  and  the  people  coming 
 in  were  wont  to  kneel  there,  and  implore  the  Divine  mercy. 
 And  it  is  manifest  that  since  then  many  have  been  healed  in 
 that  same  place,  as  also  that  chips  being  cut  off  from  that 
 post,  and  put  into  water,  have  healed  many  from  their  dis- 
 tempers. 
 
 I  have  written  thus  much  concerning  the  person  and  works 
 of  the  aforesaid  Aidan,  in  no  way  commending  or  approving 
 what  he  imperfectly  understood  in  relation  to  the  observance 
 of  Easter ;  nay,  very  much  detesting  the  same,  as  I  have  most 
 manifestly  proved  in  the  book  I  have  written,  "  De  Tempori- 
 bus  ;"  but,  like  an  impartial  historian,  relating  what  was  done 
 by  or  with  him,  and  commending  such  things  as  are  praise- 
 worthy in  his  actions,  and  preserving  the  memory  thereof  for 
 the  benefit  of  the  readers  ;  viz.  his  love  of  peace  and  charity; 
 his  continence  and  humility ;  liis  mind  superior  to  anger  and 
 
A.D.  635.1  SIGEBERT,  KING  OF  EAST  ANGLIA.  137 
 
 avarice,  and  despising  pride  and  vainglory ;  his  industry  in 
 keeping  and  teaching  the  heavenly  commandments ;  his  dili- 
 gence in  reading  and  watching ;  his  authority  becoming  a 
 priest  in  reproving  the  haughty  and  powerful,  and  at  the 
 same  time  his  tenderness  in  comforting  the  afflicted,  and 
 relieving  or  defending  the  poor.  To  say  all  in  a  few  words, 
 as  near  as  I  could  be  informed  by  those  that  knew  him,  he 
 took  care  to  omit  none  of  those  things  which  he  found  in  the 
 apostolical  or  prophetical  writings,  but  to  the  utmost  of  his 
 power  endeavoured  to  perform  them  all. 
 
 These  things  I  much  love  and  admire  in  the  aforesaid 
 bishop ;  because  I  do  not  doubt  that  they  were  pleasing  to 
 God ;  but  I  do  not  praise  or  approve  his  not  observing  Easter 
 at  the  proper  time,  either  through  ignorance  of  the  canonical 
 time  appointed,  or,  if  he  knew  it,  being  prevailed  on  by  the 
 authority  of  his  nation,  not  to  follow  the  same.  Yet  this  I 
 approve  in  him,  that  in  the  celebration  of  his  Easter,  the 
 object  which  he  had  in  view  in  all  he  said,  did,  or  preached, 
 was  the  same  as  ours,  that  is,  the  redemption  of  mankind, 
 through  the  passion,  resurrection  and  ascension  into  heaven 
 of  the  man  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  mediator  betwixt  God 
 and  man.  And  therefore  he  always  celebrated  the  same,  not 
 as  some  falsely  imagine,  on  the  fourteenth  moon,  Uke  the 
 Jews,  whatsoever  the  day  was,  but  on  the  Lord's  day,  from 
 the  fourteenth  to  the  twentieth  moon ;  and  this  he  did  from 
 his  belief  of  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord  happening  on  the 
 day  al'ter  the  Sabbath,  and  for  the  hope  of  our  resurrection, 
 wliich  also  he,  with  the  holy  Church,  believed  would  happen 
 on  the  same  day  after  the  Sabbath,  now  called  the  Lord's 
 day. 
 
 CHAP.  xvin. 
 
 Of  the  life  and  death  of  the  religious  King  Sigebert.      [a.d,  635  ] 
 
 At  this  time,  the  kingdom  of  the  East  Angles,  after  the 
 death  of  Earpwald,  the  successor  of  Redwald,  was  subject  to 
 his  brother  Sigebert,  a  good  and  religious  man,  who  long 
 before  had  been  baptized  in  France,  whilst  he  lived  in  banish- 
 ment, flying  from  the  enmity  of  Redwald ;  and  returning 
 home,  as  soon  as  he  ascended  the  tlu'one,  being  desirous  to 
 
138  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  hi.  c.  19. 
 
 imitate  the  good  institutions  which  he  had  seen  in  France,  he 
 set  up  a  school  for  jouth*  to  be  instructed  in  literature,  and  - 
 ^yas  assisted  therein  by  Bishop  Fehx,  who  came  to  him  from 
 Kent,  and  who  furnished  him  "svith  masters  and  teachers  after 
 the  manner  of  that  country. 
 
 This  king  became  so  great  a  lover  of  the  heavenly  kingdom, 
 that  quitting  the  affairs  of  his  crown,  and  committing  the 
 same  to  his  kinsman  Ecgric,  who  before  held  a  part  of  that 
 kingdom,  he  went  himself  into  a  monastery,  which  he  had 
 built,  and  having  received  the  tonsure,  appHed  himself  rather 
 to  gain  a  heavenly  throne.  Some  time  after  this,  it  happened 
 tliat  the  nation  of  the  Mercians,  under  King  Penda,  made 
 war  on  the  East  Angles ;  who,  finding  themselves  inferior  in 
 martial  affiiirs  to  their  enemy,  entreated  Sigebert  to  go  with 
 them  to  battle,  to  encourage  the  soldiers.  He  refused,  upon 
 which  they  drew  him  against  his  will  out  of  the  monastery, 
 and  carried  him  to  the  array,  hoping  that  the  soldiers  would 
 be  less  disposed  to  flee  in  the  presence  of  him,  who  had  once 
 been  a  notable  and  a  brave  commander.  But  he,  still  keep- 
 ing in  mind  his  profession,  whilst  in  the  midst  of  a  royal 
 army,  would  carry  nothing  in  his  hand  but  a  wand,  and  was 
 killed  with  King  Ecgric;  and  the  pagans  pressing  on,  all 
 their  army  was  either  slaughtered  or  dispersed. 
 
 Anna,  the  son  of  Eni,  of  the  blood  royal,  a  good  man,  and 
 father  of  an  excellent  family  of  childi'en,  succeeded  them  in 
 the  kingdom.  Of  whom  we  shall  speak  hereafter;  he  being 
 also  slain  by  the  same  pagan  commander  as  his  predecessor 
 had  been. 
 
 CHAP.  XIX. 
 
 Hoiv  Furseij  built  a  monastery  among  the  East  Angles,  and  of  his  visions 
 and  sanctity,  oftvhlch,  his  flesh  remaining  uncorrupted  after  death,  bore 
 testimony,     [a.d.  633.] 
 
 Whilst  Sigebert  still  governed  the  kingdom,  there  came  out 
 of  Ireland  a  holy  man  called  Fursey  renowned  both  for  his 
 words  and  actions,  and  remarkable  for  singular  virtues,  being 
 desirous  to  Uve  a  stranger  for  our  Lord,  wherever  an  oppor- 
 tunity should  offer.  On  coming  into  the  province  of  the 
 East  Saxons,  he  was  honourably  received  by  the  aforesaid 
 *  Either  at  Seaham  or  Dimwich,  according  to  later  writers. 
 
A.D.  633.1  ST.  FURSEY  ARRIYES  FROM  IRELAND.  139 
 
 king,  and  performing  his  usual  employment  of  preaching  t]»e 
 Gospel,  by  the  example  of  his  virtue  and  the  efficacy  of  his 
 discourse,  converted  many  unbelievers  to  Christ,  and  con- 
 firmed in  his  fliith  and  love  those  that  already  believed. 
 
 Here  he  fell  into  some  infirmity  of  body,  and  was  thought 
 worthy  to  see  a  vision  from  God  ;  in  which  he  was  admonished 
 diligently  to  proceed  in  the  ministry  of  the  word  which  he 
 had  undertaken,  and  indefatigably  to  continue  his  usual 
 watching  and  prayers ;  inasmuch  as  his  end  was  certain,  but  the 
 hour  of  it  would  be  uncertain,  according  to  the  saying  of  our 
 Lord,  "  Watch  ye  therefore,  because  ye  know  not  the  day  nor 
 the  hour."  Being  confirmed  by  this  vision,  he  applied  him- 
 self with  all  speed  to  build  a  monastery  on  the  ground  which 
 had  been  given  him  by  King  Sigebert,  and  to  establish  regu- 
 lar discipline  therein.  This  monastery  was  pleasantly  situated 
 in  the  woods,  and  with  the  sea  not  far  off;  it  was  built 
 within  the  area  of  a  castle,  which  in  the  English  language  is 
 called  Cnobheresburg,  that  is,  Cnobher's  Town  ;*  afterwards, 
 Anna,  king  of  that  province,  and  the  nobility,  embellished  it 
 with  more  stately  buildings  and  donations.  Tiiis  man  was 
 of  noble  Scottish  blood,  but  much  more  noble  in  mind  than 
 in  birth.  From  his  boyish  years,  he  had  particularly  applied 
 himself  to  reading  sacred  books,  and  following  monastic  dis- 
 cipline, and,  as  is  most  becoming  to  holy  men,  he  carefully 
 practised  all  that  he  learned  was  to  be  done. 
 
 In  short,  he  built  himself  the  monastery,  wherein  he  might 
 with  more  freedom  indulge  his  heavenly  studies.  There, 
 falling  sick,  as  the  book  about  his  life  informs  us,  he  fell  into 
 a  trance,  and  quitting  his  body  from  the  evening  till  the  cock 
 crew,  he  was  found  worthy  to  behold  the  choirs  of  angels, 
 and  to  hear  the  praises  which  are  sung  in  heaven.  He  was 
 wont  to  declare,  that  among  other  things  he  distinctly  heard 
 this  :  "  The  saints  shall  advance  from  one  virtue  to  another.** 
 And  again,  "  The  God  of  gods  shall  be  seen  in  Sion."  Being 
 restored  to  his  body  at  that  time,  and  again  taken  from  it 
 three  days  after,  he  not  only  saw  the  greater  joys  of  the 
 blessed,  but  also  extraordinary  combats  of  evil  spirits,  who 
 by  frequent  accusations  wickedly  endeavoured  to  obstruct  his 
 journey  to  heaven  ;  but  the  angels  protecting  him,  all  their 
 
 •  Bm-o-hcastle  in  Sufi'.lk. 
 
140  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  In.  iir.  c.  19. 
 
 endeavours  were  in  vain.  Concerning  wliicli  particulars,  if 
 any  one  desires  to  be  more  fully  informed,  that  is,  with  what 
 subtle  fraud  the  devils  represented  both  his  actions  and  super- 
 fluous words,  and  even  his  thoughts,  as  if  they  had  been 
 written  down  in  a  book  ;  and  what  pleasing  or  disagreeable 
 things  he  was  informed  of  by  the  angels  and  saints,  or  just 
 men  who  appeared  to  him  among  the  angels  ;  let  him  read 
 the  little  book  of  his  life  which  I  have  mentioned,  and  I  be- 
 lieve he  will  thereby  reap  much  spiritual  profit. 
 
 But  there  is  one  thing  among  the  rest,  which  w^e  have 
 thought  may  be  beneficial  to  many  if  inserted  in  this  his- 
 tory. When  he  had  been  lifted  up  on  high,  he  was  ordered 
 by  the  angels  that  conducted  him  to  look  back  upon  the 
 world.  Upon  which,  casting  his  eyes  downward,  he  saw, 
 as  it  were,  a  dark  and  obscure  valley  underneath  him.  He 
 also  saw  four  fires  in  the  air,  not  far  distant  from  each 
 other.  Then  asking  the  angels,  what  fires  those  were  ?  he 
 was  told,  they  were  the  fires  w^hich  would  kindle  and  con- 
 sume the  world.  One  of  them  was  of  falsehood,  when  we 
 do  not  fulfil  that  which  we  promised  in  baptism,  to  renounce 
 the  Devil  and  all  his  works.  The  next  of  covetousness, 
 when  we  prefer  the  riches  of  the  world  to  the  love  of  hea- 
 venly things.  The  tlurd  of  discord,  when  we  make  no 
 difficulty  to  oiFend  the  minds  of  our  neighbours  even  in 
 needless  things.  The  fourth  of  iniquity,  when  we  look 
 upon  it  as  no  crime  to  rob  and  to  defraud  the  weak.  These 
 fires,  increasing  by  degrees,  extended  so  as  to  meet  one 
 another,  and  being  joined,  became  an  immense  flame.  When 
 it  drew  near,  fearing  for  himself,  he  said  to  the  angel,  "  Lord, 
 behold  the  fire  draws  near  me."  The  angel  answered,  "  That 
 wdiich  you  did  not  kindle  shall  not  burn  you  ;  for  though 
 this  appears  to  be  a  terrible  and  great  fire,  yet  it  tries  every 
 man  according  to  the  merits  of  his  works  ;  for  every  man's 
 concupiscence  shall  burn  in  the  fire  ;  for  as  every  one  burns 
 in  the  body  through  unlawful  pleasure,  so  when  discharged 
 of  the  body,  he  shall  burn  in  the  punislunent  which  he  has 
 deserved." 
 
 Then  he  saw  one  of  the  three  angels,  who  had  been  his 
 conductors  throughout  both  visions,  go  before  and  divide 
 the  flame  of  fire,  whilst  the  other  two,  flying  about  on  both 
 sides,  defended  him  from  the  danger  of  that  fire.     He  also 
 
A.D.  C33.:  FUKSEYS   VISIONS. 
 
 141 
 
 saw  devils  flpng  through  the  fire,  raising  conflagrations  of 
 wars  against  the  just.  Then  followed  accusations  of  the 
 wicked  spirits  against  him,  the  defence  of  the  good  angels 
 in  his  favour,  and  a  more  extended  view  of  the  heavenly 
 troops  ;  as  also  of  holy  men  of  his  own  nation,  who,  as  he 
 had  long  since  been  informed,  had  been  deservedly  ad- 
 vanced to  the  degree  of  priesthood,  from  whom  he  heard 
 many  things  that  might  be  very  salutary  to  himself,  or  to 
 all  others  that  would  listen  to  them.  When  they  had  ended 
 their  discourse,  and  returned  to  heaven  with  the  angelic 
 spirits,  the  three  angels  remained  -wdth  the  blessed  Fursey, 
 of  whom  we  have  spoken  before,  and  who  were  to  bring 
 him  back  to  his  body.  And  when  they  approached  the 
 aforesaid  immeuse  fire,  the  angel  divided  the  flame,  as  he 
 had  done  before  ;  but  when  the  man  of  God  came  to  the 
 passage  so  opened  amidst  the  flames,  the  unclean  spirits, 
 laying  hold  of  one  of  those  whom  they  tormented  in  the 
 fire,  threw  him  at  him,  and,  touching  his  shoulder  and  Jaw, 
 burned  them.  He  knew  the  man,  and  called  to  mind  that 
 he  had  received  his  garment  when  he  died ;  and  the  angel, 
 immediately  laying  hold,  threw  him  back  into  the  fire,  and 
 the  malignant  enemy  said,  "Do  not  reject  him  whom  you 
 before  received  ;  for  as  you  accepted  the  goods  of  him  who 
 was  a  sinner,  so  you  must  partake  of  his  punishment."  The 
 angel  replying,  said,  "  He  did  not  receive  the  same  through 
 avarice,  but  in  order  to  save  his  soul."  The  fire  ceased,  and 
 the  angel,  turning  to  him,  added,  "  That  which  you  kindled 
 burned  in  you  ;  for  had  you  not  received  the  money  of  this 
 person  that  died  in  his  sins,  liis  punishment  would  not  burn 
 in  you."  And  proceeding  in  his  discourse,  he  gave  him 
 wholesome  advice  for  what  ought  to  be  done  towards  the 
 salvation  of  such  as  repented. 
 
 Being  afterwards  restored  to  his  body,  throughout  the 
 whole  course  of  his  life  he  bore  the  mark  of  the  fire  which 
 he  had  felt  in  his  soul,  visible  to  all  men  on  his  shoulder  and 
 jaw  ;  and  the  flesh  publicly  showed,  in  a  wonderful  manner, 
 what  the  soul  had  suffered  in  private.  He  always  took  care, 
 as  he  had  done  before,  to  persuade  all  men  to  the  practice  of 
 virtue,  as  well  by  his  example,  as  by  preaching.  But  as  for 
 the  matter  of  his  visions,  he  would  only  relate  them  to  those 
 who,  from  holy  zeal  and  desire  of  reforsnation,  wished  to 
 
142  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [e.  III.  c.  19. 
 
 learn  tlie  same.  An  ancient  brother  of  our  monastery  is 
 still  living,  who  is  wont  to  declare  that  a  very  sincere  and 
 religious  man  told  him,  that  he  had  seen  Fursey  himself  in 
 the  province  of  the  East  Angles,  and  heard  those  visions 
 from  his  mouth  ;  adding,  that  though  it  was  in  most  sharp 
 winter  weather,  and  a  hard  frost,  and  the  man  was  sitting  in 
 a  tliin  garment  when  he  related  it,  yet  he  sweated  as  if  it 
 had  been  in  the  greatest  heat  of  summer,  either  through 
 excessive  fear,  or  spiritual  consolation. 
 
 To  return  to  what  we  were  saying  before,  when,  after 
 preaching  the  word  of  God  m.any  years  in  Scotland,  [Ireland] 
 lie  could  no  longer  bear  the  crowds  that  resorted  to  him, 
 leaving  all  that  he  seemed  to  possess,  he  departed  from  his 
 native  island,  and  came  with  a  few  brothers  through  the 
 Britons  into  the  province  of  the  English,  and  preaching  the 
 word  of  God  there,  as  has  been  said,  built  a  noble  monastery. 
 These  things  being  rightly  performed,  he  became  desirous  to 
 rid  himself  of  all  business  of  this  world,  and  even  of  the 
 monastery  itself,  and  forth^vith  left  the  same,  and  the  care 
 of  souls,  to  his  brother  Fullan,  and  the  priests  Gobban  and 
 Dicull,  and  being  himself  free  from  all  that  was  worldly, 
 resolved  to  end  his  life  as  a  hermit.  He  had  another  brother 
 called  Ultan,  who,  after  a  long  monastical  probation,  had  also 
 adopted  the  life  of  an  anchorite.  Repairing  all  alone  to  him, 
 he  lived  a  whole  year  with  him  in  continence  and  prayer, 
 and  laboured  daily  with  his  hands. 
 
 Afterwards  seeing  the  province  in  confusion  by  tlie  irrup- 
 tions of  the  pagans,  and  presaging  that  the  monasteries 
 would  be  also  in  danger,  he  left  all  things  in  order,  and 
 sailed  over  into  France,  and  being  there  honourably  enter- 
 tained by  Clovis,  king  of  the  Franks,  or  by  the  patrician 
 Erconwald,  he  built  a  monastery  in  the  place  called  Latinia- 
 cum,*  and  falling  sick  not  long  after,  departed  this  life.  The 
 same  Erconwald  took  his  body,  and  deposited  it  in  the 
 porch  of  a  church  he  was  building  in  his  town  of  Perrone, 
 till  the  church  itself  should  be  dedicated.  This  happened 
 twenty-seven  days  after,  and  the  body  being  taken  from  the 
 porch,  to  be  re-buried  near  the  altar,  was  found  as  entire 
 as  if  he  had  just  then  died.  And  again,  four  years  after,  a 
 more  decent  tabernacle  or  chapel  being  built  for  the  same 
 *  Lagny,  about  six  miles  to  the  north  of  Paris  on  the  Marne. 
 
A.D.G53.]  DEATH  OF  IIONOniUS.  143 
 
 body  to  the  eastward  of  the  altar,  it  Avas  still  found  free  from 
 corruption,  and  translated  thither  with  due  honour  ;  where 
 it  is  well  known  that  his  merits,  through  the  divine  opera- 
 tion, have  been  declared  by  many  miracles.  These  things 
 and  the  incorruption  of  his  body  we  have  taken  notice  of, 
 that  the  sublimeness  of  this  man  may  be  the  better  known  to 
 the  readers.  All  which,  whosoever  will  read  it,  will  find 
 more  fully  described,  as  also  about  liis  fellow-labourers,  in 
 the  book  of  his  life  before  mentioned. 
 
 CHAP.  XX. 
 
 Honorius  dy'wg,  Deusdedit  is  chosen  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  of  iho.<e 
 who  ivere  at  that  time  bishops  of  the  East  Angles,  and  of  the  church  of 
 Rochester,     [a.d.  653.] 
 
 In  the  meantime,  Felix,  bishop  of  the  East  Angles,  dying, 
 when  he  had  held  that  see  seventeen  years,  Honorius  or- 
 dained Thomas  his  deacon,  of  the  province  of  the  Girvii,*  in 
 his  place  ;  and  he  departing  this  life  when  he  had  been 
 bishop  five  years,  Bertgils,  surnamed  Boniface,  of  the  pro- 
 vince of  Kent,  was  appointed  in  his  stead.  Honorius  liim- 
 self  also,  having  run  his  course,  departed  this  life  in  the  year 
 of  our  Lord  653,  on  the  30th  of  September  ;  and  when  the 
 see  had  been  vacant  a  year  and  six  months,  Deusdedit,  of 
 the  nation  of  the  South  Saxons,  was  chosen  the  sixth  arch- 
 bishop of  Canterbury.  To  ordain  whom,  Ithamar,  bishop 
 of  Rochester,  came  thither.  His  ordination  was  on  the  26th 
 of  March,  and  he  ruled  nine  years,  four  months,  and  two 
 days  ;  when  he  also  died.  Ithamar  consecrated  in  his  place 
 Damian,!  who  was  of  the  race  of  the  South  Saxons. 
 
 CHAP.  XXL 
 
 IJoto  the  province  of  the  Midland  Angles  became  Christian  lender  King 
 Peada.     [a.d.  653.] 
 
 At  this  time,  the  Middle  Angles,  J  under  their  Prince  Peada, 
 the  son  of  King  Penda,  received  the  faith  and  sacraments  of 
 
 *  The  Girvii  inhabited  the  counties  of  Rutland,  Northampton,  and 
 Huntingdon,  with  part  of  Lincolnshu-e,  and  had  their  own  princes,  depend- 
 ent on  the  kings  of  ivlercia. 
 
 t  The  see  of  Canterbury  was  vacant  four  years  between  the  death  of 
 Deusdedit  and  the  consecration  of  Damian. 
 
 X  The  Southern  Mercians,  or  Middle  Angles,  whom  he  governed  as  king 
 diu:ing  the  life  of  his  father. 
 
144  BEDe'S    ecclesiastical    history.  fB.  in.  t   21. 
 
 the  truth.  Being  an  excellent  youth,  and  most  worthy  of 
 the  title  and  person  of  a  king,  he  was  by  his  father  elevated 
 to  the  throne  of  that  nation,  and  came  to  Oswy,  Idng  of  the 
 Northumbrians,  requesting  to  have  his  daughter  Elfleda  given 
 1dm  to  wife  ;  but  could  not  obtain  his  desires  unless  he 
 would  embrace  the  f\iith  of  Christ,  and  be  baptized,  with  the 
 nation  which  he  governed.  When  he  heard  the  preaching 
 of  truth,  the  promise  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  and  the  hope 
 of  resurrection  and  future  immortality,  he  declared  that  he 
 would  willingly  become  a  Christian,  even  though  he  should 
 be  refused  the  virgin  ;  being  chiefly  prevailed  on  to  receive 
 the  faith  by  King  Oswy's  son  Alfrid,  who  was  his  relation 
 and  friend,  and  had  married  liis  sister  Cyneberga,  the  daugh- 
 ter of  King  Penda. 
 
 Accordingly  he  was  baptized  by  Bishop  Finan,  with  all 
 his  earls  and  soldiers,  and  their  servants,  that  came  along 
 with  him,  at  a  noted  village  belonging  to  the  king,  called 
 At  the  Wall.*  And  having  received  four  priests,  who  for 
 their  erudition  and  good  life  were  deemed  proper  to  instruct 
 and  baptize  his  nation,  he  returned  home  with  much  joy. 
 These  priests  were  Cedd  and  Adda,  and  Betti  and  Diuma  ; 
 the  last  of  whom  was  by  nation  a  Scot,  the  others  English. 
 Adda  was  brother  to  Utta,  whom  we  have  mentioned  before, 
 a  renowned  priest,  and  abbat  of  the  monastery  of  Gateshead.f 
 The  aforesaid  priests,  arriving  in  the  province  with  the 
 prince,  preached  the  word,  and  were  willingly  listened  to  ; 
 and  many,  as  well  of  the  nobility  as  the  common  sort,  re- 
 nouncing the  abominations  of  idolatry,  were  baptized  daily. 
 
 Nor  did  King  Penda  obstruct  the  preaching  of  the  word 
 among  his  people,  the  Mercians,  if  any  were  willing  to  hear 
 it ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  he  hated  and  despised  those  whom 
 he  perceived  not  to  perform  the  works  of  faith,  when  they 
 had  once  received  the  faith,  saying,  "  They  were  con- 
 temptible and  wretched  who  did  not  obey  their  God,    in 
 
 ♦  Generally  supposc^d  to  he  Walton,  but  Smith  thinks  it  is  Waubottle, 
 near  Newcastle.  The  expression,  "  At  the  wall,"  is  a  corruption  not  un- 
 usual in  the  case  of  towns  whose  names  are  imperfectly  understood  by  new 
 comers.  Thus  Con&tantinuplc  is  called  by  the  Turks,  Stamboul,  which  is 
 only  a  corruption  of  r.s  tan  polin 
 
 t  Gateshead  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  Roman  station  called  Guhrosen- 
 tum,  which  signiHes  Goat's  Head.  It  is  situated  on  the  southern  bank  of 
 tbe  Tyne,  opposite  to  NewciiSliC. 
 
A.D.653.]  RECOVERY  OF  THE  EAST  SAXONS.  145 
 
 whom  they  believed."  This  was  begun  two  years  before  the 
 death  of  King  Penda. 
 
 But  when  he  was  slain,  and  Oswy,  the  most  Christian 
 king,  succeeded  him  in  the  throne,  Diuma,  one  of  the  aforesaid 
 four  priests,  was  made  bishop  of  the  Midland  Angles,  as  also 
 of  the  Mercians,*  being  ordained  by  Bishop  Finan  ;  for  the 
 scarcity  of  priests  was  the  occasion  that  one  prelate  was  set 
 over  two  nations.  Having  in  a  short  time  gained  many 
 people  to  our  Lord,  he  died  among  the  Midland  Angles,  in 
 the  country  called  Feppingum  ;  and  CeoUach,  of  the  Scot- 
 tish nation,  succeeded  him  in  the  bishopric.  This  prelate, 
 not  long  after,  left  his  bishopric,  and  returned  to  the  island 
 of  Hii,  which,  among  the  Scots,  was  the  chief  and  head  of 
 many  monasteries.  His  successor  in  the  bishopric  was 
 Trumhere,  a  religious  man,  and  educated  in  the  monastic 
 life  of  the  English  nation,  but  ordained  bishop  by  the  Scots, 
 which  happened  in  the  days  of  King  Wulf  here,  of  whom  we 
 shall  speak  hereafter. 
 
 CHAP.  XXII. 
 
 How  the  East  Saxons  again  received  the  faith,  which  they  had  before  cast 
 off  under  King  Sigebert,  through  the  preaching  of  Cedd.    [a.d.  653.] 
 
 At  that  time,  also,  the  East  Saxons,  at  the  instance  of  King 
 Oswy,  again  received  the  faith,  which  they  had  formerly  cast 
 off  when  they  expelled  Mellitus,  their  bishop.  For  Sigebert, 
 who  reigned  next  to  Sigebert  surnamed  The  Little,  was 
 then  king  of  that  nation,  and  a  friend  to  King  Oswy,  who, 
 when  he  often  came  to  him  into  the  province  of  the  North- 
 umbrians, used  to  endeavour  to  persuade  him  that  those 
 could  not  be  gods  that  had  been  made  by  the  hands  of  men  ; 
 that  a  stock  or  a  stone  could  not  be  proper  matter  to  form  a 
 god,  the  remains  whereof  were  either  burned  in  the  fire,  or 
 framed  into  any  vessels  for  the  use  of  men,  or  else  were  cast 
 out  as  refuse,  trampled  on  and  bruised  to  dust.  That  God 
 is  rather  to  be  understood  as  of  incomprehensible  majesty 
 and  invisible  to  human  eyes,  almighty,  eternal,  the  Creator 
 of  heaven  and  earth,   and  of  mankind  ;   who  governs  and 
 
 *  This  see  was  fixed  at  Repton,  formerly  called  Repington,  in  Derby- 
 shire, the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Mercia,  and  was  probably  the  see  of 
 the  first  four  bishops  of  Mercia.  It  was  afterwards,  when  St.  Chad  was 
 bishop,  removed  to  Lichfield  where  it  has  continued  to  this  day.  See  p.  174. 
 
 L 
 
146  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   history.  [b.  III.  c.  22. 
 
 will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness  ;  whose  everlasting 
 seat  is  in  heaven,  and  not  in  vile  and  fading  matter  ;  and 
 that  it  ought  in  reason  to  be  concluded,  that  all  those  who 
 have  learned  and  obeyed  the  will  of  Ilim  by  whom  they 
 were  created,  will  receive  from  Him  eternal  rewards.  King 
 Oswy  having  often,  in  a  friendly  and  brotherly  manner,  said 
 this  and  much  more  to  the  like  effect,  at  length,  with  the 
 consent  of  his  friends,  he  believed,  and  after  consulting  with 
 those  about  him,  and  exhorting  them,  they  all  agreed  and 
 gave  their  approbation,  and  were  baptized  with  him  by 
 Bishop  Finan,  in  the  Idng's  village  above  spoken  of,  which 
 is  called  At  the  Wall,  because  it  is  close  by  the  wall  with 
 which  the  Romans  formerly  divided  the  island  of  Britain,  at 
 the  distance  of  twelve  miles  from  the  eastern  sea. 
 
 King  Sigebert,  being  now  become  a  citizen  of  the  eternal 
 kingdom,  returned  to  the  seat  of  his  temporal  kingdom,  re- 
 questing of  Oswy  that  he  would  give  liim  some  teachers, 
 who  might  convert  his  nation  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  and 
 baptize  them.  Oswy,  accordingly,  sending  into  the  province 
 of  the  Midland  Angles,  invited  to  liim  the  man  of  God, 
 Cedd,*  and,  giving  him  another  priest  for  his  companion, 
 sent  them  to  preacli  to  the  East  Saxons.  When  these  two, 
 travelling  to  all  parts  of  that  country,  had  gathered  a  nume- 
 rous church  to  our  Lord,  it  happened  that  Cedd  returned 
 home,  and  came  to  the  church  of  Lindisfarne  to  confer  with 
 Bishop  Finan  ;  who,  finding  how  successful  he  had  been  in 
 the  work  of  the  Gospel,  made  him  bishop  of  the  church  oi 
 the  East  Saxons,  calling  to  him  two  other  bishops  to  assist 
 at  the  ordination.  Cedd,  having  received  the  episcopal  dig- 
 nity, returned  to  his  province,  and  pursuing  the  work  he  had 
 begun  with  more  ample  authority,  built  churches  f  in  several 
 places,  ordaining  priests  and  deacons  to  assist  hira  in  the 
 work  of  faith,  and  the  ministry  of  baptizing,  especially  in 
 the  city  wliich,  in  the  language  of   the   Saxons,  is  called 
 
 *  Brother  to  St.  Chad,  bishop  of  Lichfield. 
 
 +  These  churches  did  not  at  all  resemble  the  parish  churches  -which,  in 
 after  times,  the  lords  of  the  soil  appear  to  have  built  for  the  use  of  them- 
 selves and  their  tenantry  ;  on  the  contrary,  there  is  much  show  of  proba- 
 bility that  they  were  chapels  or  oratories  dependent  upon  the  two  larger 
 chm-ches  which  Cedd  built  at  Ithancestir  and  at  Tilbury,  in  both  which 
 places  he  collected  together  a  number  of  persons,  and  taught  them  to  ob- 
 serve, if  not  a  strictly  monastic,  yet  a  regular  discipline. 
 
AD.  65r.]  DEATH  OF  KING  SIGEBERT.  147 
 
 Ithancestir,*  as  al?o  in  that  wliich  is  named  Tilaburg  ;  f  the 
 first  of  which  places  is  on  the  bank  of  the  Pante,  the  other 
 on  the  bank  of  the  Thames,  where,  gathering  a  flock  of 
 servants  of  Christ,  he  taught  them  to  observe  the  discipline 
 of  regular  life,  as  far  as  those  rude  people  were  then 
 capable. 
 
 Whilst  the  doctrine  of  everlasting  life  was  thus,  for  a 
 considerable  time,  making  progress,  to  the  joj  of  the  king 
 and  of  all  the  people,  it  happened  that  the  king,  at  the 
 instigation  of  the  enemy  of  all  good  men,  was  murdered  bv 
 his  own  kindred.  They  were  two  brothers  who  did  this 
 wicked  deed  ;  and  being  asked  what  had  moved  them  to  it, 
 had  nothing  else  to  answer,  but  that  thej  had  been  incensed 
 against  the  king,  and  hated  him,  because  he  was  too  apt  to 
 spare  his  enemies,  and  easily  to  forgive  the  wrongs  they  had 
 done  him,  upon  their  entreaty.  Such  was  the  crime  for 
 which  the  king  was  killed,  because  he  observed  the  precepts 
 of  the  Gospel  with  a  devout  heart ;  in  which  innocent  death, 
 however,  his  real  offence  was  also  punished,  according  to  the 
 prediction  of  the  man  of  God.  For  one  of  those  earls  that 
 murdered  him  was  unlawfully  married,  which  the  bishop  not 
 being  able  to  prevent  or  correct,  he  excommunicated  him,  and 
 commanded  all  that  would  give  ear  to  him  not  to  enter  ^dthin 
 his  house,  nor  to  eat  of  his  meat.  The  king  made  slight  of 
 this  inhibition,  and  being  invited  by  the  earl,  went  to  an 
 entertainment  at  his  house,  and  when  he  was  going  thence, 
 the  bishop  met  him.  The  king,  beholding  him,  immediately 
 dismounted  from  his  horse,  trembling,  and  fell  down  at  his 
 feet,  begging  pardon  for  his  offence ;  for  the  bishop,  who  was 
 likewise  on  horseback,  had  also  alighted.  Being  much 
 incensed,  he  touched  the  king,  lying  in  that  humble  posture, 
 with  the  rod  he  held  in  liis  hand,  and  using  his  pontifical 
 authority,  spoke  thus  :  "  I  say  to  you,  forasmuch  as  you 
 would  not  refrain  from  the  house  of  that  wicked  and 
 condemned  person,  you  shall  die  in  tliat  very  house."  Yet  it 
 is  to  be  believed,  that  such  a  death  of  a  religious  man  not 
 only  blotted  out  his  offence,  but  also  added  to  his  merit ; 
 
 *  On  the  river  Pante,  now  called  Blackwater  river,  near  Maldon, 
 Essex.     There  are  now  no  remains  of  the  city. 
 
 +  Tilbury,  near  the  Thames,  opposite  to  Gravescnd,  St.  Cedd  resid  d 
 here  when  engaged  in  baptizing  the  East  Saxons. 
 
 L   2 
 
148  BEDE'S    ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  in.  c.  23. 
 
 because  it  happened  on  account  of  his  pious  observance  of 
 the  commands  of  Christ. 
 
 Sigebert  was  succeeded  in  the  kingdom  by  Suidhelm,  the 
 son  of  Sexbald,  who  was  baptized  by  the  same  Cedd,  in  the 
 province  of  the  East  Angles,  at  the  king's  country-seat, 
 called  Rendlesham,*  that  is,  Rendil's  Mansion  ;  and  Ethel- 
 wald,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  brother  to  Anna,  king  of  the 
 same  people,  was  his  godfather. 
 
 CHAP.  xxm. 
 
 Bishop  Cedd,  having  a  place  given  him  by  King  Ethelwald,  consecrates  the 
 same  to  our  Lord  with  prayer  and  fasting.     Of  his  death,     [a.d.  659.] 
 
 The  same  man  of  God,  whilst  he  was  bishop  among  the 
 East  Saxons,  was  also  wont  several  times  to  visit  his  own 
 country,  Northumberland,  to  make  exhortations.  Ethelwald, 
 the  son  of  King  Oswald,  who  reigned  among  tlie  Deiri, 
 finding  him  a  holy,  wise,  and  good  man,  desired  him  to 
 accept  some  land  to  build  a  monastery,  to  which  the  king 
 himself  might  frequently  resort,  to  oflfer  his  prayers  and  hear 
 the  word,  and  be  buried  in  it  when  he  died  ;  for  he  believed 
 that  he  should  receive  much  benefit  by  the  prayers  of  those 
 who  were  to  serve  God  in  that  place.  The  king  had  before 
 with  him  a  brother  of  the  same  bishop,  called  Celin,  a  man 
 no  less  devoted  to  God,  who,  being  a  priest,  was  wont  to 
 administer  to  him  the  word  and  the  sacraments  of  the  faith  ; 
 by  whose  means  he  chiefly  came  to  know  and  love  the  bishop. 
 That  prelate,  therefore,  complying  with  the  king's  desires, 
 chose  himself  a  place  to  build  a  monastery  among  craggy  and 
 distant  mountains,  which  looked  more  like  lurking-places  for 
 robbers  and  retreats  for  wild  beasts,  than  habitations  for 
 men  ;  to  the  end  that,  according  to  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah, 
 "  In  the  habitations  Avhere  before  dragons  dwelt,  might  be 
 grass  with  reeds  and  rushes  ; "  that  is,  that  the  fruits  of  good 
 works  should  spring  up,  where  before  beasts  were  wont  to 
 dwell,  or  men  to  live  after  the  manner  of  beasts. 
 
 The  man  of  God,  desiring  first  to  cleanse  the  place  for 
 tlie  monastery  from  former  crimes,  by  prajer  and  fasting, 
 that  it  might  become  acceptable  to  our  Lord,  and  so  to  lay 
 the  foundations,  requested  of  the  king  that  he  would  give 
 
 *  Rendlesham,  in  Suffolk. 
 
A.D.  660.]  MONASTERY    OF    LESTINGUA.  149 
 
 him  leave  to  reside  there  all  the  approaching  time  of  Lent, 
 to  pray.  All  which  days,  except  Sundays,  he  fasted  til]  the 
 evening,  according  to  custom,  and  then  took  no  other 
 sustenance  than  a  little  bread,  one  hen's  egg,  and  a  little  milk 
 mixed  with  water.  This,  he  said,  was  the  custom  of  those 
 of  whom  he  had  learned  the  rule  of  regular  discipline  ;  first, 
 to  consecrate  to  our  Lord,  by  prayer  and  fasting,  the  places 
 which  they  had  newly  received  for  building  a  monastery  or  a 
 church.  When  there  were  ten  days  of  Lent  still  remaining, 
 there  came  a  messenger  to  call  him  to  the  king  ;  and  he,  that 
 the  religious  work  might  not  be  intermitted,  on  account  of 
 the  king's  affairs,  entreated  his  priest,  Cynebil,  who  was  also 
 his  own  brother,  to  complete  that  which  had  been  so  piously 
 begun.  Cynebil  readily  complied,  and  when  the  time  of 
 fasting  and  prayer  was  over,  he  there  built  the  monastery, 
 which  is  now  called  Lestingau,*  and  established  therein  the 
 religious  customs  of  Lindisfarne,  where  they  had  been 
 educated. 
 
 Cedd  for  many  years  having  charge  of  the  bishopric  in 
 the  aforesaid  province,  and  of  this  monastery,  over  which  he 
 had  placed  superiors,  it  happened  that  he  came  thither  at  a 
 time  when  there  was  a  mortality,  and  fell  sick  and  died.  He 
 was  first  buried  in  the  open  air  ;  but  in  the  process  of  time  a 
 church  was  built  of  stone  in  the  monastery,  in  honour  of  the 
 Mother  of  God,  and  his  body  interred  in  the  same,  on  the 
 right  hand  of  the  altar. 
 
 The  bishop  left  the  monastery  to  be  governed  after  him 
 by  his  brother  Chad,  who  was  afterwards  made  bishop, "j"  as 
 shall  be  said  in  its  place.  For  the  four  brothers  we  have 
 mentioned,  Cedd  and  Cynebil,  Celin  and  Ceadda,  [Chad,] 
 which  is  a  rare  tiling  to  be  met  with,  were  all  celebrated 
 priests  of  our  Lord,  and  two  of  them  also  came  to  be  bishops. 
 When   the   brethren  who  were  in  his   monastery,   in   the 
 
 *  It  has  been  supposed  that  this  monastery  was  situated  at  Lastingham, 
 Cleaveland,  Yorkshire.  Dugdale  (i.  .342)  says,  it  was  situated  in  the 
 deanery  of  Rydale  and  archdeaconry  of  Cleaveland,  at  no  great  distance 
 from  Whitby.  John  of  Tinemouth  places  the  foundation  in  the  year  648  ; 
 Bede  in  660.  It  was  completely  ruined  in  the  Danish  wars,  about  870. — The 
 beautiful  old  Saxon  church  at  Lastingham,  remarks  Mr.  Stevenson,  if  not 
 the  original  building  of  Cedd  or  his  brother  Chad,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
 churches  in  the  kingdom. 
 
 t  First  bishop  of  York,  and  then  of  Lichfield. 
 
150  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  HISTOKY.  [b.  III.  c.  24. 
 
 province  of  the  East  Saxons,  heard  that  the  bishop  was  dead 
 in  the  province  of  the  Northumbrians,  about  thirty  men  of 
 that  monastery  came  thither,  being  desirous  either  to  live 
 near  the  body  of  their  father,  if  it  should  please  God, 
 or  to  die  there  and  be  buried.  Being  lovingly  received  by 
 their  brethren  and  fellow  soldiers  in  Christ,  all  of  them  died 
 there  by  the  aforesaid  pestilence,  except  one  little  boy,  who 
 was  delivered  from  death  by  his  father's  prayers.  For  when 
 he  had  lived  there  a  long  time  after,  and  applied  himself  to 
 the  reading  of  sacred  writ,  he  was  informed  that  he  had  not 
 been  regenerated  by  the  water  of  baptism,  and  being  then 
 washed  in  the  laver  of  salvation,  he  was  afterv/ards  promoted 
 to  the  order  of  priesthood,  and  proved  very  useful  to  many 
 in  the  church.  I  do  not  doubt  that  he  was  delivered  at  the 
 point  of  death,  as  I  have  said,  by  the  intercession  of  his 
 father,  whilst  he  was  embracing  Ins  beloved  corpse,  that  so 
 he  might  liimself  avoid  eternal  death,  and  by  teaching, 
 exliibit  the  ministry  of  life  and  salvation  to  others  of  the 
 brethren. 
 
 CHAP.  XXIV. 
 
 King  Penda  being  slain,  the  Mercians  received  the  faith  of  Christ,  and 
 Osioy  gave  possessions  and  territories  to  God,  for  building  monasteries, 
 in  acknowledgment  for  the  victory  obtained,     [a.d.  655.] 
 
 At  this  time.  King  Oswy  was  exposed  to  the  fierce  and  intoler- 
 able irruptions  of  Penda,  king  of  the  Mercians,  whom  we  have 
 so  often  mentioned,  and  who  had  slain  his  brother ;  at  length, 
 necessity  compelling  him,  he  promised  to  give  him  greater 
 gifts  that  can  be  imagined,  to  purchase  peace ;  provided  that 
 th  king  would  return  home,  and  cease  to  destroy  the  pro- 
 vinces of  his  kingdom.  That  perfidious  king  refused  to 
 grant  his  request,  and  resolved  to  extirpate  all  his  nation, 
 from  the  highest  to  the  lowest ;  whereupon  he  liad  recourse 
 to  the  protection  of  the  Divine  goodness  for  deliverance  from 
 his  barbarous  and  impious  foe,  and  binding  himself  by  a  vow, 
 said,  "  If  the  pagan  will  not  accept  of  our  gifts,  let  us  offer 
 them  to  him  that  will,  the  Lord  our  God."  He  then  vowed, 
 that  if  he  should  come  off  victorious,  he  would  dedicate  his 
 daughter  to  our  Lord  in  holy  virginity,  and  give  twelve  farms 
 to  build  monasteries.     After  this  he  gave  battle  with  a  very 
 
A.D.597.]  PENDA  DEFEATED  AKD  SLAIN  liY  OSWY.  151 
 
 small  army  against  superior  forces  :  indeed,  it  is  reported 
 that  the  pagans  had  three  times  the  number  of  men  ;  for  they 
 had  thirty  legions,  led  on  by  most  noted  commanders.  King 
 Oswy  and  his  son  Alfrid  met  them  with  a  very  small  army, 
 as  has  been  said,  but  confiding  in  the  conduct  of  Christ ;  his 
 other  son,  Egfrid,  was  then  kept  an  hostage  at  the  court  of 
 Queen  Cynwise,  in  the  province  of  the  Mercians.  King 
 Oswald's  son  Ethelwald,  who  ought  to  have  assisted  them, 
 was  on  the  enemy's  side,  and  led  them  on  to  fight  against  his 
 country  and  uncle ;  though,  during  the  battle,  he  withdi-ew, 
 and  waited  the  event  in  a  place  of  safety.  The  engagement 
 beginning,  the  pagans  were  defeated,  the  thirty  commanders, 
 and  those  who  had  come  to  his  assistance,  were  put  to  flight, 
 and  almost  all  of  them  slain ;  among  whom  was  Ethelhere, 
 brother  and  successor  to  Anna,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  who 
 had  been  the  occasion  of  the  war,  and  who  was  now  killed, 
 with  all  his  soldiers.  The  battle  was  fought  near  the  river 
 Vinwed,*  wliich  then,  with  the  great  rains,  had  not  only  filled 
 its  channel,  but  overflowed  its  banks,  so  that  many  more 
 were  drowned  in  the  flight  than  destroyed  by  the  sword. 
 
 Then  King  Oswy,  pursuant  to  the  vow  he  had  made  to 
 our  Lord,  returned  thanks  to  God  for  the  victory,  and  gave 
 his  daughter  Elfleda,  who  was  scarce  a  year  old,  to  be  con- 
 secrated to  him  in  perpetual  virginity ;  delivering  also  twelve 
 small  portions  of  land,  wherein  earthly  warfare  should  cease, 
 and  in  which  there  should  be  a  perpetual  residence  and  sub- 
 sistence for  monks  to  follow  the  warfare  which  is  spiritual, 
 and  pray  diligently  for  the  peace  of  his  nation.  Of  those  pos- 
 sessions six  were  in  the  province  of  the  Deiri,  and  the  other 
 six  in  that  of  the  Bernicians.  Each  of  the  said  possessions 
 contained  ten  families,  that  is,  a  hundred  and  twenty  in  all. 
 The  aforesaid  daughter  of  King  Oswy,  thus  dedicated  to 
 God,  was  put  into  the  monastery,  called  Heruteu,"|"  or,  "  The 
 I  sland  of  the  Hart,"  where,  at  that  time,  the  Abbess  HildaJ 
 presided,  and,  two  years  after,  having  acquired  a  possession 
 often  families,  at  the  place  called  Streaneshalch,§  she  built  a 
 monastery  there,  in  which  the  aforesaid  king's  daughter  was 
 
 *  Winwidfield,  near  Leeds.  +  Now  Hartlepool. 
 
 X  Grandniecc  of  Edwin,  king  of  Northumbria. 
 §  Whitby,  in  the  North  Riding  of  Yorkshire. 
 
152  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  hi.  c.  24. 
 
 first  a  learner,  and  afterwards  a  teacher  of  the  monastic  life ; 
 till,  being  sixty  years  of  age,  the  blessed  virgin  departed  to 
 the  nuptials  and  embraces  of  her  heavenly  bridegroom.  In 
 that  same  monastery,  she  and  her  father,  Oswy,  her  mother, 
 Eanfleda,  her  mother's  father,  Edwin,  and  many  other  noble 
 persons,  are  buried  in  the  church  of  the  holy  Apostle  Peter. 
 King  Oswy  concluded  the  aforesaid  war  in  the  country  of 
 Loidis,*  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  his  reign,  on  the  15th  of 
 November,  to  the  great  benefit  of  both  nations ;  for  he  both 
 delivered  his  own  people  from  the  hostile  depredations  of  the 
 pagans,  and,  having  cut  ofi"  the  wicked  king's  head,  converted 
 the  Mercians  and  the  adjacent  provinces  to  the  grace  of  the 
 Christian  faith. 
 
 Diuma  was  made  the  first  bishop  of  the  Mercians,  as  also 
 of  Lindisfarne  and  the  Midland  Angles,  as  has  been  said 
 above,  and  he  died  and  was  buried  among  the  Midland 
 Angles.  The  second  was  Ceollach,  who,  quitting  the  episco- 
 pal office  whilst  still  alive,  returned  into  Scotland,  to  which 
 nation  he  belonged  as  well  as  Bishop  Diuma.  The  third  was 
 Trumhere,  an  Englishman,  but  taught  and  ordained  by  the 
 Scots,  being  abbat  in  the  monastery  that  is  called  Ingeth- 
 lingum,t  and  is  the  place  where  King  Oswin  was  kiUed,  as  has 
 been  said  above;  for  Queen  Eanfleda,  his  kinswoman,  in 
 satisfaction  for  his  unjust  death,  begged  of  King  Oswy  that 
 he  would  give  the  aforesaid  servant  of  God  a  place  there  to 
 build  a  monastery,  because  he  also  was  kinsman  to  the 
 slaughtered  king;  in  which  monastery  continual  prayers 
 should  be  ofiered  up  for  the  eternal  health  of  the  kings,  both 
 of  him  that  had  been  slain,  and  of  him  that  caused  it  to  be 
 done.  The  same  King  Oswy  governed  the  Mercians,  as  also 
 the  people  of  the  other  southern  provinces,  three  years  after  he 
 had  slain  King  Penda ;  and  he  likewise  subdued  the  greater 
 part  of  the  Picts  to  the  dominion  of  the  English. 
 
 At  which  time  he  gave  to  the  above-mentioned  Peada,  son 
 to  King  Penda,  who  was  his  kinsman,  the  B:ingdom  of  the 
 Southern  Mercians,  consisting,  as  is  reported,  of  5,000  fami- 
 lies, divided  by  the  river  Trent  from  the  Northern  Mercians, 
 whose  land  contained  7,000  families;  but  that  Peada  was 
 the  next  spring  very  wickedly  kiUed,  by  the  treachery,  as  is 
 
 •  Leeds,  f  Gilling  Yorkshire. 
 
A.D.652.]  BISHOP   FDfAN.  153 
 
 said,  of  his  wife,  during  the  very  time  of  celebrating  Easter. 
 Three  years  after  the  death  of  King  Penda,  Immin,  and 
 Eafa,  and  Eadbert,  generals  of  the  Mercians,  rebelled  against 
 King  Oswy,  setting  up  for  their  king,  Wulf  here,  son  to  the 
 said  Penda,  a  youth,  whom  they  had  kept  concealed;  and 
 expeUing  the  officers  of  the  foreign  king,  they  at  once 
 recovered  their  liberty  and  their  lands  ;  and  being  thus  free, 
 together  with  their  king,  they  rejoiced  to  serve  Christ  the 
 true  King,  that  they  might  obtain  the  everlasting  kingdom 
 which  is  in  heaven.  This  king  governed  the  Mercians  seven- 
 teen years,  and  had  for  his  first  bishop  Trumhere,  above 
 spoken  of ;  the  second  Jaruman ;  the  third  Chad  ;*  the 
 the  fourth  Winfrid.  All  these,  succeeding  each  other 
 regularly  under  Kjng  Wulfhere,  discharged  the  episcopal 
 duties  to  the  Mercian  nation. 
 
 CHAP.  XXV. 
 
 How  the  controversy  arose  about  the  due  time  of  keeping  Easter,  with  those 
 that  came  out  of  Scotland,     [a.d.  662.] 
 
 In  the  meantime,  Bishop  Aidan  being  dead,  Finan,  who  was 
 ordained  and  sent  by  the  Scots,  succeeded  him  in  the  bishop- 
 ric, and  built  a  church  in  the  Isle  of  Lindisfarne,  the  episco- 
 pal see ;  nevertheless,  after  the  manner  of  the  Scots,  he  made 
 it,  not  of  stone,  but  of  hewn  oak,  and  covered  it  with  reeds ; 
 and  the  same  was  afterwards  dedicated  in  honour  of  St. 
 Peter  the  Apostle,  by  the  reverend  Archbishop  Theodore. 
 Eadbert,!  also  bishop  of  that  place,  took  off  the  thatch,  and 
 covered  it,  both  roof  and  walls,  with  plates  of  lead. 
 
 At  this  time,  a  great  and  frequent  controversy  happened 
 about  the  observance  of  Easter ;  J  those  that  came  from  Kent 
 or  France  affiirming,  that  the  Scots  kept  Easter  Sunday  con- 
 trary to  the  custom  of  the  universal  church.  Among  them 
 was  a  most  zealous  defender  of  the  true  Easter,  whose  name 
 was  Ronan,  a  Scot  by  nation,  but  instructed  in  ecclesiastical 
 truth,  either  in  France  or  Italy,  who,  disputing  with  Finan, 
 convinced  many,  or  at  least  induced  them  to  make  a  more 
 
 *  St.  Chad  removed  the  see  from  Repton  (see  p.  145)  to  Lichfield,  aa 
 related  in  book  iv.  c.  3. 
 
 +  Eadbert  was  consecrated  bishop  of  Lindisfarne,  a.d.  688.  See  book 
 iv.  c.  29.  X  See  ante,  page  104. 
 
154  BEDe's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  rii.  c.  25. 
 
 Strict  inquiry  after  the  truth ;  yet  he  could  not  prevail  upon 
 Finan,  but,  on  the  contrary,  made  him  the  more  inveterate 
 by  reproof,  and  a  professed  opposer  of  the  truth,  being  of  a 
 hot  and  violent  temper.  James,  formerly  the  deacon  of  the 
 venerable  Archbishop  Paulinus,  as  has  been  said  above,  kept 
 the  true  and  Catholic  Easter,  with  all  those  that  he  could 
 persuade  to  adopt  the  right  way.  Queen  Eanfleda  and  her 
 followers  also  observed  the  same  as  she  had  seen  practised  in 
 Kent,  having  with  her  a  Kentish  priest  that  followed  the 
 Catholic  mode,  whose  name  was  Romanus.  Thus  it  is  said 
 to  have  happened  in  those  times  that  Easter  was  twice  kept 
 in  one  year ;  and  that  when  the  king  having  ended  the  time  of 
 fasting,  kept  his  Easter,  the  queen  and  her  followers  were 
 still  fasting,  and  celebrating  Palm  Sunday.  This  difference 
 about  the  observance  of  Easter,  whilst  Aidan  lived,  was 
 patiently  tolerated  by  all  men,  as  being  sensible,  that  though 
 he  could  not  keep  Easter  contrary  to  the  custom  of  those  who 
 had  sent  him,  yet  he  industriously  laboured  to  practise  all 
 works  of  faith,  piety,  and  love,  according  to  the  custom  of  all 
 holy  men ;  for  which  reason  he  was  deservedly  beloved  by 
 all,  even  by  those  who  differed  in  opinion  concerning  Easter, 
 and  was  held  in  veneration,  not  only  by  indifferent  persons, 
 but  even  by  the  bishops,  Honorius  of  Canterbury,  and  Felix 
 of  the  East  Angles. 
 
 But  after  the  death  of  Finan,  who  succeeded  him,  when 
 Colman,  who  was  also  sent  out  of  Scotland,  came  to  be  bishop, 
 a  greater  controversy  arose  about  the  observance  of  Easter, 
 and  the  rules  of  ecclesiastical  life.  Whereupon  this  dispute 
 began  naturally  to  influence  the  thoughts  and  hearts  of  many, 
 who  feared,  lest  having  received  the  name  of  Christians, 
 they  might  happen  to  run,  or  to  have  run,  in  vain.  This 
 reached  the  ears  of  King  Oswy  and  his  son  Alfrid ;  for  Oswy, 
 liaving  been  instructed  and  baptized  by  the  Scots,  and  being 
 very  perfectly  skilled  in  their  language,  thought  nothing 
 better  than  what  they  taught.  But  Alfrid,  having  been  in- 
 structed in  Christianity  by  Wilfrid,  a  most  learned  man,  who 
 had  first  gone  to  Rome  to  learn  the  ecclesiastical  doctrine, 
 and  spent  much  time  at  Lyons  with  Dalfin,  archbishop  of 
 France,  from  whom  also  he  had  received  the  ecclesiastical 
 tonsure,  rightly  thought  this  man's  doctrine  ought  to  be  pre- 
 ferred before  all  the  traditions  of  the  Scots,     For  this  reason 
 
A.D.  C64.]  COXTROYEKSY   KESPECTIXG   EASTER.  loO 
 
 he  had  also  given  him  a  monastery  of  forty  families,  at  a 
 place  called  Rliypum  ;*  which  place,  not  long  before,  he  had 
 given  to  those  that  followed  the  system  of  the  Scots  for  a 
 monastery ;  but  forasmuch  as  they  afterwards,  being  left  to 
 their  choice,  prepared  to  quit  the  place  rather  than  alter  their 
 opinion,  he  gave  the  place  to  him,  whose  life  and  doctrine 
 were  worthy  of  it. 
 
 Agilbert,  bishop  of  the  West  Saxons,t  above-mentioned,  a 
 friend  to  King  AJfrid  and  to  Abbat  Wilfrid,  had  at  that  time 
 come  into  the  province  of  the  Northumbrians,  and  was  making 
 some  stay  among  them  ;  at  the  request  of  Alfrid,  made 
 Wilfrid  a  priest  in  his  monastery.  He  had  in  liis  company  a 
 priest,  whose  name  was  Agatho.  The  controversy  being 
 there  started,  concerning  Easter,  or  the  tonsure,  or  other 
 ecclesiastical  affairs,  it  was  agreed,  that  a  synod  should  be 
 held  in  the  monastery  of  Streane :halch,|  which  signifies  the 
 Bay  of  the  Lighthouse,  where  the  Abbess  Hilda,  a  woman 
 devoted  to  God,  then  presided ;  and  that  there  this  contro- 
 versy should  be  decided.  The  kings,  both  father  and  son, 
 came  tliither,  bishop  Colman§  vdth  his  Scottish  clerks, 
 and  Agilbert  with  the  priests  Agatho  and  Wilfrid,  James 
 and  Romaiius  were  on  their  side ;  but  the  Abbess  Hilda 
 and  her  followers  were  for  the  Scots,  as  was  also  the  vene- 
 rable Bishop  Cedd,||  long  before  ordained  by  the  Scots,  as 
 has  been  said  above,  and  he  was  in  that  council  a  most  care- 
 ful interpreter  for  both  parties. 
 
 King  Oswy  first  observed,  that  it  behoved  those  who  served 
 one  God  to  observe  the  same  rule  of  life ;  and  as  they  all 
 expected  the  same  kingdom  in  heaven,  so  they  ought  not  to 
 differ  in  the  celebration  of  the  Divine  mysteries ;  but  rather 
 to  inquire  which  was  the  truest  tradition,  that  the  same  might 
 be  followed  by  all ;  he  then  com^manded  his  bishop,  Colman, 
 first  to  declare  what  the  custom  was  which  he  observed,  and 
 whence  it  derived  its  origin.  Then  Colman  said,  "  The 
 Easter  which  I  keep,  I  received  from  my  elders,  who  sent 
 me  bishop  hither ;  all  our  forefathers,  men  beloved  of  God, 
 are  known  to  have  kept  it  after  the  same  manner ;  and  that 
 
 *  Ripon.  t  His  see  was  at  Dorchester,  near  Oxford. 
 
 J  Afterwaids  called  Whitby.  §  Third  bishop  of  Lindisfame. 
 
 II  Bishop  of  London,  or  East  Saxoms. 
 
156  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  b.  III.  c.25. 
 
 the  same  may  not  seem  to  any  contemptible  or  worthy  to  be 
 rejected,  it  is  the  same  which  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  the 
 disciple  beloved  of  our  Lord,  with  all  the  churches  over 
 which  he  presided,  is  recorded  to  have  observed."  Having 
 said  thus  much,  and  more  to  the  like  effect,  the  king  com- 
 manded Agilbert  to  show  whence  his  custom  of  keeping 
 Easter  was  derived,  or  on  what  authority  it  was  grounded. 
 Agilbert  answered,  "  I  desire  that  my  disciple,  the  priest 
 Wilfrid,  may  speak  in  my  stead ;  because  we  both  concur 
 with  the  other  followers  of  the  ecclesiastical  tradition  that 
 are  here  present,  and  he  can  better  explain  our  opinion  in  the 
 English  language,  than  I  can  by  an  interpreter." 
 
 Then  Wilfrid,  being  ordered  by  the  king  to  speak, 
 delivered  himself  thus  : — "  The  Easter  which  we  observe, 
 we  saw  celebrated  by  all  at  Rome,  where  the  blessed  apostles, 
 Peter  and  Paul,  lived,  taught,  suffered,  and  were  buried  ;  we 
 saw  the  same  done  in  Italy  and  in  France,  when  we  travelled 
 through  those  countries  for  pilgrimage  and  prayer.  We 
 found  the  same  practised  in  Africa,  Asia,  Egypt,  Greece,  and 
 all  the  world,  wherever  the  church  of  Christ  is  spread  abroad, 
 through  several  nations  and  tongues,  at  one  and  the  same 
 time  ;  except  only  these  and  their  accomplices  in  obstinacy, 
 I  mean  the  Picts  and  the  Britons,  who  foolishly,  in  these  two 
 remote  islands  of  the  world,  and  only  in  part  even  of  them, 
 oppose  all  the  rest  of  the  universe."  When  he  had  so  said, 
 Colman  answered,  "It  is  strange  that  you  will  call  our 
 labours  foolish,  wherein  we  follow  the  example  of  so  great 
 an  apostle,  who  was  thought  worthy  to  lay  his  head  on  our 
 Lord's  bosom,  when  all  the  world  knows  him  to  have  lived 
 most  wisely."  Wilfrid  replied,  "  Far  be  it  from  us  to  charge 
 John  with  folly,  for  he  literally  observed  the  precepts  of  the 
 Jewish  law,  whilst  the  church  still  Judaized  in  many  points, 
 and  the  apostles  were  not  able  at  once  to  cast  off  all  the 
 observances  of  the  law  which  had  been  instituted  by  God. 
 In  which  way  it  is  necessary  that  all  who  come  to  the  faith 
 should  forsake  the  idols  which  were  invented  by  devils,  that 
 they  might  not  give  scandal  to  the  Jews  that  were  among 
 the  Gentiles.  For  this  reason  it  was,  that  Paul  circumcised 
 Timothy,  that  he  offered  sacrifice  in  the  temple,  that  he 
 shaved  his  head  with  Aquila  and  Priscilla  at  Corinth  ;  for 
 no  other  advantage  than  to  avoid  giving  scandal  to  the  Jews. 
 
AD  664.]  CONTROVERSY   RESPECTING    EASTER.  lo7 
 
 Hence  it  was,  that  James  said,  to  the  same  Paul,  '  You  see, 
 brother,  how  many  thousands  of  the  Jews  have  believed ;  and 
 they  are  all  zealous  for  the  law.  And  yet,  at  this  time,  the 
 Gospel  spreading  throughout  the  world,  it  is  needless,  nay,  it 
 is  not  lawful,  for  the  faithful  either  to  be  circumcised,  or  to 
 offer  up  to  God  sacrifices  of  flesh.'  So  John,  pursuant  to 
 the  custom  of  the  law,  began  the  celebration  of  the  feast  of 
 Easter,  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  first  month,  in  the 
 evening,  not  regarding  whether  the  same  happened  on  a 
 Saturday,  or  any  other  day.  But  when  Peter  preached  at 
 Rome,  being  mindful  that  our  Lord  arose  from  the  dead,  and 
 gave  the  world  the  hopes  of  resurrection,  on  the  first  day 
 after  the  Sabbath,  he  understood  that  Easter  ought  to  be 
 observed,  so  as  always  to  stay  till  the  rising  of  the  moon  on 
 the  fourteenth  day  of  the  first  moon,  in  the  evening,  according 
 to  the  custom  and  precepts  of  the  law,  even  as  John  did. 
 And  when  that  came,  if  the  Lord's  day,  then  called  the  first 
 day  after  the  Sabbath,  was  the  next  day,  he  began  that  very 
 evening  to  keep  Easter,  as  we  all  do  at  this  day.*  But  if  the 
 Lord's  day  did  not  fall  the  next  morning  after  the  fourteenth 
 moon,  but  on  the  sixteenth,  or  the  seventeenth,  or  any  other 
 moon  till  the  twenty-first,  he  waited  for  that,  and  on  the 
 Saturday  before,  in  the  evening,  began  to  observe  the  holy 
 solemnity  of  Easter.  Thus  it  came  to  pass,  that  Easter 
 Sunday  was  only  kept  from  the  fifteenth  moon  to  the  twenty- 
 first.  Nor  does  tliis  evangelical  and  apostolic  tradition 
 abolish  the  law,  but  rather  fulfil  it ;  the  command  being  to 
 keep  the  passover  from  the  fourteenth  moon  of  the  first  month 
 in  the  evening  to  the  twenty-first  moon  of  the  same  month  in 
 the  evening  ;  which  observance  all  the  successors  of  St.  John 
 in  Asia,  since  his  death,  and  all  the  church  throughout  the 
 world,  have  since  followed  ;  and  that  this  is  the  true  Easter, 
 and  the  only  one  to  be  kept  by  the  faithful,  was  not  newly 
 decreed  by  the  council  of  Nice,  but  only  confirmed  afresh  ; 
 as  the  Church  History  informs  us. 
 
 "  Thus  it  appears,  that  you,  Cohnan,  neither  follow  the 
 example  of  John,  as  you  imagine,  nor  that  of  Peter,  whose 
 traditions  you  knowingly  contradict ;  and  that  you  neither 
 
 *  A  complete  and  rather  diffuse  explanation  of  the  controversy  con- 
 cerning Easter  has  been  lately  written  by  Professor  De  Morgan,  of 
 University  College,  London. 
 
158  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [e.iii.c.25. 
 
 agree  with  the  law  nor  the  Gospel  in  the  keeping  of  your 
 Easter.  For  John,  keeping  the  Paschal  time  according  to 
 the  decree  of  the  Mosaic  law,  had  no  regard  to  the  first  day 
 after  the  Sabbath,  which  you  do  not  practise,  who  celebrate 
 Easter  only  on  the  first  day  after  the  Sabbath.  Peter  kept 
 Easter  Sunday  between  the  fifteenth  and  the  twenty-first 
 moon,  which  you  do  not,  but  keep  Easter  Sunday  from  the 
 fourteenth  to  the  twentieth  moon  ;  so  that  you  often  begin 
 Easter  on  the  thirteenth  moon  in  the  evening,  whereof  neither 
 the  law  made  any  mention,  nor  did  oar  Lord,  the  Author  and 
 Giver  of  the  Gospel,  on  that  day,  but  ^n  the  fourteenth, 
 either  eat  the  old  passover  in  the  evening,  or  deliver  the 
 sacraments  of  the  New  Testament,  to  be  celebrated  by  the 
 church,  in  memory  of  his  passion.  Besides,  in  your 
 celebration  of  Easter,  you  utterly  exclude  the  twenty-first 
 moon,  wliich  the  law  ordered  to  be  principally  observed. 
 Thus,  as  I  said  before,  you  agree  neither  with  John  nor 
 Peter,  nor  with  the  law,  nor  the  Gospel,  in  the  celebration 
 of  the  greatest  festival." 
 
 To  tliis  Colman  rejoined:  "Did  Anatohus,  a  holy  man, 
 and  much  commended  in  church  history,  act  contrary  to  the 
 law  and  the  Gospel,  when  he  wrote,  that  Easter  was  to  be 
 celebrated  from  the  fourteenth  to  the  twentieth  ?  Is  it  to  be 
 believed  that  our  most  reverend  Father  Columba  and  his 
 successors,  men  beloved  by  God,  who  kept  Easter  after  the 
 same  manner,  thought  or  acted  contrary  to  the  Divine 
 writings  ?  Whereas  there  were  many  among  them,  whose 
 sanctity  is  testified  by  heavenly  signs  and  the  working  of 
 miracles,  whose  life,  customs,  and  discipline  I  never  cease  to 
 follow,  not  questioning  their  being  saints  in  heaven." 
 
 "  It  is  evident,"  said  Wilfrid,  "  that  Anatolius  was  a  most 
 holy,  learned,  and  commendable  man  ;  but  what  have  you  to 
 do  with  him,  since  you  do  not  observe  his  decrees  ?  For  he, 
 following  the  rule  of  truth  in  his  Easter,  appointed  a  revolu- 
 tion of  nineteen  years,  which  either  you  are  ignorant  of,  or 
 if  you  know  it,  though  it  is  kept  by  the  whole  church  of 
 Christ,  yet  you  despise  it.  He  so  computed  the  fourteenth 
 moon  in  the  Easter  of  our  Lord,  that  according  to  the 
 custom  of  the  Egyptians,  he  acknowledged  it  to  be  tlie 
 fifteenth  moon  in  the  evening  ;  so  in  like  manner  he  assigned 
 the  twentieth  to  Easter- Sunday,  as  believing  that  to  be  the 
 
A.D.  664.]  CONTROVERSY   RESPECTING    EASTER.  159 
 
 twenty-first  moon,  when  the  sun  had  set,  which  rule  and 
 distinction  of  his  it  appears  you  are  ignorant  of,  in  that  you 
 sometimes  keep  Easter  before  the  full  of  the  moon,  that  is, 
 on  the  thirteenth  day.  Concerning  your  Father  Columba 
 and  his  followers,  whose  sanctity  you  say  you  imitate,  and 
 whose  rules  and  precepts  you  observe,  which  have  been  con- 
 firmed by  signs  from  heaven,  I  may  answer,  that  when  many, 
 on  the  day  of  judgment,  shall  say  to  our  Lord,  'That  in  his 
 name  they  prophesied,  and  cast  out  devils,  and  wrought 
 many  wonders,'  our  Lord  will  reply,  '  That  he  never  knew 
 them.'  But  far  be  it  from  me,  that  I  say  so  of  your  fathers, 
 because  it  is  much  more  just  to  believe  what  is  good,  than 
 what  is  evil,  of  persons  whom  one  does  not  know.  Where- 
 fore I  do  not  deny  those  to  have  been  God's  servants,  and 
 beloved  by  him,  who  with  rustic  simplicity,  but  pious  inten- 
 tions, have  themselves  loved  him.  Nor  do  I  think  that  such 
 keeping  of  Easter  was  very  prejudicial  to  them,  as  long  as 
 none  came  to  show  them  a  more  perfect  rule  ;  and  yet  I  do 
 believe  that  they,  if  any  catholic  adviser  had  come  among 
 them,  would  have  as  readily  followed  his  admonitions,  as 
 they  are  known  to  have  kept  those  commandments  of  God, 
 which  they  had  learned  and  knew. 
 
 "But  as  for  you  and  your  companions,  you  certainly  sin, 
 if,  having  heard  the  decrees  of  the  Apostolic  See,  and  of  the 
 universal  church,  and  that  the  same  is  confirmed  by  holy 
 writ,  you  refuse  to  follow  them  ;  for,  though  your  fathers 
 were  holy,  do  you  think  that  their  small  number,  in  a  corner 
 of  the  remotest  island,  is  to  be  preferred  before  the  universal 
 church  of  Chi^ist  throughout  the  world  ?  And  if  that  Co- 
 lumba of  yours,  (and,  I  may  say,  ours  also,  if  he  was 
 Christ's  servant,)  was  a  holy  man  and  powerful  in  miracles, 
 yet  could  he  be  preferred  before  the  most  blessed  prince  of 
 the  apostles,  to  whom  our  Lord  said,  'Thou  art  Peter,  and 
 upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell 
 shall  not  prevail  against  it,  and  to  thee  I  will  give  the  keys 
 of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ? ' " 
 
 When  Wilfrid  had  spoken  thus,  the  king  said,  "  Is  it  true, 
 Colman,  that  these  words  were  spoken  to  Peter  by  our 
 Lord?"  He  answered,  "It  is  true,  O  king!"  Then  says 
 he,  "  Can  you  show  any  such  power  given  to  your  Co- 
 lumba?"     Colman   answered,    "None."     Then   added   the 
 
160  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [b.iii.  c.26 
 
 king,  "  Do  you  both  agree  that  these  words  were  prin- 
 cipally directed  to  Peter,  and  that  the  keys  of  heaven  were 
 given  to  him  by  our  Lord?"  They  both  answered,  "We 
 do."  Then  the  king  concluded,  "  And  I  also  say  unto  you, 
 that  he  is  the  door-keeper,  whom  I  will  not  contradict,  but 
 will,  as  far  as  I  know  and  am  able,  in  all  things  obey  his 
 decrees,  lest,  when  I  come  to  the  gates  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven,  there  should  be  none  to  open  them,  he  being  my 
 adversary  who  is  proved  to  have  the  keys."  The  king 
 having  said  this,  all  present,  both  great  and  small,  gave 
 their  assent,  and  renouncing  the  more  imperfect  institution, 
 resolved  to  conform  to  that  which  they  found  to  be  better. 
 
 CHAP.  XXVI. 
 
 Colman,  being  worsted,  returned  home ;  Tada  succeeded  him  in  the  bishop- 
 ric; the  state  of  the  church  under  those  teachers,     [a.d.  664.] 
 
 The  disputation  being  ended,  and  the  company  broken  up, 
 Agilbert  returned  home.  Colman,  perceiving  that  his  doc- 
 trine was  rejected,  and  his  sect  despised,  took  with  him  such 
 as  would  not  comply  with  the  Cathohc  Easter  and  the  ton- 
 sure,* (for  there  was  much  controversy  about  that  also,)  and 
 went  back  into  Scotland,  to  consult  with  his  people  what 
 was  to  be  done  in  this  case.  Cedd,  forsaking  the  practices 
 of  the  Scots,  returned  to  his  bishopric,  having  submitted  to 
 the  Catholic  observance  of  Easter.  This  disputation  hap- 
 pened in  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  664,  which  was 
 the  twenty-second  year  of  the  reign  of  King  Oswy,  and  the 
 thirtieth  of  the  episcopacy  of  the  Scots  among  the  English  ; 
 for  Aidan  was  bishop  seventeen  years,  Finan  ten,  and  Col- 
 man three. 
 
 *  The  tonsure,  properly  so  called,  does  not  appear  to  have  been  adopted 
 for  the  first  three  centuries  of  the  church;  but  originated  with  the  earliest 
 professors  of  the  monastic  institutions  as  a  distinctive  token  of  their  renun- 
 ciation of  the  pleasures  of  the  world.  Towards  the  close  of  the  fifth  cen- 
 tury it  began  to  be  considered,  both  in  the  Greek  and  Latin  churches,  as 
 a  necessary  rite  for  admission  into  the  clerical  office;  but  who  Avere  the 
 originators  of  the  circular  and  semicircular  modes  is  not  known.  Tho 
 Roman  clergy  shaved  the  crown  of  the  head,  which  was  surrounded  by  a 
 circle  of  hair,  supposed  to  represent  the  A\Teath  of  thorns  forced  by  the 
 cruelty  of  his  persecutors  on  the  temples  of  the  Messiah,  and  which  they 
 pleaded  had  descended  to  them  from  St.  Peter.  The  Scottish  priests  per- 
 mitted the  hair  to  grow  on  the  back,  and  shaved  the  forepart  of  the  head 
 from  ear  to  ear  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  which  their  opponents  called  in 
 derision,  the  tonsure  of  Simon  Magus. 
 
A.r.  664.]  TUDA,    BISHOP   OF    LLNDISFARNE.  161 
 
 When  Colman  was  gone  back  into  his  own  country,  God's 
 servant,  Tuda,  was  made  bishop  of  the  Northumbrians*  in 
 his  place,  having  been  instructed  and  ordained  bishop  among 
 the  Southern  Scots,  having  also  the  ecclesiastical  tonsure  of 
 his  crown,  according  to  the  custom  of  that  province,  and 
 observing  the  Catholic  time  of  Easter.  He  was  a  good  and 
 religious  man,  but  governed  his  church  a  very  short  time  ; 
 he  came  out  of  Scotland  whilst  Colman  was  yet  bishop,  and, 
 both  by  word  and  example,  diligently  taught  all  persons 
 those  things  that  appertain  to  the  faith  and  truth.  But 
 Eata,  who  was  abbat  of  the  monastery  of  Melrose,  j"  a  most 
 reverend  and  meek  man,  was  appointed  abbat  over  the 
 brethren  that  stayed  in  the  church  of  Lindisfarne,  when 
 the  Scots  went  away  ;  they  say,  Colman,  upon  his  departure, 
 requested  and  obtained  this  of  King  Oswy,  because  Eata  was 
 one  of  Aidan's  twelve  boys  of  the  English  nation,  whom  he 
 received  when  first  made  bishop  there,  to  be  instructed  in 
 Christ  ;  for  the  king  much  loved  Bishop  Colman  on  account 
 of  his  singular  discretion.  This  is  the  same  Eata,  who,  not 
 long  after,  was  made  bishop  of  the  same  church  of  Lindis- 
 farne. Colman  carried  home  with  him  part  of  the  bones  of 
 the  most  reverend  Father  Aidan,  and  left  part  of  them  in 
 the  church  where  he  had  presided,  ordering  them  to  be  in- 
 terred in  the  sacristy. 
 
 The  place  which  he  governed  shows  how  frugal  he  and 
 his  predecessors  were,  for  there  were  very  few  houses  be- 
 sides the  church  found  at  their  departure  ;  indeed,  no  more 
 than  were  barely  sufficient  for  their  daily  residence  ;  they 
 had  also  no  money,  but  cattle  ;  for  if  they  received  any 
 money  from  rich  persons,  they  immediately  gave  it  to  the 
 poor ;  there  being  no  need  to  gather  money,  or  provide 
 houses  for  the  entertainment  of  the  great  men  of  the  world  ; 
 for  such  never  resorted  to  the  church,  except  to  pray  and 
 hear  the  word  of  God.  The  king  himself,  when  opportunity^ 
 offered,  came  only  with  five  or  six  servants,  and  having  per- 
 formed his  devotions  in  the  church,  departed.  But  if  they 
 happened  to  take  a  repast  there,  they  were  satisfied  with 
 only  the  plain  and  daily  food  of  the  brethren,  and  required 
 
 *  Fourth  bishop  of  Lindisfarne.   He  was  the  last  of  the  Scottish  bi&hops, 
 as  they  are  termed,  who  had  the  government  of  this  see. 
 f  Near  Jedburgh,  Roxburghshire. 
 M 
 
162  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [B,ni.  c.27 
 
 no  more  ;  for  the  whole  care  of  those  teachers  was  to  serve 
 God,  not  the  world — to  feed  the  soul,  and  not  the  belly. 
 
 For  this  reason  the  religious  habit  was  at  that  time  in 
 great  veneration  ;  so  that  wheresoever  any  clergyman  or 
 monk  happened  to  come,  he  was  joyfully  received  by  all 
 persons,  as  God's  servant  ;  and  if  they  chanced  to  meet  him 
 upon  the  way,  they  ran  to  him,  and  bowing,  were  glad  to 
 be  signed  with  his  hand,  or  blessed  with  his  mouth.  Great 
 attention  was  also  paid  to  their  exhortations  ;  and  on  Sun- 
 days they  flocked  eagerly  to  the  church,  or  the  monasteries, 
 not  to  feed  their  bodies,  but  to  hear  the  word  of  God  ;  and 
 if  any  priest  happened  to  come  into  a  village,  the  inhabitants 
 flocked  together  to  hear  from  him  the  word  of  life  ;  for  the 
 priests  and  clergymen  went  into  the  village  on  no  other 
 account  than  to  preach,  baptize,  visit  the  sick,  and,  in  few 
 words,  to  take  care  of  souls  ;  and  they  were  so  free  from 
 worldly  avarice,  that  none  of  them  received  lands  and  pos- 
 sessions for  building  monasteries,  unless  they  were  compelled 
 to  do  so  by  the  temporal  authorities  ;  whicli  custom  was 
 for  some  time  after  observed  in  all  the  churches  of  the 
 Xortlmmbrians.  But  enough  has  now  been  said  on  this 
 subject. 
 
 CHAP.  xxvn. 
 
 Egbert,  a  holy  man  of  the  English  nation,  led  a  monastic  life  in  Ireland. 
 [a.d.  664.J 
 
 Ix  the  same  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation,  664,  there  hap- 
 pened an  eclipse  of  the  sun,  on  the  third  of  May,  about  ten 
 o'clock  in  the  morning.  In  the  same  year,  a  sudden  pestilence* 
 also  depopulated  the  southern  coasts  of  Britain,  and  afterwards 
 extending  into  the  province  of  the  jSTorthumbrians,  ravaged 
 the  country  far  and  near,  and  destroyed  a  great  multitude  of 
 men.  To  which  plague  the  aforesaid  priest  Tuda  fell  a  vic- 
 tim., and  was  honourably  buried  in  the  monastery  of  Pegna- 
 leth.f  This  pestilence  did  no  less  harm  in  the  island  of 
 Ireland.     Many  of  the  nobility,  and  of  the  lower  ranks  of 
 
 •  Called  the  Yellow  riague. 
 
 +  In  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  it  is  called  Wagele.  Prohahly  Finchale,  in 
 the  parish  of  St,  Oswald's,  on  the  Western  bank  of  the  Wear,  near 
 Durham. 
 
A.D.(iC4.j       Egbert's  pkaykr  and  vows.         163 
 
 tlie  English  nation,  were  there  at  that  time,  who,  in  the  clays 
 of  the  Bishops  Finan  and  Colman,  forsaking  their  native 
 island,  retired  thither,  either  for  the  sake  of  Divine  studies, 
 or  of  a  more  continent  life  ;  and  some  of  them  presently  de- 
 voted themselves  to  a  monastical  life,  others  chose  rather  to 
 apply  themselves  to  study,  going  about  from  one  master's 
 cell  to  another.  The  Scots  willingly  received  them  all,  and 
 took  care  to  supply  them  with  food,  as  also  to  furnish  them 
 with  books  to  read,  and  their  teaching,  gratis.  * 
 
 Among  these  were  Ethelhun  and  Egbert,  two  youths  of 
 great  capacity,  of  the  English  nobility.  The  former  of 
 whom  Vv'as  brother  to  Ethehvin,  a  man  no  less  beloved  by 
 God,  who  also  afterwards  went  over  into  Ireland  to  study, 
 and  having  been  well  instructed,  returned  into  his  own 
 country,  and  being  made  bishop  in  the  province  of  Lindsey,  f 
 long  governed  that  church  worthily  and  creditably.  These 
 two  being  in  the  monastery  which  in  the  language  of  the 
 Scots  is  called  Rathmelsigi,^  and  having  lost  all  their  com- 
 panions, who  were  either  cut  off  by  the  mortality,  or  dis- 
 persed into  other  places,  fell  both  desperately  sick  of  the 
 same  distemper,  and  were  grievously  afflicted.  Of  these, 
 Eg])ert,§  (as  I  was  informed  by  a  priest  venerable  for  his 
 age,  and  of  great  veracity,  who  declared  he  had  heard  those 
 things  from  his  own  mouth,)  concluding  that  he  was  at  the 
 point  of  death,  went  out  of  liis  chamber,  where  the  sick  lay, 
 in  the  morning,  and  sitting  alone  in  a  convenient  place,  be- 
 gan seriously  to  reflect  upon  his  past  actions,  and,  being  full 
 of  compunction  at  the  remembrance  of  his  sins,  bedewed  his 
 face  with  tears,  and  prayed  fervently  to  God  that  he  might 
 not  die  yet,  before  he  could  make  amends  for  the  offences 
 which  he  had  committed  in  his  infancy  and  younger  years, 
 or  might  further  exercise  himself  in  good  works.  He  also 
 made  a  vow  that  he  would,  for  the  sake  of  God,  live  in  a 
 strange  place,  so  as  never  to  return  into  the  island  of  Britain, 
 where  he  was  born  ;  that  besides  the  canonical  times  of  sing- 
 ing psalms,  he  would,  unless  prevented  by  corporeal  infirmity, 
 
 *  The  reader,  who  has  heard  much  of  the  early  cinlization  of  Ireland, 
 will  remenilier  that  the  description  given  in  the  text  applies  to  a  period  na 
 earlier  than  the  seventh  century. 
 
 t  Sidnacester,  probably  between  Lincoln  and  Gainsborough.  See 
 pages  99  and  \27.  :|:  Nov/  Melfont,  Ireland. 
 
 §  Appointed  abbat  of  lona,  a.d.  716.     See  book  v.  c.  22. 
 m2 
 
164  BEDE's    ECCLESIASTICAl.    HISTOllY.  [b.  m.  c  28. 
 
 say  the  whole  Psalter  daily  to  the  praise  of  God  ;  and 
 that  he  would  every  week  fast  one  whole  day  and  a  night. 
 Returning  home,  after  his  tears,  prayers,  and  vows,  he 
 found  his  companion  asleep,  and  going  to  bed  himself,  began 
 to  compose  himself  to  rest.  When  he  had  lain  quiet  awhile, 
 his  comrade  awaking,  looked  on  him,  and  said,  "  Alas  ! 
 Brother  Egbert,  what  have  you  done  ?  I  was  in  hopes  that 
 we  should  have  entered  together  into  life  everlasting  ;  but 
 know  that  what  you  prayed  for  is  granted."  For  he  had 
 learned  in  a  vision  what  the  other  had  requested,  and  that 
 his  prayer  was  granted. 
 
 In  short,  Ethelhun  died  the  next  night ;  but  Egbert, 
 shaking  oif  his  distemper,  recovered  and  lived  a  long  time 
 after  to  grace  the  priestly  office,  wliicli  he  had  received,  by 
 his  worthy  behaviour  ;  and  after  much  increase  of  virtue, 
 according  to  his  desire,  he  at  length,  in  the  year  of  our 
 Lord's  incarnation  729,  being  ninety  years  of  age,  departed 
 to  the  heavenly  kingdom.  He  led  his  life  in  great  perfection 
 of  humility,  meekness,  continence,  simplicity,  and  justice. 
 Thus  he  was  a  great  benefactor,  both  to  his  own  nation,  and 
 to  those  of  the  Scots  and  Picts  among  wiiom  he  lived  a 
 stranger,  by  his  example  of  life,  his  industry  in  teaching, 
 his  authority  in  reproving,  and  his  piety  in  giving  away 
 much  of  what  he  received  from  the  bounty  of  the  rich.  He 
 also  added  this  to  his  vow  above-mentioned  ;  during  Lent, 
 he  would  eat  but  one  meal  a  day,  allowing  himself  nothing 
 but  bread  and  thin  milk,  and  even  that  by  measure.  That 
 milk,  new  the  day  before,  he  kept  in  a  vessel,  and  the  next 
 day  skimming  oif  the  cream,  drank  the  rest,  as  has  been  said, 
 %vith  a  little  bread.  Which  sort  of  abstinence  he  likewise 
 always  observed  forty  days  before  the  nativity  of  our  Lord, 
 and  as  many  after  the  solemnity  of  Pentecost,  that  is,  of  the 
 Quinquagesima. 
 
 CHAP.  XXVIII. 
 
 TuHa  being  dead,  Wilfrid  was  ordained,  in  France,  and  Chad,  in  the 
 province  of  (he  West  SaA'onSj  to  be  bishom  of  the  Northumbrians. 
 [a.d.  665.] 
 
 In  the  meantime.  King  Alfrid*  sent  the  priest,  Wilfrid,  to 
 the  king  of  France,!  to  be  consecrated  bishop  over  him  and 
 
 *  King  of  Deira.  f  Cloitairc,  king  of  Neustria. 
 
A.  p.  665.1  CONSECRATION  OF  ST.  CHAD.  165 
 
 his  people.  That  prince  sent  him  to  be  ordained  by  Agil- 
 bert,  who,  as  was  said  above,  having  left  Britain,  was  made 
 bishop  of  the  city  of  Paris,  and  by  him  Wilfrid  Avas  honour- 
 ably consecrated,  several  bishops  meeting  together  for  that 
 purpose  in  a  village  belonging  to  the  king,  called  Com- 
 piegne.*  He  made  some  stay  in  the  parts  beyond  the  sea, 
 after  his  consecration,  and  Oswy,  following  the  example  of 
 the  king  his  son,  sent  a  holy  man,  of  modest  behaviour,  well 
 read  in  the  Scripture,  and  diligently  practising  those  things 
 which  he  had  learned  therein,  to  be  ordained  bishop  of  the 
 church  of  York.  This  was  a  priest  called  Ceadda  [Chad], 
 brother  to  the  reverend  prelate  Cedd,  of  whom  mention  has 
 been  often  made,  and  abbat  of  the  monastery  of  Lestingau.j" 
 With  liim  the  king  also  sent  his  priest  Eadhed,  who  was 
 afterwards,  in  the  reign  of  Egfrid,  made  bishop  of  the 
 church  of  Ripon.  On  arriving  in  Kent,  they  found  that 
 Archbishop  Deusdedit  was  departed  this  life,  and  no  other 
 prelate  as  yet  appointed  in  his  place  ;  whereupon  they  pro- 
 ceeded to  the  province  of  the  West  Saxons,  where  Wini 
 was  bishop,  and  by  him  the  person  above-mentioned  was 
 consecrated  bishop  ;  two  bishops  of  the  British  nation,  who 
 kept  Easter  Sunday  according  to  the  canonical  manner,  from 
 the  fourteenth  to  the  twentieth  day  of  the  moon,  as  has  been 
 said,  being  taken  to  assist  at  the  ordination  ;  for  at  that  time 
 there  was  no  other  bishop  in  all  Britain  canonically  ordained, 
 besides  that  Wini.f 
 
 Chad,  being  thus  consecrated  bishop,  began  immediately 
 to  devote  himself  to  ecclesiastical  truth  and  to  chastity  ;  to 
 apply  liimself  to  humility,  continence,  and  study  ;  to  travel 
 about,  not  on  horseback,  but  after  the  manner  of  the  apos- 
 tles, on  foot,  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  towns,  the  open  coun- 
 try, cottages,  villages,  and  castles  ;  for  he  was  one  of  the 
 disciples  of  Aidan,  and  endeavoured  to  instruct  his  people, 
 by  the  same  actions  and  behaviour,  according  to  his  and  his 
 
 *  A  royal  villa.  According  to  the  ceremonial  of  the  Galilean  church, 
 Wilfrid  was  carried  in  a  golden  chair  by  his  brother  bishops,  singing  hymns 
 of  joy  ;  none  but  bishops  being  allowed  to  touch  the  chair. 
 
 t  Lastiniham.     See  book  iii.  c.  23,  page  149. 
 
 X  Theodore,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  expressing  some  doubts  of  the 
 Validity  of  St.  Chad's  consecration,  subsequently  completed  it,  when  he  was 
 appointed  to  the  see  of  Lichfield.     See  book  iv.  c.  2,  page  173. 
 
166  BEDE's   ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  [b.  in.  c.  29. 
 
 brother  Cecld's  example.  Wilfrid  also  being  made  a  bishop, 
 c^ame  into  Britain,  and  in  like  manner  by  his  doctrine 
 brought  into  the  English  Church  many  rules  of  Catholic 
 observance.  Whence  it  followed,  that  the  Cathohc  institu- 
 tions daily  gained  strength,  and  all  the  Scots  that  dwelt  in 
 England  either  conformed  to  these,  or  returned  into  their 
 own  country. 
 
 CHAP.  XXIX. 
 
 Hoio  the  priest  Wighard  was  sent  from  Briiain  to  Rome,  to  he  consecrated 
 archbishop,  of  his  death  there,  and  of  the  letters  of  the  Apostolic  Pope 
 giving  an  account  thereof,     [a.d.  665.] 
 
 At  this  time  the  most  noble  King  Oswy,  of  the  province  of 
 the  Northumbrians,  and  Egbert  of  Kent,  having  consulted 
 together  about  the  state  of  the  English  Church,  (for  Oswy, 
 though  educated  by  the  Scots,  perfectly  understood  that  the 
 Roman  was  the  Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church,)  with  the 
 consent  of  the  holy  church  of  the  English  nation,  accepted 
 of  a  good  man,  and  fit  priest,  to  be  made  a  bishop,  called 
 Wighard,  one  of  Bishop  Deusdedit's  clergy,  and  sent  him  to 
 Rome  to  be  ordained  bishop,  to  the  end  that  he,  having 
 received  the  degree  of  an  arclibishop,  might  ordain  Catholic 
 prelates  for  the  churches  of  the  English  nation  throughout 
 all  Britain.  But  Wighard,  arriving  at  Rome,  was  cut  off 
 by  death,  before  he  could  be  consecrated  bishop,  and  the 
 following  letter  was  sent  back  into  Britain  to  King 
 Oswy  : — 
 
 "  To  the  most  excellent  Lord,  our  son,  Oswy,  king  of  the 
 Saxons,  Vitalian,  bishop,  servant  of  the  servants  of  God. 
 We  have  received  your  excellency's  pleasing  letters  ;  by 
 reading  whereof  we  understand  your  most  pious  devotion  and 
 fervent  love  to  obtain  everlasting  life  ;  and  that  by  the  pro- 
 tecting hand  of  God  you  have  been  converted  to  the  true 
 and  apostolic  faith,  hoping  that  as  you  reign  in  your  nation, 
 so  you  w4il  hereafter  reign  in  Christ.  Blessed  be  the  nation, 
 therefore,  that  has  been  found  worthy  to  have  such  a  wise 
 king  and  worshipper  of  God  ;  forasmuch  as  he  is  not  himself 
 alone  a  worsliipper  of  God,  but  also  studies  day  and  night  the 
 conversion  of  all  his  subjects  to  the  Catholic  and  apostolic 
 faith,  to  the  redemption  of  his  own  soul.     Who  will  not 
 
A.D.  G65.1  LETTER   OF    POPE    VITALLNJN'.  167 
 
 rejoice  at  hearing  such  pleasant  tilings  ?  Who  will  not  be 
 delighted  at  such  good  works  ?  Because  your  nation  has 
 believed  in  Christ  the  Almighty  God,  according  to  the  words 
 of  the  Divine  prophets,  as  it  is  written  in  Isaiah,  '  In  that 
 day  there  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  which  shall  stand  for  an 
 ensign  of  the  people  ;  to  him  shall  the  Gentiles  seek.'  And 
 again,  '  Listen,  O  isles,  unto  me,  and  hearken  ye  people  from 
 afar.'  And  a  little  after,  'It  is  a  light  thing  that  thou 
 shouldst  be  my  servant  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  and 
 to  restore  the  preserved  of  Israel.  I  wdll  also  give  thee  for 
 a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  mayest  be  my  salvation  to 
 the  ends  of  the  earth.'  And  again,  '  Kings  shall  see,  princes 
 also  shall  arise  and  worship.'  And  presently  after,  '  I  have 
 given  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people,  to  establish  the 
 earth,  and  possess  the  desolate  heritages  ;  that  thou  mayest 
 say  to  the  prisoners.  Go  forth  ;  to  them  that  are  in  darkness. 
 Show  yourselves.'  And  again,  '  I  the  Lord  have  called  thee 
 in  righteousness,  and  will  hold  thine  hand,  and  will  keep 
 thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  light  of  the  Gentiles,  and  for  a 
 covenant  of  the  people  ;  to  open  the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out 
 the  prisoner  from  the  prison,  and  them  that  sit  in  darkness 
 from  the  prison-house.' 
 
 "  Behold,  most  excellent  son,  how  plain  it  is,  not  only  of 
 you,  but  also  of  ail  the  nations  of  the  prophets,  that  they 
 shall  believe  in  Christ,  the  Creator  of  all  things.  Where- 
 fore it  behoves  your  highness,  as  being  a  member  of  Christ, 
 in  all  things,  continually  to  follow  the  pious  rule  of  the 
 prince  of  the  apostles,  in  celebrating  Easter,  and  in  aU 
 things  delivered  by  the  blessed  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul, 
 whose  doctrine  daily  enlightens  the  hearts  of  believers,  even 
 as  the  two  heavenly  lights,  the  sun  and  moon,  daily  illumine 
 all  the  earth." 
 
 And  after  some  lines,  wherein  he  speaks  of  celebrating 
 Easter  uniformly  throughout  all  the  world,  he  adds, — 
 
 "  We  have  not  been  able  now  to  find,  considering  the  length 
 of  the  journey,  a  man,  docile,  and  qualified  in  all  respects  to 
 be  a  bishop,  according  to  the  tenor  of  your  letters.  But  as 
 soon  as  such  a  proper  person  shall  be  found,  we  will  send 
 him  well  instructed  to  your  country,  that  he  may,  by  word 
 of  mouth,  and  through  the  Divine  oracles,  with  the  assist- 
 ance of  God,  root  out  all  the  enemy's  tares  throughout  your 
 
1  fi*<  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   inSTORY.  [b.  III.  c.  29 
 
 island.  We  have  received  the  presents  sent  by  your  high- 
 ness to  the  blessed  prince  of  the  apostles,  for  an  eternal  me- 
 morial, and  return  you  thanks,  and  always  pray  for  your 
 safety  with  the  clergy  of  Christ.  But  he  that  brought 
 these  presents  has  been  removed  out  of  this  world,  and  is 
 buried  at  the  church  of  the  apostles,  for  whom  we  have  been 
 much  concerned,  because  he  died  here.  However,  we  have 
 ordered  the  blessed  gifts  of  the  holy  martyrs,  that  is,  the 
 relics  of  the  blessed  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  and  of  the  holy 
 martyrs,  Laurentius,  John,  and  Paul,  and  Gregory,  and  Pan- 
 cratius,*  to  be  delivered  to  the  bearers  of  these  our  letters, 
 to  be  by  them  delivered  to  you.  And  to  your  consort  also, 
 our  spiritual  daughter,  we  have  by  the  aforesaid  bearers  sent 
 a  cross,  with  a  gold  key  to  it,  made  out  of  the  most  holy 
 chains  of  the  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul ;  at  whose  pious 
 endeavours  all  the  Apostolic  See  rejoices  with  us,  as  much  as 
 her  pious  works  shine  and  blossom  before  God. 
 
 "  We  therefore  desire  your  highness  will  hasten,  according 
 to  our  wish,  to  dedicate  all  your  island  to  Christ  our  God  ; 
 for  you  certainly  have  for  your  protector,  the  Redeemer  of 
 mankind,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  will  prosper  you  in  all 
 things,  that  you  may  bring  together  a  new  people  of  Christ ; 
 establishing  there  the  Catholic  and  apostolic  faith.  For  it  is 
 written,  '  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteous- 
 ness, and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  to  you.'  Truly 
 your  highness  seeks,  and  shall  no  doubt  obtain,  that  all  your 
 islands  shall  be  made  subject  to  you,  as  is  our  wish  and 
 desire.  Saluting  your  excellency  with  fatherly  affection,  we 
 always  pray  to  the  Divine  Goodness,  that  it  will  vouchsafe 
 to  assist  you  and  yours  in  all  good  works,  that  you  may  reign 
 with  Christ  in  the  world  to  come.  May  the  Heavenly  Grace 
 preserve  your  excellency  in  safety  ! " 
 
 In  the  next  book  we  shall  have  a  more  suitable  occasion 
 to  show  who  was  found  out  and  consecrated  in  Wighard's 
 place. 
 
 •  St.  Pancras,  who  suffered  martyrdom  during  the  Diocletian  persccu- 
 io.-,  \.D.  304. 
 
EAST  SAXONS  RELAPSE.  169 
 
 CHAP.  XXX. 
 
 The  East  Saxons,  during  a  pestilence,  returning  to  idolatry/,  are  imme- 
 diately  brought  back  from  their  error  by  the  Bishop  Jaruman. 
 [a.d.  6G5.] 
 
 At  the  same  time,  the  Kings  Sighere  and  Sebbi,  though 
 subject  to  Wulfhere,  king  of  the  Mercians,  governed  the 
 province  of  the  East  Saxons*  after  Suidhelm,  of  whom  we 
 have  spoken  above.  That  province  labouring  under  the 
 aforesaid  mortality,  Sighere,  with  that  part  of  the  people  that 
 was  under  his  dominion,  forsook  the  mysteries  of  the  Chris- 
 tian faith,  and  turned  apostate.  For  the  king  himself,  and 
 many  of  the  commons  and  great  men,  being  fond  of  this  life, 
 and  not  seeking  after  another,  or  rather  not  believing  that 
 there  was  any  other,  began  to  restore  the  temples  that  had 
 been  abandoned,  and  to  adore  idols,  as  if  they  might  by  those 
 means  be  protected  against  the  mortality.  But  Sebbi,  his 
 companion  and  co-heir  in  the  kingdom,  with  his  people,  very 
 devoutly  preserved  the  faith  which  he  had  embraced,  and,  as 
 we  shall  show  hereafter,  ended  his  faithful  life  with  much 
 felicity. 
 
 King  Wulfhere,  understanding  that  the  faith  of  the  pro- 
 vince was  partly  profaned,  sent  Bishop  Jaruman,!  who  was 
 successor  to  Trumhere,  to  correct  that  error,  and  restore  the 
 province  to  the  truth.  He  proceeded  with  much  discretion, 
 (as  I  was  informed  by  a  priest  who  bore  him  company  in 
 that  journey,  and  had  been  his  fellow  labourer  in  the  word  ) 
 for  he  was  a  religious  and  good  man,  and  travelling  through 
 all  the  country,  far  and  near,  reduced  both  the  aforesaid  king 
 and  people  to  the  way  of  righteousness,  so  that,  either  for- 
 saking or  destroying  the  temples  and  altars  which  they  had 
 erected,  they  opened  the  churches,  and  rejoiced  in  confessing 
 the  name  of  Christ,  which  they  had  opposed,  being  more 
 desirous  to  die  in  him  with  the  faith  of  the  resurrection,  than 
 to  live  in  the  filth  of  apostacy  among  their  idols.  These 
 things  being  performed,  the  priests  and  teachers  returned 
 home  with  joy. 
 
 *  Each  ruled  over  a  separate  part  of  the  East  Saxons,  under  the  supre- 
 macy of  Mercia.  t  Bishop  of  Lichfield.     See  page  133. 
 
170  BEDE'S   ecclesiastical    history.  Ln-.to.  i. 
 
 BOOK  IV. 
 
 CHAPTER   I. 
 
 Deusdedif,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  dying,  Wighard  loas  sent  to  Rome 
 to  succeed  him  in  that  dignity;  but  he  dying  iheie,  Theodore  il-<is 
 ordained  archbishop,  and  sent  into  Britain  with  the  Abbat  Hadrian. 
 [a.d.  664.] 
 
 In  the  above-mentioned  year  of  the  aforesaid  eclipse,  wliich 
 was  presently  followed  by  the  pestilence,  in  which  also  Bishop 
 Colman,  being  overcome  by  the  unanimous  consent  of  the 
 Catholics,  returned  home,  Deusdedit,  the  sixth  bishop  of  the 
 church  of  Canterbury,  died  on  the  14th  of  July.  Erconbert, 
 also,  king  of  Kent,  departed  this  life  the  same  month  and 
 day ;  leaving  his  kingdom  to  liis  son  Egbert,  which  he  held 
 nine  years.  The  see  then  became  vacant  for  some  consider- 
 able time,  until,  the  priest  Wighard,  a  man  skilled  in  eccle- 
 siastical discipline,  of  the  English  race,  was  sent  to  Rome 
 by  the  said  King  Egbert,  and  Oswy,  king  of  the  Northum- 
 brians, as  was  briefly  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  book,  with 
 a  request  that  he  might  be  ordained  bishop  of  the  church  of 
 England  ;  sending  at  the  same  time  presents  to  the  apostolic 
 pope,  and  many  vessels  of  gold  and  silver.  Arriving  at 
 Rome,  where  Vitalian  presided  at  that  time  over  the  Apos- 
 tolic See,  and  having  made  known  to  the  aforesaid  pope  the 
 occasion  of  his  journey,  he  was  not  long  after  snatched  away, 
 with  ahnost  all  his  companions  that  went  with  liim,  by  a  pes- 
 tilence which  happened  at  that  time. 
 
 But  the  apostolic  pope  having  consulted  about  that  affair, 
 made  diligent  inquiry  for  some  one  to  send  to  be  archbishop 
 of  the  English  churches.  There  was  then  in  tlie  Niridian 
 monastery,  which  is  not  far  from  the  city  of  Naples  in  Cam- 
 pania, an  abbat,  called  Hadrian,  by  nation  an  African,  well 
 versed  in  holy  writ,  experienced  in  monastical  and  ecclesias- 
 tical discipline,  and  excellently  skilled  both  in  the  Greek  and 
 and  Latin  tongues.  The  pope,  sending  for  him,  commaaded 
 him  to  accept  of  the  bishopric,  and  repair  into  Britain  ;  he 
 answered,  that  he  was  unworthy  of  so  great  a  dignity,  but 
 said  he  could  name  another,  whose  learning  and  age  were 
 fitter  for  the  episcopal  office.     And  having  proposed  to  the 
 
A.D.66S.1  THEODORE    ORDAIXED.  171 
 
 pope  a  certain  monk,  belonging  to  a  neighbouring  monastery 
 of  virgins,  whose  name  was  Andrew,  he  was  by  all  that  knew 
 him  judged  worthy  of  a  bishopric;  but  bodily  infirmity  pre- 
 vented his  being  advanced  to  tlie  episcopal  station.  Then 
 again  Hadrian  was  pressed  to  accept  of  the  bishopric  ;  but  he 
 desired  a  respite  for  a  time,  to  see  whether  he  could  find 
 another  fit  to  be  ordained  bishop. 
 
 There  was  at  that  time  in  Kome,  a  monk,  called  Theodore, 
 well  known  to  Hadrian,  born  at  Tarsus  in  Cilicia,  a  man  well 
 instructed  in  worldly  and  Divine  literature,  as  also  in  Greek 
 and  Latin  ;*  of  known  probity  of  life,  and  venerable  for  age, 
 being  sixty-six  years  old,  Hadrian  offered  him  to  the  pope 
 to  be  ordained  bishop,  and  prevailed ;  but  upon  these  con- 
 ditions, that  he  should  conduct  him  into  Britain,  because  he 
 had  already  travelled  through  France  twice  upon  several 
 occasions,  and  was,  therefore,  better  acquainted  with  the  way, 
 and  was,  moreover,  sufficiently  provided  with  men  of  his 
 own ;  as  also  that  being  his  fellow  labourer  in  doctrine,  he 
 might  take  special  care  that  Theodore  should  not,  according 
 to  the  custom  of  the  Greeks,  introduce  any  thing  contrary  to 
 the  true  faith  into  the  church  where  he  presided.  Hadrian, 
 being  ordained  subdeacon,  waited  four  months  for  his  hair  to 
 grow,  that  it  might  be  shorn  into  the  shape  of  a  crown ;  for 
 he  had  before  the  tonsure  of  St.  Paul,"]-  the  apostle,  after  the 
 manner  of  the  eastern  people.  He  was  ordained  by  Pope 
 Vitalian,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  668,  on  Sunday,  the  26th 
 of  March,  and  on  the  27th  of  May  was  sent  with  Hadrian 
 into  Britain. 
 
 They  proceeded  by  sea  to  Marseilles,  and  thence  by  land 
 to  Aries,  and  having  there  delivered  to  John,  archbishop  of 
 that  city,  Pope  Vitalian's  letters  of  recommendation,  were 
 by  him  detained  till  Ebrin,  the  king's  mayor  of  the  palace, 
 sent  them  a  pass  to  go  where  they  pleased.  Having  received 
 the  same,  Theodore  repaired  to  Agilbert,  bishop  of  Paris,  of 
 whom  we  have  spoken  above,  and  was  by  him  kindly  re- 
 ceived, and  long  entertained.  But  Hadrian  went  first  to 
 Emme,  and  then  to  Faro,  bishops  of  Sens  and  Meaux,  and 
 lived  with  them  a  considerable  time  ;  for  the  hard  winter 
 
 *  Hadrian  is  termed  by  William  of  Malmsbury,  "  a  fountain  of  letters 
 and  a  river  of  ai'ts."       t  This  tonsure  consisted  in  shaving  the  whole  head. 
 
172  BEDE  S   ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  fp.  iv.  c.  2. 
 
 had  obliged  them  to  rest  wherever  they  could.  King  Eg- 
 bert, being  informed  by  messengers  that  the  bishop  they  had 
 asked  of  the  Roman  prelate  was  in  the  kingdom  of  France, 
 sent  thither  his  prtefect,  Redfrid,  to  conduct  him ;  who,  being 
 arrived  there,  with  Ebrin's  leave,  conveyed  him  to  the  port 
 of  Quentavic  ;*  where,  being  indisposed,  he  made  some  stay, 
 and  as  soon  as  he  began  to  recover,  sailed  over  into  Britain. 
 But  Ebrin  detained  Hadrian,  suspecting  that  he  went  on 
 some  message  from  the  emperor  to  the  kings  of  Britain,  to 
 the  prejudice  of  the  kingdom,  of  which  he  at  that  time  took 
 especial  care  ;  however,  when  he  found  that  he  really  had  no 
 such  commission,  he  discharged  him,  and  permitted  him  to 
 follow  Theodore.  As  soon  as  he  came,  he  received  from 
 liim  the  monastery  of  St.  Peter  the  apostle, f  where  the 
 archbishops  of  Canterbury  are  usually  buried,  as  I  have  said 
 before  ;  for  at  his  departure,  the  apostolic  lord  had  ordered 
 that  he  should  provide  for  him  in  his  diocese,  and  give  him 
 a  suitable  place  to  live  in  with  his  followers. 
 
 CHAP.  n. 
 
 Theodore  visits  all  places  ;  the  churches  of  the  English  begin  to  be  instruct- 
 ed in  holy  literature,  and  in  the  Catholic  truth  ;  Putta  is  made  bishop 
 of  the  church  of  Rochester  in  the  room  of  Damianus.     [a.d.  QG^.'] 
 
 Theodore  arrived  at  his  church  the  second  year  after  his 
 consecration,  on  Sunday,  the  27th  of  May,  and  held  the 
 same  twenty-one  years,  thi-ee  months,  and  twenty-six  days. 
 Soon  after,  he  visited  all  the  island,  wherever  the  tribes  of 
 the  Angles  inhabited,  for  he  was  willingly  entertained  and 
 heard  by  all  persons  ;  and  everywhere  attended  and  assisted 
 by  Hadrian,  he  taught  the  right  rule  of  life,  and  the  canoni- 
 cal custom  of  celebrating  Easter.  Tliis  was  the  first  arch- 
 bishop whom  all  the  English  church  obeyed.  And  forasmuch 
 as  both  of  them  were,  as  has  been  said  before,  well  read  both 
 in  sacred  and  in  secular  literature,  they  gathered  a  crowd  of 
 disciples,  and  there  daily  flowed  from  them  rivers  of  know- 
 ledge to  water  the  hearts  of  tlieir  hearers  ;  and,  together 
 with  the  books  of  holy  writ,  they  also  taught  them  the  arts 
 of  ecclesiastical  poetry,  astronomy,  and  arithmetic.     A  testi- 
 
 •  St.  Quentin,  province  of  Picardy. 
 
 •t  Afterwards  called  St.  Augustine's.     This  was,  for  some  time  after,  th€ 
 most  distinguished  scat  of  learning  in  the  south  of  England .     See  p.  60. 
 
A.  D.  CG9.1  SACKED   MUSIC   INTRODUCED.  173 
 
 mony  of  which  is,  that  there  are  still  living  at  tliis  day  somo 
 of  their  scholars,  who  are  as  well  versed  in  the  Greek  and 
 Latin  tongues  as  in  their  own,  in  which  they  were  born. 
 Nor  were  there  ever  happier  times  since  the  English  came 
 into  Britain  ;  for  their  kings,  being  brave  men  and  good 
 Christians,  they  were  a  terror  to  all  barbarous  nations,  and 
 the  minds  of  all  men  were  bent  upon  the  joys  of  the  heavenly 
 kingdom  of  which  they  had  just  heard  ;  and  all  who  desired 
 to  be  instructed  in  sacred  reading  had  masters  at  hand  to 
 teach  them. 
 
 From  that  time  also  they  began  in  all  the  churches  of  the 
 English  to  learn  sacred  music,  which  till  then  had  been 
 only  known  in  Kent,  And,  excepting  James  above-men- 
 tioned, the  first  singing-master  in  the  churches  of  the  Nor- 
 thumbrians was  Eddi,  surnamed  Stephen,*  invited  from 
 Kent  by  the  most  reverend  Wilfrid,  who  was  the  first  of  the 
 bishops  of  the  English  nation  that  taught  the  churches  of 
 the  English  the  Catholic  mode  of  life. 
 
 Theodore,  visiting  all  parts,  ordained  bishops  in  proper 
 places,  and  with  their  assistance  corrected  such  things  as  he 
 found  faulty.  Among  the  rest,  when  he  upbraided  Bishop 
 Chad  that  he  had  not  been  duly  consecrated,  he,  with  great 
 humility,  answered,  "  If  you  know  I  have  not  duly  received 
 episcopal  ordination,  I  willingly  resign  the  office,  for  I  never 
 thought  myself  worthy  of  it ;  but,  though  unworthy,  in 
 obedience  submitted  to  undertake  it."  Theodore,  hearing 
 his  humble  answer,  said  that  he  should  not  resign  the  bishop- 
 ric, and  he  himself  completed  his  ordination  after  the  Catho- 
 lic manner.  But  at  the  time  when  Deusdedit  died,  and  a 
 bishop  for  the  church  of  Canterbury  was  by  request  ordained 
 and  sent,  Wilfrid  was  also  sent  out  of  Britain  into  France  to 
 be  ordained  ;  and  because  he  returned  before  Theodore,  he 
 ordained  priests  and  deacons  in  Kent  till  the  archbishop 
 should  come  to  his  see.  Being  arrived  in  the  city  of  Ro- 
 chester, where  the  see  had  been  long  vacant f  by  the  death 
 of  Damianus,  he  ordained  a  person  better  skilled  in  ecclesi- 
 astical discipline,  and  more  addicted  to  simplicity  of  life  than 
 active  in  w^orldly  affairs.  His  name  w^as  Putta,  and  he  was 
 extraordinarily  skilful  in  the  Roman  style  of  church  music, 
 
 *  Author  of  the  Life  of  Wilfrid,  published  in  Gale's  collection  of  Scrip- 
 tores,  vol.  i.  p.  40.  +  It  had  been  vacant  five  years. 
 
174  BEDe's    ecclesiastical    history.  Laiv.c.  3. 
 
 wliicli  lie  had  learned  from  the  disciples  of  the  holy  Pope 
 Gregory. 
 
 CHAP.  HI. 
 
 How  Chad,  above-mentioned,  was  made  Bishop  of  the  Mercians.     Of  his 
 life,  death,  and  burial,     [a.d.  GG9.] 
 
 At  that  time,  the  jMercians  were  governed  hj  King  Wulf- 
 here,  who,  on  the  death  of  Jaruman,  desired  of  Theodore  to 
 supply  him  and  his  people  with  a  bishop  ;  but  Theodore 
 would  not  obtain  a  new  one  for  them,  but  requested  of  I^ng 
 Os^vy  that  Chad  might  be  their  bishop.  He  then  lived 
 retired  at  his  monastery,  which  is  at  Lestingau,  Wilfrid 
 filling  the  bishopric  of  York,  and  of  all  the  Northumbrians, 
 and  like^vise  of  the  Picts,  as  far  as  the  dominions  of  King 
 Oswy  extended.  And,  seeing  that  it  was  the  custom  of  that 
 most  reverend  prelate  to  go  about  the  work  of  the  Gospel  to 
 several  places  rather  on  foot  tlian  on  horseback,  Theodore 
 commanded  him  to  ride  whenever  he  had  a  long  journey  to 
 undertake  ;  and  finding  him  very  unwilling  to  omit  his  for- 
 mer pious  labour,  he  himself,  with  his  hands,  lifted  him  on 
 the  horse  ;  for  he  tiiought  him  a  holy  man,  and  therefore 
 obliged  him  to  ride  wherever  he  had  need  to  go.  Chad 
 having  received  the  bishopric  of  the  iNlercians  and  Lindis- 
 farne,*  took  care  to  administer  the  same  with  great  rectitude 
 of  life,  according  to  the  example  of  the  ancients.  King 
 Wuifhere  also  gave  him  land  of  fifty  families,  to  build  a 
 monastery,  at  the  place  called  Ad  Barve,t  or  "At  the 
 Wood,"  in  the  province  of  Lindsey,  wherein  marks  of  the 
 regular  life  instituted  by  him  continue  to  tliis  day. 
 
 He  had  his  episcopal  see  in  the  place  called  Lichfield, J 
 
 *  A  diocese  not  much  less  in  extent  than  the  Northumbrian  kingdom, 
 having  all  the  counties  which  compose  the  midland  cucuit,  and  Stafford- 
 shire, with  part  of  Sliropshire  and  Cheshire  besides. 
 
 t  Barton-upon-Humber,  Lincolnshire,  where  there  is  still  standing  a  very 
 ancient  Saxon  Church,  dedicated  to  St.  Peter. 
 
 :|:  This  place  is  called  by  Ingulphus  and  Henry  of  Huntingdon,  Lichfeld, 
 which  means  "the  field  of  the  dead,"  from  the  traditionary  martyrdom  of 
 1000  Christians  here  during  the  Diocletian  persecution.  In  the  reign  of 
 (Jtfa,  this  see  not  only  obtauied  the  precedence  of  all  the  2\Iercian  bi;jhop- 
 rics,  but,  thri'Ugh  the  interest  of  OtFa  with  Pope  Adrian,  was  made  ibr  a 
 short  tims  the  archi-episcopal  see,  [a.d.  TCD,]  and  invested  with  the  greater 
 part  of  the  jiu-isdiction  of  Canterbury. 
 
A.I/.  669.1  DEATH    OF    ST.    CHAD.  175 
 
 in  whicli  he  also  dkd,  and  was  buried,  and  where  the  see  of 
 the  succeeding  bishops  of  that  province  still  continues.  He 
 had  built  himself  a  habitation  not  far  from  the  church, 
 wherein  he  was  wont  to  pray  and  read  with  seven  or  eight 
 of  the  brethren,  as  often  as  he  had  any  spare  time  from  the 
 labour  and  ministry  of  the  word.  When  he  had  most  glo- 
 riously governed  the  church  in  that  province  two  years  and 
 a  half,  the  Divine  Providence  so  ordaining,  tiiere  came  round 
 a  season  like  that  of  which  Ecclesiastes  says,  "  That  there  is 
 a  time  to  cast  stones,  and  a  time  to  gather  them  ; "  for  there 
 happened  a  mortality  sent  from  heaven,  which,  by  means  of 
 the  death  of  the  flesh,  translated  the  stones  of  the  church 
 from  their  earthly  places  to  the  heavenly  building.  And 
 when,  after  many  of  the  church  of  that  most  reverend  pre- 
 late had  been  taken  out  of  tlie  flesh,  his  hour  also  drew  near 
 wherein  he  was  to  pass  out  of  this  world  to  our  Lord,  it 
 happened  one  day  that  he  was  in  the  aforesaid  dwelling  with 
 only  one  brother,  called  Owini,  his  other  companions  being 
 upon  some  reasonable  occasion  returned  to  the  church.  Now 
 Owini  was  a  monk  of  great  merit,  having  forsaken  tlie  world 
 with  the  pure  intention  of  obtaining  the  heavenly  reward  ; 
 worthy  in  all  respects  to  have  the  secrets  of  our  Lord  re- 
 vealed to  him,  and  worthy  to  have  credit  given  by  his  hearers 
 to  what  he  said,  for  he  came  with  Queen  Ethekkid  from  the 
 province  of  the  East  Angles,  and  was  her  prime  minister, 
 and  governor  of  her  family.  As  the  fervour  of  his  faith 
 increased,  resolving  to  renounce  the  world,  he  did  not  go 
 about  it  slothfully,  but  so  fully  forsook  the  tilings  of  this 
 world,  that,  quitting  all  he  had,  clad  in  a  plain  garment,  and 
 carrying  an  axe  and  hatchet  in  his  hand,  he  came  to  the 
 monastery  of  that  most  reverend  prelate,  called  Lestingau  ;* 
 denoting,  that  he  did  not  go  to  the  monastery  to  live  idle,  as 
 some  do,  but  to  labour,  which  he  also  confirmed  by  practice  ; 
 for  as  he  was  less  capable  of  meditating  on  the  Holy  Scrip- 
 tures, he  the  more  earnestly  applied  himself  to  the  labour  of 
 his  hands.  In  short,  he  was  received  by  the  bishop  into  the 
 house  aforesaid,  and  there  entertained  with  the  brethren,  and 
 whilst  they  were  engaged  within  in  reading,  he  was  without, 
 doing  sucli  things  as  were  necessary. 
 
 ■    One  day  when  he  was  thus  employed  abroad,  and  his  com* 
 *  Lastingham.     See  p.  149. 
 
176  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    HISTOKY.  [B-iv.  c.3. 
 
 panions  were  gone  to  the  church,  as  I  began  to  state,  the 
 bishop  was  alone  reading  or  praying  in  the  oratory  of  that 
 place,  when  on  a  sudden,  as  he  afterwards  said,  he  heard  the 
 voice  of  persons  singing  most  sweetly  and  rejoicing,  and 
 appearing  to  descend  from  heaven.  Which  voice  he  said  he 
 first  heard  coming  from  the  south-east,  and  that  afterwards 
 it  drew  near  him,  till  it  came  to  the  roof  of  the  oratory  where 
 the  bishop  was,  and  entering  therein,  filled  the  same  and  all 
 about  it.  He  listened  attentively  to  what  he  heard,  and 
 after  about  half  an  hour,  perceived  the  same  song  of  joy  to 
 ascend  from  the  roof  of  the  said  oratory,  and  to  return  to 
 heaven  the  same  way  it  came,  with  inexpressible  sweetness. 
 When  he  had  stood  some  time  astonished,  and  seriously  re- 
 volving in  his  mind  what  it  might  be,  the  bishop  opened  the 
 window  of  the  oratory,  and  making  a  noise  with  liis  hand,  as 
 he  was  often  wont  to  do,  ordered  him  to  come  in  to  him.  He 
 accordingly  went  hastily  in,  and  the  bishop  said  to  him, 
 "  Make  haste  to  the  church,  and  cause  the  seven  brothers  to 
 come  hither,  and  do  you  come  with  them."  When  they  were 
 come,  he  first  admonished  them  to  preserve  the  virtue  of 
 peace  among  themselves,  and  towards  all  others  ;  and  inde- 
 fatigably  to  practise  the  rules  of  regular  discipline,  which 
 they  had  either  been  taught  by  him,  or  seen  him  observe,  or 
 had  noticed  in  the  words  or  actions  of  the  former  fathers. 
 Then  he  added,  that  the  day  of  his  death  was  at  hand  ;  for, 
 said  he,  "that  amiable  guest,  who  was  wont  to  visit  our 
 brethren,  has  vouchsafed  also  to  come  to  me  tliis  day,  and  to 
 call  me  out  of  this  world.  Return,  therefore,  to  the  church, 
 and  speak  to  the  brethren,  that  they  in  their  prayers  recom- 
 mend my  passage  to  our  Lord,  and  that  they  be  careful  to 
 provide  for  their  own,  the  hour  whereof  is  uncertain,  by 
 watching,  prayer,  and  good  works." 
 
 When  he  had  spoken  thus  much  and  more,  and  they, 
 having  received  his  blessing,  had  gone  aAvay  in  sorrow,  he 
 who  had  heard  the  heavenly  song  returned  alone,  and  pros- 
 trating himself  on  the  ground,  said,  "  I  beseech  you,  father, 
 may  I  be  permitted  to  ask  a  question  ?" — "Ask  what  you 
 will,"  answered  the  bishop.  Then  he  added,  "I  entreat  you 
 to  tell  me  what  song  of  joy  was  that  which  I  heard  coming 
 upon  this  oratory,  and  after  some  time  returning  to  heaven  ?" 
 The  bishop  answered.  "  If  you  heard  the  singing,  and  know 
 
A.D.669.]  ST.    chad's   piety.  177 
 
 of  tlie  coming  of  the  heavenly  company,  I  command  you,  in  the 
 name  of  our  Lord,  that  you  do  not  tell  the  same  to  any  before 
 my  death.  They  were  angelic  spirits,  who  came  to  call  me 
 to  my  heavenly  reward,  which  I  have  always  longed  after,  and 
 they  promised  they  would  return  seven  days  hence,  and  take 
 me  away  with  them."  Which  was  accordingly  fulfilled,  as 
 had  been  said  to  him ;  for  being  presently  seized  with 
 a  languishing  distemper,  and  the  same  daily  increasing,  on 
 the  seventh  day,  as  had  been  promised  to  him,  when  he  had 
 prepared  for  death  by  receiving  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
 Lord,  liis  soul  being  delivered  from  the  prison  of  the  body, 
 the  angels,  as  may  justly  be  believed,  attending  him,  he 
 departed  to  the  joys  of  heaven. 
 
 It  is  no  wonder  that  he  joyfully  beheld  the  day  of  liis 
 death,  or  rather  the  day  of  our  Lord,  which  he  had  always 
 carefully  expected  till  it  came  ;  for  notwithstanding  his  many 
 merits  of  continence,  humility,  teaching,  prayer,  voluntary 
 poverty,  and  other  virtues,  he  was  so  full  of  the  fear  of  God, 
 so  mindful  of  Ids  last  end  in  all  his  actions,  that,  as  I  was 
 informed  by  one  of  the  brothers  who  instructed  me  in 
 Divinity,  and  who  had  been  bred  in  his  monastery,  and  under 
 liis  direction,  whose  name  was  Trumhere,  if  it  happened  that 
 there  blew  a  strong  gust  of  -wdnd  when  he  was  reading  or 
 doing  any  other  thing,  he  immediately  called  upon  God  for 
 mercy,  and  begged  it  might  be  extended  to  all  mankind.  If 
 the  wind  grew  stronger,  he  closed  his  book,  and  prostrating 
 himself  on  the  ground,  prayed  still  more  earnestly.  But,  if 
 it  proved  a  violent  storm  of  wind  or  rain,  or  else  that  the 
 earth  and  air  were  filled  with  thunder  and  lightning,  he  would 
 repair  to  the  church,  and  devote  himself  to  prayers  and 
 repeating  of  psalms  till  the  weather  became  calm.  Being 
 asked  by  his  followers  why  he  did  so,  he  answered,  "  Have 
 not  you  read — 'The  Lord  also  thundered  in  the  heavens, 
 and  the  Highest  gave  forth  his  voice.  Yea,  he  sent  out  liis 
 arrows  and  scattered  them  ;  and  he  shot  out  lightnings,  and 
 discomfited  them.'  For  the  Lord  moves  the  air,  raises  the 
 winds,  darts  lightning,  and  thunders  from  heaven,  to  excite 
 the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  to  fear  him  ;  to  put  them  in 
 mind  of  the  future  judgment ;  to  dispel  their  pride,  and 
 vanquish  their  boldness,  by  bringing  into  their  thoughts  that 
 dreadful  time,  when  the  heavens  and  the  earth  being  in  a 
 
178  bede's  ecclesiastical  HISTOHY.  [b.  iv.  c.  3. 
 
 flame,  he  will  come  in  the  clouds,  with  great  power  and 
 majesty,  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  Wlierefore,"  said 
 he,  "  it  behoves  us  to  answer  his  heavenly  admonition  Avith 
 due  fear  and  love  ;  that,  as  often  as  he  lifts  his  hand  through 
 the  trembling  sky,  as  it  were  to  strike,  but  does  not  yet  let 
 it  fall,  we  may  immediately  implore  his  mercy  ;  and  searching 
 the  recesses  of  our  hearts,  and  cleansing  the  filth  of  our 
 vices,  we  may  carefully  behave  ourselves  so  as  never  to  be 
 struck."  * 
 
 With  this  revelation  and  account  of  the  aforesaid  brother, 
 concerning  the  death  of  this  prelate,  agrees  the  discourse  of 
 the  most  reverend  Father  Egbert,  above  spoken  of,  who  long 
 led  a  monastic  life  with  the  same  Chad,  when  both  were 
 youths,  in  Ii-eland,  pra}dng,  observing  continency,  and 
 meditating  on  the  Holy  Scriptures.  But  when  he  afterwards 
 returned  into  his  own  country,  the  other  continued  in  a 
 strange  country  for  our  Lord's  sake  till  the  end  of  his  Hfe. 
 A  long  time  after,  Hygbald,  a  most  holy  and  continent  man, 
 who  was  an  abbat  in  the  province  of  Lindsey,  came  out  of 
 Britain  to  visit  liim,  and  wliilst  these  holy  men  were 
 discoursing  of  the  life  of  the  former  fathers,  and  rejoicing  to 
 imitate  the  same,  mention  was  made  of  the  most  reverend 
 prelate,  Chad,  whereupon  Egbert,  said,  "  I  know  a  man  in  this 
 island,  still  in  the  flesh,  who,  when  that  prelate  passed  out  of 
 this  world,  saw  the  soul  of  his  brother  Cedd,  with  a  company 
 of  angels,  descending  from  heaven,  who,  having  taken  his 
 soul  along  with  them,  returned  thither  again."  Whether  he 
 said  this  of  himself,  or  some  other,  we  do  not  certainly 
 know  ;  but  the  same  being  said  by  so  great  a  man,  there  can 
 be  no  doubt  of  the  truth  thereof. 
 
 Chad  died  on  the  2nd  of  March,  and  was  first  buried  by 
 St.  Mary's  Church,  but  afterwards,  when  the  church  of  the 
 most  holy  prince  of  the  apostles,  Peter,  was  built,  his  bones 
 w^ere  translated  into  it.t  In  both  which  places,  as  a 
 testimony  of  his  virtue,  frequent  miraculous  cures  are  wont 
 to  be  wrought.  And  of  late,  a  certain  distracted  person, 
 who  had  been  wandering  about  everywhere,  arrived  there  in 
 the  evening,  unknown  or  unregarded  by  the  keepers  of  the 
 
 *  Jeremy  Taylor  has  some  excellent  remarks  on  this  pious  custom  of 
 fit.  Chad,  in  his" Life  of  Christ,  Discourse  xviii. 
 
 f  In  1140  they  were  rcnioved  to  tlie  present  Cathedral  of  Lichfield. 
 
A.n.  6C7.]  COLMAN   GOES    TO   IRELAND.  179 
 
 place,  and  having  rested  there  ail  the  night,  went  out  In  his 
 perfect  senses  the  next  morning,  to  the  surprise  and  delight 
 of  all ;  thus  showing  that  a  cure  had  been  performed  on  him 
 through  the  goodness  of  God.  The  place  of  the  sepulchre 
 is  a  wooden  monument,  made  like  a  little  house,  covered, 
 having  a  hole  in  the  wall,  through  which  those  that  go 
 thither  for  devotion  usually  put  in  their  hand  and  take  out 
 some  of  the  dust,  which  they  put  into  water  and  give  to  sick 
 cattle  or  men  to  drink,  upon  which  they  are  presently  eased 
 of  theii'  infirmity,  and  restored  to  health.  In  his  place, 
 Theodore  ordained  Winfrid,  a  good  and  modest  man,  to 
 preside,  as  his  predecessors  had  done,  over  the  bishoprics  of 
 the  Mercians,  the  Midland  Angles,  and  the  Lindisfarnes,*  of 
 all  which,  Wulf  here,  who  was  still  living,  was  king.  Win- 
 frid was  one  of  the  clergy  of  the  prelate  he  had  succeeded, 
 and  had  for  a  considerable  time  filled  the  office  of  deacon 
 under  him. 
 
 CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Bishop  Colman,  having  left  Britain,  built  two  monasteries  in  Scotland  ,• 
 the  one  for  the  Scots,  the  other  for  the  English  he  had  taken  along  with 
 him.     [a.d.  667.] 
 
 In  the  meantime,  Colman,  the  Scottish  bishop,  departing 
 from  Britain,  took  along  with  him  all  the  Scots  he  had 
 assembled  in  the  isle  of  Lindisfarne,  and  also  about  thirty  of 
 the  English  nation,  who  had  been  all  instructed  in  the 
 monastic  life  ;  and  leaving  some  brothers  in  his  church,  he 
 repaired  first  to  the  isle  of  Hii  (lona),  whence  he  had  been 
 sent  to  preach  the  word  of  God  to  the  English  nation. 
 Afterwards  he  retired  to  a  small  island,  which  is  to  the  west 
 of  li-eland,  and  at  some  distance  from  its  coast,  called  in  the 
 language  of  the  Scots,  Inisbofinde,f  the  Island  of  the  White 
 Heifer.  Arriving  there,  he  built  a  monastery,  and  placed  in 
 it  the  monks  he  had  brought  of  both  lotions  ;  who  not 
 agreeing  among  themselves,  by  reason  that  the  Scots,  in  the 
 summer  season,  when  the  harvest  was  to  be  brought  in, 
 
 •  On  the  death  of  Peada,  Wulfhere  succeeded  to  the  united  kingdoms 
 of  the  Mercians  and  Middle  Angles  (see  p.  143),  which  were  considered  as 
 two  distinct  kingdoms.  The  bishopric  of  the  Mercians  was  fixed  at  Repton, 
 afterwards  removed  to  Lichfield.     See  note  at  page  145. 
 
 t  A  small  island  on  the  Irish  coast  still  retaining  its  ancient  name. 
 
180  BEDE*S   ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  [b.  iv.  c.  5. 
 
 leaving  the  monastery,  wandered  about  through  places  with 
 wliich  they  were  acquainted  ;  but  returned  again  the  next 
 winter,  and  would  have  what  the  English  had  provided  to  be 
 in  common  ;  Colman  sought  to  put  an  end  to  this  dissension, 
 and  travelling  about  far  and  near,  he  found  a  place  in  the 
 island  of  L'eland  fit  to  build  a  monastery,  which,  in  the 
 language  of  the  Scots,  is  called  Mageo,*  and  bought  a  small 
 part  of  it  of  the  earl  to  whom  it  belonged,  to  build  his 
 monastery  thereon  ;  upon  condition,  that  the  monks  residing 
 there  should  pray  to  our  Lord  for  him  who  let  them  have  the 
 place.  Then  building  a  monastery,  with  the  assistance  of 
 the  earl  and  all  the  neighbours,  he  placed  the  English  there, 
 leaving  the  Scots  in  the  aforesaid  island.  This  monastery  is 
 to  this  day  possessed  by  English  inhabitants  ;  being  the  same 
 that,  grown  up  from  a  small  beginning  to  be  very  large,  is 
 generally  called  Mageo  ;  and  as  aU  things  have  long  since 
 been  brought  under  a  better  method,  it  contains  an  exemplary 
 society  of  monks,  who  are  gathered  there  from  the  province 
 of  the  English,  and  live  by  the  labour  of  their  hands,  after 
 the  example  of  the  venerable  f\\thers,  under  a  rule  and  a 
 canonical  abbat,  in  much  continency  and  singleness  of  life. 
 
 CHAP.  V. 
 
 0/  the  death  of  the  kings  Osivy  and  Egbert,  and  of  the  synod  held  at 
 Hertford,  in  which  Archbishop  Theodore  presided,     [a.  d.  670.] 
 
 In  the  year  of  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  670,  being  the 
 second  year  after  Theodore  arrived  in  England,  Oswy,  king 
 of  the  Northumbrians,  fell  sick,  and  died,  in  the  fifty-eighth 
 year  of  his  age.  f  He  at  that  time  bore  so  great  affection  to 
 tlie  Roman  apostolical  institution,  that  had  he  recovered  of 
 his  sickness,  he  had  designed  to  go  to  Rome,  and  there  to 
 end  his  days  at  the  Holy  Places,  having  entreated  Bishop  Wil- 
 frid, by  the  promise  of  a  considerable  donation  in  money,  to 
 conduct  him  on  lus  journey.  He  died  on  the  15th  of  Feb- 
 ruary, leaving  his  son  Egfrid  his  successor  in  the  kingdom. 
 In  the  third  year  of  his  reign,  Theodore  assembled  a  synod 
 of  bishops,  and  many  other  teachers  of  the  church,  who 
 loved  and  were  acquainted  with  the  canonical  statutes  of  the 
 
 *  Now  annexed  to  the  archbishopric  of  Tuam. 
 
 t  With  Oswy  expired  the  title  and  the  authority  of  Bretwalda. 
 
A.D.673.1  SYNOD    OF    HERTFORD.  181 
 
 fathers.  When  they  were  met  together,  he  began,  as  became 
 a  prelate,  to  enjoin  the  observance  of  such  things  as  were 
 agreeable  to  the  unity  and  the  peace  of  the  church.  The 
 purport  of  which  synodical  proceedings  is  as  follows  : — 
 
 "  In  the  name  of  our  Lord  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
 who  reigns  for  ever  and  for  ever,  and  governs  his  church,  it 
 was  thought  meet  that  we  should  assemble,  according  to  the 
 custom  of  the  venerable  canons,  to  treat  about  the  necessary 
 affairs  of  the  church.  We  met  on  the  24tlL  day  of  Septem- 
 ber, the  first  indiction,*  at  a  place  called  Hertford,  myself, 
 Theodore,  the  unworthy  bishop  of  the  see  of  Canterbury, 
 appointed  by  the  Apostolic  See,  our  fellow  priest  and  most 
 reverend  brother,  Bisi,  bishop  of  the  East  Angles  ;  also  by 
 his  proxies,  our  brother  and  fellow  priest,  Wilfrid,  bishop  of 
 the  nation  of  the  Northumbrians,  as  also  our  brothers  and 
 fellow  priests,  Putta,  bishop  of  the  Kentish  castle,  called 
 Rochester ;  Eleutherius,  bishop  of  the  West  Saxons,  and 
 Winfrid,  bishop  of  the  province  of  the  Mercians.  When 
 we  were  all  met  together,  and  were  sat  down  in  order,  I 
 said,  '  I  beseech  you,  most  dear  brothers,  for  the  love  and 
 fear  of  our  Redeemer,  that  we  may  all  treat  in  common  for 
 our  faith  ;  to  the  end  that  whatsoever  has  been  decreed  and 
 defined  by  the  holy  and  reverend  fathers,  may  be  inviolably 
 observed  by  all.'  This  and  much  more  I  spoke  tending  to 
 the  preservation  of  the  charity  and  unity  of  the  church  ;  and 
 when  I  had  ended  my  discourse,  I  asked  every  one  of  them 
 in  order,  whether  they  consented  to  observe  the  things  that 
 Lad  been  formerly  canonically  decreed  by  the  fathers  ?  To 
 which  all  our  fellow  priests  answered,  '  It  so  pleases  us,  and 
 we  ^vill  all  most  willingly  observe  with  a  cheerful  mind  what- 
 ever is  laid  down  in  the  canons  of  the  holy  fathers.'  I  then 
 produced  the  said  book  of  canons,  and  publicly  showed  them 
 ten  chapters  in  the  same,  wliich  I  had  marked  in  several 
 places,  because  I  knew  them  to  be  of  the  most  importance 
 to  us,  and  entreated  that  they  might  be  most  particularly 
 received  by  them  aU. 
 
 *  We  learn  from  Bede's  work,  De  Temporum  Ratione,  c.  46,  that  the 
 English  indiction  began  on  the  24th  of  September.  Now  the  year  673,  or 
 rather  from  the  •24th  of  Sept.  a.  d.  672  to  the  24th  of  Sept.  673,  was  the 
 first  indiction.  It  appears  therefore  that  the  Synod  of  Hertford  fell  on 
 the  last  day  of  the  indiction.  Perhaps,  as  Professor  Hussey  remarks,  the 
 24th  of  September  might  be  reckoned  as  belonging  to  either  indiction. 
 
182  BEDE'S  ecclesiastical    history.  Lb.  rv,  c.5. 
 
 "  Chapter  I.  That  we  all  in  common  keep  the  holy  day 
 of  Easter  on  the  Sunday  after  the  fourteenth  moon  of  the 
 first  month. 
 
 "  II.  That  no  bishop  intrude  into  the  diocese  of  another, 
 but  be  satisfied  with  the  government  of  the  people  committed 
 to  him. 
 
 "  III.  That  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any  bishop  to  trouble 
 monasteries  dedicated  to  God,  nor  to  take  anything  forcibly 
 from  them. 
 
 "IV.  That  monks  do  not  remove  from  one  place  to 
 another,  that  is,  from  monastery  to  monastery,  unless  with 
 the  consent  of  their  own  abbat ;  but  that  they  continue  in 
 the  obedience  which  they  promised  at  the  time  of  their 
 conversion. 
 
 "  V.  That  no  clergyman,  forsaking  his  own  bishop,  shall 
 wander  about,  or  be  anywhere  entertained  without  letters  of 
 recommendation  from  his  own  prelate.  But  if  he  shall  be 
 once  received,  and  will  not  return  when  invited,  both  thti 
 receiver,  and  the  person  received,  be  under  excommunication. 
 
 "VI.  That  bishops  and  clergymen,  when  travelHng,  shall 
 be  content  with  the  hospitality  that  is  afforded  them  ;  and 
 that  it  be  not  lawful  for  them  to  exercise  any  priestly  func- 
 tion without  leave  of  the  bishop  in  whose  diocese  they  are. 
 
 "  VII.  That  a  synod  be  assembled  twice  a  year  ;  but  in 
 regard  that  several  causes  obstruct  the  same,  it  was  approved 
 by  all,  that  we  should  meet  on  the  1st  of  August  once  a 
 year,  at  the  place  called  Clofeshoch.* 
 
 "VIII.  That  no  bishop,  through  ambition,  shall  set  him- 
 self before  another  ;  but  that  they  shall  all  observe  the  time 
 and  order  of  their  consecration. 
 
 "IX.  It  was  generally  set  forth,  that  more  bishops  should 
 be  made,  as  the  number  of  believers  increased  ;  but  this 
 matter  for  the  present  was  passed  over. 
 
 "  X.  Of  marriages  ;  that  nothing  be  allowed  but  lawful 
 wedlock  ;  that  none  commit  incest ;  no  man  quit  his  true 
 wife,  unless,  as  the  gospel  teaches,  on  account  of  fornication. 
 And  if  any  man  shall  put  away  his  own  wife,  lawfully  joined 
 to  him  in  matrimony,  that  he  take  no  other,  if  he  -wishes  to 
 be  a  good  Christian,  but  continue  as  he  is,  or  else  be  recon- 
 ciled to  his  own  wife. 
 
 *  Cliff,  in  Kent,  or  Abingdon,  Berks- 
 
A.o.  r,74.]  SEXWULF    MADE    BISHOP.  183 
 
 "  These  chapters  being  thus  treated  of  and  defined  by  all, 
 to  the  end,  that  for  the  future,  no  scandal  of  contention 
 might  arise  from  anj  of  us,  or  that  things  be  falsely  set 
 forth,  it  was  thought  fit  that  every  one  of  us  should,  bv 
 subscribing  his  hand,  confirm  all  the  particulars  so  laid 
 down.  Which  definitive  judgment  of  ours,  I  dictated  to 
 be  written  by  Titillus  our  notary.  Done  in  the  month  and 
 indiction  aforesaid.  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  presume  in 
 any  way  to  oppose  or  infringe  this  decision,  confirmed  by 
 our  consent,  and  by  the  subscription  of  our  hands,  according 
 to  the  decree  of  the  canons,  must  take  notice,  that  he  is 
 excluded  from  all  sacerdotal  functions,  and  from  our  society. 
 May  the  Divine  Grace  preserve  us  in  safety,  living  in  the 
 unity  of  his  holy  church." 
 
 This  synod  was  held  in  the  year  from  the  incarnation  of 
 our  Lord  673.  In  which  year,  Egbert,  king  of  Kent,  died 
 in  the  month  of  July  ;  his  brother  Lothere  succeeded  him 
 on  the  tlirone,  which  he  had  held  eleven  years  and  seven 
 months.  Bisi,  the  bishop  of  the  East  Angles,*  who  is  said 
 to  have  been  in  the  aforesaid  synod,  was  successor  to  Boni- 
 face, before  spoken  of,  a  man  of  much  sanctity  and  religion  ; 
 for  when  Boniface  died,  after  having  been  bishop  seventeen 
 years,  he  was  by  Theodore  substituted  in  his  place.  Whilst 
 he  was  still  alive,  but  hindered  by  much  sickness  from  ad- 
 ministering his  episcopal  functions,  two  bishops,  Ecci  and 
 Badwin  were  elected  and  consecrated  in  his  place  ;  from 
 which  time  to  the  present,  that  province  has  had  two 
 bishops. 
 
 CHAP.  VI. 
 
 Win/rid  being  deposed,  Sexwulf  was  put  into  his  See,  and  Earconwald 
 made  bishop  of  the  East  Saxons,     [a.d.  674.] 
 
 Not  long  after,  Theodore,  the  archbishop,  taking  offence  at 
 some  disobedience  of  Winfrid,  bishop  of  the  Mercians,|  de- 
 posed him  from  his  bishopric  when  he  had  been  possessed  of 
 it  but  a  few  years,  and  in  his  place  made  Sexwulf  bishop, 
 
 •  His  see  was  at  Dunwich,  Suffolk,  (see  p.  ^£i),  and  during  his  life  this 
 diocese  was  divided,  Bishop  Badwin  being  placed  at  North  Elmham,  and 
 Bishop  Ecci  at  Dunwich.  In  955  the  two  sees  were  reunited;  in  1075  it 
 was  removed  to  Thetford,  and  finally  in  1094  to  Norwich. 
 
 t  Bishop  of  Lichfield. 
 
184  BEDE's   ecclesiastic  ax    history.  Lb.iv.  cC. 
 
 Tvlio  was  founder  and  abbat  of  the  monastery  of  Medesham- 
 stead,*  in  the  country  of  the  Girvii.  Winfrid,  thus  deposed, 
 returned  to  his  monastery  of  Ad  Barve,t  and  there  ended  his 
 life  in  holy  conversation. 
 
 He  then  also  appointed  Earconwald  bishop  of  the  East 
 Saxons,  in  the  city  of  London,  over  whom  at  that  time  pre- 
 sided Sebbi  and  Sighere,  of  whom  mention  has  been  made 
 above.  This  Earconwald's  life  and  conversation,  as  well 
 when  he  was  bishop  as  before  his  advancement  to  that  dignity, 
 is  reported  to  have  been  most  holy,  as  is  even  at  this  time 
 testified  by  heavenly  miracles ;  for  to  this  day,  his  horse- 
 litter,  in  which  he  was  wont  to  be  carried  when  sick,  is  kept 
 by  his  disciples,  and  continues  to  cure  many  of  agues  and 
 other  distempers ;  and  not  only  sick  persons  who  are  laid  in 
 that  litter,  or  close  by  it,  are  cured ;  but  the  very  chips  of  it, 
 when  carried  to  the  sick,  are  wont  immediately  to  restore 
 them  to  health. 
 
 This  man,  before  he  was  made  bishop,  had  built  two 
 famous  monasteries,  the  one  for  himself,  and  the  other  for  his 
 sister  Ethelberga,  and  established  them  both  in  regular  dis- 
 cipline of  the  best  kind.  That  for  himself  was  in  the  county 
 of  Surrey,  by  the  river  Thames,  at  a  place  called  Ceortesei,J 
 that  is,  the  Island  of  Ceorot ;  that  for  his  sister  in  the  pro- 
 vince of  the  East  Saxons,  at  the  place  called  Bercingum,§ 
 wherein  she  might  be  a  mother  and  nurse  of  devout  women. 
 Being  put  into  the  government  of  that  monastery,  she  be- 
 haved herself  in  all  respects  as  became  the  sister  of  such  a 
 brother,  living  herself  regularly,  and  piously,  and  orderly, 
 providing  for  those  under  her,  as  was  also  manifested  by 
 heavenly  miracles. 
 
 *  The  monastery  of  Medeshamstead, "  the  home  in  the  meadow,"  after- 
 wards Burgh  St.  Peter,  now  Peterborough,  was  one  of  the  nmnerous  eccle- 
 siastical foundations  scattered  over  the  wide  extent  of  the  Fen  land,  which 
 served  as  a  natural  l)arrier  between  the  kingdoms  of  East  Anglia  and  Mer- 
 cia.  Peada,  king  of  Mercia,  is  agreed  to  have  been  the  first  founder  about 
 A.D.  650,  and  which  was  completed  by  Wulfhere,  See  Saxon  Chron.  a.d. 
 C57,  and  Chronicon  Anglite  Petriburgense,  8vo.  Londini,  1845,  passim. 
 
 t  See  book  iv.  ch.  3,  page  174.      ;;:  Chertsey.  $  Barking  in  Essex. 
 
4.  D  C7C.-.  MIRACLE    AT    BARKING.  ]  85 
 
 CHAP.  VII. 
 
 How  it  was    indicated  by  a  heavenly  light   ivhere  the  bodies  of  the  Nuns 
 should  be  buried  in  the  monastery  of  Barking,     [a.d.  676.] 
 
 In  this  monastery  many  miracles  were  wrought,  which  have 
 been  committed  to  writing  by  many,  from  those  who  knew 
 them,  that  their  memory  might  be  preserved,  and  following 
 generations  edified ;  some  whereof  we  have  also  taken  care  to 
 insert  in  our  Ecclesiastical  History.  When  the  mortality, 
 which  we  have  already  so  often  mentioned,  ravaging  all 
 around,  had  also  seized  on  that  part  of  this  monastery  where 
 the  men  resided,  and  they  were  daily  hurried  away  to  meet 
 their  God,  the  careful  mother  of  the  society  began  often  to 
 inquire  in  the  convent,  of  the  sisters,  where  they  would  have 
 their  bodies  buried,  and  where  a  church-yard  should  be  made 
 when  the  same  pestilence  should  fall  upon  that  part  of  the 
 monastery  in  which  God's  female  servants  were  divided  from 
 the  men,  and  they  should  be  snatched  away  out  of  this  world 
 by  the  same  destruction.  Receiving  no  certain  answer, 
 though  she  often  put  the  question  to  the  sisters,  she  and  all 
 of  them  received  a  most  certain  answer  from  heaven.  For 
 one  night,  when  the  morning  psalm  was  ended,  and  those 
 servants  of  Christ  were  gone  out  of  their  oratory  to  the 
 tombs  of  the  brothers  who  had  departed  this  life  before  them, 
 and  were  singing  the  usual  praises  to  our  Lord,  on  a  sudden 
 a  light  from  heaven,  like  a  great  sheet,  came  down  upon 
 them  all,  and  struck  them  with  so  much  terror,  that  they,  in 
 consternation,  left  ofi"  singing.  But  that  resplendent  light, 
 which  seemed  to  exceed  the  sun  at  noon-day,  soon  after 
 rising  from  that  place,  removed  to  the  south  side  of  the 
 monastery,  that  is,  to  the  westward  of  the  oratory,  and  having 
 continued  there  some  time,  and  covered  those  parts  in  the 
 sight  of  them  all,  withdrew  itself  up  again  to  heaven,  leaving 
 conviction  in  the  minds  of  all,  that  the  same  light,  which 
 was  to  lead  or  to  receive  the  souls  of  those  servants  of  God 
 into  heaven,  was  intended  to  show  the  place  in  which  their 
 bodies  were  to  rest,  and  await  the  day  of  the  resurrection. 
 This  light  was  so  great,  that  one  of  the  eldest  of  the  brothers, 
 who  at  the  same  time  was  in  their  oratory  with  another 
 younger  than  himself,  related  in  the  morning,  that  the  ray^ 
 
186  BEDE'S  ecclesiastical  HISTOKY.  [B.IV  c.8. 
 
 of  light  which  came  in  at  the  crannies  of  the  doors  and 
 windows,  seemed  to  exceed  the  utmost  brightness  of  day- 
 light itself. 
 
 CHAP.  vni. 
 
 A  little  boy,  dying  in  the  same  monastery,  called  upon  a  virgin  that  tvas  to 
 follow  him  ;  another  at  the  point  of  leaving  her  body,  saw  some  small 
 part  of  the  future  glory,     [xv.  676.] 
 
 There  was,  in  the  same  monastery,  a  boy,  not  above  three 
 years  old,  called  Esica;  who,  by  reason  of  his  infant  age, 
 was  bred  up  among  the  virgins  dedicated  to  God,  and  there 
 to  pursue  his  studies.  This  child  being  seized  by  the  afore- 
 said pestilence,  when  he  was  at  the  last  gasp,  called  three 
 times  upon  one  of  the  virgins  consecrated  to  God,  directing 
 his  words  to  her  by  her  own  name,  as  if  she  had  been 
 present,  Eadgith ;  Eadgith !  Eadgith !  and  thus  ending  his 
 temporal  life,  entered  into  that  vrhich  is  eternal.  The  virgin, 
 whom  he  called,  was  immediately  seized,  where  she  was,  with 
 tlie  same  distemper,  and  departing  this  life  the  same  day  on 
 which  she  had  been  called,  followed  him  that  called  her  into 
 the  heavenly  country. 
 
 Likewise,  one  of  those  same  servants  of  God,  being  ill  of 
 the  same  disease,  and  reduced  to  extremity,  began  on  a  sud- 
 den, about  midnight,  to  cry  out  to  them  that  attended  her, 
 desiring  they  would  put  out  the  candle  that  was  lighted 
 there ;  which,  when  she  had  often  repeated,  and  yet  no  one 
 did  it,  at  last  she  said,  "  I  know  you  think  I  speak  this  in 
 a  raving  fit,  but  let  me  inform  you  it  is  not  so ;  for  I  tell  you, 
 that  I  see  this  house  filled  with  so  much  light,  that  your 
 candle  there  seems  to  me  to  be  dark."  And  when  still  no 
 one  regarded  what  she  said,  or  returned  any  answer,  she 
 added,  "  Let  that  candle  burn  as  long  as  you  -will ;  but  take 
 notice,  that  it  is  not  my  light,  for  my  light  '^\all  come  to  me 
 at  the  dawn  of  the  day."  Then  she  began  to  tell,  that  a 
 certain  man  of  God,  who  had  died  that  same  year,  had 
 appeared  to  her,  telling  her  that  at  the  break  of  day  she 
 sliould  depart  to  the  heavenly  light.  The  truth  of  which 
 vision  was  made  out  by  the  virgin's  dying  as  soon  as  the  day 
 appeared. 
 
A.D.  C76.]  MIRACLES  AT  ETIIELBERGA's  DEATH.  IS? 
 
 CHAP.  IX. 
 
 Of  the  signs  which  were  shown  from  heaven  when  the  mother  of  that  con- 
 gregation departed  this  life.     [a.  d.  676.] 
 
 When  Ethelberga,  the  pious  mother  of  that  holy  congrega- 
 tion, was  about  to  be  taken  out  of  this  world,  a  wonderful 
 vision  appeared  to  one  of  the  sisters,  called  Tortgith ;  who, 
 having  lived  many  years  in  that  monastery,  always  en- 
 deavoured, in  all  humility  and  sincerity,  to  serve  God,  and 
 took  care  to  assist  the  same  mother  in  keeping  up  regular 
 discipline,  by  instructing  and  reproving  the  younger  ones. 
 Now,  in  order  that  her  virtue  might  be  perfected  in  affliction, 
 according  to  the  apostle,  she  was  suddenly  seized  with  a  most 
 grievous  distemper,  under  which,  through  the  good  provi- 
 dence of  our  Redeemer,  she  suffered  very  much  for  the  space 
 of  nine  years ;  to  the  end,  that  whatever  stain  of  vice  re- 
 mained amidst  her  virtues,  either  through  ignorance  or 
 neglect,  might  all  be  eradicated  by  the  fire  of  long  tribula- 
 tion. This  person,  going  out  of  her  chamber  one  night,  just 
 at  the  first  dawn  of  the  day,  plainly  saw  as  it  were  a  human 
 body,  which  was  brighter  than  the  sun,  wrapped  up  in  a 
 sheet,  and  lifted  up  on  high,  being  taken  out  of  the  house  in 
 which  the  sisters  used  to  reside.  Then  looking  earnestly  to 
 see  what  it  was  that  drew  up  the  glorious  body  which  she 
 beheld,  she  perceived  it  was  di^awn  up  as  it  were  by  cords 
 brighter  than  gold,  until,  entering  into  the  open  heavens,  it 
 could  no  longer  be  seen  by  her.  Reflecting  on  this  vision, 
 she  made  no  doubt  that  some  one  of  the  society  would  soon 
 die,  and  her  soul  be  lifted  up  to  heaven  by  her  good  works 
 as  it  were  by  golden  cords,  which  accordingly  happened ;  for 
 a  few  days  after,  the  beloved  of  God,  Ethelberga,  mother  of 
 that  society,  was  delivered  out  of  the  prison  of  the  flesh ;  and 
 her  life  is  known  to  have  been  such  that  no  person  who  knew 
 her  ought  to  question  but  that  the  heavenly  kingdom  was 
 open  to  her,  when  she  departed  from  this  world. 
 
 There  was  also,  in  the  same  monastery,  a  certain  nun,  of 
 noble  worldly  origin,  and  much  nobler  in  the  love  of  the 
 world  to  come  ;  who  had,  for  many  years,  been  so  disabled 
 in  all  her  body,  that  she  could  not  move  a  single  limb.  Be- 
 ing informed  that  the  venerable  abbess's  body  was  carried 
 
188  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  Lb.  IV.  c.  10. 
 
 into  the  church,  till  it  could  be  buried,  she  desired  to  be 
 carried  thither,  and  to  be  bowed  down  towards  it,  after  the 
 manner  of  one  praying  ;  which  being  done,  she  spoke  to  her 
 as  if  she  had  been  living,  and  entreated  her  that  she  would 
 obtain  of  the  mercy  of  our  compassionate  Creator,  that  she 
 might  be  delivered  from  such  great  and  lasting  pains  ;  nor 
 was  it  long  before  her  prayer  was  heard  :  for  being  taken 
 out  of  the  flesh  twelve  days  after,  she  exchanged  her  tempo- 
 ral afflictions  for  an  eternal  reward.  Three  years  after  the 
 death  of  this  lady,  the  above-mentioned  servant  of  Christ, 
 Tortgith,  was  so  far  spent  with  the  distemper  before  men- 
 tioned, that  her  bones  would  scarcely  hang  together  ;  and, 
 at  last,  when  the  time  of  her  dissolution  was  at  hand,  she 
 not  only  lost  the  use  of  her  other  limbs,  but  also  of  her 
 tongue  ;  which  having  continued  three  days  and  as  many 
 nights,  she  was,  on  a  sudden,  relieved  by  a  spiritual  vision, 
 opened  her  mouth  and  eyes,  and  looking  up  to  heaven,  began 
 thus  to  direct  her  discourse  to  the  vision  which  she  saw  : 
 "  Your  coming  is  very  acceptable  to  me,  and  you  are  wel- 
 come !  "  Having  so  said,  she  was  silent  awhile,  as  it  were, 
 waiting  for  the  answer  of  the  person  she  saw  and  spoke  to  ; 
 then,  as  if  displeased,  she  said,  "  I  am  not  pleased  with  this ;" 
 then  pausing  awhile,  she  said  again,  "  If  it  cannot  be  to- 
 day, I  beg  the  delay  may  not  be  long  ;"  and  again  holding 
 her  peace  a  short  while,  she  concluded  thus  ;  "  If  it  is  posi- 
 tively so  decreed,  and  the  resolution  cannot  be  altered,  I  beg 
 that  it  may  be  no  longer  deferred  than  this  next  night." 
 Having  so  said,  and  being  asked  by  those  about  her  to  whom 
 she  talked,  she  said,  "  With  my  most  dear  mother,  Ethel- 
 berga;"  by  which  they  understood,  that  she  was  come  to 
 acquaint  her  that  the  time  of  her  departure  was  at  hand  ; 
 for,  as  she  had  desired,  after  one  day  and  night,  she  was  de- 
 livered from  the  bonds  and  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  and  entered 
 the  joys  of  eternal  salvation. 
 
 CHAP.  X. 
 
 A  blind  woman,  praying  in  the  burial-place  of  that  monastery,  was  re- 
 stored to  her  sight,     [a.d.  676.] 
 
 HiLDELiTH,  a  devout  servant  of  God,  succeeded  Ethelberga 
 in  the  office  of  abbess,  and  presided  over  that  monastery 
 
A.D.  694.  J  SEBBI,  KING  OF  THE  EAST  SAXON'S.  189 
 
 many  years,  till  she  was  of  an  extreme  old  age,  with  exem- 
 plary conduct,  in  the  observance  of  regular  discipline,  and 
 in  the  care  of  providing  all  things  for  the  public  use.  The 
 narrowness  of  the  place  where  the  monastery  is  built,  led 
 her  to  think  that  the  bones  of  the  male  and  female  servants 
 of  Christ,  which  had  been  there  buried,  should  be  taken  up, 
 and  translated  into  the  church  of  the  blessed  mother  of  God, 
 and  interred  in  one  place  :  whoever  wishes  to  read  it,  may 
 find  in  the  book  from  which  we  have  gathered  these  things, 
 how  often  a  brightness  of  heavenly  light  was  seen  there,  and 
 a  fragrancy  of  wonderful  odour  smelled,  and  what  other 
 miracles  were  wrought. 
 
 However,  I  think  it  by  no  means  fit  to  pass  over  the 
 miraculous  cure,  which  the  same  book  informs  us  was 
 wrought  in  the  church-yard  of  the  said  religious  house. 
 There  lived  in  that  neighbourhood  a  certain  earl,  whose  wife 
 was  seized  with  a  dimness  in  her  eyes,  which  at  length  be- 
 came so  bad,  that  she  could  not  see  the  least  glimpse  of 
 light  :  having  continued  some  time  in  total  darkness,  on  a 
 sudden  she  bethought  herself  that  she  might  recover  her 
 lost  sight,  if  she  were  carried  to  the  monastery  of  the  nuns, 
 and  there  pray  for  the  same,  at  the  relics  of  the  saints.  Nor 
 did  she  lose  any  time  in  performing  what  she  had  thought 
 of:  for  being  conducted  by  her  maids  to  the  monastery, 
 which  was  very  near,  and  professing  that  she  had  perfect 
 faith  that  she  should  be  there  healed,  she  was  led  into  the 
 burial-place,  and  having  long  prayed  there  on  her  knees,  she 
 did  not  fail  to  be  heard,  for  as  she  rose  from  prayer,  before 
 she  went  out  of  the  place,  she  received  the  gift  of  sight 
 which  she  had  desired  ;  and  whereas  she  had  been  led  thither 
 by  her  servants,  she  now  returned  home  joyfully  without 
 help  :  as  if  she  had  lost  her  sight  to  no  other  end  than  that 
 she  might  make  it  appear  how  great  light  the  saints  en- 
 joyed in  heaven,  and  how  great  was  the  power  of  their 
 virtue. 
 
 CHAP.  XL 
 
 Sebbi,  king  of  the  same  province,  ends  his  life  in  a  monastery,     [a.d.  694.] 
 
 At  that  time,  as  the  same  little  book  informs  us,  Sebbi,  a 
 devout    man,    of   whom    mention    has    been    made    above. 
 
190  BEDE'S  ecclesiastical  history.  [n.  IV.  c  11. 
 
 governed  the  kingdom  of  the  East  Saxons.  He  was  much 
 addicted  to  religious  actions,  almsgivings,  and  frequent 
 prayer  ;  preferring  a  private  and  monastic  life  to  all  the 
 wealth  and  honours  of  his  kingdom,  which  sort  of  life  he 
 would  also  long  before  have  undertaken,  had  not  his  wife 
 positively  refused  to  be  divorced  from  him  ;  for  which  rea- 
 son many  were  of  opinion,  and  often  said  so,  that  a  person 
 of  such  a  disposition  ought  rather  to  have  been  a  bishop 
 than  a  king.  When  he  had  been  thirty  years  a  king,  and  a 
 soldier  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  he  fell  into  a  violent  sick- 
 ness, of  which  he  died,  and  admonished  his  wife,  that  they 
 should  then  at  least  jointly  devote  themselves  to  the  service  of 
 God,  since  they  could  no  longer  enjoy,  or  rather  serve,  the 
 world.  Having  with  much  difficulty  obtained  this  of  her,  he 
 repaired  to  Waldhere,  bishop  of  London,  who  had  succeeded 
 Earconwald,  and  with  his  blessing  received  the  religious 
 habit,  which  he  had  long  desired.  He  also  carried  to  him  a 
 considerable  sum  of  money,  to  be  given  to  the  poor,  reserv- 
 ing notliing  to  himself,  but  rather  coveting  to  remain  poor  in 
 spirit  for  the  sake  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
 
 When  the  aforesaid  distemper  increased  upon  him,  and  he 
 perceived  the  day  of  his  death  to  be  drawing  near,  being  a 
 man  of  a  royal  disposition,  he  began  to  apprehend  lest,  when 
 under  pain,  and  at  the  approach  of  death,  he  might  be  guilty 
 of  anything  unworthy  of  his  person,  either  in  words,  or  any 
 motion  of  his  limbs.  Wherefore,  calling  to  him  the  aforesaid 
 bishop  of  London,  in  which  city  he  then  was,  he  entreated 
 him  that  none  might  be  present  at  his  death,  besides  the 
 bishop  himself,  and  two  of  his  attendants.  The  bishop 
 having  promised  that  he  would  most  willingly  perform  the 
 same,  not  long  after  the  man  of  God  composed  himself  to 
 sleep,  and  saw  a  comforting  vision,  which  took  from  him  all 
 anxiety  for  the  aforesaid  uneasiness  ;  and,  moreover,  showed 
 him  on  what  day  he  was  to  depart  this  life.  For,  as  he 
 afterwards  related,  he  saw  three  men  in  bright  garments 
 come  to  him  ;  one  of  whom  sat  down  before  his  bed,  whilst 
 his  companions  stood  and  inquired  about  the  state  of  the  sick 
 man  tliey  came  to  see  :  he  who  was  sitting  in  front  of  the 
 bed  said,  that  his  soul  should  depart  his  body  without  any 
 pain,  and  with  a  great  splendour  of  light  ;  and  declared  that 
 he  should  die  the  third  day  after  ;  both  which  particulars 
 
A.D.  673.1  HEDDA    SUCCEEDS    ELEUTIIERIUS.  191 
 
 happened,  as  lie  had  been  informed  by  the  vision  ;  for  on  the 
 third  day  after,  he  suddenly  fell,  as  it  were,  into  a  slumber, 
 and  breathed  out  his  soul  without  any  sense  or  pain. 
 
 A  stone  coffin  having  been  provided  for  burying  his  body, 
 when  they  came  to  lay  it  in  the  same,  they  found  his  body  a 
 span  longer  than  the  coffin.  Hereupon  they  hewed  away  the 
 stone,  and  made  the  coffin  about  two  fingers  longer  ;  but 
 neither  would  it  then  contain  the  body.  Under  this  difficulty 
 of  entombing  him,  they  had  thoughts  either  to  get  another 
 coffin,  or  else  to  shorten  the  body,  by  bending  it  at  the  knees, 
 if  they  could.  But  a  wonderful  event,  caused  by  Providence, 
 prevented  the  execution  of  either  of  those  designs  ;  for  on  a 
 sudden,  in  the  presence  of  the  bishop,  and  Sighard,  the  son 
 of  the  king  who  had  turned  monk,  and  who  reigned  after 
 him  jointly  with  his  brother  Suefred,  and  of  a  considerable 
 number  of  men,  that  same  coffin  was  found  to  answer  the 
 length  of  the  body,  insomuch  that  a  pillow  might  also  be  put 
 in  at  the  head  ;  and  at  the  feet  the  coffin  was  four  fingers 
 longer  than  the  body.  He  was  buried  in  the  church  of  the 
 blessed  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,*  by  whose  instructions  he 
 had  learned  to  hope  for  heavenly  things. 
 
 CHAP.  xn. 
 
 Hedda  succeeds  Eleutherius  in  the  bishopric  of  the  West  Saxnns  ; 
 Cuichelm  succeeds  Putta  in  that  of  Rochester^  and  is  himself  succeeded 
 by  Gebmund ;  and  who  were  then  bishops  of  the  Northumbrians. 
 [a.d.  67a.] 
 
 Eleuthejrius  was  the  fourth  bishop  of  the  West  Saxons  ;  "j" 
 for  Birinus  was  the  first,  Agilbert  the  second,  and  Wini  the 
 third.  When  Kenwalk,  in  whose  reign  the  said  Eleutherius 
 was  made  bishop,  died,  his  under-rulers  took  upon  them  the 
 kingdom  of  the  people,  and  dividing  it  among  themselves, 
 held  it  ten  years  ;  and  during  their  rule  he  died,  and  Hedda 
 succeeded  him  in  the  bishopric,  having  been  consecrated  by 
 Theodore,  in  the  city  of  London  ;  during  whose  prelacy, 
 CadwallajJ  having  subdued  and  removed  those  rulers,  took 
 upon  him  the  government.  When  he  had  reigned  two  years, 
 and  whilst  the  same  bishop  still  governed  the  church,  he 
 quitted  his  sovereignty  for  the  love  of  the  heavenly  kingdom, 
 
 *  St.  Paul's,  London.       f  "Winchester  bishopric.      %  King  of  Wessex. 
 
192  BEDE*S   ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  [h.  iv.  c  12. 
 
 and,  going  away  to  Rome,  ended  his  days  there,  as  shall  be 
 said  more  fully  hereafter. 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  676,  when  Ethelred, 
 king  of  the  Mercians,  ravaged  Kent  with  a  powerful  army, 
 and  profaned  churches  and  monasteries,  without  regard  to 
 religion,  or  the  fear  of  God,  he  among  the  rest  destroyed  the 
 city  of  Rochester  ;  Putta,  who  was  bishop,  was  absent  at 
 that  time,  but  when  he  understood  that  his  church  was 
 ravaged,  and  all  things  taken  away,  he  went  to  Sexwulf, 
 bishop  of  the  Mercians,*  and  having  received  of  him  a 
 certain  church,  and  a  small  spot  of  land,  ended  his  days  there 
 in  peace  ;  in  no  way  endeavouring  to  restore  his  bishopric, 
 because  (as  has  been  said  above)  he  was  more  industrious  in 
 spiritual  than  in  worldly  affairs  ;  serving  God  only  in  that 
 church,  and  going  wherever  he  was  desired,  to  teach  church 
 music.  Theodore  consecrated  Cuichelm  bishop  of  Rochester 
 in  his  stead  ;  but  he,  not  long  after,  departing  from  his 
 bishopric  for  want  of  necessaries,  and  withdrawing  to  other 
 parts,  Gebmund  was  substituted  in  his  place. 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation,  678,  which  is  the 
 eighth  of  the  reign  of  Egfrid,  in  the  month  of  August,  ap- 
 peared a  star,  called  a  comet,  which  continued  for  three  months, 
 rising  in  the  morning,  and  darting  out,  as  it  were,  a  pillar  of 
 radiant  flame.  The  same  year  a  dissensionf  broke  out  between 
 King  Egfrid  and  the  most  reverend  prelate,  Wilfrid,  who 
 was  driven  from  his  see,  and  two  bishops  substituted  in  his 
 stead,  to  preside  over  the  nation  of  the  Northumbrians,  namely, 
 Bosa,  to  preside  over  the  nation  of  the  Deiri ;  and  Eata  over 
 that  of  the  Bernicians  ;  the  former  having  his  see  in  the  city 
 of  York,  the  latter  in  the  church  of  Hagulstad,  or  else 
 Lindisfarne  ;  both  of  them  promoted  to  the  episcopal  dignity 
 from  a  society  of  monks.  With  them  also  was  Edhed 
 ordained  bishop  in  the  province  of  Lindsey,^  which  King 
 Egfrid  had  but  newly  subdued,  having  overcome  and  van- 
 quished Wulfhere  ;  and  this  was  the  first  bishop  of  its  own 
 which  that  province  had  ;  the  second  was  Ethelwin  ;  the 
 
 *  Lichfield. 
 
 t  It  appears  that  this  dissension  was  caused  by  Ermenburga,  Egfrid's 
 queen,  who  was  jealous  lest  the  splendour  of  Wilfrid's  monasteries  and  his 
 stately  buildings  should  diminish  the  regal  honours  of  her  husband. 
 
 X  Sidnacester.     See  page  127. 
 
A.D.881.J  CONVERSION  OF  THE  SOUTH  SAXONS.  193 
 
 third  Edgar  ;  the  fourth  Cynebert,  who  is  there  at  present. 
 Before  Edhed,  Sexwulf  was  bishop  as  well  of  that  province 
 as  of  the  Mercians  and  Midland  Angles  ;  so  that,  when  ex- 
 pelled from  Lindsey,  he  continued  in  the  government  of 
 those  provinces.  Edhed,  Bosa,  and  Eata,  were  ordained  at 
 York  by  archbishop  Theodore  ;  who  also,  three  years  after 
 the  departure  of  Wilfrid,  added  two  bishops  to  their  number  ; 
 Tumbert,  in  the  church  of  Hagulstad,  Eata  still  continuing 
 in  that  of  Lindisfarne  ;  and  Trumwine  in  the  province  of 
 the  Picts,  which  at  that  time  was  subject  to  the  English.* 
 Edhed  returning  from  Lindsey,  because  Ethelred  had  re- 
 covered that  province,  was  placed  by  him  over  the  church  of 
 Ripon. 
 
 CHAP.  xin. 
 
 Bishop    Wilfrid  converts  the  province  of  the  South  Saxons  to  Christ. 
 [a.d.  681.] 
 
 Being  expelled  from  his  bishopric,  and  having  travelled  in 
 several  parts,  Wilfrid  went  to  Rome.  He  afterwards  re- 
 turned to  Britain  ;  and  though  he  could  not,  by  reason  of 
 the  enmity  of  the  aforesaid  king,  be  received  into  his  own 
 country  or  diocese,  yet  he  could  not  be  restrained  from 
 preaching  the  Gospel ;  for,  taking  his  way  into  the  province 
 of  the  South  Saxons,  which  extends  from  Kent  on  the  west 
 and  south,  as  far  as  the  West  Saxons,  and  contains  land  of 
 7000  families,  who  at  that  time,  were  still  pagans,  he  admin- 
 istered to  them  the  word  of  faith,  and  the  baptism  of  salva- 
 tion.      Ethelwalch,  king  of  that  nation,  had  been,  not  long 
 
 •  There  is  some  difficvJty  connected  with  the  above  statement  of  the 
 venerable  historian,  respecting  the  division  of  Wilfrid's  diocese.  Some 
 maintain  (Wharton,  Anglia  Sacra,  1.  693,)  that  the  diocese  of  Lmdisfame, 
 with  Hexham  severed  from  it,  was  left  to  Wilfrid  ;  while  others  make  Hex- 
 ham and  Lindisfarne  to  have  been  one  diocese  conferred  on  Eata.  It 
 seems  more  probable  that  Theodore  di\dded  the  diocese  into  four  bishopncs, 
 giving  York  to  Bosa,  Hexham  and  Lindisfarne  to  Eata,  (which  were 
 a"-ain' divided  in  6;>4,  when  Tumbert  was  appointed  to  Hexham,)  Lindsey 
 to  Edhed  (whose  see  was  at  Sidnacester),  and  Abercorn,  or  Whitheme,  in 
 the  Pictish  territory,  to  Trumwine.  ,,       ^, 
 
 t  The  South  Saxons  were  converted  to  Christianity  much  later  than  the 
 other  Saxon  kingdoms  in  Britain,  probably  because  they  were  cut  off  by 
 downs  and  marshes  from   communication  with  the  rest  of  the  island. 
 
 O 
 
194  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  IV.  c.  13. 
 
 before,  baptized  in  the  province  of  the  Mercians,  by  the  per- 
 suasion of  King  Wulfhere,  who  was  present,  and  was  also 
 his  godftither,  and  as  such  gave  him  two  provinces,  viz.  the 
 Isle  of  Wight,  and  the  province  of  Meanwara,*  in  the  nation 
 of  the  West  Saxons.  The  bishop,  therefore,  with  the  king's 
 consent,  or  rather  to  his  great  satisfaction,  baptized  the  prin- 
 cipal generals  and  soldiers  of  that  country  ;  and  the  priests, 
 Eappa,  and  Padda,  and  Burghelm,  and  Eadda,  either  then, 
 or  afterAvards,  baptized  the  rest  of  the  people.  The  queen, 
 whose  name  was  Ebba,  had  been  christened  in  her  own 
 island,  the  province  of  the  Wiccii.f  She  was  the  daughter 
 of  Eanfrid,  the  brother  of  Eanher,  who  were  both  Chris- 
 tians, as  were  their  people  ;  but  all  the  province  of  the 
 South  Saxons  were  strangers  to  the  name  and  faith  of  God. 
 There  was  among  them  a  certain  monk  of  the  Scottish  na- 
 tion, whose  name  was  Dicul,|  who  had  a  very  small  monas- 
 tery, at  the  place  called  Bosanham,§  encompassed  with  the 
 sea  and  woods,  and  in  it  five  or  six  brothers,  who  served  our 
 Lord  in  poverty  and  humility  ;  but  none  of  the  natives 
 cared  either  to  follow  their  course  of  life,  or  hear  their 
 preaching. 
 
 But  Bishop  Wilfrid,  by  preaching  to  them,  not  only  de- 
 livered them  from  the  misery  of  perpetual  damnation,  but 
 also  from  an  inexpressible  calamity  of  temporal  death,  for  no 
 rain  had  fallen  in  that  province  in  three  years  before  his 
 arrival,  whereupon  a  dreadful  famine  ensued,  which  cruelly 
 destroyed  the  people.  In  short,  it  is  reported,  that  very 
 often,  forty  or  fifty  men,  being  spent  with  want,  would  go 
 together  to  some  precipice,  or  to  the  sea-shore,  and  there, 
 hand  in  hand,  perish  by  the  fall,  or  be  swallowed  up  by  the 
 waves.  But  on  the  very  day  on  which  the  nation  received 
 the  baptism  of  faith,  there  fell  a  soft  but  plentiful  rain  ;  the 
 earth  revived  again,  and  the  verdure  being  restored  to  the 
 
 There  are  strong  appearances  of  the  sea  having  formerly  run  up  into  the 
 land  on  both  the  east  and  west  of  this  county ;  and  in  many  districts  of  the 
 county  primaeval  manners  still  are  foimd. 
 
 *  A  district  comprehending  almost  the  eastern  moiety  of  Hampshire. 
 
 +  Inhabitants  of  Gloucester,  Worcester,  and  part  of  Warwickshire. 
 
 X  One  of  the  companions  of  Fursey,  mentioned  in  book  iii.  c.  19.  Was 
 he  also  the  Dicuil,  author  of  a  geographical  Avork  still  extant  ? 
 
 ^  Bosham,  or  Bosanham,  four  miles  from  Chichester,  in  Sussex,  still 
 retains  its  ancient  name. 
 
A.D.  681.]  CONVERSION  OF  THE  SOUTH  SAXONS.  195 
 
 fields,  tlie  season  was  pleasant  and  fruitful.     Tlius  tlie  for- 
 mer superstition  being  rejected,  and  idolatry  exploded,  the 
 hearts  and  flesh  of  all  rejoiced  in  the  living  God,  and  be- 
 came convinced  that  He  who  is  the  true  God  had,  through 
 his  heavenly  grace,  enriched  them  with  wealth,  both  temporal 
 and  spiritual.     For  the  bishop,  when  he  came  into  the  pro- 
 vince, and  found  so  great  misery  from  famine,  taught  them  to 
 get  their  food  by  fishing  ;  for  their  sea  and  rivers  abounded 
 in  fish,  but  the  people  had  no  skill  to  take  them,  except  eels 
 alone.     The  bishop's  men  having  gathered  eel-nets  every- 
 where, cast  them  into  the  sea,  and  by  the  blessing  of  God 
 took  tliree  hundi-ed  fishes  of  several   sorts,    which,    being 
 divided  into  three  parts,  they  gave  a  hundred  to  the  poor,  a 
 hundred  to  those  of  whom  they  had  the  nets,  and  kept  a 
 hundred  for  their   own  use.     By  this   benefit   the   bishop 
 gained   the  affections   of  them   all,    and   they  began  more 
 readily  at  his  preaching  to  hope  for  heavenly  goods,  seeing 
 that  by  his  help  they  had  received  those  which  are  temporal. 
 At  this  time,  King  Ethelwalch  gave  to  the  most  reverend 
 prelate,  Wilfrid,  land  of  eighty-seven  families,  to  maintain 
 Ids  company  who  were  in  banishment,  which  place  is  called 
 Selsey,*  that  is,  the  Island  of  the  Sea-Calf     That  place  is 
 encompassed  by  the  sea  on  all  sides,  except  the  west,  where 
 is  an  entrance  about  the  cast  of  a  sling  in  width  ;  which 
 sort  of  place  is  by  the  Latins  called  a  peninsula,  by  the 
 Greeks,  a  chersonesus.     Bishop  Wilfrid,  having  tliis  place 
 given  him,  founded  therein  a  monastery,  wliicli  his  successors 
 possess  to  this  day,  and  established  a  regular  course  of  life, 
 chiefly  of  the  bretliren  he  had  brought  with  him  ;  for  he 
 both  in  word  and  actions  performed  the  duties  of  a  bishop  in 
 those  parts  during  the  space  of  five  years,  until  the  death  of 
 King  Egfrid.     And  forasmuch  as  the  aforesaid  king,  toge- 
 ther with  the  said  place,  gave  him  all  the  goods  that  were 
 therein,  with  the  lands  and  men,  he  instructed  them  in  the 
 faith  of  Christ,  and  baptized  them  all.     Among  whom  were 
 two  hundi-ed  and  fifty  men  and  women  slaves,  all  of  whom 
 he,  by  baptism,  not  only  rescued  from  the  servitude  of  the 
 
 *  Selsey,  eight  miles  south  from  Chichester,  Sussex.  Eadbert,  abbat  of 
 this  monastery,  in  711,  was  consecrated  first  bishop  of  the  South  Saxons, 
 and  fixed  his  see  at  this  place;  but  Bishop  Stigand,  in  1070,  procured  its 
 translation  to  Chichester. 
 
 o2 
 
196  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [b.  iv.  c.U 
 
 Devil,  but  gave  them  their  bodily  liberty  also,  and  exempted 
 them  from  the  yoke  of  human  servitude. 
 
 CHAP.  XIY. 
 
 Hoio   a  pestilential   mortality  ceased   through  the  intercession    of  King 
 Oswald.     [A.D.  681.] 
 
 In  this  monastery,  at  that  time,  certain  manifestations  of  the 
 heavenly  grace  are  said  to  have  been  shown  forth ;  for  the 
 tyranny  of  the  devil  having  been  recently  exploded,  the  faith 
 of  Christ  began  to  prevail  therein.  Of  which  number  I  have 
 thought  it  proper  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  one  which 
 the  most  reverend  Bishop  Acca  was  wont  to  relate  to  me, 
 affirming  it  had  been  told  him  by  most  creditable  brothers  of 
 the  same  monastery.  About  the  same  time  that  this  province 
 of  the  South  Saxons  embraced  the  faith  of  Christ,  a  grievous 
 mortality  ran  through  many  provinces  of  Britain;  which, 
 also,  by  the  Divine  dispensation,  reached  to  the  aforesaid 
 monastery,  then  governed  by  the  most  reverend  and  religious 
 priest  of  Christ,  Eappa;  and  many,  as  well  of  those  that 
 had  came  tliither  with  the  bishop,  as  of  those  that  had 
 been  called  to  the  faith  of  the  same  province  of  the  South 
 Saxons,  were  snatched  away  out  of  this  world.  The  brethi-en, 
 in  consequence,  though  fit  to  keep  a  fast  of  three  days,  and 
 to  implore  the  Divine  goodness,  that  it  would  vouchsafe  to 
 extend  mercy  to  them,  either  by  delivering  those  that  were 
 in  danger  by  the  distemper  from  death,  or  by  delivering  those 
 who  departed  this  life  from  eternal  damnation. 
 
 There  was  at  that  time  in  the  monastery,  a  little  boy,  of 
 the  Saxon  nation,  lately  called  to  the  fliith,  who  had  been 
 seized  with  the  same  distemper,  and  had  long  kept  his  bed. 
 On  the  second  day  of  the  fasting  and  praying,  it  happened 
 that  the  said  boy  was,  about  the  second  hour  of  the  day,  left 
 alone  in  the  place  where  he  lay  sick,  and  through  the  Divine 
 disposition,  the  most  blessed  princes  of  the  apostles  vouch- 
 safed to  appear  to  him ;  for  he  was  a  lad  of  an  extraor- 
 dinarily mild  and  innocent  disposition,  and  with  sincere 
 devotion  observed  the  mysteries  of  the  faith  which  he  had 
 received.  The  apostles  therefore,  saluting  him  in  a  most  affec- 
 tionate manner,  said,  "  My  child,  do  not  fear  death,  about 
 which  you  are  so  uneasy;  for  we  will  this  day  conduct  you  to 
 
A.D.  681.1  PESTILENCE  STAYED  BY  ST.  OSWALD.  197 
 
 tlie  heavenly  kingdom ;  but  you  are  first  to  stay  till  the  masses 
 are  said,  that  having  received  tlie  body  and  blood  of  our 
 Lord,  to  support  you  on  your  journey,  and  being  so  dis- 
 charged through  sickness  and  death,  you  may  be  carried  up 
 to  the  everlasting  joys  in  heaven. 
 
 "  Call  therefore  to  you  the  priest,  Eappa,  and  tell  him, 
 that  the  Lord  has  heard  your  prayers  and  devotion,  and  has 
 favourably  accepted  of  your  fast,  and  not  one  more  shall  die 
 of  this  plague,  either  in  the  monastery  or  its  adjacent  posses- 
 sions ;  but  all  your  people  who  any  where  labour  under  this 
 distemper,  shall  be  eased  of  their  pain,  and  restored  to  their 
 former  health,  except  you  alone,  who  are  this  day  to  be  de- 
 livered by  death,  and  to  be  carried  into  heaven,  to  behold  our 
 Lord  Christ,  whom  you  have  faithfully  served :  tliis  favour 
 the  Divine  mercy  has  vouchsafed  to  grant  you,  through  the 
 intercession  of  the  godly  and  dear  servant  of  God,  King- 
 Oswald,  who  formerly  ruled  over  the  nation  of  the  Northum- 
 brians, with  the  authority  of  a  temporal  king,  and  such  devo- 
 tion of  Christian  piety  as  leads  to  the  heavenly  kingdom  ;  for 
 this  very  day  that  king  was  killed  in  war  by  the  infidels,  and 
 taken  up  to  the  everlasting  joys  of  souls  in  heaven,  and  asso- 
 ciated among  the  number  of  the  elect.  Let  them  look  in 
 their  books,  wherein  the  departure  of  the  dead  is  set  down, 
 and  they  will  find  that  he  was,  this  day,  as  we  have  said, 
 taken  out  of  this  world.  Let  them,  therefore,  celebrate 
 masses  in  all  the  oratories  of  this  monastery,  either  in  thanks- 
 giving for  their  prayers  being  heard,  or  else  in  memory  of 
 the  aforesaid  King  Oswald,  who  once  governed  their  nation ; 
 and  therefore  he  humbly  offered  up  his  prayers  to  our  Lord 
 for  them,  as  for  strangers  of  his  nation;  and  let  all  the 
 brethren,  assembling  in  the  church,  communicate  in  the 
 heavenly  sacrifices,  and  so  let  them  cease  to  fast,  and  refresh 
 themselves  with  food." 
 
 The  boy  called  the  priest,  and  repeated  all  these  words  to 
 him ;  the  priest  particularly  inquired  after  the  habit  and  form 
 of  the  men  that  had  appeared  to  him.  He  answered,  "  Their 
 habit  was  noble,  and  their  countenances  most  pleasant  and 
 beautiful,  such  as  I  had  never  seen  before,  nor  did  I  think 
 there  could  be  any  men  so  graceful  and  comely.  One  of 
 them  indeed  was  shorn  like  a  clerk,  the  other  had  a  long 
 beard ;  and  they  said  that  one  of  them  was  called  Peter,  the 
 
198  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   history.  [b.  IV.  c.  15 
 
 other  Paul ;  and  both  of  them  the  servants  of  our  Lord  and 
 Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  sent  by  him  from  heaven  to  protect 
 our  monastery."  The  priest  believed  what  the  boy  said,  and 
 going  thence  immediately,  looked  in  his  chronicle,  and  found 
 that  King  Oswald  had  been  killed  on  that  very  day.  He 
 then  called  the  brethren,  ordered  dinner  to  be  provided, 
 masses  to  be  said,  and  all  of  them  to  communicate  as  usual ; 
 causing  also  part  of  the  Lord's  oblation  of  the  same  sacrifice 
 to  be  carried  to  the  sick  boy. 
 
 Soon  after  this,  the  boy  died,  on  that  same  day ;  and  by 
 his  death  proved  that  what  he  had  heard  from  the  apostles  of 
 God  was  true.  A  further  testimony  of  the  truth  of  his 
 words  was,  that  no  person  besides  himself,  belonging  to  the 
 same  monastery,  died  at  that  time.  By  which  vision,  many 
 that  heard  of  it  were  wonderfully  excited  to  implore  the 
 Divine  mercy  in  adversity,  and  to  adopt  the  wholesome 
 remedy  of  fasting.  From  that  time,  the  day  of  the  nativity 
 of  that  king  and  soldier  of  Christ  began  to  be  yearly  honoured 
 with  the  celebration  of  masses,  not  only  in  that  monastery, 
 but  in  many  other  places. 
 
 CHAP.  XV. 
 
 King  Ccedwalla,  having  slain  Ethelwalch,  king  of  the  West  Saxons,*  wasted 
 that  Province  with  rapine  and  slaughter,     [a.d.  685.] 
 
 In  the  meantime,  C^edwalla,  a  daring  young  man,  of  the  royal 
 race  of  the  Gewissae,"|"  who  had  been  banished  his  country, 
 came  with  an  army,  slew  Ethelwalch,  and  wasted  that  country 
 with  much  slaughter  and  plundering  ;  but  he  was  soon  ex- 
 pelled by  Berthun  and  Andhun,  the  king's  commanders,  who 
 afterwards  held  the  government  of  that  province.  The  first 
 of  them  was  afterwards  killed  by  the  same  Ccedwalla,  when 
 he  was  king  of  the  GcAvissoe,  and  the  province  was  more  en- 
 tirely subdued :  Ina,  likemse,  who  reigned  after  Caedwalla, 
 kept  that  country  under  the  like  servitude  for  several  years ; 
 for  which  reason,  during  all  that  time,  they  had  no  bishop  of 
 their  own ;  but  their  first  bishop,  Wilfrid,  having  been  re- 
 called home,  they  were  subject  to  the  bishop  of  the  Gewissae, 
 i.  e.  the  West  Saxons,  in  the  city  of  Winchester. | 
 
 •  This  should  be  South-Saxons.     See  page  193.  +  West  Saxons. 
 
 X  The  churches  of  Sussex  were  only  subject  to  the  Winchester  see  for 
 about  twenty-five  years.    See  book  v.  ch.  18. 
 
k.D.  68G.1  ISLE    OF    WIGHT    CONVERTED.  199 
 
 CHAP.  XVI. 
 
 Hozv  the  Isle  of  Wight  received  Christian  inhabitants,  and  two  royal  youths 
 of  that  island  were  killed  immediately  after  baptism.     [a.d.  686.] 
 
 After  Coedwalla  had  possessed  himself  of  the  kingdom  of 
 the  Gewissae,  he  also  took  the  Isle  of  Wight,  wliich  till  then 
 was  entirely  given  over  to  idolatry,  and  by  cruel  slaughter 
 endeavoured  to  destroy  all  the  inhabitants  thereof,  and  to 
 place  in  their  stead  people  from  his  own  province ;  having 
 bound  himself  by  a  vow,  though  he  was  not  yet,  as  is  re- 
 ported, regenerated  in  Christ,  to  give  the  fourth  part  of  the 
 land,  and  of  the  booty,  to  our  Lord,  if  he  took  the  island, 
 which  he  performed  by  giving  the  same  for  our  Lord  to  the 
 use  of  Bishop  Wilfrid,  who  happened  at  the  time  to  have 
 accidentally  come  thither  out  of  his  own  nation.  The 
 measure  of  that  island,  according  to  the  computation  of  the 
 EngUsh,  is  of  twelve  hundred  families,  and  accordingly  the 
 bishop  had  given  him  land  of  three  hundred  families.  The 
 part  which  he  received,  he  committed  to  one  of  his  clerks 
 called  Bernwin,  who  was  his  sister's  son,  assigning  him  a 
 priest,  whose  name  was  Hiddila,  who  might  administer  the 
 word  and  baptism  of  salvation  to  all  that  would  be  saved. 
 
 Here  I  think  it  ought  not  to  be  omitted  that  the  first  fruits 
 of  the  natives  of  that  island  who,  by  believing,  secured  their 
 salvation,  were  two  royal  youths,  brothers  to  Atwald,  king 
 of  the  island,  who  were  honoured  by  the  particular  grace  of 
 God.  For  when  the  enemy  approached,  they  made  their 
 escape  out  of  the  island,  and  passed  over  into  the  neighbour- 
 ing province  of  the  Jutes  ;*  where,  being  conducted  to  the 
 place  called  At  the  Stone, f  as  they  thought  to  be  concealed 
 from  the  victorious  king,  they  were  betrayed  and  ordered  to 
 be  kiUed.  This  being  made  known  to  a  certain  abbat  and 
 priest,  whose  name  was  Cynebert,  who  had  a  monastery  not 
 far  from  thence,  at  a  place  called  Reodford,|  that  is,  the 
 Ford  of  Reeds,  he  came  to  the  king,  who  then  lay  privately 
 in  those  parts,  to  be  cured  of  the  wounds  which  he  had 
 received  whilst  he  was  fighting  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and 
 
 *  See  p.  24. 
 
 +  Now  Stoneham,  between  "Winchester  and  Southampton. 
 
 X  Now  Redbridge,  situated  at  the  head  of  the  Southampton  water. 
 
200  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   history.  [b.  it.  c.  17 
 
 begged  of  him,  that  if  the  lads  must  inevitably  be  killed,  he 
 Diight  be  allowed  first  to  instruct  them  in  the  mysteries  of 
 the  faith.  The  king  consented,  and  the  bishop  having  taught 
 them  the  word  of  truth,  and  cleansed  their  souls  by  baptism, 
 made  the  entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  sure  to  them. 
 Then  the  executioner  being  at  hand,  they  joyfully  underwent 
 the  temporal  death,  through  which  they  did  not  doubt  they 
 were  to  pass  to  the  life  of  the  soul,  which  is  everlasting. 
 Thus,  after  all  the  provinces  of  the  island  of  Britain  had 
 embraced  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  Isle  of  Wight  also  received 
 the  same  ;  yet  being  under  the  affliction  of  foreign  subjec- 
 tion, no  man  there  received  the  ministry,  or  rank  of  a  bishop, 
 before  Daniel,  who  is  now  bishop  of  the  West  Saxons.* 
 
 The  island  is  situated  opposite  the  division  between  the 
 Soutli  Saxons  and  the  Gewissae,  being  separated  from  it  by 
 a  sea,  three  miles  over,  which  is  called  Solente.  In  this 
 narrow  sea,  the  two  tides  of  the  ocean,  which  flow  round 
 Britain  from  the  immense  northern  ocean,  daily  meet  and 
 oppose  one  another  beyond  the  mouth  of  the  ri^er  Homelea,f 
 which  runs  into  that  narrow  sea,  from  the  lands  of  the  Jutes, 
 which  belong  to  the  country  of  the  Gewiss£e  ;  after  this 
 meeting  and  struggling  together  of  the  two  seas,  they  return 
 into  the  ocean  from  whence  they  come. 
 
 CHAP.  XVII. 
 
 Of  the  Synod  held  m  the  plain  of  Heathfield,  xvhere  Archbishop  Theodore 
 presided,     [a.d.  680.] 
 
 About  this  time,  Theodore  being  informed  that  the  faith  of 
 the  church  at  Constantinople  was  much  perplexed  by  the 
 heresy  of  Eutyches,t  and  desiring  to  preserve  the  churches 
 of  the  English,  over  which  he  presided,  from  that  infection, 
 an  assembly  of  many  venerable  priests  and  doctors  was  con- 
 vened, at  which  he  diligently  inquired  into  their  doctrines, 
 and  found  they  all  unanimously  agreed  in  the  Catholic  faith. 
 This  he  took  care  to  have  committed  to  writing  by  the  autho- 
 rity of  the  synod*  as  a  memorial,  and  for  the  instruction  of 
 
 *  Winchester.  +  The  Hamble. 
 
 1  Called  Monothelitism,  which  maintained  that  the  divine  and  human 
 nature  of  Jesus  Christ  were  so  united,  as  to  form  only  one  nature,  yet  with- 
 out any  change,  confusion,  or  mixture  of  the  two  natures. 
 
A.D.  680. J  STSOB   OF   HEATHFIELD.  201 
 
 succeeding  generations  ;  the  beginning  of  which  instrument 
 is  as  follows  : — 
 
 "  In  the  name  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  in 
 the  tenth  year  of  the  reign  of  our  most  pious  lord,  Egfrid, 
 king  of  the  Northumbrians,  the  seventeenth  of  October,  the 
 eighth  indiction  ;  and  in  the  sixth  year  of  the  reign  of 
 Ethelfrid,  king  of  the  Mercians,  in  the  seventeenth  year  of 
 the  reign  of  Aldhulf,  of  the  East  Angles,  in  the  seventh  year 
 of  the  reign  of  Lothair,  king  of  Kent ;  Theodore,  by  the 
 grace  of  God,  archbishop  of  the  island  of  Britain,  and  of  the 
 city  of  Canterbury,  being  president,  and  the  other  venerable 
 bishops  of  the  island  of  Britain  sitting  with  him,  the  holy 
 Gospels  being  laid  before  them,  at  the  place  which,  in  the 
 Saxon  tongue,  is  called  Heathfield,*  we  conferred  together, 
 and  expounded  the  true  and  orthodox  faith,  as  our  Lord 
 Jesus  in  the  flesh  delivered  the  same  to  his  disciples,  who 
 saw  him  present,  and  heard  his  words,  and  as  it  is  delivered 
 in  the  creed  of  the  holy  fathers,  and  by  all  holy  and  univer- 
 sal sjTiods  in  general,  and  by  the  consent  of  all  approved 
 doctors  of  the  Catholic  church  ;  we,  therefore,  following 
 them  jointly  and  orthodoxly,  and  professing  accordance^  to 
 their  divinely  inspired  doctrine,  do  believe,  and  do,  according 
 to  the  holy  fathers,  firmly  confess,  properly  and  truly,  the 
 Father,  and  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  a  trinity  consubstantial  in 
 unity,  and  unity  in  trinity,  that  is,  one  God  subsisting  in 
 three  consubstantial  persons,  of  equal  honour  and  glory." 
 
 And  after  much  more  of  this  sort,  appertaining  to  the  con- 
 fession of  the  true  faith,  this  holy  synod  added  to  its  instru- 
 ment, "  We  have  received  the  five  holy  and  general  councils 
 of  the  blessed  fathers  acceptable  to  God  ;  that  is,  of  318 
 bishops,  who  were  assembled  at  Nice,  against  the  most  im- 
 pious Arius  and  his  tenets  ;  and  at  Constantinople,  of  150, 
 against  the  madness  of  Macedonius  and  Eudoxius,  and  their 
 tenets  ;  and  at  Ephesus,  first  of  200,  against  the  most  wicked 
 Nestorius,  and  his  tenets  ;  and  at  Chalcedon,  of  350,  against 
 Eutyches  and  Nestorius,  and  their  tenets  ;  and  again,  ^  at 
 Constantinople,  in  a  fifth  council,  in  the  reign  of  Justinian 
 the  younger,  against  Theodorus  and  Theodoret,  and  the  epis- 
 tles of  Iba,  and  their  tenets,  against  Cyril ;"  and  again  a 
 little  lower,  "the  synod  held  in  the  city  of  Rome,  in  the  time 
 •  Now  Bishop's  Hatfield,  in  Hertfordshire. 
 
202  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  IV.  c.  18. 
 
 of  the  blessed  Pope  Martin,  in  the  eighth  indiction,  and  in 
 the  ninth  year  of  the  most  pious  Emperor  Constantine,  we 
 receive  :  and  we  glorify  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  they  glo- 
 rified him,  neither  adding  nor  diminishing  any  thing  ; 
 anathematizing  those  with  our  hearts  and  mouths  whom 
 they  anathematized,  and  receiving  those  whom  they  received, 
 glorifying  God  the  Father,  who  is  without  beginning,  and 
 his  only  begotten  Son  generated  from  eternity,  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  the  Son  in  an  ineffa- 
 ble manner,  as  those  holy  apostles,  prophets,  and  doctors, 
 whom  we  have  above-mentioned,  did  declare.  And  all  we, 
 who,  with  Archbishop  Theodore,  have  thus  expounded  the 
 CathoHc  faith,  have  also  subscribed  thereto." 
 
 CHAP.  xvni. 
 
 Of  John,  the  singer  of  the  apostolic  see,  who  came  into  Britain  to  teach, 
 [a.d.  680.] 
 
 Among  those  who  were  present  at  this  synod,  was  the  vener- 
 able Jolm,  archchanter  of  the  church  of  the  holy  Apostle 
 Peter,  and  abbat  of  the  monastery  of  St.  Martin,  who  came 
 lately  from  Rome,  by  order  of  Pope  Agatho,  together  with 
 the  most  reverend  Abbat  Biscop,  surnamed  Benedict,  of 
 whom  mention  has  been  made  above,  and  this  John,  with 
 the  rest,  signed  the  declaration  of  the  Catholic  faith.  For 
 the  said  Benedict,  having  built  a  monastery  in  Britain,  in 
 honour  of  the  most  blessed  prince  of  the  apostles,  at  the 
 mouth  of  the  river  Were,*  went  to  Rome  with  Ceolfrid,  his 
 companion  and  fellow-labourer  in  that  work,  who  was  after 
 him  abbat  of  the  same  monastery ;  he  had  been  several  times 
 before  at  Rome,  and  was  now  honourably  received  by  Pope 
 Agatho  of  blessed  memory ;  from  whom  he  also  obtained  the 
 confirmation  of  the  immunities  of  tliis  monastery,  being  a 
 bull  of  privilege  signed  by  apostolical  authority,  pursuant  to 
 wliat  he  knew  to  be  the  will  and  grant  of  King  Egfrid,  by 
 whose  consent  and  gift  of  land  he  had  built  that  monastery. 
 He  tlien  received  the  aforesaid  Abbat  John  to  be  con- 
 ducted into  Britain,  that  he  might  teach  in  liis  monastery 
 the  method  of  singing  throughout  the  year,  as  it  was  prac- 
 
 ♦  Now  called  Monk-Wearmouth.     Venerable  Bede  passed  the   early 
 part  of  his  monastic  life  in  this  establishment. 
 
A.D.  680.]  ABBAT    JOHN    ATTENDS    THE    SYNOD.  203 
 
 tised  at  St.  Peter's  at  Rome.  The  Abbat  John  did  as  he 
 had  been  commanded  by  the  pope,  teacliing  the  singers  of 
 the  said  monastery  the  order  and  manner  of  singing  and 
 reading  aloud,  and  committing  to  writing  all  that  was 
 requisite  throughout  the  whole  course  of  the  year  for  the 
 celebration  of  festivals ;  all  which  are  still  observed  in  that 
 monastery,  and  have  been  copied  by  many  others  elsewhere. 
 The  said  John  not  only  taught  the  brothers  of  that  monas- 
 tery ;  but  such  as  had  skill  in  singing  resorted  from  almost 
 all  the  monasteries  of  the  same  province  to  hear  him ;  and 
 many  invited  him  to  teach  in  other  places. 
 
 Besides  singing  and  reading,  he  had  also  been  directed  by 
 the  pope,  carefully  to  inform  himself  concerning  the  faith  of 
 the  English  church,  and  to  give  an  account  thereof  at  his 
 return  to  Rome.  For  he  also  brought  with  him  the  decision 
 of  the  synod  of  the  blessed  Pope  Martin  and  105  bishops, 
 held  not  long  before  at  Rome,  principally  against  those  who 
 taught  but  one  will  and  operation  in  Clmst,  and  gave  it  to 
 be  transcribed  in  the  aforesaid  monastery  of  the  most  reli- 
 gious Abbat  Benedict.  The  men  who  followed  such  opinion, 
 much  perplexed  the  faith  of  the  church  of  Constantinople  at 
 that  time ;  but  by  the  help  of  God  they  were  then  discovered 
 and  subdued.  Wherefore,  Pope  Agatho,  being  desirous  to 
 be  informed  concerning  the  state  of  the  church  in  Britain, 
 as  weU  as  in  other  provinces,  and  to  what  extent  it  was  clear 
 from  the  contagion  of  heretics,  gave  tliis  affair  in  charge 
 to  the  most  reverend  Abbat  John,  then  appointed  to  go  to 
 Britain.  The  synod  we  have  spoken  of  having  been  called 
 for  this  purpose  in  Britain,  the  Catholic  faith  was  found  un- 
 tainted in  them  all,  and  a  copy  of  the  same  given  him  to 
 carry  to  Rome. 
 
 But  in  his  return  to  his  own  country,  soon  after  crossing 
 the  sea,  he  fell  sick  and  died ;  and  his  body,  for  the  sake  of 
 St.  Martin,  in  whose  monastery  he  presided,  was  by  his 
 friends  carried  to  Tours,  and  honourably  buried ;  for  he  had 
 been  kindly  entertained  there  when  he  went  into  Britain, 
 and  earnestly  entreated  by  the  brethren,  that  in  his  return 
 to  Rome  he  would  take  that  road,  and  give  them  a  visit.  In 
 short,  he  was  there  supplied  with  some  to  conduct  him  on 
 his  way,  and  assist  him  in  the  work  enjoined  him.  Though 
 he  died  by  the  way,  yet  the  testimony  of  the  faith  of  the 
 
204  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    HISTORT.  [b.  IV.  c.  19. 
 
 Englisli  nation  was  carried  to  Rome,  and  most  agreeably 
 received  by  the  apostolic  pope,  and  all  those  that  heard  or 
 read  it. 
 
 CHAP.  XIX. 
 
 How  Queen  Elheldrida  always  preserved  Iher  virginity,  and  her  body  suf- 
 fered no  corruption  in  the  grave,     [a.d.  660.] 
 
 King  Egfrid  took  to  wife,  Etheldrida,  the  daughter  of  Anna, 
 king  of  the  East  Angles,  of  whom  mention  has  been  often 
 made;  a  man  very  religious,  and  in  all  respects  renowned 
 for  his  inward  disposition  and  actions.  She  had  before  been 
 given  in  marriage  to  another,  viz.  to  Tonbert,  chief  of  the 
 Southern  Girvii  ;*  but  he  died  soon  after  he  had  received 
 her,  and  she  was  given  to  the  aforesaid  king.  Though  slie 
 lived  with  him  twelve  years,  yet  she  preserved  the  glory  of 
 perfect  virginity,  as  I  was  informed  by  Bishop  Wilfrid,  of 
 blessed  memory,  of  whom  I  inquired,  because  some  ques- 
 tioned the  truth  thereof;  and  he  told  me  that  he  was  an 
 undoubted  witness  of  her  virginity,  forasmuch  as  Egfrid 
 promised  he  would  give  many  lands  and  much  money,  if 
 he  could  persuade  the  queen  to  consent  to  pay  the  marriage 
 duty,  for  he  knew  the  queen  loved  no  man  so  much  as  him- 
 self; and  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  that  the  same  might  in  one 
 instance  take  place  in  our  age,  which  true  histories  tell  us 
 happened  several  times  in  former  ages,  through  the  assist 
 ance  of  the  same  Lord  who  has  promised  to  continue  with  us 
 unto  the  end  of  the  world ;  for  the  miraculous  circumstance 
 that  her  flesh,  being  buried,  could  not  suffer  corruption,  is 
 a  token  that  she  had  not  been  defiled  by  familiarity  with 
 man. 
 
 She  had  long  requested  the  king,  that  he  would  permit 
 her  to  lay  aside  worldly  cares,  and  to  serve  only  the  true 
 King,  Clu*ist,  in  a  monastery  ;  and  having  at  length  with 
 difficulty  prevailed,  she  went  as  a  nun  into  the  monastery  of 
 the  Abbess  Ebba,f  who  was  aunt  to  King  Egfrid,  at  the 
 place  called  the  city  Coludi,:j:  liaving  taken  the  veil  from  the 
 hands  of  the  aforesaid  Bishop  Wilfrid  ;  but  a  year  after  she 
 
 •  See  note  at  page  143 
 
 t  Ebba  was  the  daughter  of  King  Ethelfrid,  and  the  sister  of  Oswald, 
 and  half-sister  of  King  Oswy.  X  Coldingham,  Berwickshire. 
 
A.D.  660.1  QtlEEN    ETHELDRIDA,    ABBESS.  205 
 
 was  herself  made  abbess  in  the  country  called  Ely,  where, 
 having  built  a  monastery,*  she  began,  by  works  and  exam  - 
 pies  of  a  heavenly  life,  to  be  the  virgin  mother  of  very  many 
 virgins  dedicated  to  God.  It  is  reported  of  her,  that  from 
 tJie  time  of  her  entering  into  the  monastery,  she  never  wore 
 any  linen  but  only  woollen  garments,  and  would  rarely  wash 
 in  a  hot  bath,  unless  just  before  any  of  the  great  festivals, 
 as  Easter,  Wliitsuntide,  and  the  Epiphany,  and  then  she  did 
 it  last  of  all,  after  having,  with  the  assistance  of  those  about 
 her,  first  washed  the  other  servants  of  God  there  present  ; 
 besides,  she  seldom  did  eat  above  once  a  day,  excepting  on 
 the  great  solemnities,  or  some  other  urgent  occasion,  unless 
 some  considerable  distemper  obliged  her.  From  the  time  of 
 matins  she  continued  in  the  church  at  prayer  till  it  was  day ; 
 some  also  say,  that  by  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  she,  in  the  pre- 
 sence of  all,  not  only  foretold  the  pestilence  of  which  she  was 
 to  die,  but  also  the  number  of  those  that  should  be  then 
 snatched  away  out  of  her  monastery.  She  was  taken  to  our 
 Lord,  in  the  midst  of  her  flock,  seven  years  after  she  had 
 been  made  abbess  ;  and,  as  she  had  ordered,  was  buried 
 among  them,  in  such  a  manner  as  she  had  died,  in  a  wooden 
 coffin. 
 
 She  was  succeeded  in  the  office  of  abbess  by  her  sister 
 Sexberga,f  who  had  been  vsdfe  to  Erconbert,  king  of  Kent  ; 
 who,  when  her  sister  had  been  buried  sixteen  years,  thought 
 fit  to  take  up  her  bones,  and,  putting  them  into  a  new  coffin, 
 to  translate  them  into  the  church.  Accordingly  she  ordered 
 some  of  the  brothers  to  provide  a  stone  to  make  a  coffin  of ; 
 they  accordingly  went  on  board  ship,  because  the  country  of 
 Ely  is  on  every  side  encompassed  vsdth  the  sea  or  marshes, 
 and  has  no  large  stones,  and  came  to  a  small  abandoned  city, 
 not  far  from  thence,  which,  in  the  language  of  the  Enghsh, 
 is  called  Grantchester,J  and  presently,  near  the  city  walls, 
 
 •  Aldwulf,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  and  brother  to  Etheldrida,  supplied 
 the  funds  for  building  this  mon^istery.  Bentham  conjectures  that  the 
 superintendence  of  the  wall  was  ommitted  to  Bishop  Wilfrid,  from  whom 
 Etheldrida  received  the  benediction  as  abbess.  After  the  Norman  Con- 
 quest, Ely  was  made  a  bishop's  see,  a.d.  1107- 
 
 f  Before  Sexberga  retired  to  Ely,  she  founded  a  monastery  in  the  Isle 
 of  Sheppey,  for  seventy-seven  nuns,  over  whom  she  placed  an  abbess,  her 
 daughter  Ermenilda,  queen  dowager  of  Mercia, 
 
 t  Near  Cambridge.  The  coffin  found  here  was  a  relic  of  ancient  Roman 
 art. 
 
206  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  IV.  c.  19. 
 
 they  found  a  white  marble  coffin,  most  beautifully  wrought, 
 and  neatly  covered  with  a  lid  of  the  same  sort  of  stone. 
 Concluding  therefore  that  God  had  prospered  their  journey, 
 they  returned  thanks  to  him,  and  carried  it  to  the  monastery. 
 
 The  body  of  the  holy  virgin  and  spouse  of  Christ,  when 
 her  grave  was  opened,  being  brought  into  sight,  was  found 
 as  free  from  corruption  as  if  she  had  died  and  been  buried 
 on  that  very  day  ;  as  the  aforesaid  Bishop  Wilfrid,  and 
 many  others  that  know  it,  can  testify.  But  the  physician, 
 Cynefrid,  who  was  present  at  her  death,  and  when  she  was 
 taken  up  out  of  the  grave,  was  wont  of  more  certain  know- 
 ledge to  relate,  that  in  her  sickness  she  had  a  very  great 
 swelhng  under  her  jaw.  "And  I  was  ordered,"  said  he, 
 "  to  lay  open  that  swelling,  to  let  out  the  noxious  matter  in 
 it,  wliich  I  did,  and  she  seemed  to  be  somewhat  more  easy 
 for  two  days,  so  that  many  thought  she  might  recover  from 
 her  distemper  ;  but  the  third  day  the  former  pains  returning, 
 she  was  soon  snatched  out  of  the  world,  and  exchanged  ^ 
 pain  and  death  for  everlasting  life  and  health.  And  when 
 so  many  years  after  her  bones  were  to  be  taken  out  of  the 
 grave,  a  pavilion  being  spread  over  it,  all  the  congregation 
 of  brothers  were  on  the  one  side,  and  of  sisters  on  the  other, 
 standing  about  it  singing,  and  the  abbess,  with  a  few,  being 
 gone  to  take  up  and  wash  the  bones,  on  a  sudden  we  heard 
 the  abbess  within  loudly  cry  out,  '  Glory  be  to  the  name  of 
 tlie  Lord.'  Not  long  after  they  called  me  in,  opening  the 
 door  of  the  pavilion,  where  I  found  the  body  of  the  holy  vir- 
 gin taken  out  of  the  grave  and  laid  on  a  bed,  as  if  it  had 
 been  asleep  ;  then  taking  off  the  veil  from  the  face,  they 
 also  showed  the  incision  which  I  had  made,  healed  up  ;  so 
 that,  to  my  great  astonishment,  instead  of  the  open  gaping 
 wound  with  which  she  had  been  buried,  there  then  appeared 
 only  an  extraordinarily  slender  scar. 
 
 "  Besides,  all  the  linen  cloths  in  which  the  body  had  been 
 buried,  appeared  entire  and  as  fresh  as  if  they  had  been  that 
 very  day  wrapped  about  her  chaste  limbs."  It  is  reported, 
 that  when  she  was  much  troubled  with  the  aforesaid  swel- 
 ling and  pain  in  her  jaw,  she  was  much  pleased  -^vith  that 
 sort  of  distemper,  and  wont  to  say,  "  I  know  that  I  deserv- 
 edly bear  the  weiglit  of  my  sickness  on  my  neck,  for  I  re- 
 member, when  I  was  very  young,  I  bore  there  the  needless 
 
A.t>.  6C0.  bede's  hymn  on  virginity.  207 
 
 weight  of  jewels  ;  and  therefore  I  believe  the  Divine  good- 
 ness would  have  me  endure  the  pain  in  my  neck,  that  I  may 
 be  absolved  from  the  guilt  of  my  needless  levity,  having  now, 
 instead  of  gold  and  precious  stones,  a  red  swelling  and  burn- 
 ing on  my  neck."  It  happened  also  that  by  the  touch  of  that 
 linen,  devils  were  expelled  from  bodies  possessed,  and  other 
 distempers  were  sometimes  cured  ;  and  the  coffin  she  was 
 first  buried  in  is  reported  to  have  cured  some  of  distempers 
 in  the  eyes,  who,  praying  with  their  heads  touching  that 
 coffin,  presently  were  delivered  from  the  pain  or  dimness  in 
 their  eyes.  They  washed  the  virgin's  body,  and  having 
 clothed  it  in  new  garments,  brought  it  into  the  church,  and 
 laid  it  in  the  coffin  that  had  been  brought,  where  it  is  held 
 in  great  veneration  to  this  day.  The  coffin  was  found  in  a 
 wonderful  manner,  as  fit  for  the  virgin's  body  as  if  it  had 
 been  made  purposely  for  her,  and  the  place  for  the  head  par- 
 ticularly cut,  exactly  fit  for  her  head,  and  shaped  to  a 
 nicety. 
 
 Ely  is  in  the  province  of  the  East  Angles,  a  country  of 
 about  six  hundi-ed  famiUes,  in  the  nature  of  an  island,  en- 
 closed, as  has  been  said,  either  with  marshes  or  waters,  and 
 therefore  it  has  its  name  from  the  great  plenty  of  eels  taken 
 in  those  marshes  ;  there  the  aforesaid  servant  of  Christ  de- 
 sired to  have  a  monastery,  because,  as  we  have  before  ob- 
 served, she  was  descended  from  that  same  province  of  the 
 East  Angles. 
 
 CHAP.  XX. 
 
 A  Hymn  on  the  aforesaid  Holy  Virgin,     [a.d.  660.] 
 
 I  THINK  it  proper  to  insert  in  this  history  a  hymn  of  vir- 
 ginity, which  I  composed  in  elegiac  verse  several  years  ago, 
 in  praise  and  honour  of  the  same  queen  and  spouse  of  Christ ; 
 and  therefore  truly  a  queen,  because  the  spouse  of  Christ ; 
 and  to  imitate  the  method  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  in  whose 
 history  many  poetical  pieces  are  inserted  which  are  known 
 to  be  composed  in  metre. 
 
 Hail,  Triune  Power,  who  rulest  every  age, 
 Assist  tlie  numbers  which  my  pen  engage. 
 Let  Maro  wars  in  loftier  numbers  siuir, 
 1  sound  the  praises  of  our  heavenly  King, 
 
208  BEDE's   ecclesiastical    history.  [B.IV.C 
 
 Chaste  is  my  verse,  nor  Helen's  rape  I  write  ; 
 
 Light  tales  like  these,  but  prove  the  nahid  as  light. 
 
 See  !  from  on  high  the  God  descends,  confined 
 
 In  Mary's  womb,  to  rescue  lost  mankind. 
 
 Behold  !  a  spotless  maid  a  God  brings  forth, 
 
 A  God  is  bom,  who  gave  e'en  nature  birth  ! 
 
 The  ragin- choir  the  mother-maid  resound, 
 
 And  chaste  themselves,  her  praises  shout  around. 
 
 Her  bright  example  numerous  vot'ries  raise. 
 
 Tread  spotless  paths,  and  imitate  her  ways. 
 
 The  blessed  Agatha  and  Eulalia  trust 
 
 Sooner  to  flames,  than  far  more  dangerous  lust. 
 
 Tecla  and  chaste  Euphemia  overcame 
 
 The  fear  of  beasts  to  save  a  virgin  name. 
 
 Agnes  and  sweet  Cecilia,  joyful  maids. 
 
 Smile  while  the  pointed  swords  their  breasts  invades. 
 
 Triumphing  joy  attends  the  peaceful  soul. 
 
 Where  heat,  nor  rain,  nor  wishes  mean  control. 
 
 Thus  Etheldrida,  pure  from  sensual  crime, 
 
 Bright  shining  star  !  arose  to  bless  our  time. 
 
 Bom  of  a  regal  race,  her  sire  a  king. 
 
 More  noble  honour  to  her  lord  shall  brmg. 
 
 A  queen  her  name,  her  hand  a  sceptre  rears. 
 
 But  greater  glories  wait  above  the  spheres. 
 
 What  man  wouldst  thou  desire  ?     See  Christ  is  made 
 
 Her  spouse,  her  blessed  Redeemer  weds  the  maid. 
 
 While  you  attend  the  heavenly  Mother's  train, 
 
 Thou  shalt  be  mother  of  a  heavenly  reign. 
 
 The  holy  maid  who  twelve  years  sat  a  queen, 
 
 A  cloister'd  nun  devote  to  God  was  seen. 
 
 Noted  for  pious  deeds,  her  spotless  soul 
 
 Left  the  vile  world,  and  soar'd  above  the  pole. 
 
 Sixteen  Novembers  since  was  the  blest  maid 
 
 Entomb'd,  whose  flesh  no  putrid  damps  invade. 
 
 Thy  grace,  0  Christ !  for  in  the  coffin's  found 
 
 No  tainted  vest  wTapping  the  corpse  around. 
 
 The  swelling  dropsy,  and  dire  atrophy, 
 
 A  pale  disease  from  the  blest  vestments  fly. 
 
 Rage  fires  the  fiend,  who  whilom  Eve  betray'd. 
 
 While  shouting  angels  hail  the  glorious  maid. 
 
 See  !  wedded  to  her  God,  what  joy  remains. 
 
 In  earth,  or  heaven,  see  !  with  her  God  she  reigns  ! 
 
 Behold  !  the  spouse,  the  festal  torches  shine. 
 
 He  comes  !  behold  !  what  joyful  gifts  are  thine  ! 
 
 Thou  a  new  song  on  the  sweet  harp  shalt  sing, 
 
 A  hymn  of  praise  to  thy  celestial  King. 
 
 None  from  the  flock  of  the  throned  Lamb  shall  move. 
 
 Whom  grateful  passion  bind,  and  heavenly  love. 
 
A  CATTIVE  FREED  FROM  HIS  CHAINS.       209 
 
 CHAP.  XXI. 
 
 Bishop  Theodore   made  peace  between  the  kings  Egfrid  and  Ethelred. 
 [a.d.  679.] 
 
 In  the  ninth  year  of  the  reign  of  King  Egfrid,  a  great 
 battle  was  fought  between  him  and  Ethebed,  king  of  the 
 Mercians,  near  the  river  Trent,  and  Elfwin,  brother  to  King 
 Egfrid,  was  slain,  a  youth  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  and 
 much  beloved  by  both  provinces,  for  King  Ethelred  had 
 married  his  sister  Osthritha.  There  was  now  reason  to  expect 
 a  more  bloody  war,  and  more  lasting  enmity  between  those 
 kings  and  their  fierce  nations  ;  but  Theodore,  the  bishop, 
 beloved  of  God,  relying  on  the  Divine  assistance,  by  his 
 wholesome  admonitions  extinguished  the  dangerous  fire  that 
 was  breaking  out ;  so  that  the  kings  and  their  people  on  both 
 sides  being  appeased,  no  man  was  put  to  death,  but  only 
 the  usual  mulct  paid  to  the  king  for  his  brother  that  had  been 
 killed  ;  and  this  peace  continued  long  after  between  those 
 kings  and  their  kingdoms. 
 
 CHAP.  XXII. 
 
 Hoio  a  certain  captive''s  chains  fell  off  ichen  masses  were  sung  for  him. 
 [a.d.  679.] 
 
 In  the  aforesaid  battle,  wherein  Elfv\dn,  the  king's  brother, 
 was  killed,  a  memorable  fact  is  known  to  have  happened, 
 which  I  think  ought  not  to  be  passed  by  in  silence  ;  for  the 
 relation  of  the  same  will  conduce  to  the  salvation  of  many. 
 In  that  battle,  one  Imma,  a  youth  belonging  to  the  king,  was 
 left  as  dead,  and  having  lain  so  all  that  day  and  the  next 
 night  among  the  dead  bodies,  at  length  he  came  to  himself, 
 and  sitting,  bound  up  his  wounds  in  the  best  way  he  could. 
 Then  having  rested  awhile,  he  stood  up,  and  began  to  go  off 
 to  seek  some  friends  that  might  take  care  of  him  ;  but  in  so 
 doing  he  was  discovered  and  taken  by  some  of  the  enemy's 
 army,  and  carried  before  their  lord,  who  was  an  earl 
 belonging  to  King  Ethelred.  Being  asked  by  him  who  he 
 was,  and  fearing  to  own  himself  a  soldier,  he  answered,  "  He 
 was  a  peasant,  poor  and  married,  and  that  he  came  to  the 
 army  with  others  to  bring  provisions  to  the  soldiers."  The, 
 earl  entertained  him,  and  ordered  his  wounds  to  be  dressed 
 and  when  he  began  to  recover,  to  prevent  his  escaping,  he 
 
 p 
 
210  BEDE's   ecclesiastical    history.  Lb.  IV.  c.  22. 
 
 ordered  him  to  be  bound  ;  but  that  could  not  be  performed, 
 for  as  soon  as  they  that  bound  him  were  gone,  his  bonds  were 
 all  loosened. 
 
 He  had  a  brother  called  Tunna,  who  was  a  priest  and 
 abbat  of  a  monastery  in  the  city  which  from  him  is  still 
 called  Tunnacester.*  Hearing  that  his  brother  had  been 
 killed  in  the  fight,  he  went  to  see  whether  he  could  find  his 
 body  ;  and  finding  another  very  like  him  in  all  respects, 
 concluding  it  to  be  his,  he  carried  the  same  to  his  monastery, 
 and  buried  it  honourably,  and  took  care  often  to  say  masses 
 for  the  absolution  of  his  soul ;  the  celebration  whereof 
 occasioned  what  I  have  said,  that  none  could  bind  him  but 
 he  was  presently  loosed  again.  In  the  meantime,  the  earl 
 that  kept  him  was  amazed,  and  began  to  inquire  why  he 
 could  not  be  bound ;  whether  he  had  any  spells  about  him,  as 
 are  spoken  of  in  fabulous  stories.  He  answered,  "  He  knew 
 notliing  of  those  contrivances  ;  but  I  have,"  said  he,  "  a 
 brother  who  is  a  priest  in  my  country,  and  I  know  that  he, 
 supposing  me  to  be  killed,  causes  masses  to  be  said  for  me  ; 
 and  if  I  were  now  in  the  other  life,  my  soul  there,  tlirough 
 his  intercession,  would  be  delivered  from  pain." 
 
 Having  continued  with  the  earl  some  time,  those  who 
 attentively  observed  him,  by  his  countenance,  mien,  and 
 discourse,  took  notice,  that  he  was  not  of  the  meaner  sort, 
 as  he  had  said,  but  of  some  quality.  The  earl  then  privately 
 sending  for  him,  pressed  to  know  who  he  was,  promising  to 
 do  him  no  harm,  if  he  would  ingenuously  confess  his  quality. 
 Which  when  he  had  done,  declaring  that  he  had  been  the 
 king's  servant,  the  earl  answered,  "  I  perceived  by  your 
 answers  that  you  were  no  peasant.  And  now  you  deserve 
 to  die,  because  all  my  brothers  and  relations  were  killed  in 
 that  fight ;  yet  I  will  not  put  you  to  death,  because  it  will  be 
 a  breach  of  my  promise." 
 
 As  soon,  therefore,  as  he  was  recovered,  he  sold  him  at 
 London,  to  a  Freson,  but  he  could  not  be  bound  by  liim  the 
 whole  way  as  he  was  led  along ;  but  though  his  enemies  put 
 
 •  Perhaps  Tovecester,  of  the  Domesday-book,  "  a  city  and  fortified 
 place  on  the  river  Tove,"  which  is  considered  to  have  been  a  Roman 
 station,  and  on  the  north  side  of  which  are  the  niins  of  a  Saxon  tower.  It 
 is  now  called  Towcester,  a  market  town  in  Northamptonshire.  The  letters 
 n  and  v  are  repeatedly  confounded  together  in  deciphering  old  MSS. 
 
A.D.  680.]  OF    THE    ABBESS    ST.    HILDA.  211 
 
 several  sorts  of  bonds  on  him,  tliey  were  all  loosed.  The 
 buyer,  perceiving  that  he  could  in  no  way  be  bound,  gave 
 him  leave  to  ransom  himself  if  he  could ;  now  it  was  at  the 
 third  hour  (nine  in  the  morning)  when  the  masses  were 
 wont  to  be  said,  that  his  bonds  were  generally  loosed.  He, 
 ha\'ing  taken  an  oath  that  he  would  either  return,  or  send 
 him  the  money  for  his  ransom,  went  into  Kent  to  King 
 Lothaire,  who  was  son  to  the  sister  of  Queen  Etheldrida, 
 above  spoken  of,  for  he  had  once  been  her  servant.  From 
 liim  he  obtained  the  price  of  his  ransom,  and  as  he  had 
 promised,  sent  it  to  his  master. 
 
 Returning  afterwards  into  his  own  country,  and  coming  to 
 his  brother,  he  gave  him  an  exact  account  of  all  his  fortunes, 
 good  and  bad;  and  by  his  relation  he  understood,  that  his 
 bonds  had  been  generally  loosed  at  those  times  when  masses 
 had  been  celebrated  for  him;  and  that  other  advantages 
 which  had  accrued  to  him  in  his  time  of  danger,  had  been 
 conferred  on  him  from  Heaven,  through  the  intercession  of 
 his  brother,  and  the  oblation  of  his  saving  sacrifice.  Many 
 persons,  on  hearing  tliis  account  from  the  aforesaid  man, 
 were  stirred  up  in  the  faith  and  devotion  of  piety  either  to 
 prayer,  or  to  alms-giving,  or  to  offer  up  to  our  Lord  the 
 sacrifice  of  the  holy  oblation,  for  the  deliverance  of  their 
 friends  who  had  departed  this  world;  for  they  understood 
 and  knew  that  such  saving  sacrifice  was  available  for  the 
 eternal  redemption  both  of  body  and  soul.  This  story  was 
 also  told  me  by  some  of  those  who  had  heard  it  related  by 
 the  person  himself  to  whom  it  happened;  therefore,  I  have 
 thought  fit  to  insert  it  in  my  Ecclesiastical  History  as  I  had 
 it  related  to  me. 
 
 CHAP.  xxm. 
 
 Of  the  life  and  death  of  the  Abbess  Hilda,     [a.d.  680.] 
 
 In  the  year  of  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  680,  the  most 
 religious  servant  of  Christ,  Hilda,  abbess  of  the  monastery 
 that  is  called  Streaneshalch,*  as  above-mentioned,  after  hav- 
 ing performed  many  heavenly  works  on  earth,  passed  from 
 thence  to  receive  the  rewards  of  the  heavenly  life,  on  the 
 17th  of  November,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years;  the  first 
 *  Whitbv,  see  pages  151,  155. 
 F   2 
 
212  BEDE'S  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY.  [b.  rv.  c.23. 
 
 thirty-three  of  which  she  spent  living  most  nobly  in  the 
 secular  habit ;  and  more  nobly  dedicated  the  remaining  half 
 to  our  Lord  in  a  monastic  life.  For  she  was  nobly  born, 
 being  the  daughter  of  Hereric,  nephew  to  King  Ed^vin,  with 
 which  king  she  also  embraced  the  foith  and  mysteries  of 
 Christ,  at  the  preaching  of  Paulinus,  the  first  bishop  of  the 
 Northumbrians,  of  blessed  memory,  and  preserved  the  same 
 undefiled  till  she  attained  to  the  sight  of  him  in  heaven. 
 
 Resolving  to  quit  the  secular  habit,  and  to  serve  him 
 alone,  she  withdrew  into  the  province  of  the  East  Angles, 
 for  she  was  allied  to  the  king ;  being  desirous  to  pass  over 
 from  thence  into  France,  to  forsake  her  native  country  and 
 all  she  had,  and  so  live  a  stranger  for  our  Lord  in  the 
 monastery  of  Cale,*  that  she  might  with  more  ease  attain 
 to  the  eternal  kingdom  in  heaven ;  because  her  sister  Here- 
 suid,  mother  to  Aldwulf,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  at  that 
 time  Hving  in  the  same  monastery,  under  regular  discipline, 
 was  waiting  for  her  eternal  reward.  Being  led  by  her  ex- 
 ample, she  continued  a  whole  year  in  the  aforesaid  province, 
 with  the  design  of  going  abroad ;  afterwards.  Bishop  Aidan 
 being  recalled  home,  he  gave  her  the  land  of  one  family  on 
 the  north  side  of  the  river  Wear ;  where  for  a  year  she  also 
 led  a  monastic  life,  with  very  few  companions. 
 
 After  this  she  was  made  abbess  in  the  monastery  called 
 Heruteu,!  which  monastery  had  been  founded,  not  long  be- 
 fore, by  the  religious  servant  of  Christ,  Heiu,J  who  is  said 
 to  have  been  the  first  woman  that  in  the  province  of  the 
 Northumbrians  took  upon  her  the  habit  and  life  of  a  nun, 
 being  consecrated  by  Bishop  Aidan ;  but  she,  soon  after  she 
 had  founded  that  monastery,  went  away  to  the  city  of  Cal- 
 cacestir,§  and  there  fixed  her  dwelling.  Hilda,  the  servant 
 of  Christ,  being  set  over  that  monastery,  began  immediately 
 to  reduce  all  things  to  a  regular  system,  according  as  she 
 had  been  instructed  by  learned  men ;  for  Bishop  Aidan,  and 
 other  religious  men  that  knew  her  and  loved  her,  frequently 
 visited  and  diligently  instructed  her,  because  of  her  innate 
 wisdom  and  inclination  to  the  service  of  God. 
 
 When  she  had  for  some  years  governed  tliis  monastery, 
 
 *  Chelles,  ten  miles  from  Paris.     See  iii.  8,  p.  121.  f  Hartlepool. 
 
 See  p.  151.       +  Leland  and  Cressy  confound  Heiu  with  St.  Bega  or  Bees. 
 §  Tadcaster,  Newton  Kyme,  or  Ingleby  Abberforth. 
 
A.D.  680.]  LIFE    OF    ST.    HILDA.  213 
 
 wholly  intent  upon  establishing  a  regular  life,  it  happened 
 that  she  also  undertook  either  to  build  or  to  arrange  a 
 monastery  in  the  place  called  Streaneshalch,  [Whitby,*] 
 which  work  she  industriously  performed;  for  she  put  this 
 monastery  under  the  same  regular  discipline  as  she  had  done 
 the  former;  and  taught  there  the  strict  observance  of  justice, 
 piety,  chastity,  and  other  virtues,  and  particularly  of  peace 
 and  charity;  so  that,  after  the  example  of  the  primitive 
 church,  no  person  was  there  rich,  and  none  poor,  all  being 
 in  common  to  all,  and  none  having  any  property.  Her  pru- 
 dence was  so  great,  that  not  only  indifferent  persons,  but 
 even  kings  and  princes,  as  occasion  offered,  asked  and  re- 
 ceived her  advice;  she  obliged  those  who  were  under  her 
 direction  to  attend  so  much  to  reading  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
 tures, and  to  exercise  themselves  so  much  in  works  of  justice, 
 that  many  might  be  there  found  fit  for  ecclesiastical  duties, 
 and  to  serve  at  the  altar. 
 
 In  short,  we  afterwards  saw  five  bishops  taken  out  of  that 
 monastery,  and  all  of  them  men  of  singular  merit  and  sanc- 
 tity, whose  names  were  Bosa,  Hedda,  Oftfor,  John,  and 
 Wilfrid. f  We  have  above  taken  notice,  that  the  first  of 
 them  was  consecrated  bishop  at  York  ;  of  the  second,  it  is 
 to  be  observed  that  he  was  appointed  bishop  of  Dorchester. 
 Of  the  two  last  we  shall  speak  hereafter,  as  they  were  con- 
 secrated :  the  first  was  bishop  of  Hagulstad,  the  second  of 
 the  church  of  York  ;  of  the  third,  we  will  here  take  notice 
 that,  having  applied  himself  to  the  reading  and  observation 
 of  the  Scriptures  in  both  the  monasteries  of  Hilda,  at  length, 
 being  desirous  to  attain  to  greater  perfection,  he  went  into 
 Kent,  to  Archbishop  Theodore,  of  blessed  memory  ;  where 
 having  spent  some  more  time  in  sacred  studies,  he  also  re- 
 
 *  Camden,  speaking  of  Whitby,  says,  "  Here  are  found  stones  resembling 
 snakes  rolled  up,  the  sports  of  nature,  which  she,  as  one  observes,  amuses 
 herself  with  creating  when  weary  of  producing  realities  and  serious  pro- 
 ductions. You  would  think  they  had  once  been  snakes,  covered  over  with 
 a  crust  of  stone.  Report  ascribes  them  to  the  prayers  of  Hilda,  as  if 
 changed  by  her,  who  in  the  early  Saxon  church  opposed  with  all  her  might 
 the  tonsure  of  priests  and  the  celebration  of  Easter  according  to  the  Roman 
 ritual."     Brit.  edit.  Gough,  1789,  vol.  iii.  p.  17. 
 
 t  Bosa  was  bishop  of  York  ;  Hedda  of  Dorchester,  and  translated  to 
 Winchester ;  Oftfor  of  Worcester ;  John  (the  famous  St.  John  of  Beverley, 
 book  V.  c.  2,)  of  Hexham,  translated  to  York  ;  Wilfrid  of  York. 
 
214  BEDE's    ecclesiastical   history.  [b.iv.c.23. 
 
 solved  to  go  to  Rome,  which,  in  those  days,  was  reckoned  of 
 great  moment :  returning  thence  into  Britain,  he  took  his 
 way  into  the  province  of  the  Wiccii,  where  King  Osric  then 
 ruled,*  and  continued  there  a  long  time,  preaching  the  word 
 of  faith,  and  making  himself  an  example  of  good  life  to  all 
 that  saw  and  heard  him.  At  that  time,  Bosel,  the  bishop 
 of  that  province,!  laboured  under  such  weakness  of  body, 
 that  he  could  not  perform  the  episcopal  functions  ;  for  which 
 reason,  this  Oftfor  was,  by  universal  consent,  chosen  bishop 
 in  his  stead,  and  by  order  of  King  Ethelred,  consecrated  by 
 Bishop  Wilfrid,  J  of  blessed  memory,  who  was  then  bishop 
 of  the  Midland  Angles,  because  Ai-chbishop  Theodore  was 
 dead,  and  no  other  bishop  ordained  in  his  place.  Before  the 
 aforesaid  man  of  God,  Bosel,  Tatfrid,  a  most  learned  and 
 industrious  man,  and  of  excellent  ability,  had  been  chosen 
 bishop  there,  from  the  same  abbess's  monastery,  but  had 
 been  snatched  away  by  an  untimely  death,  before  he  could 
 be  ordained. 
 
 Thus  this  servant  of  Christ,  Abbess  Hilda,  whom  all  that 
 knew  her  called  Mother,  for  her  singular  piety  and  grace, 
 was  not  only  an  example  of  good  life,  to  those  that  lived  in 
 her  monastery,  but  alForded  occasion  of  amendment  and  sal- 
 vation to  many  who  lived  at  a  distance,  to  whom  the  fame 
 was  brought  of  her  industry  and  virtue  ;  for  it  was  neces- 
 sary that  the  dream  which  her  mother,  Bregusuit,  had, 
 during  her  infancy,  should  be  fulfilled.  At  the  time  that 
 her  husband,  Hereric,  lived  in  banishment,  under  Cerdic, 
 king  of  the  Britons,  where  he  was  also  poisoned,  she  fancied, 
 in  a  dream,  that  she  was  seeking  for  him  most  carefully, 
 and  could  find  no  sign  of  him  any  where  ;  but,  after  having 
 used  all  her  industry  to  seek  him,  she  found  a  most  precious 
 jewel  under  her  garment,  which,  whilst,  she  was  looking  on 
 it  very  attentively,  cast  such  a  light  as  spread  itself  through- 
 out all  Britain  ;  which  dream  was  brought  to  pass  in  her 
 daughter  that  we  speak  of,  whose  life  was  a  bright  example, 
 not  only  to  herself,  but  to  all  who  desired  to  live  well. 
 
 •  Osric  probably  had  the  supremacy  of  the  whole  of  the  province  of 
 Wiccii,  or  Ma^csetania,  (Gloucestershire  and  Worcestershire)  ;  although 
 Oswald  may  have  held  Worcestershire  as  an  appanage. 
 
 t   Bosel  was  appointed  the  first  bishop  of  Worcester,  a.d.  679. 
 
 X  Wilfrid  was  now  restored  to  the  see  of  York. 
 
A.D.  680.J  DEATH  OF  ST.  HILDA.  215 
 
 When  she  had  governed  this  monastery  many  years,  it 
 pleased  Him  who  has  made  such  merciful  provision  for  our 
 salvation,  to  give  her  holy  soul  the  trial  of  a  long  sickness, 
 to  the  end  that,  according  to  the  apostle's  example,  her  vir- 
 tue might  be  perfected  in  infirmity.  Falling  into  a  fever, 
 she  fell  into  a  violent  heat,  and  was  afflicted  with  the  same 
 for  six  years  continually  ;  during  all  which  time  she  never 
 failed  either  to  return  thanks  to  her  Maker,  or  publicly  and 
 privately  to  instruct  the  flock  conmaitted  to  her  cliarge  ;  for 
 by  her  own  example  she  admonished  all  persons  to  serve 
 God  dutifully  in  perfect  health,  and  always  to  return  thanks 
 to  him  in  adversity,  or  bodily  infirmity.  In  the  seventh 
 year  of  her  sickness,  the  distemper  turning  inwards,  she 
 approached  her  last  day,  and  about  cockcrowing,  having  re- 
 ceived the  holy  communion  to  further  her  on  her  way,  and 
 called  together  the  servants  of  Christ  that  were  witliin  the 
 same  monastery,  she  admonished  them  to  preserve  evangel- 
 ical peace  among  themselves,  and  with  all  others  ;  and  as  she 
 was  making  her  speech,  she  joyfully  saw  death  approaching, 
 or  if  I  may  speak  in  the  words  of  our  Lord,  passed  from 
 death  to  life. 
 
 That  same  night  it  pleased  Almighty  God,  by  a  manifest 
 vision,  to  make  known  her  death  in  another  monastery,  at  a 
 distance  from  hers,  which  she  had  built  that  same  year,  and 
 is  called  Hackness.*  There  was  in  that  monastery,  a  certain 
 nun  called  Begu,t  who,  having  dedicated  her  virginity  to 
 God,  had  served  him  upwards  of  thirty  years  in  monastical 
 conversation.  Tliis  nun,  being  then  in  the  dormitory  of  the 
 sisters,  on  a  sudden  heard  the  well-known  sound  of  a  bell  in 
 the  air,  which  used  to  awake  and  call  them  to  prayers,  when 
 any  one  of  them  was  taken  out  of  this  world,  and  opening 
 her  eyes,  as  she  thought,  she  saw  the  top  of  the  house  open, 
 and  a  strong  light  pour  in  from  above  ;  looking  earnestly 
 
 *  Hackness,  thirteen  miles  from  Whitby,  was  a  cell  belonging  to  Whitby 
 Abbey,  which  at  the  dissolution  contained  four  monks  of  the  Benedictine 
 order!!  Hilda  erected  several  cells  or  smaller  convents  as  appanages  to 
 Whitby. 
 
 +  St.  Bega,  better  known  as  St.  Bees,  from  the  monastery  built  by  her, 
 at  the  place  named  after  her,  near  Copeland  Forest,  Cumberland.  There 
 is  a  legendary  account  of  her  printed  in  the  Carlisle  Tracts,  from  the  Cot- 
 tonian  MSS.'Faust.  B.  4,  fol.  122—139,  as  well  as  in  the  Lives  of  English 
 Saints,  No.  VI. 
 
216  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [b.  rv.  c.23. 
 
 upon  that  light,  she  saw  the  soul  of  the  aforesaid  ser- 
 vant of  God  in  tliat  same  light,  attended  and  conducted  to 
 heaven  by  angels.  Then  awaking,  and  seeing  the  other 
 sisters  lying  round  about  her,  she  perceived  that  what  she 
 had  seen  was  either  in  a  dream  or  a  \'ision  ;  and  rising  imme- 
 diately in  a  great  fright,  she  ran  to  the  virgin  who  then  pre- 
 sided in  the  monastery  instead  of  the  abbess,  and  whose 
 name  was  Frigyth,  and,  \vith  many  tears  and  sighs,  told  her 
 that  the  Abbess  Hilda,  mother  of  them  all,  had  departed  this 
 life,  and  had  in  her  sight  ascended  to  eternal  bliss,  and  to 
 the  company  of  the  inliabitants  of  heaven,  with  a  great 
 light,  and  with  angels  conducting  her.  Frigyth  having 
 heard  it,  awoke  all  the  sisters,  and  caFiing  them  to  the 
 church,  admonished  them  to  pray  and  sing  psalms  for  her 
 soul ;  which  they  did  during  the  remainder  of  the  night ; 
 and  at  break  of  day,  the  brothers  came  with  news  of  her 
 death,  from  the  place  where  she  had  died.  They  answered 
 that  they  knew  it  before,  and  then  related  how  and  when 
 they  had  heard  it,  by  which  it  appeared  that  her  death  had 
 been  revealed  to  them  in  a  vision  the  very  same  hour  that 
 the  others  said  she  had  died.  Thus  it  was  by  Heaven  hap- 
 pily ordained,  that  when  some  saw  her  departure  out  of  this 
 world,  the  others  should  be  acquainted  with  her  admittance 
 into  the  spiritual  life  which  is  eternal.  These  monasteries 
 are  about  thirteen  miles  distant  from  each  other. 
 
 It  is  also  reported,  that  her  death  was,  in  a  vision,  made 
 known  the  same  night  to  one  of  the  holy  virgins  who  loved 
 her  most  passionately,  in  the  same  monastery  where  the  said 
 servant  of  God  died.  This  nun  saw  her  soul  ascend  to  hea- 
 ven in  the  company  of  angels  ;  and  this  she  declared,  the 
 very  same  hour  that  it  happened,  to  those  servants  of  Christ 
 that  were  with  her  ;  and  awakened  them  to  pray  for  her 
 soul,  even  before  tlie  rest  of  the  congregation  had  heard  of 
 her  death.  The  truth  of  which  was  known  to  the  whole 
 monastery  in  the  morning.  This  same  nun  was  at  that  time 
 with  some  other  servants  of  Christ,  in  the  remotest  part  of 
 the  monastery,  where  the  women  newly  converted  were  wont 
 to  be  upon  trial,  till  they  were  regularly  instructed,  and 
 taken  into  the  society  of  the  congregation. 
 
A.D.  C80.J  C.EDMON  INSPIRED  TO  WRITE  POETRY.  217 
 
 CHAP.  XXIV. 
 
 There  was  in  the  same  monastery  a  brother,  on  v;hom  the  gift  of  writing 
 verses  was  bestoived  by  heaven,     [a.d,  68U.] 
 
 There  was  in  this  abbess's  monastery  a  certain  brother,  par- 
 ticuhxrly  remarkable  for  the  grace  of  God,  Avho  was  wont  to 
 make  pious  and  religious  verses,  so  that  whatever  was  inter- 
 preted to  him  out  of  Scripture,  he  soon  after  put  the  same 
 into  poetical  expressions  of  much  sweetness  and  humility,  in 
 EngKsh,  which  was  his  native  language.  By  his  verses  the 
 minds  of  many  were  often  excited  to  despise  the  world,  and 
 to  aspire  to  heaven.  Others  after  him  attempted,  in  the 
 EngHsh  nation,  to  compose  religious  poems,*  but  none  could 
 ever  compare  with  him,  for  he  did  not  learn  the  art  of  poetry 
 from  men,  but  from  God ;  for  which  reason  he  never  could 
 compose  any  trivial  or  vain  poem,  but  only  those  which  relate 
 to  religion  suited  liis  religious  tongue ;  for  having  lived  in  a 
 secular  habit  till  he  was  well  advanced  in  years,  he  had  never 
 learned  any  thing  of  versifying ;  for  which  reason  being  some- 
 times at  entertainments,  when  it  was  agreed  for  the  sake  of 
 mirth  that  all  present  should  sing  in  their  turns,  when  he  saw 
 the  instrument  come  towards  him,  he  rose  up  from  table  and 
 returned  home. 
 
 Having  done  so  at  a  certain  time,  and  gone  out  of  the 
 house  where  the  entertainment  was,  to  the  stable,  where  he 
 had  to  take  care  of  the  horses  that  night,  he  there  composed 
 himself  to  rest  at  the  proper  time ;  a  person  appeared  to  him 
 in  his  sleep,  and  saluting  liim  by  his  name,  said,  "  Caedmon, 
 sing  some  song  to  me."  He  answered,  "  I  cannot  sing ;  for 
 that  was  the  reason  why  I  left  the  entertainment,  and  retired 
 to  this  place,  because  I  could  not  sing."  The  other  who 
 talked  to  him,  replied,  "  However  you  shall  sing." — "  What 
 shall  I  sing  ?"  rejoined  he.  "Sing  the  beginning  of  created 
 beings,"  said  the  other.     Hereupon  he  presently  began  to 
 
 *  From  what  Bede  says  of  Caedmon  and  his  imitators,  and  from  some 
 other  circumstances,  it  seems  probable  that  the  vernacular  religious  feeling 
 was  composed  chiefly  during  the  years  which  intervened  between  the  age  of 
 the  poet  (a.d.  680,)  and  that  of  the  historian  (a.d.  731.) — Wright's  Essay 
 on  the  Literature  of  the  Anglo-Saxons. 
 
218  BEDES  ECCLESIASTICAL  HTSTORY.  [b.iv.  c.24. 
 
 sing  verses  to  the  praise  of  God,  which  he  had  never  heard, 
 the  purport  whereof  was  thus  : — We  are  now  to  praise  the 
 Maker  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  the  power  of  the  Creator 
 and  liis  counsel,  the  deeds  of  the  Father  of  glory.  How  he, 
 being  the  eternal  God,  became  the  author  of  all  miracles, 
 who  first,  as  almighty  preserver  of  the  human  race,  created 
 heaven  for  the  sons  of  men  as  the  roof  of  tlie  house,  and 
 next  the  earth.  This  is  the  sense,  but  not  the  words  in  order 
 as  he  sang  them  in  his  sleep ;  for  verses,  though  never  so 
 well  composed,  cannot  be  literally  translated  out  of  one 
 language  into  another,  without  losing  much  of  their  beauty 
 and  loftiness.  Awaking  from  liis  sleep,  he  remembered  all 
 that  he  had  sung  in  his  dream,  and  soon  added  much  more 
 to  the  same  effect  in  verse  worthy  of  the  Deity. 
 
 In  the  morning  he  came  to  the  steward,  his  superior,  and 
 having  acquainted  him  with  the  gift  he  had  received,  was 
 conducted  to  the  abbess,  by  whom  he  was  ordered,  in  the 
 presence  of  many  learned  men,  to  tell  his  dream,  and  repeat 
 the  verses,  that  they  might  all  give  their  judgment  what  it 
 was,  and  whence  his  verse  proceeded.  They  all  concluded, 
 that  heavenly  grace  had  been  conferred  on  him  by  our  Lord. 
 They  expounded  to  him  a  passage  in  holy  writ,  either  historical, 
 or  doctrinal,  ordering  him,  if  he  could,  to  put  the  same  into 
 verse.*  Having  undertaken  it,  he  went  away,  and  returning 
 the  next  morning,  gave  it  to  them  composed  in  most  excel- 
 lent verse ;  whereupon  the  abbess,  embracing  the  grace  of 
 God  in  the  man,  instructed  liim  to  quit  the  secular  habit,  and 
 take  upon  liim  the  monastic  life ;  which  being  accordingly 
 done,  she  associated  him  to  the  rest  of  the  brethren  in  her 
 monastery,  and  ordered  that  he  should  be  taught  the  whole 
 series  of  sacred  history.  Thus  C^edmon,  keeping  in  mind 
 all  he  heard,  and  as  it  were  che^ving  the  cud,  converted  the 
 same  into  most  harmonious  verse ;  and  sweetly  repeating  the 
 same,  made  his  masters  in  their  turn  his  hearers.  He  sang 
 the  creation  of  the  world,  the  origin  of  man,  and  all  the 
 history  of  Genesis :  and  made  many  verses  on  the  departure 
 of  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  and  their  entering 
 
 •  A  part  of  one  of  Csedraon's  poems  is  preserved  in  King  Alfred's  Saxon 
 version  of  Bede's  History.  The  original  may  be  seen  in  Turner's  Anglo- 
 Saxons,  (book  ix.  c.  1 ,  vol.  iii.  p.  302,)  -with  a  literal  translation. 
 
A.D.680.]  DEATH    OF    CiEDMON.  219 
 
 into  the  land  of  promise,  with  many  other  histories  from  holy 
 writ ;  the  incarnation,  passion,  resurrection  of  our  Lord,  and 
 his  ascension  into  heaven  ;  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 and  the  preaching  of  the  apostles ;  also  the  terror  of  future 
 judgment,  the  horror  of  the  pains  of  hell,  and  the  delights  of 
 heaven ;  l3esides  many  more  about  the  Divine  benefits  and 
 judgments,  by  which  he  endeavoured  to  turn  away  all  men 
 from  the  love  of  vice,  and  to  excite  in  them  the  love  of,  and 
 application  to,  good  actions ;  for  he  was  a  very  religious  irian, 
 humbly  submissive  to  regular  discipline,  but  full  of  zeal 
 against  those  who  behaved  themselves  otherwise ;  for  which 
 reason  he  ended  his  life  happily. 
 
 For  when  the  time  of  his  departure  drew  near,  he  laboured 
 for  the  space  of  fourteen  days  under  a  bodily  infirmity  which 
 seemed  to  prepare  the  way,  yet  so  moderate  that  he  could 
 talk  and  walk  the  whole  time.  In  his  neighbourhood  was 
 the  house  to  which  those  that  were  sick,  and  like  shortly  to 
 die,  were  carried.  He  desired  the  person  that  attended  him, 
 in  the  evening,  as  the  night  came  on  in  which  he  was  to  de- 
 part this  life,  to  make  ready  a  place  there  for  him  to  take  his 
 rest.  This  person,  wondering  why  he  should  desire  it, 
 because  there  was  as  yet  no  sign  of  his  djdng  soon,  did  what  he 
 had  ordered.  He  accordingly  went  there,  and  conversing 
 pleasantly  in  a  joyful  manner  with  the  rest  that  were  in  the 
 house  before,  when  it  was  past  midnight,  he  asked  them, 
 whether  they  had  the  Eucharist  there  ?  They  answered, 
 "  What  need  of  the  Eucharist  ?  for  you  are  not  likely  to  die, 
 since  you  talk  so  merrily  with  us,  as  if  you  were  in  perfect 
 health." — "  However,"  said  he,  "  bring  me  the  Eucharist." 
 Having  received  the  same  into  his  hand,  he  asked,  whether 
 they  were  aU  in  charity  with  him,  and  without  any  enmity 
 or  rancour  ?  They  answered,  that  they  were  all  in  perfect 
 charity,  and  free  from  anger ;  and  in  their  turn  asked  him, 
 whether  he  was  in  the  same  mind  towards  them  ?  He 
 answered,  "  I  am  in  charity,  my  children,  with  all  the  servants 
 of  God."  Then  strengthening  himself  with  the  heavenly 
 viaticum,  he  prepared  for  the  entrance  into  another  Hfe,  and 
 asked,  how  near  the  time  was  when  the  brothers  were  to  be 
 awakened  to  sing  the  nocturnal  praises  of  our  Lord  ?  They 
 answered,  "  It  is  not  far  off."  Then  he  said,  "  Well,  let  us 
 wait  that  hour  ;"  and  signing  himself  with  the  sign  of  the 
 
220  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  IV.  c  25. 
 
 cross,  he  laid  his  head  on  the  pillow,  and  falling  into  a  sluinber, 
 ended  his  life  so  in  silence. 
 
 Thus  it  came  to  pass,  that  as  he  had  served  God  with  a 
 simple  and  pure  mind,  and  undisturbed  devotion,  so  he  now 
 departed  to  his  presence,  leaving  the  world  by  a  quiet  death ; 
 and  that  tongue,  Avhich  had  composed  so  many  holy  words  in 
 praise  of  the  Creator,  uttered  its  last  words  whilst  he  was  in 
 the  act  of  signing  himself  with  the  cross,  and  recommending 
 himself  into  his  hands,  and  by  what  has  been  here  said,  he 
 seems  to  have  had  foreknowledge  of  his  death. 
 
 CHAP.  XXV. 
 
 Of   the  vision   that   appeared   to   a   certain    man   of    God    before    the 
 monastery  of  the  city  Coludi  ivas  burned  down.     [a.d.  679.] 
 
 At  tliis  time,  the  monastery  of  virgins,  called  the  city  of 
 Coludi,  above-mentioned,  was  burned  down,  through  care- 
 lessness ;  and  yet  all  that  knew  the  same,  might  observe  that 
 it  happened  thi^ough  the  malice  of  those  who  dwelt  in  it,  and 
 chiefly  of  those  who  seemed  to  be  the  greatest.  But  there 
 wanted  not  a  warning  of  the  approaching  punisliment  from 
 the  Divine  goodness,  by  which  they  might  have  stood 
 corrected,  and  by  fasting,  prayers,  and  tears,  like  the 
 Ninevites,  have  averted  the  anger  of  the  just  Judge. 
 
 There  was  in  that  monastery  a  man  of  the  Scottish  race, 
 called  Adamnan,*  leading  a  life  entirely  devoted  to  God  in 
 continence  and  prayer,  insomuch  that  he  never  took  any  food 
 or  drink,  except  only  on  Sundays  and  Thursdays  ;  but  often 
 spent  whole  nights  in  prayer.  This  austerity  of  life  he  had 
 first  adopted  from  necessity  to  correct  his  evil  propensities  ; 
 but  in  process  of  time  the  necessity  became  a  custom. 
 
 For  in  his  youth  he  had  been  guilty  of  some  wicked 
 action,  for  which,  when  he  came  to  himself,  he  conceived 
 extraordinary  horror,  and  di-eaded  lest  he  should  be  punished 
 for  the  same  by  the  upright  Judge.  Repairing,  therefore,  to 
 a  priest,  who  he  hoped  might  show  him  the  way  of  salvation, 
 he  confessed  his  guilt,  and  desired  to  be  advised  how  he 
 might  avoid  the  future  wrath  of  God.  The  priest  having 
 heard   his   offence,    said,    "  A    great    sore    requires    much 
 
 *  Not  the  abhat  of  lona  mentioned  in  book  v.  c.  15.  It  is  said  that  the 
 monk  of  Coldingham  survived  the  burning  of  the  monastery  three  years. 
 
A.D.  679.  MONASTERY   OF    COLDDsGHAM    BURNT.  221 
 
 attention  in  the  cure  ;  and,  therefore,  give  yourself  up  as  far 
 as  you  are  able  to  fasting,  reading  of  psalms,  and  prayer,  to 
 the  end,  that  thus  preventing  the  wrath  of  our  Lord,  in 
 confession,  you  may  find  him  merciful."  Being  highly 
 affected  with  the  grief  of  a  guilty  conscience,  and  desiring, 
 as  soon  as  possible,  to  be  loosed  from  the  inward  fetters  of 
 sin,  which  lay  heavy  upon  him,  he  answered,  "  I  am  young 
 in  years,  and  strong  of  body,  and  shall,  therefore,  easily  bear 
 whatever  you  shall  enjoin  me  to  do,  so  that  I  may  be  saved 
 in  the  day  of  our  Lord  ;  though  you  should  command  me  to 
 spend  the  whole  night  in  prayer  standing,  and  to  pass  the 
 whole  week  in  abstinence."  The  priest  replied,  "  It  is  too 
 much  for  you  to  hold  out  the  whole  week  without  bodily 
 sustenance  ;  but  it  is  sufficient  to  fast  two  or  three  days  ;  do 
 this  till  I  come  again  to  you  in  a  short  time,  when  I  will 
 more  fully  show  you  what  you  are  to  do,  and  how  long  to 
 continue  your  penance."  Having  so  said,  and  prescribed  the 
 measure  of  his  penance,  the  priest  went  away,  and  upon 
 some  sudden  occasion  passed  over  into  L-eland,  whence  he 
 derived  his  origin,  and  returned  no  more  to  him,  as  he  had 
 jippointed.  Remembering  this  injunction  and  his  own 
 promise,  he  totally  addicted  himself  to  tears,  penance,  holy 
 watching,  and  continence  ;  so  that  he  only  fed  on  Thursdays 
 and  Sundays,  as  has  been  said ;  and  ate  nothing  all  the  other 
 days  of  the  week.  When  he  heard  that  his  priest  was  gone 
 to  Ireland,  and  had  died  there,  he  ever  after  observed  that 
 same  abstinence,  according  to  his  direction  ;  and  as  he  had 
 begun  that  course  through  the  fear  of  God,  in  penitence  for 
 his  guilt,  so  he  still  continued  the  same  unremittingly  for  the 
 Divine  love,  and  in  hope  of  his  reward. 
 
 Having  practised  this  carefully  for  a  long  time,  it  happened 
 that  he  had  gone  on  a  certain  day  to  a  distance  from  the 
 monastery,  accompanied  by  one  of  the  brothers  ;  and  as  they 
 were  returning  from  this  journey,  when  they  drew  near  to 
 the  monastery,  and  beheld  its  lofty  buildings,  the  man  of  God 
 burst  out  into  tears,  and  his  countenance  discovered  the 
 trouble  of  his  heart.  His  companion,  perceiving  it,  asked 
 what  was  the  reason,  to  which  he  answered  :  "  The  time  is 
 at  hand,  when  a  devouring  fire  shall  consume  all  the 
 structures  which  you  here  behold,  both  public  and  private." 
 The  other,  hearing  these  words,  as  soon  as  they  came  into 
 
222  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.         [b.  iv.  c.  25. 
 
 the  monastery,  told  them  to  Ebba,  the  mother  of  the 
 congregation.  She,  with  good  cause,  being  much  concerned 
 at  that  prediction,  called  the  man  to  her,  and  narrowly 
 inquired  of  him  how  he  came  to  know  it.  He  ansv/ered, 
 "Being  busy  one  night  lately  in  watching  and  singing 
 psalms,  I  on  a  sudden  saw  a  person  unknoAvn  standing  by 
 me,  and  being  startled  at  his  presence,  he  bade  me  not  to  fear, 
 and  speaking  to  me  in  a  familiar  manner,  '  You  do  Avell,'  said 
 he,  '  in  that  you  spend  this  night-time  of  rest,  not  in  giving 
 yourself  up  to  sleep,  but  in  watching  and  prayer.'  I 
 answered,  'I  know  I  have  great  need  of  wholesome  watching, 
 and  earnest  praying  to  our  Lord  to  pardon  my  transgressions.' 
 He  replied, '  You  are  in  the  right,  for  you  and  many  more  do 
 need  to  redeem  their  sins  by  good  works,  and  when  they 
 cease  from  labouring  about  temporal  affairs,  then  to  labour 
 the  more  eagerly  for  the  desire  of  heavenly  goods  ;  but  this 
 very  few  do  ;  for  I,  having  now  visited  all  this  monastery 
 regularly,  have  looked  into  every  one's  chambers  and  beds, 
 and  found  none  of  them  except  yourself  busy  about  the  care 
 of  his  soul ;  but  all  of  them,  both  men  and  women,  either 
 indulge  themselves  in  slothful  sleep,  or  are  awake  in  order  to 
 commit  sin  ;  for  even  the  cells  that  were  built  for  praying  or 
 reading,  are  now  converted  into  places  of  feasting,  drinking, 
 talking,  and  other  delights  ;  the  very  virgins  dedicated  to 
 God,  laying  aside  the  respect  due  to  their  profession, 
 whensoever  they  are  at  leisure,  apply  themselves  to  weaving 
 fine  garments,  either  to  use  in  adorning  themselves  like 
 brides,  to  the  danger  of  their  condition,  or  to  gain  the 
 friendship  of  strange  men ;  for  which  reason,  a  heavy 
 judgment  from  heaven  is  deservedly  ready  to  fall  on  this 
 place  and  its  inhabitants  by  devouring  fire.' "  The  abbess 
 said,  "  Why  did  you  not  sooner  acquaint  me  with  what  you 
 knew  ?  "  He  answered,  "  I  was  afraid  to  do  it,  out  of  respect 
 to  you,  lest  you  should  be  too  much  afflicted  ;  yet  you  may 
 have  this  comfort,  that  the  calamity  will  not  happen  in  your 
 days."  This  vision  being  divulged  abroad,  the  inhabitants  of 
 that  place  were  for  a  few  days  in  some  little  fear,  and  leaving 
 off  their  sins,  began  to  punish  themselves  ;  but  after  the 
 abbess's  death  they  returned  to  their  former  "^^^ckedness,  nay, 
 they  became  more  wicked  ;  and  when  they  thought  them- 
 selves in  peace  and  security,  they  soon  felt  the  effects  of  the 
 aforesaid  j  udgment. 
 
4.D.  684.J  DEATH   OF    EGFRID.  223 
 
 That  all  this  fell  out  thus,  was  told  me  by  my  most 
 reverend  fellow-priest,  Edgils,  who  then  lived  in  that 
 monastery.*  Afterwards,  when  many  of  the  inhabitants  had 
 departed  thence,  on  account  of  the  destruction,  he  lived  a 
 long  time  in  our  monastery,  and  died  there.  We  have 
 thought  fit  to  insert  this  in  our  History,  to  admonish  the 
 reader  of  the  works  of  our  Lord,  how  terrible  he  is  in  his 
 counsels  on  the  sons  of  men,  lest  we  should  at  some  time  or 
 other  indulge  in  the  pleasures  of  flesh,  and  dreading  the 
 judgment  of  God  too  little,  fall  under  his  sudden  wrath,  and 
 either  be  severely  afflicted  with  temporal  losses,  or  else  being 
 more  severely  tried,  be  snatched  away  to  eternal  perdition. 
 
 CHAP.  XXYI. 
 
 Of  the  death  of  the  Kings  Egfrid  and  Lothere.     [a.d.  684.] 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  684,  Egfrid,  king  of 
 the  Northumbrians,  sending  Beort,  his  general,  Avith  an  army, 
 into  Ireland,  miserably  wasted  that  harmless  nation,  which 
 had  always  been  most  friendly  to  the  English  ;  insomuch  that 
 in  their  hostile  rage  they  spared  not  even  the  churches  or 
 monasteries.  Those  islanders,  to  the  utmost  of  their  power, 
 repelled  force  vnth.  force,  and  imploring  the  assistance  of  the 
 Divine  mercy,  prayed  long  and  fervently  for  vengeance  ;  and 
 though  such  as  curse  cannot  possess  the  kingdom  of  God,  it 
 is  believed,  that  those  who  were  justly  cursed  on  account  of 
 their  impiety,  did  soon  suffer  the  penalty  of  their  guilt  from 
 the  avenging  hand  of  God  ;  for  the  very  next  year,  that  same 
 king,  rashly  leading  his  army  to  ravage  the  province  of  the 
 Picts,t  much  against  the  advice  of  his  friends,  and 
 particularly  of  Cuthbert,  of  blessed  memory,  who  had  been 
 lately  ordained  bishop,  the  enemy  made  show  as  if  they  fled, 
 and  the  king  was  drawn  into  the  straits  of  inaccessible 
 mountains,}:  and  slain,  with  the  greatest  part  of  his  forces, 
 on  the  20th  of  May,  in  the  fortieth  year  of  his  age,  and  the 
 fifteenth  of  his  reign.  His  friends,  as  has  been  said,  advised 
 him  not  to  engage  in  this  war ;  but  he  having  the  year  before 
 refused  to  listen  to  the  most  reverend  father,  Egbert,  advising 
 
 ♦  After  the   destruction   of    Coldingham   monastery   Edgils   went   to 
 Wearmouth, 
 
 t  The  Britons  of  Strath  CJyde.     %  ^^  Drumnechtan,  county  of  P'orfar. 
 
22,4  BEDE'S    ecclesiastical    history.  Lb.  IV.  r.  2& 
 
 him  not  to  attack  the  Scots,  who  did  him  no  harm,  it  was 
 laid  upon  him  as  a  punisliment  for  his  sin,  that  he  should  not 
 now  regard  those  who  would  have  prevented  his  death. 
 
 From  that  time  the  hopes  and  strength  of  the  English 
 crown  "  began  to  waver  and  retrograde  ;"  for  the  Picts  re- 
 covered their  own  lands,  wliich  had  been  held  bj  the  EngHsh 
 and  the .  Scots  that  were  in  Britain,  and  some  of  the  Britons 
 their  liberty,  which  they  have  now  enjoyed  for  about  forty- 
 six  years.  Among  the  many  English  that  then  either  fell 
 by  the  sword,  or  were  made  slaves,  or  escaped  by  flight  out 
 of  the  country  of  the  Picts,  the  most  reverend  man  of  God, 
 Ti-umwine,  who  had  been  made  bishop  over  them,  "^^thch'ew 
 with  his  people  that  were  in  the  monastery  of  Abercurnig,* 
 seated  in  the  country  of  the  English,  but  close  by  the  arm 
 of  the  sea  which  j^arts  the  lands  of  the  English  and  the 
 Scots.f  Having  recommended  his  followers^  wheresoever  he 
 could,  to  his  friends  in  the  monasteries,  he  chose  his  own 
 place  of  residence  in  the  monastery,  which  we  have  so  often 
 mentioned,  of  men  and  women  servants  of  God,  at  Streanes- 
 halch  ;J  and  there  he,  for  several  years,  led  a  life  in  all 
 monastical  austerity,  not  only  to  his  own,  but  to  the  benefit 
 of  many,  A\nth  a  few  of  his  o^\ti  people  ;  and  djdng  there,  he 
 was  buried  in  the  church  of  St..  Peter  the  Apostle,  with  the 
 honour  due  to  his  life  and  rank.  The  royal  -vdrgin,  Elfled, 
 with  her  mother,  Eanfled,  whom  we  have  mentioned  before, 
 then  presided  over  that  monastery  ;  but  when  the  bishop 
 came  thither,  this  devout  woman  found  in  him  extraordinary 
 assistance  in  governing,  and  comfort  to  herself.  Alfrid  suc- 
 ceeded Egfrid  in  the  throne,  being  a  man  most  learned  in 
 Scripture,  said  to  be  brother  to  the  other,  and  son  to 
 King  Oswy  :  he  nobly  retrieved  the  ruined  state  of  the  king- 
 dom, though  within  narrower  bounds. 
 
 The  same  year,  being  the  685th  from  the  incarnation  of 
 our  Lord,  Lothere,  king  of  Kent,  died  on  the  sixth  of  Feb- 
 ruary, when  he  had  reigned  twelve  years  after  his  brother 
 Egbert,  who  had  reigned  nine  years  :  he  was  wounded  in 
 
 *  Abercomig,  i.e.  Aber-Caran-ey,  the  "island  on  the  Caron;"  Abercom. 
 See  pp.  20,  193. 
 
 f  This  passage  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  the  boundary  of  the  Pictish  terri- 
 tory.   For  the  appomtment  of  Trumwine,  see  book  iv.  c.  12,  p.  193. 
 
 X  Whitby. 
 
A.D.  685.]  LIFE  OF  ST.  CUTHBERT.  225 
 
 battle  with  the  South  Saxons,  whom  Edric,  the  son  of  Eg- 
 bert, had  raised  against  him,  and  died  whilst  his  wound  was 
 being  di'essed.  After  him,  the  same  Edric  reigned  a  year  and 
 a  half.  On  his  death,  kings  of  doubtful  title,  or  foreigners, 
 for  some  time  wasted  the  kingdom,  till  the  lawful  king, 
 Wictred,  the  son  of  Egbert,  being  settled  in  the  throne, 
 by  his  piety  and  zeal  delivered  his  nation  from  foreign  inva- 
 sion. 
 
 CHAP.  xxvn. 
 
 Cuthherty  a  man  of  God,  is  made  bishop ;  and  how  he  lived  and  taught 
 whilst  still  in  a  monastic  life.     [a.  d.  685.] 
 
 The  same  year  that  King  Egfrid  departed  this  life,  he  (as 
 has  been  said)  promoted  to  the  bishopric  of  the  church  of 
 Lindisfarne,  the  holy  and  venerable  Cuthbert,*  who  had  for 
 many  years  led  a  solitary  life,  in  great  continence  of  body 
 and  mind,  in  a  very  small  island,  called  Farne,"j"  distant 
 almost  nine  miles  from  that  same  church,  in  the  ocean. 
 From  his  very  childhood  he  had  always  been  inflamed  with 
 the  desire  of  a  religious  life  ;  but  he  took  upon  him  the 
 habit  and  name  of  a  monk  when  he  was  a  young  man  :  he 
 first  entered  into  the  monastery  of  Melrose,  which  is  on  the 
 bank  of  the  river  Tweed,  and  was  then  governed  by  the 
 Abbat  Eata,  a  meek  and  simple  man,  who  was  afterwards 
 made  bishop  of  the  church  of  Hagulstad  or  Lindisfarne,  J  as 
 has  been  said  above,  over  which  monastery  at  that  time  was 
 placed  Boisil,  a  priest  of  great  virtue  and  of  a  prophetic  spirit. 
 Cuthbert,  humbly  submitting  himself  to  this  man's  direction, 
 from  him  received  both  the  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
 tures, and  example  of  good  works. 
 
 After  he  had  departed  to  our  Lord,  Cuthbert  was  placed 
 over  that  monastery,  where  he  instructed  many  in  regular 
 life,  both  by  the  authority  of  a  master,  and  the  example  of 
 his  own  behaviour.  Nor  did  he  afford  admonitions  and  an 
 example  of  a  regular  life  to  his  monastery  alone,  but  endea- 
 voured to  convert  the  people  round  about  far  and  near  from 
 
 •  The  Life  of  St.  Cuthbert,  written  by  Venerable  Bede,  has  been  already 
 published  by  the  Editor  in  "  Bede's  Minor  Historical  Works,"  and  will  be 
 again  given  in  a  volumeof"  Anglo-Saxon  Biographies,  Letters,"  &c.,unilonn 
 witfc  the  present.        f  See  note  at  p.  135.  t  See  pp.  192,  3. 
 
 Q 
 
226  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [n.iv.c.27. 
 
 the  life  of  foolish  custom,  to  the  love  of  heavenly  joys  ;  for 
 many  profaned  the  faith  which  they  had  received  by  their 
 wicked  actions  ;  and  some  also,  in  the  time  of  a  mortality, 
 neglecting  the  sacraments  of  faith  which  they  had  received, 
 had  recourse  to  the  false  remedies  of  idolatry,  as  if  they 
 could  have  put  a  stop  to  the  plague  sent  from  God,  by  en- 
 chantments, spells,  or  other  secrets  of  the  hellish  art.  In 
 order  to  correct  the  error  of  both  sorts,  he  often  went  out  of 
 tlie  monastery,  sometimes  on  horseback,  but  oftener  on  foot, 
 and  repaired  to  the  neighbouring  towns,  where  he  preached 
 the  way  of  truth  to  such  as  were  gone  astray  ;  which  had 
 been  also  done  by  Boisil  in  his  time.  It  was  then  the  cus- 
 tom of  the  English  people,  that  when  a  clerk  or  priest  came 
 into  the  town,  they  all,  at  his  command,  flocked  together  to 
 hear  the  word  ;  willingly  heard  what  was  said,  and  more 
 willingly  practised  those  things  that  they  could  hear  or 
 understand.  But  Cuthbert  was  so  skilful  an  orator,  so  fond 
 was  he  of  enforcing  his  subject,  and  such  a  brightness 
 appeared  in  his  angelic  face,  that  no  man  present  presumed 
 to  conceal  from  him  the  most  hidden  secrets  of  his  heart, 
 l)ut  all  openly  confessed  what  they  had  done  ;  because  they 
 thought  the  same  guilt  could  not  be  concealed  from  him,  and 
 wiped  off  the  guilt  of  what  they  had  so  confessed  wdth  worthy 
 fruits  of  penance,  as  he  commanded.  He  was  wont  chiefly 
 to  resort  to  those  places,  and  preach  in  such  villages,  as  be- 
 ing seated  high  up  amid  craggy  uncouth  mountains,  were 
 frightful  to  others  to  behold,  and  whose  poverty  and  bar- 
 barity rendered  them  inaccessible  to  other  teachers  ;  which 
 nevertheless  he,  having  entirely  devoted  himself  to  that  pious 
 labour,  did  so  industriously  apply  himself  to  polish  with  his 
 doctrine,  that  when  he  departed  out  of  his  monastery,  he 
 would  often  stay  a  week,  sometimes  two  or  thi'ee,  and  some- 
 times a  whole  month,  before  he  returned  home,  continuing 
 among  the  mountains  to  allure  that  rustic  people  by  his 
 preaching  and  examj^le  to  heavenly  employments. 
 
 This  venerable  servant  of  our  Lord,  having  thus  spent 
 many  years  in  the  monastery  of  INIekose,  and  there  become 
 conspicuous  by  many  miracles,  his  most  reverend  abbat, 
 Eata,  removed  him  to  the  isle  of  Lindisfarne,  that  he  might 
 there  also,  by  the  authority  of  a  superior  and  his  own 
 example,  instruct  the  brethren  in  the  observance  of  regular 
 
A.D.  6C4.1  MIRACLE  OF  ST.  CUTHBEKT.  227 
 
 discipline  ;  for  the  same  reverend  father  then  governed  that 
 place  also  as  abbat ;  for,  from  ancient  times,  the  bishop  was 
 wont  to  reside  there  with  his  clergy,  and  the  abbat  with  his 
 monks,  who  were  likewise  under  the  care  of  the  bishop  ; 
 because  Aidan,  who  was  the  first  bishop  of  the  place,  being 
 himself  a  monk,  brought  monks  thither,  and  settled  the  mon- 
 astic institution  there  ;  as  the  blessed  Father  Augustine  is 
 known  to  have  done  before  in  Kent,  the  most  reverend  Pope 
 Gregory  writing  to  him,  as  has  been  said  above,  to  this 
 effect : — "  But  since,  my  brother,  having  been  instructed  in 
 monastic  rules,  you  must  not  live  apart  from  your  clergy 
 in  the  church  of  the  English,  which  has  been  lately,  through 
 the  help  of  God,  converted  to  the  faith  ;  you  must,  there- 
 fore, establish  that  course  of  life,  which  was  amonf^  our 
 ancestors  in  the  primitive  church,  among  whom,  none  called 
 an/thing  that  he  possessed  his  own  ;  but  all  tilings  were  in 
 common  to  them." 
 
 CHAP.  XXVIII. 
 
 The  same  St.  Cuthbert,  being  an  Anchorite,  by  his  prayers  obtained  a 
 spring  in  a  dry  soil,  and  had  a  crop  from  seed  sown  by  himself  out  of 
 season,     [a.d.  664.] 
 
 Afteti  this,  Cuthbert,  advancing  in  his  meritorious  and  de- 
 vout intentions,  proceeded  even  to  the  adoption  of  a  hermit's 
 life  of  solitude,  as  we  have  mentioned.  But  forasmuch  as 
 we  several  years  ago  wrote  enough  of  his  life  and  virtues, 
 both  in  heroic  verse  and  prose,  it  may  suffice  at  present  only 
 to  mention  this,  that  when  he  was  about  to  repair  to  the 
 island,  he  made  this  protestation  to  the  brothers,  saying,  "  If 
 it  shall  please  the  Divine  goodness  to  grant  me,  that  I  may 
 live  in  that  place  by  the  labour  of  my  hands,  I  will  willingly 
 reside  there  ;  but  if  not,  I  will,  by  God's  permission,  very 
 soon  return  to  you."  The  place  was  quite  destitute  of  water, 
 corn,  and  trees  ;  and  being  infested  by  evil  spirits,  very  ill 
 suited  for  human  habitation  ;  but  it  became  in  all  respects 
 habitable,  at  the  desire  of  the  man  of  God  ;  for  upon  liis 
 arrival  the  wicked  spirits  withdrew.  When  he  had  there, 
 after  expelling  the  enemies,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
 brethren,  built  himself  a  small  dwelling,  with  a  trench  about 
 it,  and  the  necessary  cells    and  an  oratory,  he  ordered  the 
 
 Q2 
 
228  BEDE'S   ecclesiastical   history.  [b.  IV.  c.  28. 
 
 brothers  to  dig  a  pit  in  the  floor  of  the  dwelling,  although 
 the  ground  was  hard  and  stony,  and  no  hopes  appeared  of 
 any  spring.  Having  done  this  upon  the  faith  and  at  the 
 request  of  the  servant  of  God,  the  next  day  it  appeared  full 
 of  water,  and  to  this  day  affords  plenty  of  its  heavenly 
 bounty  to  all  that  resort  thither.  He  also  desired  that  all 
 instruments  for  husbandry  might  be  brought  liim,  and  some 
 wheat ;  and  having  sown  the  same  at  the  proper  season, 
 neither  stalk,  nor  so  much  as  a  leaf,  sprouted  from  it  by  the 
 next  summer.  Hereupon  the  brethi-en  visiting  him  accord- 
 ing to  custom,  he  ordered  barley  to  be  brought  liim,  in  case 
 it  were  either  the  nature  of  the  soil,  or  the  Divine  will,  that 
 such  grain  should  rather  grow  there.  He  sowed  it  in  the 
 same  field  just  as  it  was  brought  him,  after  the  proper  time 
 of  sowing,  and  consequently  without  any  Hkelihood  of  its 
 coming  to  good  ;  but  a  plentiful  crop  immediately  came  up, 
 and  afforded  the  man  of  God  the  means  which  he  had  so 
 ardently  desired  of  supporting  himself  by  liis  own  labour. 
 
 When  he  had  here  served  God  in  solitude  many  years, 
 the  mound  which  encompassed  his  habitation  being  so  high, 
 that  he  could  from  thence  see  notliing  but  heaven,  to  which 
 he  so  ardently  aspired,  it  happened  that  a  great  synod  was 
 assembled  in  the  presence  of  King  Egfrid,  near  the  river 
 Alne,  at  a  place  called  Twyford,*  which  signifies  "  the  two 
 fords,"  in  which  Archbishop  Theodore,  of  blessed  memory, 
 presided,  Cuthbert  was,  by  the  unanimous  consent  of  all, 
 chosen  bishop  of  the  church  of  Lindisfarne.  They  could  not, 
 however,  persuade  liim  to  leave  his  monastery,  though  many 
 messengers  and  letters  were  sent  to  him  ;  at  last  the  afore- 
 said king  himself,  with  the  most  holy  Bishop  Trumwine,  and 
 other  religious  and  great  men,  passed  over  into  the  island  ; 
 many  also  of  the  brothers  of  the  same  isle  of  Lindisfarne 
 assembled  together  for  the  same  purpose  :  they  all  knelt, 
 conjured  him  by  our  Lord,  and  with  tears  and  entreaties,  till 
 they  drew  liim,  also  in  tears,  from  his  retreat,  and  forced 
 him  to  the  synod.  Being  arrived  there,  after  much  oppo- 
 sition, he  was  overcome  by  the  unanimous  resolution  of  all 
 present,  and  submitted  to  take  upon  himself  the  episcopal 
 dignity  ;  being  chiefly  prevailed  upon  by  the  mention  that 
 Boisil,  the  servant  of  God,  when  he  had  prophetically  fore 
 *  In  Northumberland. 
 
A.n.  664.  LIFE    OF    ST.    CUTHBEKT.  229 
 
 told  all  tilings  that  were  to  befall  him,  had  also  predicted 
 that  he  sliould  be  a  bishoj).  However,  the  consecration  was 
 not  ai^pointed  immediately  ;  but  after  the  winter,  which  was 
 then  at  hand,  it  was  performed  at  Easter,  in  the  city  of 
 York,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  aforesaid  King  Egfrid  ; 
 seven  bishops  meeting  on  the  occasion,  among  whom,  Theo- 
 dore, of  blessed  memory,  was  primate.  He  was  first  elected 
 bishop  of  the  church  of  Hagulstad,  in  the  place  of  Tumbert, 
 who  had  been  deposed  from  the  episcopal  dignity  ;  but  in 
 regard  that  he  chose  rather  to  be  placed  over  the  church  of 
 Lindisfarne,  in  wliich  he  had  lived,  it  was  thought  fit  that 
 Eata  should  return  to  the  see  of  the  church  of  Hagulstad, 
 to  which  he  had  been  first  ordained,  and  that  Cuthbert 
 should  take  upon  him  the  government  of  the  church  of 
 Lindisforne.* 
 
 Following  the  example  of  the  apostles,  he  became  an  orna- 
 ment to  the  episcopal  dignity,  by  his  virtuous  actions  ;  for 
 he  both  protected  the  people  committed  to  his  charge,  by 
 constant  prayer,  and  excited  them,  by  most  wholesome 
 admonitions,  to  heavenly  practices ;  and,  which  is  the 
 greatest  help  in  teachers,  he  first  showed  in  liis  behaviour 
 what  he  taught  was  to  be  performed  by  others  ;  for  he  was 
 much  inflamed  with  the  fire  of  Divine  charity,  modest  in  the 
 virtue  of  patience,  most  dihgently  intent  on  devout  prayers, 
 and  affable  to  all  that  came  to  him  for  comfort.  He  thought 
 it  equivalent  to  praying,  to  afford  the  infirm  brethren  the 
 help  of  his  exhortations,  well  knowing  that  he  who  said 
 "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God,"  said  likewise,  "  Thou 
 shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself."  He  was  also  remark- 
 able for  penitential  abstinence,  and  always  intent  upon  hea- 
 venly things,  thi'ough  the  grace  of  humility  :  lastly,  when  he 
 offered  up  to  God  the  sacrifice  of  the  saving  victim,  he  com- 
 
 *  Eata  was  appointed  to  the  see  of  Lindisfarne,  united  Tvith  that  of 
 Hexham,  Other  authors  affirm  (Wharton's  Anglia  Sacra,  and  Hutchin- 
 son's Durham,  i.  13)  that  Lindisfarne  for  fourteen  years  wanted  its  proper 
 bishop  ;  as  Chad  on  his  consecration  made  York  the  bishop's  residence, 
 and  assumed  the  dignity  of  metropolitan.  In  the  year  684,  however,  the 
 two  sees  were  again  divided,  and  Tumbert  was  appointed  to  Hexham,  from 
 which  he  was  afterwards  dismissed,  and  Cuthbert  appointed  his  successor. 
 (See  p.  193.)  Godwin  states,  that  Eata,  understanding  that  the  see  of 
 Lindisfarne  would  be  more  acceptable  to  Cuthbert  than  that  of  Hexham, 
 voluntarily  resigned  it  in  his  favour. — Dugdale's  Monast.  Anglic,  i.  220. 
 
230  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  IV,  c.  29. 
 
 mended  his  prayer  to  God,  not  with  a  loud  voice,  but  with 
 tears  drawn  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart. 
 
 Having  spent  two  years  in  his  bishopric,  he  returned  to 
 his  island  and  monastery,  being  advertised  by  a  Divine 
 oracle,  that  the  day  of  his  death,  or  rather  of  his  life,  was 
 drawing  near  ;  as  he,  at  that  time,  with  his  usual  simplicity, 
 signified  to  some  persons,  though  in  terms  which  were 
 somewhat  obscure,  but  wliich  were  nevertheless  afterwards 
 plainly  understood ;  while  to  others  he  declared  the  same 
 openly. 
 
 CHAP.  XXIX. 
 
 Si.  Cuthhert  foretold  to  the  anchorite,  Herehert,  that  his  death  was  at 
 hand.     [a.d.  687.] 
 
 There  was  a  certain  priest,  venerable  for  the  probity  of  his 
 life  and  manners,  called  Herebert,  who' had  long  been  united 
 mth  the  man  of  God,  Cuthbert,  in  the  bonds  of  spiritual 
 friendship.  This  man  leading  a  solitary  life  in  the  island  of 
 that  great  lake  from  which  the  river  Derwent  flows,  was 
 wont  to  visit  him  every  year,  and  to  receive  from  him  spiritual 
 advice.  Hearing  that  Bishop  Cuthbert  was  come  to  the  city 
 of  Lugubalia,*  he  repaired  thither  to  him,  according  to  cus- 
 tom, being  desirous  to  be  still  more  and  more  inflamed  in 
 heavenly  desires  through  his  wholesome  admonitions.  Whilst 
 they  alternately  entertained  one  another  with  the  delights  of 
 the  celestial  life,  the  bishop,  among  other  things,  said, 
 "  Brother  Herebert,  remember  at  this  time  to  ask  me  all  the 
 questions  you  wish  to  have  resolved,  and  say  all  you  design ; 
 for  we  shall  see  one  another  no  more  in  this  world.  For 
 I  am  sure  that  the  time  of  my  dissolution  is  at  hand,  and  I 
 shall  speedily  put  off  this  tabernacle  of  the  flesh."  Hearing 
 these  words,  he  fell  down  at  his  feet,  and  shedding  tears, 
 vnih  a  sigh,  said,  "  I  beseech  you,  by  our  Lord,  not  to  forsake 
 me  ;  but  that  you  remember  your  most  faithful  companion, 
 and  entreat  the  Supreme  Goodness  that,  as  we  served  him 
 together  upon  eartli,  we  may  depart  together  to  see  his  bliss 
 in  heaven.     For  you  know  that  I  have  always  endeavoured 
 
 •  Otherwise  called  Luel.  See  Sim.  Dun.  i.  9.  Carlisle,  Old  Penryth  in 
 Cumberland. 
 
A.D.  687.]  CUTHBERT  FORETELLS  mS  DEATH.  231 
 
 to  live  according  to  j^our  directions,  and  whatsoever  faults  I 
 have  committed,  either  through  ignorance  or  frailty,  I  have 
 instantly  submitted  to  correction  according  to  your  Avill." 
 The  bishop  applied  himself  to  prayer,  and  having  presently 
 had  intimation  in  the  spirit  that  he  had  obtained  what  he 
 asked  of  the  Lord,  he  said,  "  Rise,  brother,  and  do  not  weep, 
 but  rejoice,  because  the  Heavenly  Goodness  has  granted  what 
 we  desired." 
 
 The  event  proved  the  truth  of  this  promise  and  prophecy, 
 for  after  their  parting  at  that  time,  they  no  more  saw  one 
 another  in  the  flesh ;  but  their  souls  quitting  their  bodies  on 
 the  very  same  day,  that  is,  on  the  20th  of  March,  they  were 
 immediately  again  united  in  spirit,  and  translated  to  the 
 heavenly  kingdom  by  the  ministry  of  angels.  But  Herebert 
 was  first  prepared  by  a  tedious  sickness,  through  the  dispen- 
 sation of  the  Divine  Goodness,  as  may  be  believed,  to  the 
 end  that  if  he  was  any  tiling  inferior  in  merit  to  the  blessed 
 Cuthbert,  the  same  might  be  made  up  by  the  chastising 
 pain  of  a  long  sickness,  that  being  thus  made  equal  in  grace 
 to  liis  intercessor,  as  he  departed  out  of  the  body  at  the  very 
 same  time  with  him,  so  he  might  be  received  into  the  same 
 seat  of  eternal  bliss. 
 
 The  most  reverend  father  died  in  the  isle  of  Fame, 
 earnestly  entreating  the  brothers  that  he  might  also  be  buried 
 in  that  same  place,  where  he  had  served  God  a  considerable 
 time.  However,  at  length  yielding  to  their  entreaties,  he 
 consented  to  be  carried  back  to  the  isle  of  Lindisfarne,  and 
 there  buried  in  the  church.  This  being  done  accordingly, 
 the  venerable  Bishop  Wilfrid  held  the  episcopal  see  of  that 
 church  one  year,  till  such  time  as  one  was  chosen  to  be 
 ordained  in  the  room  of  Cuthbert.  Afterwards  Edbert  was 
 consecrated,  a  man  renowned  for  his  knowledge  in  the 
 Divine  writings,  as  also  for  keeping  the  Divine  precepts,  and 
 chiefly  for  almsgiving,  so  that,  according  to  the  law,  he  every 
 year  gave  the  tenth  part,  not  only  of  four-footed  beasts,  but 
 also  of  all  corn  and  fruit,  as  also  of  garments,  to  the  poor. 
 
232  BEDe's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  IV.  a.  30. 
 
 CHAP.  XXX. 
 
 SL  Cuthbert's  body  was  found  altogether  nncorrupted  after  it  had  been 
 buried  eleven  years  ;  his  successor  in  the  bishopric  departed  this  world 
 not  long  after,     [a.b.  698J. 
 
 In  order  to  show  with  how  much  glory  the  man  of  God, 
 Cuthbert,  lived  after  death,  his  holy  life  having  been  before 
 his  death  signalized  by  frequent  miracles  ;  when  he  had  been 
 buried  eleven  years,  Divine  Providence  put  it  into  the  minds 
 of  the  brethren  to  take  up  liis  bones,  expecting,  as  is  usual 
 with  dead  bodies,  to  find  all  the  flesh  consumed  and  reduced 
 to  ashes,  and  the  rest  di'ied  up,  and  intending  to  put  the 
 same  into  a  new  coffin,  and  to  lay  them  in  the  same  place, 
 but  above  the  pavement,  for  the  honour  due  to  him.  They 
 acquainted  Bishop  Edbert  Avith  their  design,  and  he  consented 
 to  it,  and  ordered  tliat  the  same  should  be  done  on  the  anni- 
 versary of  his  burial.  They  did  so,  and  opening  the  grave, 
 found  all  the  body  whole,  as  if  it  had  been  alive,  and  the 
 joints  pHable,  more  like  one  asleep  than  a  dead  person  ;  be- 
 sides, all  the  vestments  the  body  had  on  were  not  only  found, 
 but  wonderful  for  their  freshness  and  gloss.  The  brothers 
 seeing  this,  Avith  much  amazement  hastened  to  tell  the  bishop 
 what  they  had  found ;  he  being  then  alone  in  a  place  remote 
 from  the  church,  and  encompassed  by  the  sea.  There  he 
 always  used  to  spend  the  time  of  Lent,  and  was  wont  to 
 continue  there  with  great  devotion,  forty  days  before  the 
 birth  of  our  Lord,  in  abstinence,  prayer,  and  tears.  There 
 also  his  venerable  predecessor,  Cuthbert,  had  some  time 
 sorved  God  in  private,  before  he  went  to  the  isle  of  Fame  a 
 They  brought  him  also  some  part  of  the  garments  that  had 
 covered  his  holy  body;  which  presents  he  thankfully  ac- 
 cepted, and  attentively  listening  to  the  miracles,  he  with 
 wonderful  affection  kissed  those  garments,  as  if  they  had 
 been  still  upon  his  fiither's  body,  and  said,  "  Let  the  body  be 
 put  into  new  garments  in  lieu  of  these  you  have  brought, 
 and  so  lay  it  into  the  coffin  you  have  provided  ;  for  I  am 
 certain  that  the  place  will  not  long  remain  empty,  having 
 been  sanctified  with  so  many  miracles  of  heavenly  grace ;  and 
 how  happy  is  he  to  whom  our  Lord,  the  author  and  giver  of 
 all  bliss,   shall  grant  the  privilege  of  lying  in  the  same." 
 
A.D.  698.]  MIRACLE  AT  CUTHBERT  S  TOMB.  233 
 
 The  bisliop  having  said  this  and  much  more,  with  many  tears 
 and  great  humility,  the  brothers  did  as  he  had  commanded 
 them,  and  when  they  had  dressed  the  body  in  new  garments, 
 and  laid  it  in  a  new  coffin,  they  placed  it  on  the  pavement  of 
 the  sanctuary.  Soon  after,  God's  beloved  bishop,  Edbert, 
 fell  grievously  sick,  and  his  distemper  daily  increasing,  in  a 
 short  time,  that  is,  on  the  6th  of  May,  he  also  departed  to 
 our  Lord,  and  they  laid  his  body  in  the  grave  of  the  holy 
 father  Cuthbert,  placing  over  it  the  coffin,  with  the  uncor- 
 ruj3ted  remains  of  that  father.  The  miracles  sometimes 
 wrought  in  that  place  testify  the  merits  of  them  both ;  some 
 of  which  we  before  preserved  the  memory  of  in  the  book  of 
 his  life,  and  have  thought  fit  to  add  some  more  in  this  His- 
 tory, which  have  lately  come  to  our  knowledge. 
 
 CHAP.  XXXI. 
 
 Of  one  that  was  cured  of  a  palsy  at  the  tomb  of  St.  Cuthbert.     [a.d.  698.] 
 
 There  was  in  that  same  monastery  a  brother  whose  name 
 was  Bethwegen,*  who  had  for  a  considerable  time  waited 
 upon  the  guests  of  the  house,  and  is  still  living,  having  the 
 testimony  of  all  the  brothers  and  strangers  resorting  thither, 
 of  being  a  man  of  much  piety  and  religion,  and  serving  the 
 office  put  upon  him  only  for  the  sake  of  the  heavenly  re- 
 ward. This  man,  having  on  a  certain  day  washed  the 
 mantles  or  garments  which  he  used  in  the  hospital,  in  the  sea, 
 was  returning  home,  when  on  a  sudden,  about  half  way,  he 
 was  seized  with  a  sudden  distemper  in  his  body,  insomuch 
 that  he  fell  down,  and  having  lain  some  time,  he  could 
 scarcely  rise  again.  When  at  last  he  got  up,  he  felt  one  half 
 of  his  body,  from  the  head  to  the  foot,  struck  with  palsy, 
 and  with  much  difficulty  got  home  by  the  help  of  a  staff. 
 The  distemper  increased  by  degrees,  and  as  night  approached, 
 became  still  worse,  so  that  when  day  returned,  he  could 
 scarcely  rise  or  go  alone.  In  this  weak  condition,  a  good 
 thought  came  into  his  mind,  which  was  to  go  to  the  church, 
 the  best  way  he  could,  to  the  tomb  of  the  reverend  father 
 Cuthbert,  and  there,  on  his  knees,  to  beg  of  the  Divine  Good- 
 ness either  to  be  delivered  from  that  disease,  if  it  were  for 
 
 *  Badudegn,  Baduthegn,  and  Beadotheng,  are  the  other  forms  of  tliia 
 name  :  all  of  them  are  equally  harsh  to  the  eai-s  of  modem  Englislmien., 
 
234  BEDt's    ECCLESL^STICAL    HISTORY.  [b.  iv.  c.  32. 
 
 his  good,  or  if  the  Divine  Providence  had  ordained  liim 
 longer  to  lie  under  the  same  for  his  punisliment,  that  he  might 
 bear  the  pain  with  patience  and  a  composed  mind. 
 
 He  did  accordingly,  and  supporting  his  weak  limbs  with  a 
 staff,  entered  the  church,  and  prostrating  himself  before  the 
 body  of  the  man  of  God,  he,  Avith  pious  earnestness,  prayed, 
 that,  through  his  intercession,  our  Lord  might  be  propitious 
 to  him.  In  the  midst  of  his  prayers,  he  fell  as  it  were  into 
 a  stupor,  and,  as  he  was  afterwards  wont  to  relate,  felt  a 
 large  and  broad  hand  touch  his  head,  where  the  pain  lay, 
 and  by  that  touch,  all  the  part  of  his  body  which  had  been 
 affected  with  the  distemper,  was  delivered  from  the  weak- 
 ness, and  restored  to  health  down  to  his  feet.  He  then 
 awoke,  and  rose  up  in  perfect  health,  and  returning  thanks 
 to  God  for  his  recovery,  told  the  brothers  what  had  hap- 
 pened to  him ;  and  to  the  joy  of  them  all,  returned  the  more 
 zealously,  as  if  chastened  by  his  affliction,  to  the  service 
 which  he  was  wont  before  so  carefully  to  perform.  The 
 very  garments  which  had  been  on  Cuthbert's  body,  dedi- 
 cated to  God,  either  whilst  living,  or  after  he  was  dead, 
 were  not  exempt  from  the  virtue  of  performing  cures,  as 
 may  be  seen  in  the  book  of  his  life  and  miracles,  by  such 
 as  shall  read  it. 
 
 CHAP.  xxxn. 
 
 Of  one  icho  vms  cured  of  a  distemper  in  his  eye  at  the  relics  of  St.  Cuth- 
 bert.     [a.d.  698.] 
 
 Nor  is  that  cure  to  be  passed  over  in  silence,  which  was  per- 
 formed by  his  relics  three  years  ago,  and  was  told  me  by  the 
 brother  himself,  on  whom  it  was  wrought.  It  happened  in 
 the  monastery,  which,  being  built  near  the  river  Dacore,*  has 
 taken  its  name  from  the  same,  over  which,  at  that  time,  the 
 religious  Suidbert  presided  as  abbat.  In  that  monastery 
 was  a  youth  whose  eyelid  had  a  great  swelling  on  it,  which 
 growing  daily,  threatened  the  loss  of  the  eye.  The  surgeons 
 applied  their  medicines  to  ripen  it,  but  in  vain.  Some  said 
 it  ought  to  be  cut  off;  others  opposed  it,  for  fear  of  worse 
 consequences.  The  brother  having  long  laboured  under  tliis 
 malady,  and  seeing  no  liuman  means  likely  to  save  his  eye, 
 but  that,  on  the  contrary,  it  grew  daily  worse,  was  cured  on 
 *  Dacre,  Cumberland,  five  miles  from  Pem-ith. 
 
A.D.  687.]  VIRTUE    OF    CUTHBERt's   RELICS.  235 
 
 a  sudden,  through  the  Divine  Goodness,  by  the  relics  of  the 
 holy  father,  Cuthbert;  for  the  brethren,  finding  his  body 
 uncorrupted,  after  having  been  many  years  buried,  took 
 some  part  of  the  hair,  which  they  might,  at  tlie  request  of 
 friends,  give  or  show,  in  testimony  of  the  miracle. 
 
 One  of  the  priests  of  the  monastery,  named  Thridred,  who 
 is  now  abbat  there,  had  a  small  part  of  these  relics  by  him 
 at  that  time.  One  day  in  the  church  he  opened  the  box  of 
 relics,  to  give  some  part  to  a  friend  that  begged  it,  and  it 
 happened  that  the  youth  who  had  the  distempered  eye  was 
 then  in  the  church ;  the  priest,  having  given  his  friend  as 
 much  as  he  thought  fit,  delivered  the  rest  to  the  youth  to 
 put  it  into  its  place.  Having  received  the  hairs  of  the  holy 
 head,  by  some  fortunate  impulse,  he  clapped  them  to  the 
 sore  eyehd,  and  endeavoured  for  some  time,  by  the  applica- 
 tion of  them,  to  soften  and  abate  the  swelling.  Having  done 
 this,  he  again  laid  the  relics  into  the  box,  as  he  had  been 
 ordered,  believing  that  his  eye  would  soon  be  cured  by  the 
 hairs  of  the  man  of  God,  which  had  touched  it ;  nor  did  his 
 faith  disappoint  him.  It  was  then,  as  he  is  wont  to  relate  it, 
 about  the  second  hour  of  the  day ;  but  he,  being  busy  about 
 other  things  that  belonged  to  that  day,  about  the  sixth  hour 
 of  the  same,  touching  his  eye  on  a  sudden,  found  it  as  sound 
 with  the  lid,  as  if  there  never  had  been  any  swelling  or  de- 
 formity on  it. 
 
 BOOK  Y. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 How  Ethelwald,  successor  to  Cuthbert,  leading  an  eremetical  life,  calmed 
 a  tempest  when  the  brethren  were  in  danger  at  sea.      [a.d.  687.] 
 
 The  venerable  Ethelwald,  who  had  received  the  priesthood 
 in  the  monastery  of  Inhrypum,*  and  had,  by  actions  worthy 
 of  the  same,  sanctified  his  holy  office,  succeeded  the  man  of 
 God,  Cuthbert,  in  the  exercise  of  a  solitary  life,  having 
 practised  the  same  before  he  was  bishop,  in  the  isle  of 
 ¥arne.  For  the  more  certain  demonstration  of  the  life 
 *  Ripon. 
 
236  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  v.  c  1. 
 
 whicli  he  led,  and  liis  merit,  I  will  relate  one  miracle  of 
 his,  which  was  told  me  by  one  of  these  brothers  for  and 
 on  whom  the  same  was  wrought;  viz.  Guthfrid,  the  vener- 
 able servant  and  priest  of  Christ,  who,  afterwards,  as  abbat, 
 presided  over  the  brethren  of  the  same  church  of  Lindis- 
 farne,  in  which  he  had  been  educated. 
 
 "  I  came,"  says  he,  "  fo  the  island  of  Fame,  with  two 
 others  of  the  brethren,  to  speak  with  the  most  reverend 
 father,  Ethelwald.  Having  been  refreshed  with  his  dis- 
 course, and  taken  his  blessing,  as  we  were  returning  home, 
 on  a  sudden,  when  we  were  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  the  fair 
 weather  which  was  wafting  us  over  was  checked,  and  there 
 ensued  so  great  and  dismal  a  tempest,  that  neither  the  sails 
 nor  oars  were  of  any  use  to  us,  nor  had  we  anything  to  ex- 
 pect but  death.  After  long  strugghng  with  the  \\4nd  and 
 waves  to  no  eifect,  we  looked  behind  us  to  see  whether  it 
 was  practicable  at  least  to  recover  the  island  from  whence 
 we  came,  but  we  found  ourselves  on  all  sides  so  enveloped 
 in  the  storm,  that  there  was  no  hope  of  escaping.  But  look- 
 ing out  as  far  as  we  could  see,  we  observed,  on  the  island  of 
 Fame,  Father  Ethelwald,  beloved  of  God,  come  out  of  his 
 cavern  to  watch  our  course;  for,  hearing  the  noise  of  the 
 storm  and  raging  sea,  he  was  come  out  to  see  what  would 
 become  of  us.  When  he  beheld  us  in  distress  and  despair, 
 he  bowed  his  knees  to  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 in  prayer  for  our  life  and  safety ;  upon  which,  the  swelling 
 sea  was  calmed,  so  that  the  storm  ceased  on  all  sides,  and  a 
 fair  wind  attended  us  to  the  very  shore.  When  we  had 
 landed,  and  had  dragged  upon  the  shore  the  small  vessel  that 
 brought  us,  the  storm,  which  had  ceased  a  short  time  for  our 
 sake,  immediately  returned,  and  raged  continually  during  the 
 whole  day ;  so  that  it  plainly  appeared  that  the  brief  cessation 
 of  the  storm  had  been  granted  from  Heaven  at  the  request  of 
 the  man  of  God,  in  order  that  we  might  escape." 
 
 The  man  of  God  remained  in  the  isle  of  Fame  twelve 
 years,  and  died  there  ;  but  was  buried  in  the  church  of  St. 
 Peter  and  Paul,  in  the  isle  of  Lindisfarne,  beside  the  bodies 
 of  the  aforesaid  l)ishops.  These  things  happened  in  the  days 
 of  King  Alfred,  who  ruled  the  nation  of  the  Northumbrians 
 eighteen  years  after  his  brother  Egfrid. 
 
A.D.  685.]  ST.    JOHN    OF    BEVEKLEr.  237 
 
 CHAP.  IT. 
 
 IIoiu  Bishop  John  cured  a  dumb  man  by  blessing  him.     [a.d.  685.] 
 
 In  the  beginning  of  the  aforesaid  reign,  Bishop  Eata  died, 
 and  was  succeeded  in  the  prelacy  of  the  church  of  Hagulstad 
 by  Jolm,*  a  holy  man,  of  whom  those  that  familiarly  knew 
 him  are  wont  to  tell  many  miracles  ;  and  more  particularly, 
 the  reverend  Berthun,  a  man  of  undoubted  veracity,  and 
 once  his  deacon,  now  abbat  of  the  monastery  called  Indera- 
 wood,f  that  is,  in  the  wood  of  the  Deiri :  some  of  which 
 miracles  we  have  thought  fit  to  transmit  to  posterity.  There 
 is  a  certain  building  in  a  retired  situation,  and  enclosed  by  a 
 narrow  wood  and  a  trench,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the 
 church  of  Hagulstad,  and  separated  from  it  by  the  river 
 Tyne,  having  a  burying-place  dedicated  to  St.  Michael  the 
 Archangel,  where  the  man  of  God  used  frequently,  as  occa- 
 sion oiFered,  and  particularly  in  Lent,  to  reside  with  a  few 
 companions.  Being  come  thither  once  at  the  beginning  of 
 Lent,  to  stay,  he  commanded  his  followers  to  find  out  some 
 poor  person  labouring  under  any  grievous  infirmity,  or  want, 
 whom  he  might  keep  with  him  during  those  days,  by  way  of 
 alms,  for  so  he  was  always  used  to  do. 
 
 There  was  in  a  village  not  far  off",  a  certain  dumb  youth, 
 known  to  the  bishop,  for  he  often  used  to  come  into  his 
 presence  to  receive  alms,  and  had  never  been  able  to  speak 
 one  word.  Besides,  he  had  so  much  scurf  and  scabs  on  his 
 head,  that  no  hair  ever  grew  on  the  top  of  it,  but  only  some 
 scattered  hairs  in  a  circle  round  about.  The  bishop  caused 
 this  young  man  to  be  brought,  and  a  little  cottage  to  be  made 
 for  him  within  the  enclosure  of  the  dwelling,  in  which  he 
 might  reside,   and   receive    a   daily   allowance    from   him. 
 
 *  Aftem'ards  called  St.  John  of  Beverley. 
 
 t  The  modem  Beverley.  This  toAvn  is  twenty-nine  miles  from  York, 
 the  site  of  the  ancient  Petuaria,  and  was  inhabited  by  the  Britons  before 
 the  invasion  of  C£esar.  The  place,  from  the  woods  with  which  it  was  for- 
 merly covered,  was  called  Deirwalde,  implying  the  forest  of  the  Deiri. 
 This  monastery  was  erected  for  the  use  of  both  sexes,  and  placed  under  the 
 government  of  Berthun.  In  867  it  was  destroyed  by  the  Danes  ;  but  in 
 the  early  part  of  the  tenth  century  it  was  restored  by  Athelstan,  who  made 
 it  collegiate,  with  privilege  of  sanctuary,  and  a  charter  of  liberties  to  the 
 townsmen. 
 
238  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  v.  c.  2. 
 
 When  one  week  of  Lent  T7as  over,  the  next  Sunday  he 
 caused  the  poor  man  to  come  in  to  him,  and  ordered  him  to 
 put  his  toni^ue  out  of  his  moutli  and  show  it  him  ;  then  lay- 
 ing hold  of  his  chin,  he  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  his 
 tongue,  directing  him  to  draw  it  back  into  his  mouth  and  to 
 speak.  "  Pronounce  some  word,"  said  he  ;  "  say  yea," 
 which,  in  the  language  of  the  Angles,  is  the  word  of  affirm- 
 ing and  consenting,  that  is,  yes.  The  youth's  tongue  was 
 immediately  loosed,  and  he  said  what  he  was  ordered.  The 
 bishop,  then  pronouncing  the  names  of  the  letters,  directed 
 him  to  say  A  ;  he  did  so,  and  afterwards  B,  which  he  also 
 C\d.  When  he  had  named  all  the  letters  after  the  bishop, 
 tlie  latter  proceeded  to  put  syllables  and  words  to  him,  which 
 being  also  repeated  by  him,  he  commanded  liim  to  utter 
 whole  sentences,  and  he  did  it.  Nor  did  he  cease  all  that 
 day  and  the  next  night,  as  long  as  he  could  keep  awake,  as 
 those  who  were  present  relate,  to  talk  something,  and  to 
 express  his  private  thoughts  and  will  to  others,  which  he 
 could  never  do  before  ;  after  the  manner  of  the  cripple,  who, 
 being  healed  by  the  Apostles  Peter  and  John,  stood  up  leap- 
 ing, and  walked,  and  went  with  them  into  the  temple,  walk- 
 ing, and  skipping,  and  praising  the  Lord,  rejoicing  to  have 
 the  use  of  his  feet,  which  he  had  so  long  wanted.  The 
 bishop,  rejoicing  at  his  recovery  of  speech,  ordered  the  phy- 
 sician to  take  in  hand  the  cure  of  his  scurfed  head.  He  did 
 so,  and  with  the  help  of  the  bishop's  blessing  and  prayers,  a 
 good  head  of  hair  grew  as  the  flesh  was  healed.  Thus  the 
 youth  obtained  a  good  aspect,  a  ready  utterance,  and  a  beau- 
 tiful head  of  hair,  whereas  before  he  had  been  deformed, 
 poor,  and  dumb.  Thus  rejoicing  at  his  recovery,  the  bishop 
 oifered  to  keep  him  in  his  family,  but  he  rather  chose  to 
 return  home. 
 
 CHAP.  ni. 
 
 The  same  bishop,  JohUj  by  his  prayers,  healed  a  sick  maiden,     [a.d.  686.] 
 
 The  same  Berthun  told  another  miracle  of  the  bishop's. 
 When  the  reverend  Wilfrid,  after  a  long  banishment,  was 
 admitted  to  the  bishopric  of  the  church  of  Hagulstad,  and 
 the  aforesaid  John,  upon  the  death  of  Bosa,  a  man  of  great 
 simctity  and  humility,  was,  in  his  place,  appointed  bishop  of 
 
A.D  C86.]  CURE   OF   A    SICK   GIRL.  239 
 
 York,  lie  came,  once  upon  a  time,  to  the  monastery  of  Vir- 
 gins, at  the  place  called  Wetadun,*  where  the  Abbess  Here- 
 berga  then  presided.  "  When  we  were  come  thither,"  said 
 he,  "and  had  been  received  with  great  and  universal  joy, 
 the  abbess  told  us,  that  one  of  the  virgins,  who  was  her 
 daughter  in  the  flesh,  laboured  under  a  grievous  distemper, 
 having  been  lately  bled  in  the  arm,  and  whilst  she  was 
 engaged  in  study,  was  seized  with  a  sudden  violent  pain, 
 which  increased  so  that  the  wounded  arm  became  worse,  and 
 so  much  swelled,  that  it  could  not  be  grasped  with  both 
 hands  ;  and  thus  being  confined  to  her  bed,  through  excess 
 of  pain,  she  was  expected  to  die  very  soon.  The  abbess 
 entreated  the  bishop  that  he  would  vouchsafe  to  go  in  and 
 give  her  his  blessing  ;  for  that  she  believed  she  would  be  the 
 better  for  his  blessing  or  touching  her.  He  asked  when  the 
 maiden  had  been  bled  ?  and  being  told  that  it  was  on  the 
 fourth  day  of  the  moon,  said,  '  You  did  very  indiscreetly  and 
 unskilfully  to  bleed  her  on  the  fourth  day  of  the  moon  ;  for 
 I  remember  that  Ai'chbishop  Theodore,  of  blessed  memory, 
 said,  that  bleeding  at  that  time  was  very  dangerous,  when 
 the  light  of  the  moon  and  the  tide  of  the  ocean  is  increasing ; 
 and  what  can  I  do  to  the  girl  if  she  is  like  to  die  ?' 
 
 "  The  abbess  still  earnestly  entreated  for  her  daughter, 
 whom  she  dearly  loved,  and  designed  to  make  abbess  in  her 
 stead,  and  at  last  prevailed  with  him  to  go  in  to  her.  He 
 accordingly  went  in,  taking  me  with  him  to  the  virgin,  who 
 lay,  as  I  said,  in  great  anguish,  and  her  arm  swelled  so  fast 
 that  there  was  no  bending  of  the  elbow  ;  the  bishop  stood 
 and  said  a  prayer  over  her,  and  having  given  his  blessing, 
 went  out.  Afterwards,  as  we  were  sitting  at  table,  some 
 one  came  in  and  called  me  out,  saying,  'Coenberg'  (that 
 was  the  virgin's  name)  '  desires  you  will  immediately  go 
 back  to  her.'  I  did  so,  and  entering  the  house,  perceived 
 her  countenance  more  cheerful,  and  like  one  in  perfect 
 health.  Having  seated  myself  down  by  her,  she  said, 
 Would  you  like  me  to  call  for  something  to  drink  ?' — '  Yes, 
 said  I,  ^  and  am  very  glad  if  you  can.'  When  the  cup  was 
 brought,  and  we  had  both  drunk,  she  said,  *  As  soon  as  the 
 bishop  had  said  the  prayer,  given  me  his  blessing,  and  gone 
 out,  I  immediately  began  to  mend  ;  and  though  I  have  not 
 
 *  That  is_,  "  Wettown,"  now  Watton,  in  Yorkshire. 
 
240  BEDE  S  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  ["•  v.  c  4. 
 
 yet  recovered  my  former  strength,  yet  all  the  pain  is  quite 
 gone  from  my  arm,  Avhere  it  was  most  intense,  and  from  all 
 my  body,  as  if  the  bishop  had  carried  it  away  with  him  ; 
 though  the  swelling  of  the  arm  still  seems  to  remain.'  When 
 we  departed  from  thence,  the  cure  of  the  pain  in  her  limbs 
 was  followed  by  the  assuaging  of  the  swelling  ;  and  the 
 virgin  being  thus  delivered  from  torture  and  death,  returned 
 praise  to  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  with  his  other  servants  who 
 were  there." 
 
 CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Tlie  same  bishop  healed  an  earl's  wife  that  was  sick,  loith  holy  icater. 
 [a.d.  C8G.] 
 
 The  same  abbat  related  another  miracle,  similar  to  the 
 former,  of  the  aforesaid  bishop.  "Not  very  far  from  our 
 monastery,  that  is,  about  two  miles  off,  was  the  country- 
 house  of  one  Puch,  an  earl,  whose  wife  had  languished  near 
 forty  days  under  a  very  acute  disease,  insomuch  that  for 
 three  weeks  she  could  not  be  carried  out  of  the  room  where 
 she  lay.  It  happened  that  the  man  of  God  was,  at  that 
 time,  invited  thither  by  the  earl  to  consecrate  a  church  ;* 
 and  Avhen  that  was  done,  the  earl  desired  liim  to  dine  at  his 
 house.  The  bishop  declined,  saying,  "He  must  return  to 
 the  monastery,  which  was  very  near."  The  earl,  pressing 
 him  more  earnestly,  vowed  he  would  also  give  alms  to  the 
 poor,  if  the  bishop  would  break  his  fast  that  day  in  Ms 
 house.  I  joined  my  entreaties  to  his,  promising  in  like  man- 
 ner to  give  alms  for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  if  he  would  go 
 and  dine  at  the  earl's  house,  and  give  his  blessing.  Having 
 at  length,  with  much  difficulty,  prevailed,  we  went  in  to 
 dine.  The  bishop  had  sent  to  the  woman  that  lay  sick  some 
 of  the  holy  water,  which  he  had  blessed  for  the  consecration 
 of  the  church,  by  one  of  the  brothers  that  went  along  v/ith 
 me,  ordering  him  to  give  her  some  to  drink,  and  wash  the 
 place  where  her  greatest  pain  was,  with  some  of  the  same. 
 This  being  done,  the  woman  immediately  got  up  in  health, 
 and  perceiving  that  she  had  not  only  been  delivered  from 
 her  tedious  distemper,  but  at  the  same  time  recovered  the 
 strength  which  she  had  lost,  she  presented  the  cup  to  the 
 •  At  South  Burton,  Yorkshire. 
 
A.D.  PSO.]  A  LAD  NF.A.B  DEA.TH  RESTOTIED.  241 
 
 bishop  and  to  us,  and  continued  serving  us  witli  drink  as  slie 
 had  begun  till  dinner  was  over  ;  following  the  example  of 
 Peter's  mother-in-law,  who,  having  been  sick  of  a  fever, 
 arose  at  the  touch  of  our  Lord,  and  having  at  once  received 
 health  and  strength,  ministered  to  them." 
 
 CHAP.  y. 
 
 The  same  bishop  recovered  one  of  the  earVs  servants  from  death,  [a.d.  686.] 
 
 At  another  time  also,  being  called  to  consecrate  Earl  Addi's 
 church,*  when  he  had  performed  that  duty,  he  was  entreated 
 by  the  earl  to  go  in  to  one  of  his  servants,  who  lay  danger- 
 ously ill,  and  having  lost  the  use  of  all  liis  Hmbs,  seemed  to  be 
 just  at  death's  door  ;  and  indeed  the  coffin  had  been  provided 
 to  bury  him  in.  The  earl  urged  his  entreaties  with  tears, 
 earnestly  praying  that  he  would  go  in  and  pray  for  him,  be- 
 cause his  life  was  of  great  consequence  to  him  ;  and  he  be- 
 lieved that  if  the  bishop  would  lay  his  hand  upon  him  and 
 give  him  liis  blessing,  he  would  soon  mend.  The  bishop 
 went  in,  and  saw  hrm  in  a  dying  condition,  and  the  coffin 
 by  his  side,  whilst  all  that  were  present  were  in  tears.  He 
 said  a  prayer,  blessed  him,  and  on  going  out,  as  is  the  usual 
 expression  of  comforters,  said,  "May  you  soon  recover." 
 Afterwards,  when  they  were  sitting  at  table,  the  lad  sent 
 to  liis  lord,  to  desire  he  would  let  him  have  a  cup  of  wine, 
 because  he  was  thirsty.  The  earl,  rejoicing  that  he  could 
 drink,  sent  him  a  cup  of  wine,  blessed  by  the  bishop  ; 
 which,  as  soon  as  he  had  drunk,  he  immediately  got  up,  and, 
 shaking  off  his  late  infirmity,  dressed  himself,  and  going  in  to 
 the  bishop,  saluted  him  and  the  other  guests,  saying,  "  He 
 would  also  eat  and  be  merry  with  them."  They  ordered 
 him  to  sit  down  with  them  at  the  entertainment,  rejoicing  at 
 his  recovery.  He  sat  down,  ate  and  drank  merrily,  and 
 behaved  himself  like  the  rest  of  the  company  ;  and  living 
 many  years  after,  continued  in  the  same  state  of  health. 
 The  aforesaid  abbat  says  this  miracle  was  not  wrought 
 in  his  presence,  but  that  he  had  it  from  those  who  were 
 there. 
 
 •  At  North  Bnrtori,  Yorkshire. 
 
242  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  Lb.  V-  V.  a 
 
 CHAP.  yi. 
 
 The  same  b'mhop,  by  his  prnijers  and  blesdnfj,  delivered  from  death  one  oj 
 his  clerks,  ivho  had  bruised  himself  by  a  fall.     [a.d.  686.] 
 
 Nor  do  I  think  that  this  further  miracle,  which  Herebald, 
 the  servant  of  Christ,  says  was  wrought  upon  himself,  is 
 to  be  passed  over  in  silence.  He  was  then  one  of  that 
 bishop's  clergy,  but  now  presides  as  abbat  in  the  monastery 
 at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Tyne.  "  Being  present,"  said  he, 
 "  and  very  well  acquaiated  with  liis  course  of  life,  I  found  it 
 to  be  most  worthy  of  a  bishop,  as  far  as  it  is  lawful  for  men 
 to  judge  ;  but  I  have  knovv^n  by  the  experience  of  others, 
 and  more  particularly  by  my  own,  how  great  liis  merit  was 
 before  Him  who  is  the  judge  of  the  heart  ;  having  been  by 
 his  prayer  and  blessing  brought  back  from  the  gates  of  death 
 to  the  way  of  life.  For,  when  in  the  prime  of  my  youth,  I 
 lived  among  his  clergy,  applying  myself  to  reading  and  sing- 
 ing, but  not  having  yet  altogether  withdrawn  my  heart  from 
 youthful  pleasures,  it  happened  one  day  that  as  we  were  tra- 
 velling with  him,  we  came  into  a  plain  and  open  road,  well 
 adapted  for  galloping  our  horses.  The  young  men  that  were 
 with  him,  and  particularly  those  of  the  laity,  began  to 
 entreat  the  bishop  to  give  them  leave  to  gallop,  and  make 
 trial  of  the  goodness  of  their  horses.  He  at  first  refused, 
 saying,  '  it  was  an  idle  request ;'  but  at  last,  being  prevailed  on 
 by  the  unanimous  desire  of  so  many,  '  Do  so,'  said  he,  '  if  you 
 will,  but  let  Herebald  have  no  part  in  the  trial.'  I  earnestly 
 prayed  that  I  might  have  leave  to  ride  with  the  rest,  for  I 
 relied  on  an  excellent  horse,  which  he  had  given  me,  but  I 
 could  not  obtain  my  request. 
 
 "When  they  had  several  times  galloped  backwards  and 
 forwards,  the  bishop  and  I  looking  on,  my  wanton  himiour 
 prevailed,  and  I  could  no  longer  refrain,  but  though  he  for- 
 bade me,  I  struck  in  among  them,  and  began  to  ride  at  full 
 speed  ;  at  wliich  I  heard  him  call  after  me,  '  Alas  ! 
 how  much  you  grieve  me  by  riding  after  that  manner.' 
 Though  I  heard  him,  I  went  on  against  his  command  ;  but 
 immediately  the  fiery  horse  taking  a  great  leap  over  a  hollow 
 place,  I  fell,  and  lost  both  sense  and  motion,  as  if  I  had  been 
 dead  ;  for  there  wns  in  that  place  a  stone,  level  with  the 
 ground,  covered  with  only  a  small  turf,  and  no  other  stone  to 
 
AD.  696.]  HEREEALD    NEARLY    KILLED.  243 
 
 be  found  in  all  that  plain  ;  and  it  happened,  as  a  punislunent 
 for  my  disobedience,  either  by  chance,  or  by  Divine  Provi- 
 dence so  ordering  it,  that  my  head  and  hand,  which  in  falling 
 1  had  clapped  to  my  head,  hit  upon  that  stone,  so  that  my 
 thumb  was  broken  and  my  skull  cracked,  and  I  lay,  as  I  said, 
 like  one  dead. 
 
 "  And  because  I  could  not  move,  they  stretched  a  canopy 
 for  me  to  lie  in.  It  was  about  the  seventh  hour  of  the  day, 
 and  having  lain  still,  and  as  it  were  dead  from  that  time  till 
 the  evening,  I  then  revived  a  little,  and  was  carried  home  by 
 my  companions,  but  lay  speechless  all  the  night,  vomiting 
 blood,  because  something  was  broken  within  me  by  the  fall. 
 The  bishop  was  very  much  grieved  at  my  misfortune,  and 
 expected  my  death,  for  he  bore  me  extraordinary  affection. 
 Nor  would  he  stay  that  night,  as  he  was  wont,  among  his 
 clergy ;  but  spent  it  all  in  watching  and  prayer  alone,  im- 
 ploring the  Divine  goodness,  as  I  imagine,  for  my  health. 
 Coming  to  me  in  the  morning  early,  and  having  said  a 
 prayer  over  me,  he  called  me  by  my  name,  and  as  it  were 
 waking  me  out  of  a  heavy  sleep,  asked,  '  Whether  I  knew 
 who  it  was  that  spoke  to  me  ?'  I  opened  my  eyes  and  said, 
 *I  do;  you  are  my  beloved  bishop.' — 'Can  you  live?'  said 
 he.  I  answered,  'I  may,  through  your  prayers,  if  it  shall 
 please  our  Lord.' 
 
 "  He  then  laid  his  hand  on  my  head,  with  the  words  of 
 blessing,  and  returned  to  prayer ;  when  he  came  again  to  see 
 me,  in  a  short  time,  he  found  me  sitting  and  able  to  talk ; 
 and,  being  induced  by  Divine  instinct,  as  it  soon  appeared, 
 began  to  ask  me,  *  Whether  I  knew  for  certain  that  I  had 
 been  baptized  ?'  I  answered,  'I  knew  beyond  all  doubt  that 
 I  had  been  washed  in  the  laver  of  salvation,  to  the  remission 
 of  my  sins,  and  I  named  the  priest  by  whom  I  knew  myself 
 to  have  been  baptized.'  He  replied,  '  If  you  were  baptized 
 by  that  priest,  your  baptism  is  not  perfect ;  for  I  know  him, 
 and  that  having  been  ordained  priest,  he  could  not,  by  rea- 
 son of  the  dulness  of  his  understanding,  learn  the  ministry 
 of  catechising  and  baptizing ;  for  which  reason  I  commanded 
 him  altogether  to  desist  from  his  presumptuous  exercising  of 
 the  ministry,  which  he  could  not  duly  perform.'  This  said, 
 he  took  care  to  catecliise  me  at  that  very  time ;  and  it  hap- 
 p^ned  that  he  blew  upon  my  face,  on  wliich  I  presently 
 
 r2 
 
244  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [a  V.  c.  7. 
 
 found  myself  better.  He  called  the  surgeon,  and  ordered 
 him  to  close  and  bind  up  my  skull  where  it  was  cracked; 
 and  having  then  received  his  blessing,  I  was  so  much  better 
 that  I  mounted  on  horseback  the  next  day,  and  travelled 
 with  him  to  another  place;  and  being  soon  after  perfectly 
 e  covered,  I  received  the  baptism  of  life." 
 
 He  continued  in  his  see  thirty-tlii-ee  years,  and  then  as- 
 cending to  the  heavenly  kingdom,  was  buried  in  St.  Peter's 
 Porch,  in  his  o^vn  monastery,  called  Inderawood,  in  the  year 
 of  our  Lord's  incarnation  721.  For  having,  by  liis  great 
 age,  become  unable  to  govern  his  bishopric,  he  ordained 
 Wilfrid,  his  priest,  bishop  of  the  church  of  York,  and  re- 
 tired to  the  aforesaid  monastery,  and  there  ended  his  days 
 in  holy  conversation. 
 
 CHAP.  vn. 
 
 CcBdwalla,  king  of  the  West  Saxons,  went  to  Home  to  be  baptized;  his 
 successor  Ina  also  devoutly  repaired  to  the  same  church  of  the  holy 
 apostles,     [a.d.  688.] 
 
 In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  Alfrid,  Caedwalla,  king  of 
 the  West  Saxons,  having  most  honourably  governed  his  na- 
 tion two  years,  quitted  his  crown  for  the  sake  of  our  Lord 
 and  his  everlasting  kingdom,  and  went  to  Rome,  being  de- 
 sirous to  obtain  the  peculiar  honour  of  being  baptized  in  the 
 church  of  the  blessed  apostles,  for  he  had  learned  that  in 
 baptism  alone,  the  entrance  into  heaven  is  opened  to  man- 
 kind ;  and  he  hoped  at  the  same  time,  that  laying  down  the 
 flesh,  as  soon  as  baptized,  he  should  immediately  pass  to  the 
 eternal  joys  of  heaven ;  both  which  things,  by  the  blessing  of 
 our  Lord,  came  to  pass  according  as  he  had  conceived  in  his 
 mind.  For  coming  to  Rome,  at  the  time  that  Sergius  was 
 pope,  he  was  baptized  on  the  holy  Saturday  before  Easter 
 Day,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  689,  and  being  still  in  his 
 white  garments,  he  fell  sick,  and  departed  this  life  on  the 
 20th  of  April,  and  was  associated  with  the  blessed  in  heaven. 
 At  his  baptism,  the  aforesaid  pope  had  given  him  the  name 
 of  Peter,  to  the  end,  that  he  might  be  also  united  in  name  to 
 the  most  blessed  prince  of  the  apostles,  to  whose  most  holy 
 body  his  pious  love  had  brought  liim  from  the  utmost  bounds 
 of  the  earth.     He  was  likewise  buried  in  his  church,  and  by 
 
AD.  689.]  EPITAPH   ON    C^D WALLA.  245 
 
 the  pope's  command  an  epitaph  written  on  his  tomb,  wherein 
 the  memory  of  his  devotion  might  be  preserved  for  ever,  and 
 the  readers  or  hearers  might  be  inflamed  with  reli.uious  de- 
 sire by  the  example  of  what  he  liad  done. 
 The  epitaph  was  this : — 
 
 High  state  and  place,  kindred,  a  wealthy  crown. 
 
 Triumphs,  and  spoils  h  glorious  battles  won, 
 
 Nobles,  and  cities  walled,  to  guard  his  state, 
 
 High  palaces,  and  his  familiar  seat, 
 
 Whatever  honours  his  own  virtue  won, 
 
 Or  those  his  great  forefathers  handed  down, 
 
 Caedwal  armipotent,  from  heaven  inspired. 
 
 For  love  of  heaven  hath  left,  and  here  retir'd; 
 
 Peter  to  see,  and  Peter's  sacred  chair. 
 
 The  royal  pilgi'im  travelled  from  afar, 
 
 Here  to  imbibe  pure  draughts  from  his  clear  stream, 
 
 And  share  the  influence  of  his  heavenly  beam ; 
 
 Here  for  the  glories  of  a  futui-e  claim. 
 
 Converted,  chang'd  his  flrst  and  barbarous  name. 
 
 And  following  Peter's  rule,  he  from  his  Lord 
 
 Assumed  the  name  at  father  Sergius'  word. 
 
 At  the  pure  font,  and  by  Christ's  grace  made  cleanj 
 
 In  heaven  is  free  from  former  taints  of  sin. 
 
 Great  was  his  faith,  but  greater  God's  decree, 
 
 Whose  secret  counsels  mortal  cannot  see  : 
 
 Safe  came  he,  e'en  from  Britain's  isle,  o'er  seas. 
 
 And  lands,  and  countries,  and  through  dangerous  ways, 
 
 Rome  to  behold,  her  glorious  temple  see. 
 
 And  mystic  presents  oifer'd  on  his  knee. 
 
 Now  in  the  grave  his  fleshly  members  lie. 
 
 His  soul,  amid  Christ's  flock,  ascends  the  sky. 
 
 Sure  wise  was  he  to  lay  his  sceptre  down, 
 
 And  gain  in  heaven  above  a  lasting  crown. 
 
 Here  was  deposited  Caedwalla,  called  also  Peter,  king  of  the  Saxons,  on 
 the  twelfth  day  of  the  kalends  of  May,  the  second  indiction.  He  lived 
 about  thirty  years,  in  the  reign  of  the  most  pious  emperor,  Justinian,  in  the 
 fovu-th  year  of  his  consulship,  in  the  second  year  of  our  apostoHc  lord, 
 Pope  Sergius. 
 
 Wlien  Caedwalla  went  to  Rome,  Ina  succeeded  him  on 
 the  tlii-one,  being  of  the  blood  royal;  and  having  reigned 
 thirty-seven  years  over  that  nation,  he  gave  up  the  kingdom 
 in  like  manner  to  younger  persons,  and  went  away  to  Rome, 
 to  visit  the  blessed  apostles,  at  the  time  when  Gregory  was 
 pope,  being  desirous  to  spend  some  time  of  his  pilgrimage 
 upon  earth  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  holy  place,  that  he 
 
246  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  ["•  v-  c.  h. 
 
 might  be  more  easily  received  by  the  saints  into  heaven. 
 The  same  thing,  about  the  same  time,  was  done  through  the 
 zeal  of  many  of  the  EngKsh  nation,  noble  and  ignoble,  laity 
 and  clergy,  men  and  women. 
 
 CHAP.  Yin. 
 
 Archbishop  Theodore  die.",  Berthwald  succeeds  him  as  archbishop,  and, 
 among  viany  others  whom  he  ordained,  he  made  Tobias,  a  most  learned 
 man,  bishop  of  the  church  of  Rochester,     [a.d.  690.] 
 
 The  year  after  that  in  which  Csedwalla  died  at  Rome,  that  is, 
 690  after  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord,  Archbishop  Theodore, 
 of  blessed  memory,  departed  this  life,  old  and  full  of  days 
 for  he  was  eighty-eight  years  of  age  ;  which  number  of  years 
 he  had  been  wont  long  before  to  foretell  to  his  friends  that  he 
 should  live,  the  same  having  been  revealed  to  him  in  a  dream. 
 He  held  the  bishopric  twenty-two  years,  and  was  buried  in 
 St.  Peter's  church,  where  all  the  bodies  of  the  bishops  ot 
 Canterbury  are  buried.  Of  whom,  as  well  as  of  his  com- 
 panions, of  the  same  degree,  it  may  rightly  and  truly  be  said, 
 that  their  bodies  are  interred  in  peace,  and  their  names  shall 
 live  from  generation  to  generation.  For  to  say  all  in  few 
 words,  the  English  churches  received  more  advantage  during 
 the  time  of  his  pontificate,  than  ever  they  had  done  before. 
 His  person,  life,  age,  and  death,  are  plainly  described  to  all 
 that  resort  thither,  by  the  epitaph  on  his  tomb,  consisting  of 
 thirty -four  heroic  verses.     The  first  whereof  are  these  : 
 
 Here  rests  fam'tl  Theodore,  a  Grecian  name, 
 Who  had  o'er  England  an  archhishop's  claim  ; 
 Happy  and  blessed,  industriously  he  wrought. 
 And  wholesome  precepts  to  his  scholars  taught. 
 
 The  four  last  are  as  follow  : — 
 
 And  now  it  was  September's  nineteenth  day, 
 When,  bursting  from  its  ligaments  of  clay. 
 His  spirit  rose  to  its  eternal  rest, 
 And  joined  in  heaven  the  chorus  of  the  blest 
 
 Berthwald  succeeded  Theodore  in  the  archbishopric,  being 
 abbat  of  the  monastery  of  Raculph,*  which  lies  on  the  north 
 side  of  the  mouth  of  the  river  Genlade.f  He  was  a  man 
 learned  in  the  Scriptures,   and  well  instructed  in  ecclesiasti- 
 
 *  Reculver.  f  The  Inlade. 
 
A.u.  6L'2.J  BISHOP    EGBEIIT.  247 
 
 cal  and  monastic  discipline,  yet  not  to  be  compared  to  liis 
 predecessor.  He  was  chosen  bishop  in  the  year  of  our 
 Lord's  incarnation  692,  on  the  first  day  of  July,  Withred  and 
 Suebhard  being  kings  in  Kent ;  but  ]ie  was  consecrated  the 
 next  year,  on  Sunday  the  29th  of  June,  by  Godwin,  metro- 
 politan bishop  of  France,  and  was  enthroned  on  Sunday  the 
 31st  of  August.  Among  the  many  bishops  whom  he  ordained 
 was  Tobias,*  a  man  learned  in  the  Latin,  Greek,  and  Saxon 
 tongues,  otherwise  also  possessing  much  erudition,  whom  he 
 consecrated  in  the  stead  of  Gebmund,  bishop  of  that  see, 
 deceased, 
 
 CHAP.  JX. 
 
 Egbert,  a  holy  man,  would  have  gone  into  Germany  to  preach,  but  could 
 not ;  Wictbert  went,  but  meeting  toith  no  success,  returned  into  Ireland, 
 from  whence  he  came.     [a.d.  689.] 
 
 At  that  time  the  venerable  servant  of  Clu-ist,  and  priest, 
 Egbert,  whom  I  cannot  name  but  with  the  greatest  re- 
 spect, and  who,  as  was  said  before,  lived  a  stranger  in  L-e- 
 land  to  obtain  hereafter  a  residence  in  heaven,  proposed  to 
 himself  to  do  good  to  many,  by  taking  upon  him  the  apostoli- 
 cal work,  and  preaching  the  word  of  God  to  some  of  those 
 nations  that  had  not  yet  heard  it ;  many  of  which  nations  he 
 knew  there  were  in  Germany,  from  whom  the  Angles  or  Saxons, 
 who  now  inhabit  Britain,  are  known  to  have  derived  their 
 origin ;  for  which  reason  they  are  still  corruptly  called  Gar- 
 mans  by  the  neighbouring  nation  of  the  Britons.  Such  are  the 
 Frisons,t  theRugins,  the  Danes,  the  Huns,  the  Ancient  Saxons, 
 and  the  BoructuarsJ  (or  Bructers).  There  are  also  in  the  same 
 parts  many  other  nations  still  following  pagan  rites,  to  whom 
 the  aforesaid  soldier  of  Christ  designed  to  repair,  sailing 
 round  Britain,  and  to  try  whether  he  could  deliver  any  of 
 them  from  Satan,  and  bring  them  over  to  Chi-ist ;  or  if  tliis 
 
 *  Ninth  bishop  of  Rochester. 
 
 t  Among  all  the  German  nations  none  maintained  their  liberty  against 
 the  Romans,  with  greater  success  and  courage,  than  the  Prisons,  who  having 
 formerly  occupied  a  large  tract  of  country  on  the  coasts  of  the  Gemian 
 ocean,  crossed  the  Rhine  into  Belgic  Gaul,  and  possessed  themselves  oi 
 those  provinces  about  the  mouth  of  the  Rhine,  which  the  Catti,  who  were 
 also  originally  Germans,  then  held. 
 
 X  The  Boructuars  seem  to  have  inhabited  the  territory  of  Berg,  and  the 
 neighbouring  country  toward  Cologne. 
 
248  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    HISTOHY.  [b.  rv.  c.9. 
 
 could  not  be  done,  to  go  to  Rome,  to  see  and  adore  the  hal- 
 lowed thresholds  of  the  holy  apostles  and  martyi's  of  Christ. 
 
 But  the  Divine  oracles  and  certain  events  proceeding  from 
 heaven  obstructed  his  performing  either  of  those  designs ;  for 
 when  ho  had  made  choice  of  some  most  courageous  com- 
 panions, fit  to  preach  the  word  of  God,  as  being  renowned 
 for  their  learning  and  virtue ;  when  all  things  were  provided 
 for  the  voyage,  there  came  to  him  on  a  certain  day  in  the 
 morning  one  of  the  brethren,  formerly  disciple  and  minister 
 in  Britain  to  the  beloved  priest  of  God,  Boisil,  when  the  said 
 Boisil  was  superior  of  the  monastery  of  Melrose,  under  the 
 Abbat  Eata,  as  has  been  said  above.  This  brother  told  him 
 the  vision  Avhich  he  had  seen  that  night.  "  When  after  the 
 morning  hymns,"  said  he,  "  I  had  laid  me  down  in  my  bed, 
 and  Avas  fallen  into  a  slumber,  my  former  master  and  loving 
 tutor,  Boisil,  appeared  to  me,  and  asked,  '  Whether  I  knew 
 him?'  I  said,  'I  do;  you  are  Boisil.'  He  answered,  -lam 
 come  to  bring  Egbert  a  message  from  our  Lord  and  Saviour, 
 which  nevertheless  must  be  delivered  to  him  by  you.  Tell 
 him,  therefore,  that  he  cannot  perform  the  journey  he  has 
 undertaken  ;  for  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  he  should  rather 
 go  to  instruct  the  monasteries  of  Columba.'  "  Now  Columba 
 was  the  first  teacher  of  Christianity  to  the  Picts  beyond  the 
 mountains  northward,  and  the  founder  of  the  monastery  in 
 the  island  Hii,  which  was  for  a  long  time  much  honoured 
 by  many  tribes  of  the  Scots  and  Picts ;  wherefore  he  is  now 
 bj  some  called  Columbkill,  the  name  being  compounded  from 
 Columb  and  Cell.*  Egbert,  having  heard  the  vision,  ordered 
 the  brother  that  had  told  it  him,  not  to  mention  it  to  any 
 other,  lest  it  should  happen  to  be  an  illusion.  However, 
 when  he  considered  of  it  with  himself,  he  apprehended  that 
 it  was  real;  yet  would  not  desist  from  preparinjs^  for  liis 
 voyage  to  instruct  those  nations. 
 
 A  few  days  after  tlie  aforesaid  brother  came  again  to  him, 
 saying,  "  That  Boisil  had  that  night  again  appeared  to  liim 
 after  matins,  and  said,  *  Why  did  you  tell  Egbert  that  which 
 
 *  I  am  happy  to  acknowledge  an  error  which  1  had  inadvertently  com- 
 mitted in  the  former  editions  of  this  work  by  translating  this  passage  as  if 
 the  name  Columbkill  belonged  to  the  island,  instead  of  the  abbat.  My 
 acknowledgments  are  due  to  the  reviewer,  in  the  British  Critic,  who  detected 
 the  mistake.     Seep.  113. 
 
A.D.  690.J  WILCKOKD's  MISSION  TO  FRISLAND.  249 
 
 I  enjoined  jou  in  so  light  and  cold  a  manner  ?  However,  go 
 now  and  tell  him,  that  whether  he  will  or  no,  he  shall  go  to 
 Columb's  monastery,  because  their  ploughs  do  not  go  straight ; 
 and  he  is  to  bring  them  into  the  right  way.' "  Hearing  this, 
 Egbert  again  commanded  the  brother  not  to  reveal  the  same 
 to  any  person.  Though  now  assured  of  the  vision,  he  never- 
 theless attempted  to  undertake  his  intended  voyage  with  the 
 brethren.  When  they  had  put  aboard  all  that  was  requisite 
 for  so  long  a  voyage,  and  had  waited  some  days  for  a  fair 
 wind,  there  arose  one  night  on  a  sudden  so  violent  a  storm, 
 that  the  ship  was  run  aground,  and  part  of  what  had  been 
 put  aboard  spoiled.  Hovv^ever,  all  that  belonged  to  Egbert 
 and  his  companions  was  saved.  Then  he,  saying,  like  the 
 prophet,  "  This  tempest  has  happened  upon  my  account," 
 laid  aside  the  undertaking  and  stayed  at  home. 
 
 However,  Wictbert,  one  of  his  companions,  being  famous 
 for  his  contempt  of  the  world  and  for  his  knowledge,  for  he 
 had  lived  many  years  a  stranger  in  Ireland,  leading  an  ere- 
 mitical life  in  great  purity,  went  abroad,  and  arriving  in 
 Frisland,  preached  the  word  of  salvation  for  the  space  of  two 
 years  successively  to  that  nation  and  to  its  king,  Rathbed  ; 
 but  reaped  no  fruit  of  all  his  great  labour  among  liis  barba- 
 rous auditors.  Returning  them  to  the  beloved  place  of  liis 
 peregrination,  he  gave  himself  up  to  our  Lord  in  his  wonted 
 repose,  and  since  he  could  not  be  profitable  to  strangers  by 
 teaching  them  the  faith,  he  took  care  to  be  the  more  useful 
 to  his  own  people  by  the  example  of  liis  virtue. 
 
 CHAP.  X. 
 
 Wilbrord,  preaching  in  Frisland,   converted  many  to  Christ  ;    his    two 
 companions,  the  Heivalds,  suffered  martyrdom,     [a.d.  690.] 
 
 When  the  man  of  God,  Egbert,  perceived  that  neither  he 
 himself  was  permitted  to  preach  to  the  Gentiles,  being  with- 
 held, on  account  of  some  other  advantage  to  the  church, 
 which  had  been  foretold  him  by  the  Divine  oracle  ;  n;  r  that 
 Wictbert,  when  he  went  into  those  parts,  had  met  with  any 
 success  ;  he  nevertheless  still  attempted  to  send  some  holy 
 and  industrious  men  to  the  work  of  the  word,  among  whom 
 was  Wilbrord,  a  man  eminent  for  his  merit  and  rank  in  the 
 priesthood.  They  arrived  there,  twelve  in  number,  and 
 turning  aside  to  Pepin,  duke  of  the  Franks,  were  graciously 
 
250  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [b.v.  c.lO. 
 
 received  by  him  ;  and  as  he  had  lately  subdued  the  Hither 
 Frisland,  and  expelled  King  Rathbed,  he  sent  them  thither 
 to  preach,  supporting  them  at  the  same  time  with  his  autho- 
 rity, that  none  might  molest  them  in  their  preaching,  and 
 bestowing  many  favours  on  those  who  consented  to  embrace 
 the  fiiith.  Thus  it  came  to  pass,  that  wdth  the  assistance  of 
 the  Divine  grace,  they  in  a  short  time  converted  many  from 
 idolatry  to  the  faith  of  Christ. 
 
 Two  other  priests  of  the  English  nation,  who  had  long 
 lived  strangers  in  Ireland,  for  the  sake  of  the  eternal  king- 
 dom, following  the  example  of  the  former,  w^ent  into  the  pro- 
 vince of  the  Ancient  Saxons,  to  try  wiiether  they  could 
 there  gain  any  to  Christ  by  preaching.  They  both  bore  th'^. 
 same  name,  as  they  were  the  same  in  devotion,  Hewald  being 
 the  name  of  both,  with  this  distinction,  that,  on  account  of 
 the  difference  of  their  hair,  the  one  was  called  Black 
 Hewald  and  the  other  White  Hewald.  They  were  both 
 piously  religious,  but  Black  Hew^ald  w^as  the  more  learned  of 
 the  two  in  Scripture.  On  entering  that  province,  these  men 
 took  up  their  lodging  in  a  certain  steward's  house,  and  re- 
 quested that  he  would  conduct  them  to  his  lord,*  for  that 
 they  had  a  message,  and  something  to  his  advantage,  to  com- 
 municate to  liim  ;  for  those  Ancient  Saxons  have  no  king, 
 but  several  lords  that  rule  their  nation  ;  and  when  any  war 
 happens,  they  cast  lots  indifferently,  and  on  whomsoever  the 
 lot  falls,  him  they  follow  and  obey  during  the  war  ;  but  as 
 soon  as  the  war  is  ended,  all  those  lords  are  again  equal  in 
 power.  The  steward  received  and  entertained  them  in  his 
 house  some  days,  promising  to  send  them  to  his  lord,  as 
 they  desired. 
 
 But  the  barbarians  finding  them  to  be  of  another  religion, 
 by  their  continual  prayer  and  singing  of  psalms  and  hymns, 
 and  by  their  daily  offering  the  sacrifice  of  the  saving  obla- 
 tion,— for  they  had  with  them  sacred  vessels  and  a  conse- 
 crated table  for  an  altar, — they  began  to  grow  jealous  of 
 them,  lest  if  they  should  come  into  the  presence  of  their 
 chief,  and  converse  with  him,  they  should  turn  his  heart 
 from  their  gods,  and  convert  him  to  the  new  religion  of  tlie 
 Christian    faith ;    and   thus   by  degrees    all   their  province 
 
 *  Orifrinally  called  "  Eaklorman,"  or  Senior.  Satrap  is  the  Latin  term, 
 used  by  Bode. 
 
A.D.  690.]  MARTi'RDOM   OF    THE    HEWALDS.  251 
 
 should  change  its  old  worship  for  a  new.  Hereupon  they, 
 on  a  sudden,  laid  hold  of  them  and  put  them  to  death  ;  the 
 White  Hewald  they  slew  immediately  with  the  sword  ;  but 
 the  Black  they  put  to  tedious  torture  and  tore  limb  from 
 limb,  throwing  them  into  the  Rhine.  The  cliief,  whom  they 
 had  desired  to  see,  hearing  of  it,  was  highly  incensed,  that 
 the  strangers  who  desired  to  come  to  him  had  not  been  al- 
 lowed ;  and  therefore  he  sent  and  put  to  death  all  those 
 peasants  and  burnt  their  village.  The  aforesaid  priests  and 
 servants  of  Christ  suffered  on  the  3rd  of  October. 
 
 Nor  did  their  martyrdom  want  the  honour  of  miracles  ; 
 for  their  dead  bodies  having  been  cast  into  the  river  by  the 
 pagans,  as  has  been  said,  were  carried  against  the  stream  for 
 the  space  of  almost  forty  miles,  to  the  place  where  their  com- 
 panions were.  Moreover,  a  long  ray  of  hght,  reacliing  up  to 
 heaven,  shined  every  night  over  the  place  where  they  ar- 
 rived, in  the  sight  of  the  very  pagans  that  had  slain  them. 
 Moreover,  one  of  them  appeared  in  a  vision  by  night  to  one 
 of  his  companions,  whose  name  was  Tilmon,  a  man  of  illus- 
 trious and  of  noble  birth,  who  from  a  soldier  was  become  a 
 monk,  acquainting  him  that  he  might  find  their  bodies  in  that 
 place,  where  he  should  see  rays  of  hght  reaching  from  hea- 
 ven to  the  earth  ;  which  turned  out  accorchngly  ;  and  their 
 bodies  being  found,  were  interred  with  the  honour  due  to 
 martyrs  ;  and  the  day  of  their  passion  or  of  their  bodies 
 being  found,  is  celebrated  in  those  parts  with  proper  venera- 
 tion. At  length,  Pepin,  the  most  glorious  general  of  the 
 Franks,  understanding  these  things,  caused  the  bodies  to  be 
 brought  to  him,  and  buried  them  with  much  honour  in  the 
 church  of  the  city  of  Cologne,  on  the  Rhine.  It  is  reported, 
 that  a  spring  gushed  out  in  the  place  where  they  were  killed, 
 which  to  this  day  affords  a  plentiful  stream. 
 
 CHAP.  XI. 
 
 How  the  venerable  Swidhert  in  Britain,  and  Wilbrord  at  Rome,  were  or- 
 dained bishops  for  Frisland.     [a.d.  6  92. J 
 
 At  their  first  coming  into  Frisland,  as  soon  as  Wilbrord 
 found  he  had  leave  given  him  by  the  prince  to  preach,  he 
 made  haste  to  Rome,  where  Pope  Sergius  then  presided  over 
 the  apostolical  see,  that  he  might  undertake  the  desired  work 
 
252  BEDE'S   ecclesiastical  history.  Lb.  v.  c.  11. 
 
 of  preacliing  the  Gospel  to  tlie  Gentiles,  with  his  licence  and 
 blessing  ;  and  hoping  to  receive  of  him  some  relics  of  the 
 blessed  apostles  and  martyrs  of  Christ ;  to  the  end,  that  when 
 he  destroyed  the  idols,  and  erected  churches  in  the  nation  to 
 which  he  preached,  he  might  have  the  relics  of  saints  at 
 hand  to  put  into  them,  and  having  deposited  them  there, 
 might  accordingly  dedicate  those  places  to  the  honour  of 
 each  of  the  saints  whose  relics  they  were.  He  was  also  de- 
 sirous there  to  learn  or  to  receive  from  thence  many  other 
 things  which  so  great  a  work  required.  Having  obtained 
 all  that  he  wanted,  he  returned  to  preach. 
 
 At  which  time,  the  brothers  who  were  in  Frisland,  attend- 
 ing the  ministry  of  the  word,  chose  out  of  their  own  number 
 a  man,  modest  of  behaviour,  and  meek  of  heart,  called  Swid- 
 bert,  to  be  ordained  bishop  for  them.  He,  being  sent  into 
 Britain,  was  consecrated  by  the  most  reverend  Bishop  Wil- 
 frid, who,  happening  to  be  then  driven  out  of  his  country, 
 lived  in  banishment  among  the  Mercians  ;  for  Kent  had  no 
 bishop  at  that  time,  Theodore  being  dead,  and  Berthwald, 
 his  successor,  who  was  gone  beyond  the  sea,  to  be  ordained, 
 not  having  returned. 
 
 The  said  Swidbert,  being  made  bishop,  returned  from  Bri- 
 tain not  long  after,  and  went  among  the  Boructuarians  ;  and 
 by  his  preaching  brought  many  of  them  into  the  way  of 
 truth  ;  but  the  Boructuarians  being  not  long  after  subdued 
 by  the  Ancient  Saxons,  those  who  had  received  the  word 
 were  dispersed  abroad  ;  and  the  bishop  himself  repaired  to 
 Pepin,  who,  at  the  request  of  his  wife,  Blithryda,  gave  him 
 a  place  of  residence  in  a  certain  island  on  the  Rhine,  which, 
 in  their  tongue,  is  called  Inlitore  ;  *  where  he  built  a  monas- 
 tery, which  his  heirs  still  possess,  and  for  a  time  led  a  most 
 continent  life,  and  there  ended  his  days. 
 
 When  they  who  went  over  had  spent  some  years  teacliing 
 in  Frisland,  Pepin,  with  the  consent  of  them  all,  sent  the 
 venerable  Wilbrord  to  Rome,  where  Sergius  was  still  pope, 
 desiring  that  he  might  be  consecrated  archbishop  over  the 
 nation  of  the  Prisons  ;  which  was  accordingly  done,  in  the 
 year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  696.  He  was  consecrated  in 
 the  church  of  the  Holy  Martyr  Cecilia,  on  her  feast-day  ; 
 
 *  Or  Keiserswerdt,  six  miles  from  Dusseldorf . 
 
A.D.696.J  VISION  OF  ONE  FROM  THE  DEAD.  253 
 
 the  pope  gave  him  the  name  of  Clement,  and  sent  him  back 
 to  his  bishopric,  fourteen  days  after  his  arrival  at  Rome. 
 
 Pepin  gave  him  a  place  for  his  episcopal  see,  in  liis  famous 
 castle,  wluch  in  the  ancient  language  of  those  people  is  called 
 Wiltaburg,  that  is,  the  town  of  the  Wilts  ;  but,  in  the 
 French  tongue,  Utrecht.*  The  most  reverend  prelate  hav- 
 ing built  a  church  there,!  and  preacliing  the  word  of  faith 
 far  and  near,  drew  many  from  their  errors,  and  erected  seve- 
 ral churches  and  monasteries.  For  not  long  after  he  consti- 
 tuted other  bishops  in  those  parts,  from  among  the  brethren 
 that  either  came  with  liim  or  after  him  to  preach  there  ; 
 some  of  which  are  now  departed  in  our  Lord  ;  but  Wilbrord 
 himself,  surnamed  Clement,  is  still  living,  venerable  for  old 
 age,  having  been  thirty-six  years  a  bishop,  and  sighing  after 
 the  rewards  of  the  heavenly  life,  after  the  many  spiritual 
 conflicts  which  he  has  waged.  | 
 
 CHAP.  xn. 
 
 Of  one  among  the  Northumbrians,  who  rose  from  the  dead,  and  related 
 the  things  which  he  had  seen,  some  exciting  terror  and  others  delijht. 
 [a.d.  696.] 
 
 At  this  time  a  memorable  miracle,  and  like  to  those  of  for- 
 mer days,  was  wrought  in  Britain  ;  for,  to  the  end  that  the 
 living  might  be  saved  from  the  death  of  the  soul,  a  certain 
 person,  who  had  been  some  time  dead,  rose  again  to  life,  and 
 related  many  remarkable  tilings  he  had  seen  ;  some  of  which 
 I  have  thought  fit  here  briefly  to  take  notice  of.  There  was 
 a  master  of  a  family  in  that  district  of  the  Northumbrians 
 which  is  called  Cuningham,  who  led  a  rehgious  life,  as  did 
 also  all  that  belonged  to  him.  This  man  fell  sick,  and  his 
 distemper  daily  increasing,  being  brought  to  extremity,  he 
 died  in  the  beginning  of  the  night  ;  but  in  the  morning 
 early,  he  suddenly  came  to  life  again,  and  sat  up,  upon  which 
 all  those  that  sat  about  the  body  weeping,  fled  away  in  a 
 
 *  Bede  seems  to  confound  Utrecht  with  Wiltenburgh,  which  is  three 
 miles  from  it. 
 
 +  The  church  of  our  Saviour.  Wilhrord  also  restored  the  church  of  St. 
 Martin,  which  suVjsequently  })ecame  the  cathedral. 
 
 J  Wilbrord  laboured  in  his  diocese  for  about  half  a  century,  and  died, 
 according  to  Mabilloo.  in  74-0  or  741  ;  but  according  to  Dr.  Smith,  in  745 
 
254  BEDE'S  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  v.  c.  12. 
 
 great  fright,  only  liis  wife,  "who  loved  him  best,  though  in  a 
 great  consternation  and  trembling,  remained  with  liim.  He, 
 comforting  her,  said,  "  Fear  not,  for  I  am  now  truly  risen 
 from  death,  and  permitted  again  to  live  among  men  ;  how- 
 ever, I  am  not  to  live  hereafter  as  I  was  wont,  but  from 
 henceforward  after  a  very  different  manner."  Then  rising 
 immediately,  he  repaired  to  the  oratory  of  the  little  town, 
 and  continuing  in  prayer  till  day,  immediately  divided  all  his 
 substance  into  three  parts  ;  one  whereof  he  gave  to  his  wife, 
 another  to  liis  children,  and  the  tliird,  belonging  to  himself, 
 he  instantly  distributed  among  the  poor.  Not  long  after,  he 
 repaired  to  the  monastery  of  Melrose,  which  is  almost  en- 
 closed by  the  winding  of  the  river  Tweed,  and  having  been 
 shaven,  went  into  a  private  dwelling,  which  the  abbat  had 
 provided,  where  he  continued  till  the  day  of  liis  death,  in 
 such  extraordinary  contrition  of  mind  and  body,  that  though 
 his  tongue  had  been  silent,  his  life  declared  that  he  had  seen 
 many  things  either  to  be  di-eaded  or  coveted,  which  others 
 knew  notliing  of. 
 
 Thus  he  related  what  he  had  seen.  "  He  that  led  me  had 
 a  shining  countenance  and  a  bright  garment,  and  we  went 
 on  silently,  as  I  thought,  towards  the  north-east.  Walking 
 on,  we  came  to  a  vale  of  great  breadth  and  depth,  but  of 
 infinite  length  ;  on  the  left  it  appeared  full  of  dreadful 
 flames,  the  other  side  was  no  less  horrid  for  violent  hail  and 
 cold  snow  flying  in  all  directions  ;  both  places  were  full  of 
 men's  souls,  wliich  seemed  by  turns  to  be  tossed  from  one 
 side  to  the  other,  as  it  were  by  a  violent  storm  ;  for  when 
 the  wretches  could  no  longer  endure  the  excess  of  heat,  they 
 leaped  into  the  middle  of  the  cutting  cold  ;  and  finding 
 no  rest  there,  they  leaped  back  again  into  the  middle  of 
 the  unquenchable  flames.  Now  whereas  an  innumerable 
 multitude  of  deformed  spirits  were  thus  alternately  tor- 
 mented fiir  and  near,  as  far  as  could  be  seen,  without  any 
 intennission,  I  began  to  think  that  this  perhaps  might  be 
 hell,  of  whose  intolerable  flames  I  had  often  heard  talk. 
 My  guide,  who  went  before  me,  answered  to  my  thought, 
 saying,  '  Do  not  believe  so,  for  this  is  not  the  hell  you 
 imagine.' 
 
 "  When  he  had  conducted  me,  much  frightened  with  that 
 horrid  spectacle,  by  degrees,  to  the  farther  end,  on  a  sudden 
 
A.D.669.]  VISION  OF  ONE  FROM  THE  DEAD.  255 
 
 I  saw  the  place  begin  to  grow  dusk  and  filled  with  darkness. 
 When  I  came  into  it,  the  darkness,  by  degrees,  grew  so 
 thick,  that  I  could  see  nothing  besides  it  and  the  shape  and 
 garment  of  him  that  led  me.  As  we  went  on  through  the 
 shades  of  night,  on  a  sudden  there  appeared  before  us  fre- 
 quent globes  of  black  flames,  rising  as  it  were  out  of  a  great 
 pit,  and  falling  back  again  into  the  same.  When  I  had  been 
 conducted  thither,  my  leader  suddenly  vanished,  and  left  me 
 alone  in  the  midst  of  darkness  and  this  horrid  vision,  whilst 
 those  same  globes  of  fire,  mthout  intermission,  at  one  time 
 flew  up  and  at  another  fell  back  into  the  bottom  of  the 
 abyss  ;  and  I  observed  that  all  the  flames,  as  they  ascended, 
 were  full  of  human  souls,  which,  like  sparks  flying  up  with 
 smoke,  were  sometimes  thrown  on  high,  and  again,  when  the 
 vapour  of  the  fire  ceased,  dropped  down  into  the  depth 
 below.  Moreover,  an  insuiFerable  stench  came  forth  with 
 the  vapours,  and  filled  all  those  dark  places. 
 
 "  Having  stood  there  a  long  time  in  much  dread,  not 
 knowing  what  to  do,  which  way  to  turn,  or  what  end  I 
 might  expect,  on  a  sudden  I  heard  beliind  me  the  noise  of  a 
 most  hideous  and  wretched  lamentation,  and  at  the  same 
 time  a  loud  laugliing,  as  of  a  rude  multitude  insulting  cap- 
 tured enemies.  When  that  noise,  growing  plainer,  came  up 
 to  me,  I  observed  a  gang  of  evil  spirits  dragging  the  howl- 
 ing and  lamenting  souls  of  men  into  the  midst  of  the  dark- 
 ness,  whilst  they  themselves  laughed  and  rejoiced.  Among 
 those  men,  as  I  could  discern,  there  was  one  shorn  like  a 
 clergyman,  a  layman,  and  a  woman.  The  evil  spirits  that 
 dragged  them  went  down  into  the  midst  of  the  burning  pit  ; 
 and  as  they  went  down  deeper,  I  could  no  longer  distinguish 
 between  the  lamentation  of  the  men  and  the  laughing  of  the 
 devils,  yet  I  still  had  a  confused  sound  in  my  ears.  In  the 
 meantime,  some  of  the  dark  spirits  ascended  from  that  flam- 
 ing abyss,  and  running  forward,  beset  me  on  all  sides,  and 
 much  perplexed  me  with  their  glaring  eyes  and  the  stinking 
 fire  which  proceeded  from  their  mouths  and  nostrils  ;  and 
 threatened  to  lay  hold  on  me  with  burning  tongs,  which  they 
 had  in  their  hands,  yet  they  durst  not  touch  me,  though  they 
 frightened  me.  Being  thus  on  all  sides  enclosed  with  ene- 
 mies and  darkness,  and  looking  about  on  every  side  for 
 assistance,   there  appeared  behind  me,  on  the  way  that  I 
 
2o6  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    HISTORT.  IR  V.  c.  12. 
 
 came,  as  it  were,  the  brightness  of  a  star  shining  amidst  the 
 darkness  ;  which  increased  by  degrees,  and  came  rapidly 
 towards  me  :  when  it  drew  near,  all  those  evil  spirits,  that 
 souirht  to  carry  me  away  with  their  tongs,  dispersed  and 
 fled^ 
 
 "He,  whose  approach  put  them  to  flight,  was  the  same 
 that  led  me  before  ;  who,  then  turning  towards  the  right, 
 began  to  lead  me,  as  it  were,  towards  the  south-east,  and 
 having  soon  brought  me  out  of  the  darkness,  conducted  me 
 into  an  atmosphere  of  clear  light.  Wliile  he  thus  led  me  in 
 open  light,  I  saw  a  vast  wall  before  us,  the  length  and 
 height  of  which,  in  every  direction,  seemed  to  be  altogether 
 boundless.  I  began  to  wonder  why  we  went  up  to  the  wall, 
 seeing  no  door,  window,  or  path  through  it.  When  we 
 came  to  the  wall,  we  were  presently,  I  know  not  by  what 
 means,  on  the  top  of  it,  and  within  it  was  a  vast  and  delight- 
 ful field,  so  full  of  fragrant  flowers  that  the  odour  of  its  de- 
 lightful sweetness  immediately  dispelled  the  stink  of  the  dark 
 furnace,  which  had  pierced  me  through  and  through.  So 
 great  was  the  light  in  this  place,  that  it  seemed  to  exceed 
 the  brightness  of  the  day,  or  the  sun  in  its  meridian  height. 
 In  this  field  were  innumerable  assemblies  of  men  in  white, 
 and  many  companies  seated  together  rejoicing.  As  he  led 
 me  through  the  midst  of  those  happy  inhabitants,  I  began  to 
 think  that  this  might,  perhaps,  be  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
 of  which  I  had  often  heard  so  much.  He  answered  to  m}- 
 thought,  saying,  '  This  is  not  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  you 
 imagine.' 
 
 "  When  we  had  passed  those  mansions  of  blessed  souls  and 
 gone  farther  on,  I  discovered  before  me  a  much  more  beauti- 
 ful light,  and  therein  heard  sweet  voices  of  persons  singing, 
 and  so  wonderful  a  fragrancy  proceeded  from  the  place,  that 
 the  other  which  I  had  before  thought  most  delicious,  then 
 seemed  to  me  but  very  indiiFerent ;  even  as  that  extraordi- 
 nary brightness  of  the  flowery  field,  compared  with  this, 
 appeared  mean  and  inconsiderable.  Wlien  I  began  to  hope 
 we  should  enter  that  delightful  place,  my  guide,  on  a  sudden 
 stood  still ;  and  then  turning  back,  led  me  back  by  the  way 
 we  came. 
 
 "  When  we  returned  to  those  joyful  mansions  of  the  souls 
 in  white,  he  said  to  me,  '  Do  you  know  what  all  these  things 
 
A  n.  (596.J  \^SION  OF  ONE  FROM  THE  DEAD.  257 
 
 are  which  you  have  seen  ?'  I  answered,  I  did  not;  and  then 
 he  replied,  '  That  vale  you  saw  so  dreadful  for  consuming 
 flames  and  cutting  cold,  is  the  place  in  which  the  souls  of 
 those  are  tried  and  punished,  who,  delaying  to  confess  and 
 amend  their  crimes,  at  length  have  recourse  to  repentance  at 
 the  point  of  death,  and  so  depart  this  life ;  but  nevertheless 
 because  they,  even  at  their  death,  confessed  and  repented, 
 they  shall  all  be  received  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  at  the 
 day  of  judgment ;  but  many  are  relieved  before  the  day  of 
 judgment,  by  the  prayers,  ahns,  and  fasting,  of  the  living, 
 and  more  especially  by  masses.  That  fiery  and  stinking  pit, 
 wliich  you  saw,  is  the  mouth  of  hell,  into  which  whosoever 
 falls  shall  never  be  delivered  to  all  eternity.  This  flowery 
 place,  in  which  you  see  these  most  beautiful  young  people,  so 
 bright  and  merry,  is  that  into  which  the  souls  of  those  are 
 received  who  depart  the  body  in  good  works,  but  who  are 
 not  so  perfect  as  to  deserve  to  be  immediately  admitted  into 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven;  yet  they  shall  all,  at  the  day  of 
 judgment,  see  Christ,  and  partake  of  the  joys  of  his  kingdom  ; 
 for  whoever  are  perfect  in  thought,  word  and  deed,  as  soon  as 
 they  depart  the  body,  immediately  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven ;  in  the  neighbourhood  whereof  that  place  is,  where 
 you  heard  the  sound  of  sweet  singing,  with  the  fragrant 
 odour  and  bright  light.  As  for  you,  who  are  now  to  return 
 to  your  body,  and  live  among  men  again,  if  you  will  en- 
 deavour nicely  to  examine  your  actions,  and  direct  your 
 speech  and  behaviour  in  righteousness  and  simplicity,  you 
 shall,  after  death,  have  a  place  or  residence  among  these  joy- 
 ful troops  of  blessed  souls ;  for  when  I  left  you  for  a  while,  it 
 was  to  know  how  you  were  to  be  disposed  of.'  When  he 
 had  said  this  to  me,  I  much  abhorred  returning  to  my  body, 
 being  delighted  with  the  sweetness  and  beauty  of  the  place  I 
 beheld,  and  with  the  company  of  those  I  saw  in  it.  How- 
 ever, I  durst  not  ask  him  any  questions ;  but  in  the  mean- 
 time, on  a  sudden,  I  found  myself  alive  among  men." 
 
 Now  these  and  other  things  which  this  man  of  God  saw, 
 he  would  not  relate  to  slothful  persons  and  such  as  Uved 
 negligently ;  but  only  to  those  who,  being  terrified  with  the 
 dread  of  torments,  or  delighted  with  the  hopes  of  heavenly 
 joys,  would  make  use  of  his  words  to  advance  in  piety.  In 
 the  neighbourhood  of  his  cell  lived  one  Hemgils,   a  monk. 
 
258  BEDE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  [B.v.r.l2. 
 
 eminent  in  the  priesthood,  which  he  honoured  by  his  good 
 works  :  he  is  still  living,  and  leading  a  solitary  life  in  L-e- 
 land,  supporting  his  declining  age  with  coarse  bread  and  cold 
 water.  He  often  went  to  that  man,  and  asking  several  ques- 
 tions, heard  of  him  all  the  particulars  of  what  he  had  seen 
 when  separated  from  his  body ;  by  whose  relation  we  also 
 came  to  the  knowledge  of  those  few  particulars  which  we 
 have  briefly  set  down.  He  also  related  liis  visions  to  King 
 Alfrid,  a  man  most  learned  in  all  respects,  and  was  by  him 
 so  willingly  and  attentively  heard,  that  at  his  request  he  was 
 admitted  into  the  monastery  above-mentioned,  and  received 
 the  monastic  tonsure ;  and  the  said  king,  when  he  happened 
 to  be  in  those  parts,  very  often  went  to  hear  him.  At  that 
 time  the  religious  and  humble  abbat  and  priest,  Ethelwald, 
 presided  over  the  monastery,  and  now  with  worthy  conduct 
 possesses  the  episcopal  see  of  the  church  of  Lindisfarne. 
 
 He  had  a  more  private  place  of  residence  assigned  him  in 
 that  monastery,  where  he  might  apply  himself  to  the  service 
 of  his  Creator  in  continual  prayer.  And  as  that  place  lay 
 on  the  bank  of  the  river,  he  was  wont  often  to  go  into  the 
 same  to  do  penance  in  his  body,  and  many  times  to  dip  quite 
 under  the  water,  and  to  continue  saying  psalms  or  prayers  in 
 the  same  as  long  as  he  could  endure  it,  standing  still  some- 
 times up  to  the  middle,  and  sometimes  to  the  neck  in  water ; 
 and  when  he  went  out  from  thence  ashore,  he  never  took  oiF 
 his  cold  and  frozen  garments  till  they  grew  warm  and  dry 
 on  his  body.  And  when  in  the  winter  the  half-broken  pieces 
 of  ice  were  swimming  about  him.  which  he  had  liimself 
 broken,  to  make  room  to  stand  or  dip  himself  in  the  river, 
 those  who  beheld  it  would  say,  "It  is  wonderful,  brother 
 Drithelm,  (for  so  he  was  called,)  that  you  are  able  to  endure 
 such  violent  cold ;"  he  simply  answered,  for  he  Avas  a  man 
 of  much  simplicity  and  indifferent  wit,  "  I  have  seen  greater 
 cold."  And  when  they  said,  "  It  is  strange  that  you  will 
 endure  such  austerity ;"  he  replied,  "  I  have  seen  more 
 austerity."  Thus  he  continued,  through  an  indefatigable 
 desire  of  heavenly  bliss,  to  subdue  his  aged  body  with  daily 
 fasting,  till  the  day  of  his  being  called  away ;  and  thus  he 
 forwarded  the  salvation  of  many  by  his  words  and  example. 
 
^•o.76i.)  A   VISION   IN   MEROIA.  259 
 
 CHAP.  xin. 
 
 Of  another,  who  before  his  death  saio  a  booh  confaining  all  his  sins,  which 
 was  showed  him  by  devils,     [a.d.  704 — 709.] 
 
 It  happened  quite  the  contraiy  with  one  in  the  province  of 
 the  Mercians,  whose  visions  and  words,  and  also  his  be- 
 haviour, were  neither  advantageous  to  others  nor  to  himself. 
 In  the  reign  of  Coenred,  who  succeeded  Etheked,  there  was 
 a  layman  in  a  military  employment,  no  less  acceptable  to  the 
 king  for  his  worldly  industry,  than  displeasing  to  him  for  his 
 private  neglect  of  himself.  The  king  often  admonished  him  to 
 confess  and  amend,  and  to  forsake  his  wicked  courses,  before  ho 
 should  lose  all  time  for  repentance  and  amendment  by  a  sud- 
 den death.  Though  frequently  warned,  he  despised  the 
 words  of  salvation,  and  promised  he  would  do  penance  at 
 some  future  time.  In  the  meantime,  falling  sick  he  was 
 confined  to  his  bed,  and  began  to  feel  very  severe  pains. 
 The  king  coming  to  him  (for  he  loved  the  man),  earnestly 
 exhorted  him,  even  then,  before  death,  to  repent  of  his 
 offences.  He  answered,  "  He  would  not  then  confess  his 
 sins,  but  would  do  it  when  he  was  recovered  of  his  sickness, 
 lest  his  companions  should  upbraid  him  of  having  done  that 
 for  fear  of  death,  which  he  had  refused  to  do  in  health."  He 
 thought  he  then  spoke  very  bravely,  but  it  afterwards 
 appeared  that  he  had  been  miserably  deluded  by  the  wiles  of 
 the  Devil. 
 
 The  distemper  still  increasing,  when  the  king  came  again 
 to  visit  and  instruct  him,  he  cried  out  with  a  lamentable 
 voice,  "  What  will  you  have  now  ?  What  are  ye  come  for  ? 
 for  you  can  no  longer  do  me  any  good."  The  king  answered, 
 "  Do  not  talk  so ;  behave  yourself  like  a  man  in  his  right 
 mind." — "  I  am  not  mad,"  replied  he,  "  but  I  have  now  all 
 the  guilt  of  my  wicked  conscience  before  my  eyes." — "  What 
 is  the  meaning  of  that?"  rejoined  the  king.  "Not  long 
 since,"  said  he,  "  there  came  into  this  room  two  most  beauti- 
 ful youths,  and  sat  down  by  me,  the  one  at  my  head,  and  the 
 other  at  my  feet.  One  of  them  produced  a  very  small  and 
 most  curious  book,  and  gave  it  me  to  read ;  looking  into  it,  I 
 there  found  all  the  good  actions  I  had  ever  done  in  my  life 
 
 s2 
 
260  BEDe's   ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  v.  c.  13. 
 
 written  down,  and  tliey  were  very  few  and  inconsiderable. 
 They  took  back  the  book  and  said  nothing  to  me.  Then,  on 
 a  sudden,  appeared  an  army  of  wicked  and  deformed  spirits, 
 encompassing  this  house  without,  and  filling  it  within.  Then 
 he,  who,  by  the  blackness  of  his  dismal  face,  and  his  sitting 
 above  the  rest,  seemed  to  be  the  chief  of  them,  taking  out  a 
 book  horrid  to  behold,  of  a  prodigious  size,  and  of  almost  in- 
 supportable weight,  commanded  one  of  his  followers  to  bring 
 it  to  me  to  read.  Having  read  it,  I  found  therein  most 
 plainly  written  in  black  characters,  all  the  crimes  I  ever 
 committed,  not  only  in  word  and  deed,  but  even  in  the  least 
 thought ;  and  he  said  to  those  men  in  white,  who  sat  by  me, 
 *Why  do  you  sit  here,  since  you  most  certainly  know  that 
 tliis  man  is  ours  ?'  They  answered,  'You  are  in  the  right ;  take 
 and  add  him  to  the  number  of  the  damned.'  This  said,  they 
 immediately  vanished,  and  two  most  wicked  spirits  rising, 
 with  forks  in  their  hands,  one  of  them  struck  me  on  the  head, 
 and  the  other  on  the  foot.  These  strokes  are  now  with  great 
 torture  penetrating  through  my  bowels  to  the  inward  parts 
 of  my  body,  and  as  soon  as  they  meet  I  shall  die,  and  the 
 devils  being  ready  to  snatch  me  away,  I  shall  be  dragged 
 into  hell." 
 
 Thus  talked  that  wretch  in  despair,  and  dying  soon  after, 
 he  is  now  in  vain  suffering  in  eternal  torments  that  penance 
 which  he  refused  to  suffer  during  a  short  time,  that  he  might 
 obtain  forgiveness.  Of  whom  it  is  manifest,  that  (as  the 
 holy  Pope  Gregory  writes  of  certain  persons)  he  did  not  see 
 these  things  for  his  own  sake,  since  they  availed  liim  only 
 for  the  instruction  of  others,  who,  knowing  of  his  death, 
 should  be  afraid  to  put  off  the  time  of  repentance,  whilst 
 they  have  leisure,  lest,  being  prevented  by  sudden  death, 
 they  should  depart  impenitent.  His  having  books  laid  be- 
 fore liim  by  the  good  or  evil  spirits,  was  done  by  Divine 
 dispensation,  that  we  may  keep  in  mind  that  our  actions  and 
 thoughts  are  not  lost  in  the  wind,  but  are  all  kept  to  be  ex- 
 amined by  the  Supreme  Judge,  and  will  in  the  end  be  shown 
 us  either  by  friendly  or  hostile  angels.  As  to  the  angels  first 
 producing  a  white  book,  and  then  the  devils  a  black  one ;  the 
 former  a  very  small  one,  the  latter  one  very  large ;  it  is  to  be 
 observed,  that  in  his  first  years  he  did  some  good  actions,  all 
 which  he  nevertheless  obscured  by  the  evil  actions  of  his 
 
Ai:..  rO-1.]  OF    A2h  OTHER   VISION.  261 
 
 youth.  If,  on  the  contrary,  he  had  taken  care  in  his  youth 
 to  correct  the  errors  of  his  more  tender  years,  and  to  cancel 
 them  in  God's  sight  by  doing  well,  he  might  have  been 
 asscxiiated  to  the  number  of  those  of  whom  the  Psalm  says, 
 "Blessed  are  those  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose 
 sins  are  hid."  This  story,  as  I  learned  it  of  the  venerable 
 Bishop  Pechthelm,*  I  have  thought  proper  to  relate  in  a 
 plain  manner,  for  the  salvation  of  my  hearers. 
 
 CHAP.  XIV. 
 
 Of  another,  zvho  being  at  the  point  of  death,  saiv  the  place  of  punishment 
 appointed  for  him  in  hell.     [a.d.  704.] 
 
 I  k:new  a  brother  myself,  would  to  God  I  had  not  known 
 him,  whose  name  I  could  mention  if  it  were  necessary,  and 
 who  resided  in  a  noble  monastery,  but  lived  himself  ignobly. 
 He  was  frequently  reproved  by  the  brethren  and  elders  of 
 the  place,  and  admonished  to  adopt  a  more  regular  life ;  and 
 though  he  would  not  give  ear  to  them,  he  was  long  patiently 
 borne  with  by  them,  on  account  of  his  usefulness  in  temporal 
 works,  for  he  was  an  excellent  carpenter ;  he  was  much  ad- 
 dicted to  drunkenness,  and  other  pleasures  of  a  lawless  life, 
 and  more  used  to  stop  in  his  workhouse  day  and  night,  than 
 to  go  to  church  to  sing  and  pray,  and  hear  the  word  of  life 
 with  the  brethren.  For  which  reason  it  happened  to  him 
 according  to  the  saying,  that  he  who  will  not  willingly  and 
 humbly  enter  the  gate  of  the  church,  will  certainly  be  damned, 
 and  enter  the  gate  of  hell  whether  he  will  or  no.  For  he 
 falling  sick,  and  being  reduced  to  extremity,  called  the  breth- 
 ren, and  with  much  lamentation,  and  like  one  damned,  began 
 to  tell  them,  that  he  saw  hell  open,  and  Satan  at  the  bottom 
 thereof;  as  also  Caiaphas,  with  the  others  that  slew  our 
 Lord,  by  him  delivered  up  to  avenging  flames.  "In  whose 
 neighbourhood,"  said  he,  "  I  see  a  place  of  eternal  perdition 
 provided  for  me,  miserable  wretch."  The  brothers,  hearing 
 these  words,  began  seriously  to  exhort  him,  that  he  should 
 repent  even  then  whilst  he  was  in  the  flesh.  He  answered 
 in  despair,  "  I  have  no  time  now  to  change  my  course  of  life, 
 when  I  have  myself  seen  my  judgment  passed." 
 
 Whilst  uttering  these  words,  he  died  without  having  re- 
 *  Bishop  of  AVhithem,  in  Galloway.     See  book  v.  c.  23. 
 
262  bede's  ecclesiastical  histoky.  lbv- c. is. 
 
 ceived  the  saving  viaticum,  and  his  body  was  buried  in  the 
 remotest  parts  of  the  monastery,  nor  did  any  one  dare  either 
 to  say  masses  or  sing  psalms,  or  even  to  pray  for  him.  How 
 far  has  our  Lord  divided  the  light  from  darkness  !  The 
 blessed  martyr,  Stephen,  being  about  to  suffer  death  for  the 
 truth,  saw  the  heavens  open,  the  glory  of  God  revealed,  and 
 Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God.  And  where  he 
 was  to  be  after  death,  there  he  fixed  the  eyes  of  his  mind, 
 that  he  might  die  with  the  more  satisfaction.  On  the  con- 
 trary, this  carpenter,  of  a  dark  mind  and  actions,  when  death 
 was  at  hand,  saw  hell  open  and  witnessed  the  damnation  of 
 the  Devil  and  his  followers;  the  unhappy  wretch  also  saw 
 his  own  prison  among  them,  to  the  end  that,  despairing  of 
 his  salvation,  he  might  die  the  more  miserably;  but  might 
 by  his  perdition  afford  cause  of  salvation  to  the  living  who 
 should  hear  of  it.  This  happened  lately  in  the  province  of 
 the  Bernicians,  and  being  reported  abroad  far  and  near, 
 inclined  many  to  do  penance  for  their  sins  without  delay, 
 which  we  hope  may  also  be  the  result  of  this  our  narrative. 
 
 CHAP.  XV. 
 
 Several  churches  of  the  Scots,  at  the  instance  of  Adamna7i,  conformed  to 
 the  Catholic  Easter;  the  same  person  wrote  a  book  about  the  holy  places. 
 [a.d.  703.J 
 
 At  this  time  a  great  part  of  the  Scots  in  Ireland,  and  some 
 also  of  the  Britons  in  Britain,  through  the  goodness  of  God, 
 conformed  to  the  proper  and  ecclesiastical  time  of  keeping 
 Easter.  Adamnan,  priest  and  abbat  of  the  monks  that  were 
 in  the  isle  of  Hii,  was  sent  ambassador  by  his  nation  to 
 Alfrid,  king  of  the  English,*  where  he  made  some  stay, 
 observing  the  canonical  rites  of  the  church,  and  was  ear- 
 nestly admonished  by  many,  who  were  more  learned  than 
 liimself,  not  to  presume  to  live  contrary  to  the  universal 
 custom  of  the  Church,  either  in  relation  to  the  observance 
 of  Easter,  or  any  other  decrees  whatsoever,  considering  the 
 small  number  of  his  followers,  seated  in  so  distant  a  corner 
 of  the  world ;  in  consequence  of  this  he  changed  his  mind, 
 and  readily  preferred  those  things  which  he  had  seen  and 
 heard  in  the  English  churches,  to  the  customs  which  he  and 
 *  Of  Northumbria. 
 
A.D.  704.J  ADAMNAN.  263 
 
 his  people  had  hitherto  followed.  For  he  was  a  good  and 
 wise  man,  and  remarkably  learned  in  Holy  Scripture.  Re- 
 turning home,  he  endeavoured  to  bring  his  own  people  tliat 
 were  in  the  isle  of  Hii,  or  that  were  subject  to  that  monas- 
 tery, into  the  way  of  truth,  which  he  had  learned  and  em- 
 braced with  all  his  heart ;  but  in  tliis  he  could  not  prevail. 
 He  then  sailed  over  into  Ireland,  to  preach  to  those  people, 
 and  by  modestly  declaring  the  legal  time  of  Easter,  he  re- 
 duced many  of  them,  and  almost  all  that  were  not  under  the 
 dominion  of  those  of  Hii,  to  the  Catholic  unity,  and  taught 
 them  to  keep  the  legal  time  of  Easter. 
 
 Returning  to  his  island,  after  having  celebrated  the  canoni- 
 cal Easter  in  Ireland,  he  most  earnestly  inculcated  the  ob- 
 servance of  the  Catholic  time  of  Easter  in  his  monastery,  yet 
 without  being  able  to  prevail ;  and  it  so  happened  that  he 
 departed  this  life  before  the  next  year  came  round,  the 
 Divine  goodness  so  ordaining  it,  that  as  he  was  a  great  lover 
 of  peace  and  unity,  he  should  be  taken  away  to  everlasting 
 life  before  he  should  be  obliged,  on  the  return  of  the  time  of 
 Easter,  to  quarrel  still  more  seriously  with  those  that  would 
 not  follow  him  in  the  truth. 
 
 This  same  person  wrote  a  book  about  the  holy  places, 
 most  useful  to  many  readers  ;  his  authority,  from  whom  he 
 procured  his  information,  was  Arculf,  a  French  bishop,  who 
 had  gone  to  Jerusalem  for  the  sake  of  the  holy  places  ;  and 
 having  seen  all  the  Land  of  Promise,  travelled  to  Damascus, 
 Constantinople,  Alexandria,  and  many  islands,  and  returning 
 home  by  sea,  was  by  a  violent  storm  forced  upon  the  western 
 coast  of  Britain.  After  many  other  accidents,  he  came  to 
 the  aforesaid  servant  of  Christ,  Adamnan,  who,  finding  him 
 to  be  learned  in  the  Scriptures,  and  acquainted  with  the  holy 
 places,  entertained  him  zealously,  and  attentively  gave  ear  to 
 him,  insomuch  that  he  presently  committed  to  writing  all 
 that  Arculf  said  he  had  seen  remarkable  in  the  holy  places. 
 Thus  he  composed  a  work  beneficial  to  many,  and  particu- 
 larly to  those  who,  being  far  removed  from  those  places 
 where  the  patriarchs  and  apostles  lived,  know  no  more  of 
 them  than  what  they  learn  by  reading.  Adamnan  presented 
 this  book  to  King  Alfrid,  and  through  his  bounty  it  came  to 
 be  read  by  lesser  persons.  The  writer  thereof  was  also  well 
 rewarded  by  him,  and  sent  back  into  his  country.     I  believe 
 
264  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  v.  c.  16. 
 
 it  will  be  acceptable  to  our  readers  if  we  collect  some  par- 
 ticulars from  the  same,  and  insert  them  in  our  History.* 
 
 CHAP.  XVI. 
 
 The  account  given  by  the  aforesaid  book  of  the  place  of  our  Lord's  nativity, 
 passion,  and  resurrection,     [a.  d.  704.] 
 
 He  wrote  concerning  the  place  of  the  nativity  of  our  Lord, 
 to  this  effect.  "  Bethlehem,  the  city  of  David,  is  seated  on 
 a  narrow  ridge,  encompassed  on  all  sides  witn  valleys,  being 
 a  thousand  paces  in  length  from  east  to  west,  the  wall  low 
 without  towers,  built  along  the  edge  of  the  plain  on  the 
 summit.  In  the  east  angle  thereof  is  a  sort  of  natural  half 
 cave,  the  outward  part  whereof  is  said  to  have  been  the  place 
 where  our  Lord  was  born  ;  the  inner  is  called  our  Lord's 
 Manger.  This  cave  within  is  all  covered  with  rich  marble, 
 over  the  place  where  our  Lord  is  said  particularly  to  have 
 been  born,  and  over  it  is  the  great  church  of  St.  Mary."  He 
 likewise  wrote  about  the  place  of  his  Passion  and  Resurrec- 
 tion in  this  manner.  "  Entering  the  city  of  Jerusalem  on 
 the  north  side,  the  first  place  to  be  visited,  according  to  the 
 disposition  of  the  streets,  is  the  church  of  Constantine,  called 
 the  Martyrdom.  It  was  built  by  the  Emperor  Constantine, 
 in  a  royal  and  magnificent  manner,  on  account  of  the  cross 
 of  our  Lord  having  been  found  there  by  his  mother  Helen. 
 From  thence,  to  the  westward,  appears  the  church  of  Gol- 
 gotha, in  which  is  also  to  be  seen  the  rock  which  once  bore 
 the  cross  with  our  Saviour's  body  fixed  on  it,  and  now  it 
 bears  a  large  silver  cross,  with  a  great  brazen  wheel  hanging 
 over  it  surrounded  with  lamps.  Under  the  place  of  our 
 Lord's  cross,  a  vault  is  hewn  out  of  the  rock,  in  which  sacri- 
 fice is  offered  on  an  altar  for  honourable  persons  deceased, 
 their  bodies  remaining  meanwhile  in  the  street.  To  the 
 westward  of  this  is  the  Anastasis,  that  is,  the  round  church 
 of  our  Saviour's  resurrection,  encompassed  with  three  walls, 
 and  supported  by  twelve  columns.  Between  each  of  the 
 walls  is  a  broad  space,  containing  three  altars  at  three  differ- 
 
 *  Besides  the  work  "  On  the  Holy  Places,"  [De  Locis  Sanctis,]  Adamnan 
 is  the  reputed  author  of  a  "  Life  of  Saint  Columba  ; "  but  I  liave  strong 
 doubts  of  Adamnan's  having  ^v^itten  it.  I  projjose  shortly  to  publish  the 
 original  text  of  both  these  works. 
 
A.D.704.]  EXTRACTS   FROM   ADAJMNAN.  265 
 
 ent  points  of  the  middle  wall ;  to  the  north,  the  south,  and 
 the  west,  it  has  eight  doors  or  entrances  through  the  three 
 opposite  walls  ;  four  whereof  front  to  the  north-east,  and 
 four  to  the  south-east.  In  the  midst  of  it  is  the  round  tomb 
 of  our  Lord  cut  out  of  the  rock,  the  top  of  which  a  man 
 standing  within  can  touch  ;  the  entrance  is  on  the  east ; 
 against  it  is  still  laid  that  great  stone.  To  this  day  it  bears 
 the  marks  of  the  iron  tools  within,  but  on  the  outside  it  is  all 
 covered  with  marble  to  the  very  top  of  the  roof,  which  is 
 adorned  with  gold,  and  bears  a  large  golden  cross.  In  the 
 north  part  of  the  monument,  the  tomb  of  our  Lord  is  hewed 
 out  of  the  same  rock,  seven  feet  in  length,  and  three  palms 
 above  the  floor  ;  the  entrance  being  on  the  south  side,  where 
 twelve  lamps  burn  day  and  night,  four  within  the  sepulchre, 
 and  eight  above  on  the  right  hand  side.  The  stone  that  was 
 laid  at  the  entrance  to  the  monument,  is  now  cleft  in  two  ; 
 nevertheless,  the  lesser  part  of  it  stands  as  a  square  altar 
 before  the  door  of  the  monument ;  the  greater  part  makes 
 another  square  altar  at  the  east  end  of  the  same  church,  and 
 is  covered  with  linen  cloths.  The  colour  of  the  said  monu- 
 ment and  sepulchre  appears  to  be  white  and  red." 
 
 CHAP.  xvn. 
 
 Of  the  place  of  our  Lord's  ascension,  and  the  tombs  of  the  patriarchs. 
 [a.d.  704.] 
 
 Concerning  the  place  of  our  Lord's  ascension,  the  aforesaid 
 author  writes  thus.  "  Mount  Olivet  is  equal  in  height  to 
 Mount  Sion,  but  exceeds  it  in  breadth  and  length  ;  bearing 
 few  trees  besides  vines  and  olive  trees,  and  is  fruitful  in 
 wheat  and  barley,  for  the  nature  of  that  soil  is  not  calculated 
 for  bearing  things  of  large  or  heavy  growth,  but  grass  and 
 flowers.  On  the  very  top  of  it,  where  our  Lord  ascended 
 into  heaven,  is  a  large  round  church,  having  about  it  three 
 vaulted  porches.  For  the  inner  house  could  not  be  vaulted 
 and  covered,  because  of  the  passage  of  our  Lord's  body  ;  but 
 it  has  an  altar  on  the  east  side,  covered  with  a  narrow  roof. 
 In  the  midst  of  it  are  to  be  seen  the  last  prints  of  our  Lord's 
 feet,  the  sky  appearing  open  above  where  he  ascended  ;  and 
 though  the  earth  is  daily  carried  away  by  believers,  yet  still 
 it  remains  as  before,  and  retains  the  same  impression  of  the 
 
266  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  Lb.  v.  c.  is.' 
 
 feet.  Near  this  lies  an  iron  wlieel,  as  liigli  as  a  man's  neck, 
 having  an  entrance  towards  the  west,  with  a  great  lamp 
 hanging  above  it  on  a  puUej,  and  burning  night  and  day. 
 In  the  western  part  of  the  same  church  are  eight  windows  ; 
 and  eight  lamps,  hanging  opposite  to  them  by  cords,  cast 
 their  light  through  the  glass  as  far  as  Jerusalem  ;  tliis  light 
 is  said  to  strike  the  hearts  of  the  beholders  with  a  sort  of  joy 
 and  humility.  Every  year,  on  the  day  of  the  Ascension, 
 when  mass  is  ended,  a  strong  blast  of  wind  is  said  to  come 
 down,  and  to  cast  to  the  ground  all  that  are  in  the  church." 
 
 Of  the  situation  of  Hebron,  and  the  tombs  of  the  fathers, 
 he  wi-ites  thus.  "  Hebron,  once  the  city  and  metropolis  of 
 David's  kingdom,  now  only  showing  what  it  was  by  its  ruins, 
 has,  one  furlong  to  the  east  of  it,  a  double  cave  in  the  valley, 
 where  the  tombs  of  the  patriarchs  are  enclosed  with  a  square 
 wall,  their  heads  lying  to  the  north.  Each  of  the  tombs  is 
 covered  mth  a  single  stone,  worked  like  the  stones  of  a 
 church,  and  of  a  white  colour,  for  three  patriarchs.  Adam's 
 is  of  more  mean  and  common  workmanship,  and  lies  not  far 
 from  them  at  the  farthest  northern  extremity.  There  are 
 also  some  poorer  and  smaller  monuments  of  three  women. 
 The  hill  Mamre  is  a  thousand  paces  from  the  monuments, 
 and  is  full  of  grass  and  flowers,  having  a  flat  plain  on  the 
 top.  In  the  northern  part  of  it,  Abraham's  oak,  being  a 
 stump  about  twice  as  high  as  a  man,  is  enclosed  in  a 
 church." 
 
 Thus  much  have  we  collected  from  the  works  of  the  afore- 
 said writer,  keeping  to  the  sense  of  his  words,  but  more 
 briefly  delivered,  and  have  thought  fit  to  insert  in  our  His- 
 tory. Whosoever  desires  to  see  more  of  the  contents  of  that 
 book,  may  see  it  either  in  the  same,  or  in  that  which  we 
 have  lately  epitomized  from  it. 
 
 CHAP.  xvin. 
 
 The  South  Saxons  received  Eadbert  and  Eolla,  and  the  West  Saxons, 
 Daniel  and  Aldhelm,  for  their  bishops.  Of  the  writings  of  the  same 
 Atdhelm.     [A.D.  705.] 
 
 In  the  year  of  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  705,  Alfrid,  king 
 of  the  Northumbrians,  died  just  before  the  end  of  the  twen- 
 tieth year  of  his  reign.  His  son  Osred,  a  boy  about  eight 
 years  of  age,  succeeding  him  in  the  thi'one,  reigned  eleven 
 
A.D.705.]  DEATH    OF    BISHOP   HEDDA.  267 
 
 years.  In  the  beginning  of  his  reign,  Hedcla,  bishop  of  the 
 West  Saxons,*  departed  to  the  heavenly  kingdom ;  for  he 
 was  a  good  and  just  man,  and  exercised  his  episcopal  duties 
 rather  by  his  innate  love  of  virtue,  than  by  what  he  had 
 gained  from  learning.  The  most  reverend  prelate,  Pech- 
 thelm,  of  whom  we  shall  speak  in  the  proper  place,!  and 
 who  was  a  long  time  either  deacon  or  monk  with  his  suc- 
 cessor Aldhelm,  is  wont  to  relate  that  many  miraculous 
 cures  have  been  wrought  in  the  place  where  he  died, 
 through  the  merit  of  Ins  sanctity;  and  that  the  men  of 
 that  province  used  to  carry  the  dust  from  thence  for  the 
 sick,  wliich,  when  they  had  put  into  water,  the  sprinkling 
 or  drinking  thereof  restored  health  to  many  sick  men  and 
 beasts ;  so  that  the  holy  earth  being  frequently  carried  away, 
 there  was  a  considerable  hole  left. 
 
 Upon  liis  death  the  bishopric  of  that  province  was  divided 
 into  two  dioceses.  One  of  them  was  given  to  Daniel,J  wliich 
 he  governs  to  this  day;  the  other  to  Aldhelm, §  wherein  he 
 most  wortliily  presided  four  years ;  both  of  them  were  well 
 instructed,  as  well  in  ecclesiastical  affairs  as  in  the  know- 
 ledge of  the  Scriptures.  Aldhelm,  when  he  was  only  a 
 priest  and  abbat  of  the  monastery  of  Malmesbury,  by  order 
 of  a  synod  of  his  own  nation,  wrote  a  notable  book||  against 
 the  error  of  the  Britons,  in  not  celebrating  Easter  at  the 
 proper  time,  and  in  doing  several  other  things  not  consonant 
 to  the  purity  and  the  peace  of  the  church ;  and  by  the  read- 
 ing of  this  book  he  persuaded  many  of  them,  who  were  sub- 
 ject to  the  West  Saxons,  to  adopt  the  Catholic  celebration  of 
 our  Lord's  resurrection.  He  likewise  wrote  a  notable  book 
 on  Virginity,  which,  in  imitation  of  Sedulius,  he  composed 
 double,  that  is,  in  hexameter  verse  and  prose.  He  wrote 
 some  other  books,  as  being  a  man  most  learned  in  all  re- 
 
 *  Winchester,     See  p.  191.  +  In  book  v.  c.  23. 
 
 X  Daniel  was  bishop  of  Winchester,  which  included  the  counties  of 
 Hampshire,  Surrey,  Sussex,  and  the  Isle  of  Wight. 
 
 §  Aldhelm  was  appohited  to  the  new  see  of  Sherborne,  consisting  of  the 
 counties  of  Dorset,  Somerset,  Wilts,  Devon,  and  Cornwall.  This  sec  con- 
 tinued for  more  than  three  centuries,  when  it  was  removed  first  to  WUton, 
 afterwards  to  Old  Sarum,  and  finally  to  New  Sarum,  or  Salisbury. 
 
 II  This  notable  book  of  Bishop  Aldhelm,  is  but  a  short  tract  of  a  few 
 pages,  published  together  with  all  his  other  works  in  "  S.  Aldhelmi  Opera, 
 8vo.  London,  1842;"  forming  vol.  I.  of  "Patres  Ecclesise  Anglicanse." 
 
268  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [r-  v.  c.  la 
 
 spects,  for  lie  had  a  clean  style,  and  was,  as  I  have  said, 
 wonderful  for  ecclesiastical  and  liberal  erudition.  On  his 
 death,  Forthere  was  made  bishop  in  liis  stead,  and  is  living 
 at  this  time,  being  likewise  a  man  very  learned  in  Holy- 
 Writ. 
 
 Whilst  they  were  bishops,  it  was  decreed  in  a  synod,  that 
 the  province  of  the  South  Saxons,  wliich  till  then  belonged 
 to  the  diocese  of  the  city  of  Winchester,  where  Daniel  then 
 presided,  should  also  have  an  episcopal  see,  and  a  bishop  of 
 its  own.*  Eadbert,  at  that  time  abbat  of  the  monastery  of 
 Bishop  Wilfrid,  of  blessed  memory,  called  Selsey,  was  con- 
 secrated their  first  bishop.  On  liis  death,  Eolla  succeeded 
 in  the  bishopric.  He  also  died  some  years  since,  and  the 
 bishopric  has  been  discontinued  to  this  day. 
 
 CHAP.  XIX. 
 
 Coinred,  king  nf  the  Mercians,  and  Offd,  of  the  East  Saxons,  ended  their 
 days  at  Rome,  in  the  monastic  habit.  Of  the  life  and  death  of  Bishop 
 Wilfrid,     [a.d.  709.] 
 
 In  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Osred,  Coinred,  who  had 
 for  some  time  nobly  governed  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians, 
 did  a  much  more  noble  act,  by  quitting  the  tlu-one  of  his 
 kingdom,  and  going  to  Rome,  where  being  shorn,  when 
 Constantine  was  pope,  and  made  a  monk  at  the  relics  of  the 
 apostles,  he  continued  to  his  last  hour  in  prayers,  fasting 
 and  alms-deeds.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  throne  by  Ceol- 
 red,  the  son  of  Ethelred,  who  had  been  king  before  Coinred. 
 With  him  went  the  son  of  Sighere,  king  of  the  East  Saxons 
 above-mentioned,  whose  name  was  Offa,  a  youth  of  most 
 lovely  age  and  beauty,  and  most  earnestly  desired  by  all 
 his  nation  to  be  their  king.  He,  with  like  devotion,  quitted 
 his  wife,  lands,  kindred  and  country,  for  Christ  and  for  the 
 Gospel,  that  he  might  "  receive  an  hundred-fold  in  this  life, 
 and  in  the  world  to  come  life  everlasting."  He  also,  when 
 they  came  to  the  holy  places  at  Rome,  receiving  the  tonsure, 
 and  adopting  a  monastic  life,  attained  the  long  wished-for 
 sight  of  the  blessed  apostles  in  heaven. 
 
 The  same  year  that  they  departed  from  Britain,  the  cele- 
 
 *  Seepages  195,  198. 
 
AD. 648.-;  OF  Wilfrid's  life.  269 
 
 brated  prelate,  Wilfrid,  died  in  the  province  of  Undalum.* 
 after  he  had  been  bishop  forty-five  years.  His  body,  being 
 laid  in  a  coffin,  was  carried  to  his  monastery,  called  Ripon, 
 and  there  buried  in  the  church  of  the  blessed  Apostle  Peter, 
 with  the  honour  due  to  so  great  a  prelate.  We  will  now 
 turn  back,  and  briefly  mention  some  particulars  of  his  life. 
 Being  a  boy  of  a  good  disposition,  and  behaving  himself 
 worthily  at  that  age,  he  conducted  himself  so  modestly  and 
 discreetly  in  all  respects,  that  he  was  deservedly  beloved, 
 respected,  and  cherished  by  his  elders  as  one  of  themselves. 
 At  fourteen  years  of  age  he  preferred  the  monastic  to  the 
 secular  life ;  which,  when  he  had  signified  to  his  father,  for 
 his  mother  was  dead,  he  readily  consented  to  his  heavenly 
 wishes,  and  advised  him  to  persist  in  his  holy  resolution. 
 Accordingly  he  came  to  the  isle  of  Lindisfarne,  and  there 
 giving  liimself  up  to  the  service  of  the  monks,  he  took  care 
 diligently  to  learn  and  to  perform  those  things  which  belong 
 to  monastic  purity  and  piety ;  and  being  of  an  acute  under- 
 standing, he  in  a  very  short  time  learned  the  psalms  and 
 some  books,  before  he  was  shorn,  but  when  he  was  already 
 become  very  remarkable  for  the  greater  virtues  of  humility 
 and  obedience:  for  which  he  was  deservedly  beloved  and 
 respected  by  his  equals  and  elders.  Having  served  God 
 some  years  in  that  monastery,  and  being  a  clear-sighted 
 youth,  he  observed  that  the  way  to  virtue  taught  by  the 
 Scots  was  not  perfect,  and  he  resolved  to  go  to  Rome,  to 
 see  what  ecclesiastical  or  monastic  rites  were  in  use  there. 
 The  brethren  being  made  acquainted  therewith,  commended 
 his  design,  and  advised  him  to  put  it  into  execution.  He 
 then  repaired  to  Queen  Eanfled,  to  whom  he  was  well 
 kno^vn,  and  who  had  got  him  into  that  monastery  by  her 
 advice  and  assistance,  and  acquainted  her  that  he  was  de- 
 sirous to  visit  the  churches  of  the  apostles.  She,  being 
 pleased  with  the  youth's  resolution,  sent  liim  into  Kent,  to 
 King  Earconbert,  who  was  her  uncle's  son,  requesting  that 
 he  would  send  him  to  Rome  in  an  honourable  manner.  At 
 that  time,  Honorius,  one  of  the  disciples  of  the  holy  Pope 
 Gregory,  and  well  instructed  in  ecclesiastical  institutes,  was 
 
 •  Oundle,  Northamptonshire.  The  monastery  at  this  place,  where  Wil- 
 frid died,  is  considered  by  some  to  have  been  a  cell  to  the  abbey  of  Peter- 
 borough, and  part  of  its  possessions. 
 
270  BEDE's   ECCLESL4STICAL    HISTORY.  [b.  v.  c  19. 
 
 archbishop  there.  Whilst  he  made  some  stay  there,  and, 
 being  a  youth  of  an  active  spirit,  diligently  applied  himself 
 to  learn  those  things  which  he  undertook,  another  youtli, 
 called  Biscop,  or  otherwise  Benedict,  of  the  English  nobility, 
 arrived  there,  being  likewise  desirous  to  go  to  Rome,  of 
 whic;h  we  have  before  made  mention. 
 
 The  king  gave  him  Wilfrid  for  a  companion,  with  orders 
 to  conduct  him  to  Rome.  When  they  came  to  Lyons,  Wil- 
 frid Avas  detained  there  by  Diilfin,  the  bishop  of  that  city  ; 
 but  Benedict  hastened  on  to  Rome.  That  prelate  was  de- 
 lighted with  the  youth's  prudent  discourse,  the  gracefulness 
 of  his  aspect,  the  alacrity  of  his  behaviour,  and  the  sedate- 
 ness  and  gravity  of  liis  thoughts ;  for  which  reason  he  plenti- 
 fully supplied  him  a- id  his  companions  with  all  necessaries, 
 as  long  as  they  stayed  with  him ;  and  further  offered  to  com- 
 mit to  him  the  government  of  a  considerable  part  of  France, 
 to  give  him  a  maiden  daughter  of  his  own  brother  to  wife, 
 and  to  receive  him  as  his  adopted  son.  He  returned  thanks 
 for  the  favour,  which  he  was  pleased  to  show  to  a  stranger, 
 and  answered,  that  he  had  resolved  upon  another  course  of 
 life,  and  for  that  reason  had  left  his  country  and  set  out  for 
 Rome. 
 
 Hereupon  the  bishop  sent  liim  to  Rome,  furnishing  him 
 with  a  guide  and  plenty  of  all  things  requisite  for  his  jour- 
 ney, earnestly  requesting  that  he  would  come  that  way  when 
 he  returned  into  his  own  country.  AYilfrid  arriving  at 
 Rome,  by  constantly  applying  himself  to  prayer  and  the 
 study  of  ecclesiastical  affairs,  as  he  had  before  proposed  to 
 himself,  gained  the  friendship  of  the  most  holy  and  learned 
 Boniface,  the  archdeacon,  who  was  also  counsellor  to  the  pope, 
 by  whose  instruction  he  regularly  learned  the  four  Gospels,  the 
 true  calculation  of  Easter,  and  many  other  things  appertain- 
 ing to  ecclesiastical  discipline,  which  he  could  not  attain  in 
 his  own  country.  When  he  had  spent  some  months  there,  in 
 successful  study,  he  returned  into  France,  to  Dalfin ;  and 
 having  stayed  with  him  three  years,  received  from  him  the 
 tonsure,  and  was  so  much  beloved  that  he  had  thoughts  of 
 making  him  his  heir ;  but  this  was  prevented  by  the  bishop's 
 untimely  death,  and  Wilfrid  was  reserved  to  be  bishop  of 
 his  own,  that  is,  the  English,  nation;  f)r  Queen  Baldhilda 
 sent  soldiers  with  orders  to  put  the  bishop  to  death ;  whom 
 
AD-  6C4.]  01    ^VILFRID's  LIFE..  27l 
 
 Wilfrid,  his  clerk,  attended  to  the  place  where  he  was  to  be 
 beheaded,  being  very  desirous,  though  the  bishop  opposed  it, 
 to  die  with  him;  but  the  executioners,  understanding  that 
 he  was  a  stranger,  and  of  the  English  nation,  spared  liim, 
 and  would  not  put  him  to  death  with  his  bishop. 
 
 Returning  to  England,  he  was  admitted  to  the  friendship 
 of  King  Alfrid,  who  had  always  followed  the  catholic  rules 
 of  the  Church ;  and  therefoi*^  finding  him  to  be  a  Catholic, 
 he  gave  him  land  of  ten  families  at  the  place  called  Stan- 
 ford ;*  and  not  long  after,  the  monastery,  of  thirty  f^imilies, 
 at  the  place  called  Ripon ;  which  place  he  had  lately  given 
 to  those  that  followed  the  doctrine  of  the  Scots,  to  build  a 
 monastery  upon.  But,  forasmuch  as  they  afterwards,  being 
 left  to  their  choice,  would  rather  quit  the  place  than  adopt 
 the  catholic  Easter,  and  other  canonical  rites,  according  to 
 the  custom  of  the  Roman  Apostolic  Church,  he  gave  tht* 
 same  to  him,  whom  he  found  to  follow  better  discipline  and 
 better  customs. 
 
 At  the  same  time,  by  the  said  king's  command,  he  was 
 ordained  priest  in  the  same  monastery,  by  Agilbert,  bishop 
 of  the  West  Saxonsf  above-mentioned,  the  king  being  de- 
 sirous that  a  man  of  so  much  piety  and  learning  should  con- 
 tinue with  him  as  priest  and  teacher ;  and  not  long  after, 
 having  discovered  and  banished  the  Scottish  sect,  as  was  said 
 above,  he,  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  his  father  Oswy, 
 sent  him  into  France,  to  be  consecrated  bishop,  at  about 
 thirty  years  of  age,  the  same  Agilbert  being  then  bishop  of 
 Paris,  and  eleven  other  bishops  meeting  at  the  consecration 
 of  the  new  bishop,  that  function  was  most  honourably  per- 
 formed. Wliilst  he  was  yet  beyond  the  sea,  Chad,  a  holy 
 man,  was  consecrated  bishop  of  York,  by  command  of  King 
 Oswy,  as  has  been  said  above ;  and  having  ably  ruled  that 
 church  three  years,  he  retired  to  govern  his  monastery  of 
 Lestingau,  and  Wilfrid  was  made  bishop  of  all  the  province 
 of  the  Northumbrians.^ 
 
 Afterwards,  in  the  reign  of  Egfrid,  he  was  exj^elied  liis 
 bishopric,  and  others  were  consecrated  bishops  in  his  stead, 
 of  whom  mention  has  been  made  above.  Designing  to  go 
 to  Rome,  to  answer  for  himself  before  the  pope,  when  he 
 
 •  Now  Stamford,  Lincolnshire.  t  Dorcliester.  J  At  York. 
 
272  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   history.  [b.v.  c.19 
 
 was  aboard  the  sliip,  the  wind  blew  hard  west,  and  he  was 
 driven  into  Frisland,  and  honourably  received  by  that  barba- 
 rous people  and  their  King  Aldgist,  to  whom  he  preached 
 Christ,  and  instructed  many  thousands  of  them  in  the  word 
 of  truth,  washing  them  from  their  abominations  in  the  laver 
 of  salvation.  Thus  he  there  began  the  work  of  the  Gospel 
 which  was  afterwards  finished  by  Wilbrord,  a  most  reverend 
 bishop  of  Jesus  Christ.  Having  spent  the  winter  there 
 with  his  new  converts,  he  set  out  again  on  his  way  to  Rome, 
 where  his  cause  being  tried  before  Pope  Agatho  and  several 
 bishops,  he  was  by  their  universal  consent,  acquitted  of 
 what  had  been  laid  to  his  charge,  and  declared  worthy  of  his 
 bishopric. 
 
 At  the  same  time,  the  said  Pope  Agatho  assembling  a 
 synod  at  Rome,  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  bishops, 
 against  those  that  taught  there  was  only  one  will  and  opera- 
 tion in  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  ordered  Wilfrid  also  to  be 
 summoned,  and,  when  seated  among  the  bishops,  to  declare 
 his  own  faith  and  the  faith  of  the  province  or  island  from 
 whence  he  came ;  and  they  being  found  orthodox  in  their 
 faith,  it  was  thought  fit  to  record  the  same  among  the  acts  of 
 that  synod,  which  was  done  in  this  manner  :  "Wilfrid,  the 
 beloved  of  God,  bishop  of  the  city  of  York,  having  referred 
 to  the  Apostolic  See,  and  being  by  that  authority  acquitted 
 of  every  thing,  whether  specified  against  him  or  not,  and 
 having  taken  his  seat  in  judgment,  with  one  hundred  and 
 twenty-five  other  bishops  in  the  synod,  made  confession  of 
 the  true  and  catholic  faith,  and  subscribed  the  same  in  the 
 name  of  the  northern  part  of  Britain  and  Ii'eland,  inhabited 
 by  the  English  and  Britons,  as  also  by  the  Scots  and  Picts." 
 
 After  this,  returning  into  Britain,  he  converted  the  pro- 
 vince of  the  South  Saxons  from  their  idolatrous  worship. 
 He  also  sent  ministers  to  the  Isle  of  Wight;  and  in  the 
 second  year  of  Alfrid,  who  reigned  after  Egfrid,  was  restored 
 to  his  see  and  bishopric  by  that  king's  invitation.  However, 
 five  years  after,  being  again  accused  by  that  same  king  and 
 several  bishops,  he  was  again  expelled  his  diocese.  Coming 
 to  Rome,  together  with  his  accusers,  and  being  allowed  to 
 make  his  defence  before  a  number  of  bishops  and  the  apos- 
 tolic Pope  John,  it  was  declared  by  the  unanimous  judgment 
 of  them  all,  that  liis  accusers  had  in  part  laid  false  accusa- 
 
A.n.  7040  DEATH   OF  WILFRID.  273 
 
 tions  to  his  charge;  and  the  aforesaid  pope  undertook  to 
 write  to  the  kings  of  the  English,  Etheh-ed  and  Alfrid,  to 
 cause  him  to  be  restored  to  his  bishopric,  because  he  had 
 been  falsely  accused. 
 
 His  acquittal  was  much  forwarded  by  the  reading  of  the 
 synod  of  Pope  Agatho,  of  blessed  memory,  which  had  been 
 formerly  held  when  Wilfrid  was  in  Rome,  and  sat  in  council 
 among  the  bishops,  as  has  been  said  before.  For  that  synod 
 being,  on  account  of  the  trial,  by  order  of  the  apostolic  pope, 
 read  before  the  nobihty  and  a  great  number  of  the  people 
 for  some  days,  they  came  to  the  place  where  it  was  written, 
 "  Wilfrid,  the  beloved  of  God,  bishop  of  the  city  of  York, 
 having  referred  his  cause  to  the  Apostolic  See,  and  being  by 
 that  power  cleared,"  &c.,  as  above  stated.  This  being  read, 
 the  hearers  were  amazed,  and  the  reader  stopping,  they  began 
 to  ask  of  one  another,  who  that  Bishop  Wilfrid  was  ?  Then 
 Boniface,  the  pope's  counsellor,  and  many  others,  who  had 
 seen  him  there  in  the  days  of  Pope  Agatho,  said,  he  was  the 
 same  bishop  that  lately  came  to  Rome,  to  be  tried  by  the 
 Apostolic  See,  being  accused  by  his  people,  and  who,  said 
 they,  having  long  since  been  here  upon  such  like  accusation, 
 the  cause  and  controversy  between  both  parties  being  heard 
 and  discussed,  was  proved  by  Pope  Agatho,  of  blessed 
 memory,  to  have  been  wrongfully  expelled  from  his  bishopric, 
 and  so  much  honoured  by  him,  that  he  commanded  him  to  sit 
 in  the  council  of  bishops  which  he  had  assembled,  as  a  man 
 of  untainted  faith  and  an  upright  mind.  This  being  heard, 
 the  pope  and  all  the  rest  said,  that  a  man  of  such  great 
 authority,  who  had  exercised  the  episcopal  function  near 
 forty  years,  ought  not  to  be  condemned,  but  being  cleared 
 of  all  the  crimes  laid  to  his  charge,  to  return  home  with 
 honour. 
 
 Passing  through  France,  on  his  way  back  to  Britain,  on  a 
 sudden  he  fell  sick,  and  the  distemper  increasing,  was  so  ill, 
 that  he  could  not  ride,  but  was  carried  in  his  bed.  Being 
 thus  come  to  the  city  of  Meaux,  in  France,  he  lay  four  days 
 and  nights,  as  if  he  had  been  dead,  and  only  by  his  faint 
 breathing  showed  that  he  had  any  life  in  him ;  having  con- 
 tinued so  four  days,  without  meat  or  drink,  speaking  or 
 hearing,  he,  at  length,  on  the  fifth  day,  in  the  morning,  a.s  it 
 were  awakening  out  of  a  dead  sleep,  sat  up  in  bed,  and  open- 
 
 T 
 
274  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  v.  c.  19. 
 
 ing  his  eyes,  saw  numbers  of  brethren  singmg  and  weeping 
 about  him,  and  fetching  a  sigh,  asked  where  Acca,  the  priest, 
 was  ?  Tiiis  man,  being  called,  immediately  came  in,  and 
 seeing  him  thus  recovered  and  able  to  speak,  knelt  down,  and 
 returned  thanks  to  God,  with  all  the  brethren  there  present. 
 When  they  had  sat  awhile,  and  begun  to  discourse,  with 
 much  reverence,  on  the  heavenly  judgments,  the  bishop 
 ordered  the  rest  to  go  out  for  an  hour,  and  spoke  to"  the 
 priest,  Acca,  in  this  manner  : — 
 
 "  A  dreadful  vision  has  now  appeared  to  me,  which  I  wish 
 you  to  hear  and  keep  secret,  till  I  know  how  God  will  please 
 to  dispose  of  me.  There  stood  by  me  a  certain  person,  re- 
 markable for  his  white  garments,  telling  me  he  was  Michael, 
 the  Archangel,  and  said,  'lam  sent  to  save  you  from  death ;  for 
 the  Lord  has  granted  you  life,  through  the  prayers  and  tears 
 of  your  disciples,  and  the  intercession  of  his  blessed  mother 
 Mary,  of  perpetual  virginity ;  wherefore  I  tell  you,  that  you 
 shall  now  recover  from  this  sickness ;  but  be  ready,  for  I  will 
 return  to  visit  you  at  the  end  of  four  years.  But  when  you 
 come  into  your  country,  you  shall  recover  most  of  the  posses- 
 sions that  have  been  taken  from  you,  and  shall  end  your  days 
 in  perfect  peace.' "  The  bishop  accordingly  recovered,  at 
 which  all  persons  rejoiced,  and  gave  thanks  to  God,  and  set- 
 ting forward  on  his  journey,  arrived  in  Britain. 
 
 Having  read  the  letters  which  he  brought  from  the  apos- 
 tolic pope,  Bertwald,  the  archbishop,  and  Ethelred,  who  had 
 been  formerly  king,  but  was  then  an  abbat,  readily  took  his 
 part ;  for  the  said  Ethelred,  calling  to  him  Coinred,  whom  he 
 had  made  king  in  his  own  stead,  he  requested  of  him  to  be 
 friends  with  Wilfrid,  in  which  request  he  prevailed;  but 
 Alfrid,  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  refused  to  admit  him. 
 However  he  died  soon  after,  and  his  son  Osred  obtained  the 
 crown,  when  a  synod  was  assembled,  near  the  river  Nidd,  and 
 after  some  contesting  on  both  sides,  at  length,  by  the  consent 
 of  all,  he  was  admitted  to  preside  over  his  church  ;  and  thus  he 
 lived  in  peace  four  years,  till  the  day  of  his  death.  He  died 
 on  the  12th  of  October,  in  his  monastery,  which  he  had  in  the 
 province  of  Undalum,*  under  the  government  of  the  Abbat 
 Cuthbald ;  and  by  the  ministry  of  the  brethi-en,  he  was  car- 
 
 *  Oundle  in  Northamptonshire. 
 
A.D.  709.  -Wilfrid's  efitaph.  275 
 
 ried  to  Iiis  first  monastery  of  Ripon,  and  buried  in  the  church 
 of  Saint  Peter  tlie  apostle,  close  by  the  south  end  of  the 
 altar,  as  has  been  mentioned  above,  \vith  this  epitaph  over 
 him : — 
 
 Here  fhe  great  prelate  Wilfrid  lies  entomb 'd, 
 
 Who,  led  by  piety,  this  temple  rear  d 
 
 To  God,  and  hallow'd  with  blest  Peter's  name, 
 
 To  whom  our  Lord  the  keys  of  heaven  consign'd. 
 
 Moreover  gold  and  purple  vestments  gave, 
 
 And  plac'd  a  cross, — a  trophy  shining  brigh 
 
 With  richest  ore — four  books  o'erwTought  \nth  gold, 
 
 Sacred  evangelists  in  order  plac'd, 
 
 And  (suited  well  to  these)  a  desk  he  rear'd, 
 
 (Highly  conspicuous)  cas'd  with  ruddy  gold. 
 
 He  likeAvise  brought  the  time  of  Easter  right, 
 
 To  the  just  standard  of  the  canon  law  ; 
 
 Which  our  forefathers  fixed  and  well  observ'd, 
 
 But  long  by  error  chang'd,  he  justly  plac'd. 
 
 Into  these  parts  a  numerous  swarm  of  monks 
 
 He  brought,  and  strictly  taught  their  founder's  rules. 
 
 In  lapse  of  years,  by  many  dangers  tossed  ; 
 
 At  home  by  discords,  and  in  foreign  realms, 
 
 Having  sat  bishop  five  and  forty  years. 
 
 He  died,  and  joyful  sought  the  realms  above  ; 
 
 That,  blessed  by  Christ,  and  favoured  with  his  aid, 
 
 The  flock  may  follow  in  their  pastor's  path.* 
 
 CHAP.  XX. 
 
 Albinus  succeeded  to  the  religious  Abbat  Hadrian,  and  Aeca  to  Bishop 
 Wilfrid,     [a.  d.  709.] 
 
 The  next  year  after  the  death  of  the  aforesaid  father  (Wil- 
 frid), that  is,  in  the  first  year  of  King  Osred,  the  most 
 reverend  father,  Abbat  Hadrian,  fellow  labourer  in  the  word 
 of  God  with  Theodore  the  archbishop  of  blessed  memory, 
 died,  and  was  buried  in  the  church  of  the  blessed  Mother  of 
 God,  in  his  own  monastery,!  this  being  the  forty-first  year 
 from  his  being  sent  by  Pope  Vitalian  with  Theodore,  and 
 the  thirty-ninth  after  his  arrival  in  England.  Of  whose 
 learning,  as  well  as  that  of  Theodore,  one  testimony  among 
 
 •  Eddi  Stephanus,  precentor  of  Canterbury,  wTote  the  Life  of  Wilfrid,  as 
 did  also  Eadmer,  secretary  to  St.  Anselm.  There  is  an  extended  account 
 of  him  in  Peck's  History  of  Stamford,  and  in  the  Lives  of  the  English 
 Saints,  No.  VIII.  f  St.  Augustine's,  Canterbury. 
 
 T  2 
 
276  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [B.v.c.2a 
 
 others  is,  that  Albinus,*  his  disciple,  who  succeeded  him  in 
 the  government  of  his  monastery,  was  so  well  instructed  in 
 the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  that  he  knew  the  Greek  tongue 
 to  no  small  perfection,  and  the  Latin  as  thoroughly  as  the 
 English,  which  was  his  native  language. 
 
 Acca,  his  priest,  succeeded  Wilfrid  in  the  bishopric  of  the 
 church  of  Hagulstad  ;  being  himself  a  most  active  man,  and 
 great  in  the  sight  of  God  and  man,  he  much  adorned  and 
 added  to  the  structure  of  his  church,  which  is  dedicated  to 
 the  Apostle  St.  Andrew.  For  he  made  it  his  business,  and 
 does  so  still,  to  procure  relics  of  the  blessed  apostles  and 
 martyrs  of  Christ  from  all  parts,  to  place  them  on  altars, 
 dividing  the  same  by  arches  in  the  walls  of  the  church. 
 Besides  which,  he  diligently  gathered  the  histories  of  their 
 sufferings,  together  with  other  ecclesiastical  writings,  and 
 erected  there  a  most  numerous  and  noble  library.  He  like- 
 wise industriously  provided  holy  vessels,  lights,  and  such 
 like  things  as  appertain  to  the  adorning  of  the  house  of  God. 
 He  in  Hke  manner  invited  to  him  a  celebrated  singer,  called 
 Maban,  who  had  been  taught  to  sing  by  the  successors  of  the 
 disciples  of  the  blessed  Gregory  in  Kent,  for  him  to  instruct 
 himself  and  his  clergy,  and  kept  him  twelve  years,  to  teach 
 such  ecclesiastical  songs  as  were  not  known,  and  to  restore 
 those  to  their  former  state  which  were  corrupted  either  by 
 want  of  use,  or  through  neglect.  For  Bishop  Acca  himseiT 
 was  a  most  expert  singer,  as  well  as  most  learned  in  Holy 
 Writ,  most  pure  in  the  confession  of  the  catholic  faith,  and 
 most  observant  in  the  rules  of  ecclesiastical  institution  ;  nor 
 did  he  ever  cease  to  be  so  till  he  received  the  rewards  of  his 
 pious  devotion,  having  been  bred  up  and  instructed  among 
 the  clergy  of  the  most  holy  and  beloved  of  God,  Bosa,  bishop 
 of  York.  Afterwards,  coming  to  Bishop  Wilfrid  in  hopes  of 
 improving  himself,  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  under  him 
 till  that  bishop's  death,  and  going  with  him  to  Rome,  learned 
 there  many  profitable  tilings  concerning  the  government  of 
 the  holy  church,  which  he  could  not  have  learned  in  his  own 
 country. 
 
 *  See  page  2,  where  Bade  acknowledges  the  assistance  he  received  from 
 Albinus  in  the  compilation  of  this  work 
 
».  710.]  LETTER  TO  NAITAN.  277 
 
 CHAP.  XXI. 
 
 Abbat  Ceolfrid  sent  the  King  of  the  Picts  architects  to  build  a  church,  and 
 with  them  an  epistle  concerning  the  Catholic  Easter  and  Tonsure 
 [ad.  710.] 
 
 At  that  time,  Naitan,  king  of  the  Picts,  inhabiting  the 
 northern  parts  of  Britain,  taught  by  frequent  meditation  on 
 the  ecclesiastical  writings,  renounced  the  error  which  he  and 
 his  nation  had  till  then  been  under,  in  relation  to  the  obser- 
 vance of  Easter,  and  submitted,  together  with  his  people,  to 
 celebrate  the  catholic  time  of  our  Lord's  resurrection.  For 
 performing  this  with  the  more  ease  and  greater  authority,  he 
 sought  assistance  from  the  EngKsh,  whom  he  knew  to  have 
 long  since  formed  their  religion  after  the  example  of  the  holy 
 Roman  Apostolic  Church.  Accordingly  he  sent  messengers 
 to  the  venerable  Ceolfrid,  abbat  of  the  monastery  of  the 
 blessed  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  which  stands  at  the  mouth 
 of  the  river  Wear,  and  near  the  river  Tyne,  at  the  place 
 called  Jarrow,  which  he  gloriously  governed  after  Benedict, 
 of  whom  we  have  before  spoken  ;  desiring,  that  he  would 
 write  him  a  letter  containing  arguments,  by  the  help  of 
 which  he  might  the  better  confute  those  that  presumed  to 
 keep  Easter  out  of  the  due  time  ;  as  also  concerning  the  form 
 and  manner  of  tonsure  for  distinguishing  the  clergy  ;  not  to 
 mention  that  he  himself  possessed  much  information  in  these 
 particulars.  He  also  prayed  to  have  architects  sent  him  to 
 build  a  church  in  his  nation  after  the  Roman  manner,  pro- 
 mising to  dedicate  the  same  in  honour  of  St.  Peter,  the  prince 
 of  the  apostles,  and  that  he  and  all  his  people  would  always 
 follow  the  custom  of  the  holy  Roman  Apostolic  Church,  as 
 far  as  their  remoteness  from  the  Roman  language  and  nation 
 would  allow.  The  reverend  Abbat  Ceolfrid,  complying  with 
 his  desires  and  request,  sent  the  architects  he  desired,  and 
 the  following  letter  : — 
 
 "  To  the  most  excellent  lord,  and  most  glorious  King 
 Naitan,  Abbat  Ceolfrid,  greeting  in  the  Lord.  We  most 
 readily  and  willingly  endeavour,  according  to  your  desire,  to 
 explain  to  you  the  catholic  observance  of  holy  Easter,  accord- 
 ing to  what  we  have  learned  of  the  Apostolic  See,  as  you, 
 devout  king,  with  a  religious  intention,  have  requested ;  for 
 
278  BEDE'S  ecclesiastical  history.  [r-  v.  c.  21. 
 
 we  know,  that  whenever  the  Church  applies  itself  to  learn, 
 to  teach,  and  to  assert  the  truth,  which  are  the  affairs  of  our 
 Lord,  the  same  is  given  to  it  from  heaven.  For  a  certain 
 worldly  writer*  most  truly  said,  that  the  world  would  be 
 most  happy  if  either  kings  were  philosophers,  or  philosophers 
 were  kings.  For  if  a  worldly  man  could  judge  truly  of  the 
 philosophy  of  tliis  world,  and  form  a  correct  choice  concern- 
 ing the  state  of  tliis  world,  how  much  more  is  it  to  be  wished, 
 and  most  earnestly  to  be  prayed  for  by  the  citizens  of  the 
 heavenly  country,  who  are  travelling  through  this  world, 
 that  the  more  powerful  any  persons  are  in  this  world,  the 
 more  they  may  labour  to  be  acquainted  with  the  commands 
 of  Him  who  is  the  Supreme  Judge,  and  by  their  example 
 and  authority  may  induce  those  that  are  committed  to  their 
 charge,  as  well  as  themselves,  to  keep  the  same. 
 
 "  There  are  three  rules  in  the  Sacred  Writings,  on  account 
 of  which  it  is  not  lawful  for  any  human  authority  to  change 
 the  time  of  keeping  Easter,  which  has  been  prescribed  to  us ; 
 two  whereof  are  divinely  established  in  the  law  of  Moses  ; 
 the  third  is  added  in  the  Grospel  by  means  of  the  passion  and 
 resurrection  of  our  Lord.  For  the  law  enjoined,  that  the 
 Passover  should  be  kept  in  the  first  month  of  the  year,  and 
 the  third  week  of  that  month,  that  is,  from  the  fifteenth  day 
 to  the  one-and-twentieth.  It  is  added,  by  apostolic  institu- 
 tion, in  the  Gospel,  that  we  are  to  wait  for  our  Lord's  day  in 
 that  third  week,  and  to  keep  the  beginning  of  the  Paschal 
 time  on  the  same.  Which  threefold  rule  whosoever  shall 
 rightly  observe,  will  never  err  in  fixing  the  Paschal  feast. 
 But  if  you  desire  to  be  more  plainly  and  fnlly  informed  in  all 
 these  particulars,  it  is  written  in  Exodus,  where  the  people 
 of  Israel,  being  about  to  be  delivered  out  of  Egypt,  are  com- 
 manded to  keep  the  first  Passover,  that  the  Lord  said  to 
 ISIoses  and  Aaron,  '  This  month  shall  be  unto  you  the  begin- 
 ning of  months  ;  it  shall  be  the  first  month  of  the  year  to 
 you.  Speak  ye  unto  all  the  congregation  of  Israel,  saying, 
 In  the  tenth  day  of  this  month,  they  shall  take  to  them  every 
 man  a  lamb,  according  to  the  house  of  their  fathers,  a  lamb 
 for  an  house.'  And  a  little  lower,  ^And  he  shall  keep  it 
 until  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  same  month  ;  and  the  whole 
 assembly  of  the  congregation  of  Israel  shall  kill  it  in  the 
 *  Plato,  in  his  Republic. 
 
A.D.  710.]  LETTER    TO   NAJTAN.  279 
 
 evening.'  By  which  words  it  most  plainly  appears,  that  thus 
 in  the  Paschal  observance  mention  is  made  of  the  fourteenth 
 day,  not  that  the  Passover  is  commanded  to  be  kept  on  that 
 day  :  but  the  lamb  is  commanded  to  be  killed  on  the  evening 
 of  the  fourteenth  day  ;  that  is,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the 
 moon,  which  is  the  beginning  of  the  third  week,  when  the 
 moon  appears  in  the  sky.  And  because  it  was  on  the  night 
 of  the  fifteenth  moon,  when,  by  the  slaughter  of  the  Egyp- 
 tians, Israel  was  redeemed  from  a  long  captivity,  therefore  it 
 is  said,  '  Seven  days  shall  ye  eat  unleavened  bread.'  By 
 which  words  all  the  third  week  of  the  same  month  is  decreed 
 to  be  kept  solemn.  But  lest  we  should  tliink  that  those 
 same  seven  days  were  to  be  reckoned  from  the  fourteenth  to 
 the  twentieth,  God  immediately  adds,  '  Even  the  first  day  ye 
 shall  put  away  leaven  out  of  your  houses  ;  for  whosoever 
 eateth  leavened  bread,  from  the  first  day  until  the  seventh 
 day,  that  soul  shall  be  cut  off  from  Israel ;'  and  so  on,  till  he 
 says,  '  For  in  this  self-same  day  I  will  bring  your  army  out 
 of  the  land  of  Egypt.' 
 
 "  Thus  he  calls  that  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread,  in 
 which  he  was  to  bring  their  army  out  of  Egypt.  But  it  is 
 evident,  that  they  were  not  brought  out  of  Egypt  on  the 
 fourteenth  day,  in  the  evening  whereof  the  lamb  was  killed, 
 and  which  is  properly  called  the  Passover  or  Phase,  but  on 
 the  fifteenth  day,  as  is  most  plainly  written  in  the  book  of 
 Numbers.  *  Departing  therefore  from  Ramesse  on  the  fif- 
 teenth day  of  the  first  month,  the  next  day  the  Israelites 
 kept  the  Passover  with  a  high  hand.'  Thus  the  seven 
 days  of  unleavened  bread  on  the  first  whereof  the  p(;ople 
 of  God  were  brought  out  of  Egypt,  are  to  be  reckoned  from 
 the  beginning  of  the  third  week,  as  has  been  said,  that  is, 
 from  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  first  month,  till  the  one-and- 
 twentieth  of  the  same  month,  that  day  included.  But  the 
 fourteenth  day  is  noted  down  separately  from  this  number, 
 by  the  name  of  the  Passover,  as  is  plainly  made  out  by  what 
 follows  in  Exodus :  where  when  it  is  said,  '  For  in  this  same 
 day  I  will  bring  your  army  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;'  it  is 
 presently  added,  '  You  shall  keep  it  a  feast  by  an  ordinance 
 for  ever.  In  the  first  month,  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the 
 month  at  even,  ye  shall  eat  unleavened  bread,  until  the  one- 
 aud-tvventieth  day  of  the  month  at  even.     Seven  days  shall 
 
28Q  BEDE's   ecclesiastical   history.  [b.v.  c.21. 
 
 there  be  no  leaven  found  in  your  houses/  Now,  who  is 
 there  that  does  not  perceive,  that  there  are  not  only  seven 
 days,  but  rather  eight,  from  the  fourteenth  to  the  one-and- 
 twentieth,  if  the  fourteenth  be  also  reckoned  in  the  number  ? 
 But  if,  as  by  diligent  study  of  Scriptures  appears  to  be  the 
 truth,  we  reckon  from  the  evening  of  the  fourteenth  day  to 
 the  evening  of  the  one-and-twentieth,  we  shall  certainly 
 find,  that  the  same  fourteenth  day  gives  its  evening  for  the 
 beginning  of  the  Paschal  feast ;  so  that  the  sacred  solemnity 
 contains  no  more  than  only  seven  nights  and  as  many  days. 
 Ly  which  our  definition  is  proved  to  be  true,  wherein  we 
 said,  that  the  Paschal  time  is  to  be  celebrated  in  the  first 
 month  of  the  year,  and  the  third  week  of  the  same.  For  it 
 is  really  the  third  week,  because  it  begins  on  the  evening  of 
 the  fourteenth  day,  and  ends  on  the  evening  of  the  one-and- 
 twentieth. 
 
 "  But  since  Christ  our  Paschal  Lamb  is  slain,  and  has 
 made  the  Lord's  day,  which  among  the  ancients  was  called 
 the  first  after  the  Sabbath,  a  solemn  day  to  us  for  the  joy  of 
 his  resurrection,  the  apostolic  tradition  has  so  inserted  it  into 
 the  Paschal  festivals  as  to  decree,  that  nothing  in  the  least 
 be  anticipated,  or  detracted  from  the  time  of  the  legal  Pass- 
 over ;  but  rather  ordains,  that  the  same  first  month  should 
 be  waited  for,  pursuant  to  the  precept  of  the  law,  and  ac- 
 cordingly the  fourteenth  day  of  the  same,  and  the  evening 
 thereof.  And  when  tliis  day  should  happen  to  fall  on  the 
 Sabbath,  every  one  in  his  family  should  take  a  lamb,  and 
 kill  it  in  the  evening,  that  is,  that  all  the  churches  through- 
 out the  world,  composing  one  catholic  church,  should  provide 
 bread  and  wine  for  the  mystery  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the 
 unspotted  Lamb  '  that  took  away  the  sins  of  the  world ;'  and 
 after  the  solemnity  of  reading  the  lessons  and  prayers  of  the 
 Paschal  ceremonies,  they  should  offer  up  these  things  to  the 
 Lord,  in  hopes  of  future  redemption.  For  that  same  night 
 in  which  the  people  of  Israel  were  delivered  out  of  Egypt 
 by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  is  the  very  same  in  which  all  the 
 people  of  God  were,  by  Christ's  resurrection,  delivered  from 
 eternal  death.  Then,  on  the  morning  of  the  Lord's  day, 
 they  should  celebrate  the  first  day  of  the  Paschal  festival; 
 for  that  is  the  day  on  which  our  Lord,  with  much  joy  of 
 pious  revelation,  made  known  the  glory  of  his  resurrection. 
 
A.D.  710.]  LETTER   TO   NAITAN.  281 
 
 The  same  is  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread,  concerning 
 which  it  is  distinctly  written  in  Leviticus,  'In  the  fourteenth 
 day  of  the  first  month,  at  even,  is  the  Lord's  Passover.  And 
 on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  same  month,  is  the  feast  of  un- 
 leavened bread  unto  the  Lord ;  seven  days  ye  must  eat  un- 
 leavened bread ;  the  first  day  shall  be  most  solemn  and  holy.' 
 
 "  K  therefore  it  could  be  that  the  Lord's  day  should  al- 
 ways happen  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  first  month,  that  is, 
 on  the  fifteenth  moon,  we  might  always  celebrate  Easter  at 
 the  very  same  time  with  the  ancient  people  of  God,  though 
 the  nature  of  the  mystery  be  different,  as  we  do  it  with  one 
 and  the  same  faith.  But  in  regard  that  the  day  of  tlie  week 
 does  not  keep  pace  exactly  with  the  moon,  the  apostolical 
 tradition,  which  was  preached  at  Rome  by  St.  Peter,  and 
 confirmed  at  Alexandria  by  Mark  the  Evangelist,  his  inter- 
 preter, appointed  that  when  the  first  month  was  come,  and 
 in  it  the  evening  of  the  fourteenth  day,  we  should  also  wait 
 for  the  Lord's  day,  which  falls  between  the  fifteenth  and  the 
 one-and-tweutieth  day  of  the  same  month.  For  on  which- 
 ever of  those  days  it  shall  fall,  Easter  will  be  properly  kept 
 on  the  same ;  as  it  is  one  of  those  seven  days  on  which  the 
 unleavened  bread  is  ordered  to  be  kept.  Thus  it  comes  to 
 pass  that  our  Easter  never  deviates  from  the  third  week  of 
 the  first  month,  but  either  observes  the  whole,  or  at  least 
 some  of  the  seven  legal  days  of  unleavened  bread.  For 
 though  it  takes  in  but  one  of  them,  that  is,  the  seventh, 
 which  the  Scripture  so  highly  commends,  saying,  'But  the 
 seventh  day  shall  be  more  solemn  and  holy,  ye  shall  do  no 
 servile  work  therein,'  none  can  lay  it  to  our  charge,  that  we 
 do  not  rightly  keep  our  Lord's  Paschal  day,  which  we  re- 
 ceived from  the  Gospel,  in  the  third  week  of  the  first  month, 
 as  the  Law  prescribes. 
 
 "The  catholic  reason  of  this  observance  being  thus  ex- 
 plained ;  the  unreasonable  error,  on  the  other  hand,  of  those 
 who,  without  any  necessity,  presume  either  to  anticipate,  or 
 to  go  beyond  the  term  prescribed  in  the  Law,  is  manifest. 
 For  they  that  think  the  Lord's  day  of  Easter  is  to  be  ob- 
 served from  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  first  month  till  the 
 twentieth  moon,  anticipate  the  time  prescribed  in  the  law, 
 without  any  necessary  reason ;  for  when  they  begin  to  cele- 
 brate the  vigil  of  the  holy  night  from  the  evening  of  the 
 
282  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  Ib.  v.  c.  2L 
 
 thirteenth  day,  it  is  plain  that  they  make  that  day  the  be- 
 ginning of  their  Easter,  whereof  they  find  no  mention  in  the 
 Law;  and  when  they  refuse  to  celebrate  our  Lord's  Easter 
 on  the  one-and- twentieth  day  of  the  month,,  they  wholly 
 exclude  that  day  from  their  solemnity,  which  the  Law  often 
 recommends  as  memorable  for  tlie  greater  festival ;  and  thus, 
 perverting  the  proper  order,  they  place  Easter  day  in  the 
 second  week,  and  sometimes  keep  it  entirely  in  the  same, 
 and  never  bring  it  to  the  seventh  day  of  the  third  week. 
 And  again,  because  they  rather  think  that  Easter  is  to  be 
 kept  on  the  sixteenth  day  of  the  said  month,  and  so  to  the 
 two-and-twentieth,  they  no  less  erroneously,  though  the  con- 
 trary way,  deviate  from  the  right  way  of  truth,  and  as  it 
 were  avoiding  to  be  shipwrecked  on  Scylla,  they  run  on  and 
 are  drowned  in  the  whirlpool  of  Charybdis.  For  when  they 
 teach  that  Easter  is  to  be  begun  at  the  rising  of  the  six- 
 teenth moon  of  the  first  month,  that  is,  from  the  evening  of 
 the  fifteenth  day,  it  is  manifest  that  they  altogether  exclude 
 from  their  solemnity  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  same  month, 
 which  the  Law  firstly  and  chiefly  recommends ;  so  that  they 
 scarcely  touch  upon  the  evening  of  the  fifteenth  day,  on 
 which  the  people  of  God  were  delivered  from  the  Egyptian 
 servitude,  and  on  which  our  Lord,  by  his  blood,  rescued  the 
 world  from  the  darkness  of  sin,  and  on  which  being  also 
 buried,  he  gave  us  hopes  of  a  blessed  repose  after  death. 
 
 "And  the  same  persons,  taking  upon  themselves  the 
 penalty  of  their  error,  when  they  place  the  Lord's  day  of 
 Easter  on  the  twenty-second  day  of  the  month,  openly  trans- 
 gress and  exceed  the  legal  term  of  Easter,  as  beginning  the 
 Easter  on  tiie  evening  of  that  day  in  which  the  Law  ap- 
 pointed it  to  be  finished  and  completed  ;  and  appoint  that  to 
 be  the  first  day  of  Easter,  whereof  no  mention  is  any  where 
 found  in  the  Law,  viz.  the  first  of  the  fourth  week.  And 
 they  are  sometimes  mistaken,  not  only  in  defining  and  com- 
 puting the  moon's  age,  but  also  in  finding  the  first  month  ; 
 but  this  controversy  is  longer  than  can  or  ought  to  be  con- 
 tained in  this  letter.  I  will  only  say  thus  much,  that  by  the 
 vernal  equinox,  it  may  always  be  found,  without  the  chance 
 of  an  error,  which  is  the  first  month  of  the  year,  according 
 to  the  lunar  calculation,  and  which  the  last.  But  the  equi- 
 nox, according  to  the  opinion  of  all  the  Eastern  nations,  and 
 
A.D.  710.1  LETTER    TO   NAITAN.  283 
 
 particularly  of  the  Egyptians,  who  exceed  all  other  learned 
 men  in  that  calculation,  usually  happens  on  the  twelfth  day 
 before  the  kalends  of  April,  as  we  also  prove  by  horological 
 inspection.  •  Whatever  moon  therefore  is  at  the  full  before 
 the  equinox,  being  on  the  fourteenth  or  fifteenth  day,  the 
 same  belongs  to  the  last  month  of  the  foregoing  year,  and 
 consequently  is  not  proper  for  the  celebration  of  Easter  ;  but 
 that  moon  which  is  full  after  the  equinox,  or  on  the  very 
 equinox,  belongs  to  the  first  month,  and  in  it,  without  a 
 doubt,  the  ancients  were  wont  to  celebrate  the  Passover  ; 
 and  we  also  ought  to  keep  Easter  when  the  Sunday  comes. 
 And  that  this  must  be  so,  there  is  this  cogent  reason,  because 
 it  is  written  in  Genesis,  that  '  God  made  two  lights  ;  a 
 greater  light  to  rule  the  day,  and  a  lesser  light  to  rule  the 
 night.'  Or,  as  another  edition  has  it,  'A  greater  light  to 
 begin  the  day,  and  a  lesser  to  begin  the  night.'  The  sun, 
 therefore,  proceeding  from  the  midst  of  the  east,  fixed  the 
 vernal  equinox  by  his  rising,  and  afterwards  the  moon,  when 
 the  sun  set  in  the  evening,  followed  full  from  the  midst  of 
 the  east ;  thus  every  year  the  same  first  month  of  the  moon 
 must  be  observed  in  the  like  order,  so  that  the  full  moon 
 must  be  either  on  the  very  day  of  the  equinox,  as  was  done 
 from  the  beginning,  or  after  it  is  gone  by.  But  if  the  full 
 of  the  moon  shall  happen  to  be  but  one  day  before  the  time 
 of  the  equinox,  the  aforesaid  reason  proves  that  such  moon 
 is  not  to  be  assigned  to  the  first  month  of  the  new  year,  but 
 rather  to  the  last  of  the  preceding,  and  that  it  is  therefore 
 not  proper  for  the  celebration  of  the  Paschal  festival. 
 
 "  Now  if  it  will  please  you  likewise  to  hear  the  mystical 
 reason  in  this  matter,  we  are  commanded  to  keep  Easter  in 
 the  first  month  of  the  year,  which  is  also  called  the  month  of 
 the  new  fruit,  because  we  are  to  celebrate  the  mysteries  of 
 our  Lord's  resurrection  and  our  deliverance,  with  our  minds 
 renewed  to  the  love  of  heavenly  things.  We  are  commanded 
 to  keep  it  in  the  third  ^veek  of  the  same  month,  because 
 Chri<t,  who  had  been  promised  before  the  Law,  and  under 
 the  Law,  came  with  grace,  in  the  third  age  of  the  world,  to 
 be  slain  as  our  Passover  ;  and  rising  from  the  dead  the  third 
 day  after  the  oiFering  of  his  passion,  he  wished  this  to  be 
 called  the  Lord's  day,  and  the  festival  of  his  resurrection  to 
 be  yearly  celebrated  on  the  same.     For  we  also,  in  this  m.an- 
 
284  bede's  ecclesiastical  history.  [b.  v.  c.  21. 
 
 ner  only,  can  truly  celebrate  his  solemnity,  if  we  take  care 
 with  him  to  keep  the  Passover,  that  is,  the  passage  out  of 
 this  world  to  the  Father,  by  faith,  hope,  and  charity.  We 
 are  commanded  to  observe  the  full  moon  of  the  Paschal 
 month  after  the  vernal  equinox,  to  the  end,  that  the  sun  may 
 first  make  the  day  longer  than  the  night,  and  then  the  moon 
 may  aiford  the  world  her  full  orb  of  light  ;  inasmuch  as  first 
 *  the  sun  of  righteousness,  in  whose  wings  is  salvation,'  that 
 is,  our  Lord  Jesus,  by  the  triumph  of  his  resurrection,  dis- 
 pelled all  the  darkness  of  death,  and  so  ascending  into  hea- 
 ven, filled  his  Church,  which  is  often  signified  by  the  name 
 of  the  moon,  with  the  light  of  inward  grace,  by  sending  down 
 upon  her  his  Spirit.  Which  plan  of  salvation  the  prophet 
 had  in  his  mind,  when  he  said  '  The  sun  was  exalted  and  the 
 moon  stood  in  her  order.' 
 
 "  He,  therefore,  who  shall  contend  that  the  full  Paschal 
 moon  can  happen  before  the  equinox,  deviates  from  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  in  the  celebration  of  the  great- 
 est mysteries,  and  agrees  with  those  who  confide  that  they 
 may  be  saved  without  the  grace  of  Christ  forerunning  them ; 
 and  who  presume  to  teach  that  they  might  have  attained  to 
 perfect  righteousness,  though  the  true  light  had  never  van- 
 quished the  darkness  of  the  world,  by  dying  and  rising 
 again.  Thus,  after  the  equinoctial  rising  of  the  sun,  and 
 after  the  subsequent  full  moon  of  the  first  month,  that  is, 
 after  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  same  month,  all 
 which,  according  to  the  law,  ought  to  be  observed,  we  still, 
 by  the  instruction  of  the  Gospel,  wait  in  the  third  week  for 
 the  Lord's  day  ;  and  thus,  at  length,  we  celebrate  our  due 
 Easter  solemnity,  to  show  that  we  do  not,  with  the  ancients, 
 honour  the  shaking  off  of  the  Egyptian  yoke  ;  but  that,  with 
 devout  fiiith  and  affection,  we  worship  the  redemption  of  the 
 whole  world  ;  which  having  been  prefigured  in  the  dehver- 
 ance  of  God's  ancient  people,  was  completed  in  Christ's 
 resurrection,  to  make  it  appear  that  we  rejoice  in  the  sure 
 and  certain  hope  of  the  day  of  our  own  resurrection,  which 
 we  believe  will  happen  on  the  same  Lord's  day. 
 
 "  Now  this  calculation  of  Easter,  which  we  show  you  is  to 
 be  followed,  is  contained  in  a  circle  or  revolution  of  nineteen 
 years,  which  began  long  since,  that  is,  in  the  very  times  of 
 the  apostles,  especially  at  Rome  and  in  Egypt,  as  has  been 
 
A.D.  7100  LETTER   TO   NAITAN.  285 
 
 said  above.  But  by  the  industry  of  Eusebius,  who  took  his 
 surname  from  the  blessed  martyr  Pamphilus,  it  was  reduced 
 to  a  plainer  system  ;  insomuch  that  what  till  then  used  to  be 
 sent  about  to  all  the  several  churches  by  the  patriarch  of 
 Alexandria,  might,  from  that  time  forward,  be  most  easily 
 known  by  all  men,  the  course  of  the  fourteenth  day  of  tlie 
 moon  being  regularly  ordered.  This  Paschal  calculation, 
 Theophilus,  patriarch  of  Alexandria,  composed  for  the  Em- 
 peror Theodosius,  for  a  hundred  years  to  come.  Cyril  also, 
 his  successor,  comprised  a  series  of  ninety-five  years  in  five 
 revolutions  of  nineteen  years.  After  whom,  Dionysius 
 Exiguus  added  as  many  more,  in  the  same  manner,  reaching 
 down  to  our  own  time.  The  expiration  of  these  is  now 
 drawing  near,  but  there  is  so  great  a  number  of  calculators, 
 that  even  in  our  churches  throughout  Britain,  there  are  many 
 who,  having  learned  the  ancient  rules  of  the  Egyptians,  can 
 with  great  ease  carry  on  those  revolutions  of  the  Paschal 
 times  for  any  distant  number  of  years,  even  to  five  hundred 
 and  thirty-two  years,  if  they  will ;  after  the  expiration  of 
 which,  all  that  belongs  to  the  question  of  the  sun  and  moon, 
 of  month  and  week,  returns  in  the  same  order  as  before. 
 We  therefore  forbear  to  send  you  those  revolutions  of  the 
 times  to  come,  because  you  only  desired  to  be  instructed 
 respecting  the  Paschal  time,  and  declared  you  had  enough  of 
 those  catholic  tables  concerning  Easter. 
 
 "But  having  said  thus  much  briefly  and  succinctly,  as 
 you  required  concerning  Easter,  I  also  exhort  you  to  take 
 care  to  promote  the  tonsure,  as  ecclesiastical  and  agreeable 
 to  the  Christian  faith,  for  concerning  that  also  you  desired 
 me  to  write  to  you  ;  and  we  know  indeed  that  the  apostles 
 were  not  all  shorn  after  the  same  manner,  nor  does  the 
 Catholic  Church,  though  it  agrees  in  the  same  Divine  fiiith, 
 hope,  and  charity,  agree  in  the  same  form  of  tonsure  through- 
 out the  world  :  in  fine,  to  look  back  to  remote  times,  that  is, 
 the  times  of  the  patriarchs.  Job,  the  example  of  patience, 
 when,  on  the  approach  of  tribulation,  he  shaved  his  head, 
 made  it  appear  that  he  had  used,  in  time  of  prosperity,  to  let 
 his  hair  grow  ;  and  Joseph,  the  great  practiser  and  teacher 
 of  chastity,  humility,  piety,  and  other  virtues,  is  found  to 
 have  been  shorn  when  he  was  to  be  delivered  from  servitude  ; 
 by  which.it  appears,  that  during  the  time  of  servitudcj  he 
 
286  BEDe's    ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  v.  c.  21. 
 
 was  in  the  prison  without  cutting  his  hair.  Now  you  may 
 observe  how  each  of  these  men  of  God  diiFered  in  the  man- 
 ner of  their  appearance  abroad,  though  their  inward  con- 
 sciences were  alike  influenced  by  the  grace  of  virtue.  But 
 though  we  may  be  free  to  confess,  that  the  ditference  of  ton- 
 sure is  not  hurtful  to  those  whose  faith  is  pure  towards  God, 
 and  their  charity  sincere  towards  their  neighbour,  especially 
 since  we  do  not  read  that  there  ever  was  any  controversy 
 among  the  Catholic  fathers  about  the  difference  of  tonsure, 
 as  there  has  been  about  the  difference  in  keeping  Easter,  or 
 in  matters  of  faith  ;  however,  among  all  the  tonsures  that 
 are  to  be  found  in  the  Church,  or  among  mankind  at  large, 
 I  think  none  more  worthy  of  being  followed  than  that  which 
 that  disciple  had  on  his  head,  to  whom,  on  his  confession, 
 our  Lord  said,  '  Thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will 
 build  my  Church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
 against  it,  and  to  thee  I  will  give  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven.'  Nor  do  I  think  any  more  worthy  to  be  abhorred 
 and  detested,  by  all  the  faithful,  than  that  which  that  man 
 used,  to  whom  Peter,  when  he  would  have  bought  the  grace 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost,  said,  '  Thy  money  be  with  thee  to  perdi- 
 tion, because  thou  thoughtest  the  gift  of  God  to  be  purchased 
 for  money  ;  there  is  no  part  or  lot  for  thee  in  this  speech.' 
 Nor  do  we  shave  ourselves  in  the  form  of  a  crown  only  be- 
 cause Peter  was  so  shorn  ;  but  because  Peter  was  so  shorn 
 in  memory  of  the  passion  of  our  Lord  ;  therefore  we  also, 
 who  desire  to  be  saved  by  the  same  passion,  do  with  him 
 bear  the  sign  of  the  same  passion  on  the  top  of  our  head, 
 which  is  the  highest  part  of  our  body.  For  as  all  the 
 Church,  because  it  was  made  a  church  by  the  death  of  him 
 that  gave  it  Hfe,  is  wont  to  bear  the  sign  of  his  holy  cross  on 
 the  foreliead,  to  the  end,  tliat  it  may,  by  the  constant  protec- 
 tion of  his  sign,  be  defended  from  the  assaults  of  evil  spirits, 
 and  by  the  frequent  admonition  of  the  same  be  instructed,  in 
 like  manner,  to  crucify  its  flesh  with  its  vices  and  concupi- 
 scences ;  so  also  it  behoves  those,  who  have  either  taken  the 
 vows  of  monks,  or  have  any  degree  among  the  clergy,  to 
 curb  themselves  the  more  strictly  by  continence. 
 
 "  Every  one  of  them  is  likewise  to  bear  on  his  head,  by 
 means  of  the  tonsure,  the  form  of  the  crown  which  Christ  in 
 his  passion  bore  of  thorns,  in  order  that  Chi-ist  may  bear  the 
 
A.D.  710.]  LETTER   TO    NAITAN.  287 
 
 thorns  and  briars  of  our  sins  ;  that  is,  that  he  may  remove 
 and  take  them  from  us  ;  and  also  that  they  may  at  once  show 
 that  they,  willingly,  and  with  a  ready  mind,  endure  scoffs 
 and  reproaches  for  his  sake  ;  to  make  it  appear,  that  they 
 always  expect  '  the  crown  of  eternal  life,  which  God  has  pro- 
 mised to  those  that  love  him,'  and  that  for  the  gaining  thereof 
 they  despise  both  the  adversities  and  the  prosperities  of  this 
 world.  But  as  for  the  tonsure  which  Simon  Magus  is  said 
 to  have  used,  what  Christian  will  not  immediately  detest  and 
 cast  it  off  together  with  his  magic  ?  Upon  the  top  of  the 
 forehead,  it  does  seem  indeed  to  resemble  a  crown  ;  but  when 
 you  come  to  the  neck,  you  will  find  the  crown  you  thought 
 you  had  seen  so  perfect  cut  short ;  so  that  you  may  be  satis- 
 fied such  a  distinction  properly  belongs  not  to  Christians  but 
 to  Simoniacs,  such  as  were  indeed  in  this  life  thought  worthy 
 of  a  perpetual  crown  of  glory  by  erring  men  ;  but  in  that 
 life  which  is  to  follow  this,  are  not  only  deprived  of  all  hopes 
 of  a  crown,  but  are  moreover  condemned  to  eternal  punish- 
 ment. 
 
 "  But  do  not  think  that  I  have  said  thus  much,  as  judging 
 those  who  use  this  tonsure,  are  to  be  damned,  in  case  they 
 favour  the  catholic  unity  in  faith  and  actions ;  on  the  con- 
 trary, I  confidently  declare,  that  many  of  them  have  been 
 holy  and  worthy  of  God.  Of  which  number  is  Adamnan, 
 the  abbat  and  renowned  priest  of  Columba,  who,  when  sent 
 ambassador  by  his  nation  to  King  Alfrid,  came  to  see  our 
 monastery,  and  discovering  wonderful  wisdom,  humility,  and 
 religion  in  his  words  and  behaviour,  among  other  things,  I 
 said  to  him  in  discourse,  *  I  beseech  you,  holy  brother,  who 
 think  you  are  advancing  to  the  crown  of  life,  which  knows 
 no  period,  why  do  you,  contrary  to  the  habit  of  your  faith, 
 wear  on  your  head  a  crown  that  is  terminated,  or  bounded  ? 
 And  if  you  aim  at  the  society  of  St.  Peter,  why  do  you 
 imitate  the  tonsure  of  him  whom  St.  Peter  anathematized  ? 
 and  why  do  you  not  rather  even  now  show  that  you  imitate 
 to  your  utmost  the  habit  of  him  with  whom  you  desire  to 
 live  happy  for  ever.'  He  answered,  '  Be  assured,  my  dear 
 brother,  that  though  I  have  Simon's  tonsure,  according  to  the 
 custom  of  my  country,  yet  I  utterly  detest  and  abhor  the 
 Simoniacal  wickedness ;  and  I  desire,  as  far  as  my  little- 
 ness is  capable  of  doing  it,  to  follow  the  footsteps  of  the  most 
 
288  EEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  in.  V.  c.  21. 
 
 blessed  prince  of  the  apostles.'  I  replied,  *  I  verily  believe 
 it  as  you  say ;  but  let  it  appear  by  showing  outwardly  such 
 things  as  you  know  to  be  his,  that  you  in  your  hearts  em- 
 brace whatever  is  from  Peter  the  Apostle.  For  I  believe 
 your  wisdom  does  easily  judge,  that  it  is  much  more  proper 
 to  estrange  your  countenance,  already  dedicated  to  God,  from 
 resemblance  to  him  whom  in  your  heart  you  abhor,  and  of 
 whose  hideous  face  you  would  shun  the  sight ;  and,  on  the 
 other  hand,  that  it  becomes  you  to  imitate  the  outward  re- 
 semblance of  him,  whom  you  seek  to  have  for  your  advocate 
 with  God,  as  you  desire  to  follow  his  actions  and  instruc- 
 tions.' 
 
 "  This  I  then  said  to  Adamnan,  who  indeed  showed  how 
 much  he  had  improved  upon  seeing  the  statutes  of  oui 
 churches,  when,  returning  into  Scotland,  he  afterwards  b\ 
 his  preaching  brought  great  numbers  of  that  nation  over  to 
 the  catholic  observance  of  the  Paschal  time  ;  though  he  was 
 not  yet  able  to  gain  the  consent  of  the  monks  that  lived  in  the 
 island  of  Hii,  over  whom  he  presided.  He  would  also  have 
 been  mindful  to  amend  the  tonsure,  if  his  authority  had  ex- 
 tended so  far. 
 
 "But  I  also  admonish  your  wisdom,  O  king,  that  you 
 endeavour  to  make  the  nation,  over  which  the  King  of  kings, 
 and  Lord  of  lords,  has  placed  you,  observe  in  all  points  those 
 things  which  appertain  to  the  unity  of  the  Catbohc  and 
 Apostolic  Church ;  for  thus  it  will  come  to  pass,  that  after 
 your  temporal  kingdom  has  passed  away,  the  blessed  prince 
 of  the  apostles  will  lay  open  to  you  and  yours  the  entrance 
 into  the  heavenly  kingdom,  where  you  will  rest  for  ever  with 
 the  elect.  The  grace  of  the  eternal  King  preserve  thee  in 
 safety,  long  reigning,  for  the  peace  of  us  all,  my  most  beloved 
 son  in  Christ." 
 
 Tliis  letter  having  been  read  in  the  presence  of  King 
 Naitan,  and  many  more  of  the  most  learned  men,  and  care- 
 fully interpreted  into  his  own  language  by  those  who  could 
 understand  it,  he  is  said  to  have  much  rejoiced  at  the  exhort- 
 ation ;  insomuch  that,  rising  from  among  his  great  men  that 
 sat  about  him,  he  knelt  on  the  ground,  giving  thanks  to  God 
 that  he  had  been  found  worthy  to  receive  such  a  present 
 from  the  land  of  the  English  ;  and,  said  he,  "  I  knew  indeed 
 before,  that  this  was  the  true  celebration  of  Easter,  but  now 
 
A.D.71G.]  EGBERT    PREACHES    AT    lONA.  289 
 
 I  SO  fully  know  the  reason  for  observing  of  this  time,  that 
 I  seem  convinced  that  I  knew  little  of  it  before.  Therefore 
 I  pubhcly  declare  and  protest  to  jou  that  are  here  present, 
 that  I  will  for  ever  continually  observe  this  time  of  Easter 
 with  all  my  nation ;  and  I  do  decree  that  this  tonsure,  which 
 we  have  heard  is  most  reasonable,  shall  be  received  by  all 
 the  clergy  in  my  kingdom."  Accordingly  he  immediately 
 performed  by  liis  regal  authority  what  he  had  said.  For 
 the  circles  or  revolutions  of  nineteen  years  were  presently, 
 by  public  command,  sent  throughout  all  the  provinces  of  the 
 Picts  to  be  transcribed,  learned  and  observed,  the  erroneous 
 revolutions  of  eight-four  years  being  every  where  suppressed. 
 All  the  ministers  of  the  altar  and  monks  had  the  crown 
 shorn,  and  the  nation  thus  reformed,  rejoiced,  as  being  newly 
 put  under  the  direction  of  Peter,  the  most  blessed  prince  of 
 the  apostles,  and  secure  under  his  protection. 
 
 CHAP.  xxn. 
 
 The  Monks  of  Hii,  and  the  monasteries  subject  to  them,  begin  to  celebrate 
 the  canonical  Easter  at  the  preaching  of  Egbert.         [a.d.  71  G.J 
 
 Not  long  after,  those  monks  also  of  the  Scottish  nation,  who 
 lived  in  isle  of  Hii,  with  the  other  monasteries  that  were  sub- 
 ject to  them,  were  by  the  assistance  of  our  Lord  brought  to 
 the  canonical  observation  of  Easter,  and  the  right  mode  of 
 tonsure.  For  in  the  year  after  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord 
 716,  when  Osred  was  slain,  and  Coenred  took  upon  him  the 
 government  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Northumbrians,  the  holy 
 father  and  priest,  Egbert,  beloved  of  God,  and  worthy  to  be 
 named  with  all  honour,  whom  we  have  often  mentioned  before, 
 coming  among  them,  was  joyfully  and  honourably  received. 
 Being  a  most  agreeable  teacher,  and  devout  in  practising 
 those  things  which  he  taught,  and  being  willingly  heard  by 
 all,  he,  by  liis  pious  and  frequent  exhortations,  converted 
 them  from  that  inveterate  tradition  of  their  ancestors,  of 
 whom  may  be  said  those  words  of  the  apostle,  "  That  they 
 had  the  zeal  of  God,  but  not  according  to  knowledge."  He 
 taught  them  to  perform  the  principal  solemnity  after  the 
 catholic  and  apostolic  manner,  as  has  been  said,  under  the 
 figure  of  a  perpetual  circle;  which  appears  to  have  been 
 accomplished  by  a   wonderful  dispensation  of  the   Divine 
 
 u 
 
290  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    HISTORT.  [b.  r.  c.  22. 
 
 goodness ;  to  the  end,  that  the  same  nation  which  had  wil- 
 lingly, and  without  envy,  communicated  to  the  English  people 
 the  knowledge  of  the  true  Deity,  should  afterwards,  by  means 
 of  the  English  nation,  be  brought  where  they  were  defective 
 to  the  true  rule  of  life.  Even  as,  on  the  contrary,  the 
 Britons,  who  would  not  acquaint  the  English  with  the  know- 
 ledge of  the  Christian  faith,  now,  when  the  English  people 
 enjoy  the  true  faith,  and  are  thoroughly  instructed  in  its 
 rules,  continue  inveterate  in  their  errors,  expose  their  heads 
 without  a  crown,  and  keep  the  solemnity  of  Christ  without 
 the  society  of  the  Church. 
 
 The  monks  of  Hii,  by  the  instruction  of  Egbert,  adopted 
 the  catholic  rites,  under  Abbat  Dunchad,  about  eighty  years 
 after  they  had  sent  Aidan  to  preach  to  the  Enghsh  nation.* 
 This  man  of  God,  Egbert,  remained  thirteen  years  in  the 
 aforesaid  island,  which  he  had  thus  consecrated  again  to 
 Christ,  by  kindUng  in  it  a  new  ray  of  Divine  grace,  and 
 restoring  it  to  the  unity  of  ecclesiastical  discipline.  In  the 
 year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  729,  in  which  the  Easter  of 
 our  Lord  was  celebrated  on  the  24th  of  April,  he  performed 
 the  solemnity  of  the  mass,  in  memory  of  the  same  resurrec- 
 tion of  our  Lord,  and  dying  that  same  day,  thus  finished,  or 
 rather  never  ceases  to  celebrate,  with  our  Lord,  the  apostles, 
 and  the  other  citizens  of  heaven,  that  greatest  festival,  which 
 he  had  begun  with  the  brethren,  whom  he  had  converted  to 
 the  unity  of  grace.  But  it  was  a  wonderful  dispensation 
 of  the  Divine  Providence,  that  the  venerable  man  not  only 
 passed  out  of  this  world  to  the  Father,  in  Easter,  but  also 
 when  Easter  was  celebrated  on  that  day,  on  which  it  had 
 never  been  wont  to  be  kept  in  those  parts.  The  brethren 
 rejoiced  in  the  certain  and  catholic  knowledge  of  the  time  of 
 Easter,  and  rejoiced  in  the  protection  of  their  father,  depart- 
 ed to  our  Lord,  by  whom  they  had  been  converted.  He  also 
 congratulated  his  being  so  long  continued  in  the  flesh  till  he 
 saw  Iiis  followers  admit,  and  celebrate  with  him,  that  as  Eas- 
 ter day  which  they  had  ever  before  avoided.  Thus  the  most 
 reverend  father  being  assured  of  their  standing  corrected,  re- 
 joiced to  see  the  day  of  our  Lord,  and  he  saw  it  and  was  glad. 
 
 *  Aidan  was  sent  into  England  about  a.d.  634.  Vide  pages  112,  116, 
 134,  l3o.  Therefore  the  monks  of  lona  adopted  the  Catholic  mode  of 
 keeping  Easier  about  714. 
 
AD.  7-25  J  STATE    OF    BRITAIN.  291 
 
 CHAP.  xxin. 
 
 Of  the  present  state  of  the  English  nation,  or  of  all  Britain. 
 [a.d.  725—731.] 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  725,  being  the  seventh 
 year  of  Osric,  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  who  succeeded 
 Coenred,  Wictred,  the  son  of  Egbert,  king  of  Kent,  died  on 
 the  23rd  of  April,  and  left  his  three  sons,  Ethelbert,  Ead- 
 bert,  and  Alric,  heirs  of  that  kingdom,  wliich  he  had  go- 
 verned thirty-four  years  and  a  half.  The  next  year  died 
 Tobias,  bishop  of  the  church  of  Rochester,  a  most  learned 
 man,  as  has  been  said  before;  for  he  was  disciple  to  those 
 teachers  of  blessed  memory,  Theodore,  the  archbishop,  and 
 Abbat  Hadrian,  by  v/hich  means,  as  we  have  before  ob- 
 served, besides  his  erudition  in  ecclesiastical  and  general 
 literature,  he  learned  both  the  Greek  and  Latin  tongues  to 
 such  perfection,  that  they  were  as  well  known  and  familiar 
 to  him  as  his  native  language.  He  was  buried  in  the  porch 
 of  St.  Paul  the  Apostle,  which  he  had  built  within  the 
 church  of  St.  Andrew  for  his  own  place  of  burial.  After 
 him  Aldwulf  took  upon  him  the  office  of  bishop,  having 
 been  consecrated  by  Archbishop  Bertwald. 
 
 La  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  729,  two  comets 
 appeared  about  the  sun,  to  the  great  terror  of  the  beholders. 
 One  of  them  went  before  the  rising  sun  in  the  morning,  the 
 other  followed  him  when  he  set  at  night,  as  it  were  pre- 
 saging much  destruction  to  the  east  and  west ;  one  was  the 
 forerunner  of  the  day,  and  the  other  of  the  night,  to  signify 
 that  mortals  were  threatened  with  calamities  at  both  times. 
 They  carried  their  flaming  tails  towards  the  north,  as  it 
 were  ready  to  set  the  world  on  fire.  They  appeared  in 
 January,  and  continued  nearly  a  fortnight.  At  which  time 
 a  dreadful  plague  of  Saracens  ravaged  France  with  miser- 
 able slaughter ;  but  they  not  long  after  in  that  country 
 received  the  punishment  due  to  their  Avickedness.*  In 
 which  year  the  holy  man  of  God,  Egbert,  departed  to  our 
 Lord,  as  has  been  said  above,  on  Easter  day;  and  imme- 
 
 •  The  great  battle  of  Tours,  in  which  Charles  Martel  defeated  the  Arabs, 
 was  fought  in  a.I).  732.  This  passage  was  therefore  inserted  by  Bede  after 
 he  had  finished  his  history,  when  he  revised  it  in  734  or  735. 
 
 u  2 
 
292 
 
 BEDE  S   ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY. 
 
 [B.  V.  c.  23 
 
 diately  after  Easter,  that  is,  on  the  9th  of  May,  Osric,  king 
 of  the  Northumbrians,  departed  this  life,  after  he  had  reign- 
 ed eleven  years,  and  appointed  Ceolwulf,  brother  to  Coenred, 
 who  had  reigned  before  him,  his  successor;  the  beginning 
 and  progress  of  whose  reign  were  so  filled  with  commotions, 
 that  it  cannot  yet  be  known  what  is  to  be  said  concerning 
 them,  or  what  end  they  will  have. 
 
 In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  731,  Archbishop 
 Bertwald  died  of  old  age,  on  the  9th  of  January,  having 
 held  his  see  thirty-seven  years,  six  months  and  fourteen 
 days.  In  his  stead,  the  same  year,  Tatwine,  of  the  province 
 of  the  Mercians,  w^as  made  archbishop,  having  been  a  priest 
 in  the  monastery  called  Briudun.*  He  was  consecrated  in 
 the  city  of  Canterbury  by  the  venerable  men,  Daniel,  bishop 
 of  Winchester,  Ingwald  of  London,  Aldwin  of  Lichfield, 
 and  Aldwulf  of  Rochester,  on  Sunday,  the  10th  of  June, 
 being  a  man  renowned  for  religion  and  wisdom,  and  notably 
 learned  in  Sacred  Writ. 
 
 Thus  at  present, f  the  bishops  Tatwine  and  Aldwulf  pre- 
 side in  the  churches  of  Kent;  Ingwald  in  the  province  of 
 the  East  Saxons.  In  the  province  of  the  East  Ajigles,  Ald- 
 bert  and  Hadulac  are  bishops ;  in  the  province  of  the  West 
 
 •  Near  the  Bredon  Hills  in  Worcestershire. 
 
 +  The  following  list  of  the  Saxon  bishoprics  at  the  time  when  Bede 
 closed  his  history,  [a.d.  731,]  will  enable  the  reader  to  recognize  those 
 which  belonged  to  each  separate  kingdom : — 
 Kingdoms.  Sees. 
 
 Kent      .         .         .     Canterbury 
 
 Rochester     . 
 East  Saxons        .         London    . 
 East  Angles   .         .    Dunwich 
 Elmham 
 West  Saxons  Winchester 
 
 Sherborne 
 Mercia  .    Lichfield 
 
 Hereford 
 Worcester    . 
 Lindsay  (Sidnacester) 
 Dorchester,  removed  to 
 Leicester,  a.d.  737   . 
 South  Saxons  .     Seisey        •   .         .         .         Vacant. 
 
 Northumbria       .         York        ....     Wilfrid  II. 
 Lindisfame  .  .         Ethelwald. 
 
 Hexham  .         .         .     Acca. 
 
 Whitheme    .         .        .         Pechthelm. 
 
 Prelates. 
 Tatwine. 
 Aldwulf. 
 Ingwald. 
 Aldbert. 
 Hadulac. 
 Daniel. 
 Forthere. 
 Aldwin. 
 Walstod. 
 Wilfrid. 
 Cunebert. 
 
 Vacant. 
 
A.D.  731.]  THE    SAXON    SEES.  293 
 
 Saxons,  Daniel  and  Forthere  are  bishops ;  in  the  province  of 
 the  Mercians,  Aldwin.  Among  those  people  who  live  be- 
 yond the  river  Severn  to  the  westward,  Walstod  is  bishop ; 
 in  the  province  of  the  Wiccians,  Wilfrid ;  in  the  province  of 
 the  Lindisfarnes,  Cynebert  presides ;  the  bishopric  of  the 
 Isle  of  Wight  belongs  to  Daniel,  bishop  of  Winchester. 
 The  province  of  the  South  Saxons,  having  now  continued 
 some  years  without  a  bishop,  receives  the  episcopal  ministry 
 from  the  prelate  of  the  West  Saxons.  All  these  provinces, 
 and  the  others  southward  to  the  bank  of  the  river  Humber, 
 with  their  kings,  are  subject  to  King  Ethelbald. 
 
 But  in  the  province  of  the  Northumbrians,  where  King 
 Ceolwulf  reigns,  four  bishops  now  preside;  Wilfrid  in  the 
 church  of  York,  Ethelwald  in  that  of  Lindisfarne,  Acca  in 
 that  of  Hagulstad,  Pechthelm  in  that  which  is  called  the 
 White  House,  which,  from  the  increased  number  of  be- 
 lievers, has  lately  become  an  episcopal  see,  and  has  him  for 
 its  first  prelate.*  The  Picts  also  at  this  time  are  at  peace 
 with  the  English  nation,  and  rejoice  in  being  united  in  peace 
 and  truth  v^th  the  whole  Catholic  Church.  The  Scots  that 
 inhabit  Britain,  satisfied  with  their  own  territories,  meditate 
 no  hostilities  against  the  nation  of  the  English.  The  Bri- 
 tons, though  they,  for  the  most  part,  through  innate  hatred, 
 are  adverse  to  the  English  nation,  and  wrongfully,  and  from 
 wicked  custom,  oppose  the  appointed  Easter  of  the  whole 
 Catholic  Church;  yet,  from  both  the  Divine  and  human 
 power  withstanding  them,  c;in  in  no  way  prevail  as  they 
 desire;  for  though  in  part  they  are  their  o\\ti  masters,  yet 
 elsewhere  they  are  also  brought  under  subjection  to  the 
 English.  Such  being  the  peaceable  and  calm  disposition 
 of  the  times,  many  of  the  Northumbrians,  as  well  of  the 
 nobility  as  private  persons,  laying  aside  their  weapons,  ra- 
 ther incline  to  dedicate  both  themselves  and  their  children 
 to  the  tonsure  and  monastic  vows,  than  to  study  martial 
 discipline.     Wliat  will  be  the  end  hereof,  the  next  age  will 
 
 *  Bede  here  speaks  of  Pechthelm  as  the  first  bishop  of  Whitheme, 
 which  must  be  understood  as  the  first  under  the  Saxon  dynasty;  for  in 
 book  iii.  ch.  4,  page  114,  he  mentions  St.  Ninias  as  the  founder  of  the 
 see,  A.D.  412.  There  was  probably  an  interruption  in  the  succession  of 
 the  prelates  during  the  three  hundred  years  which  intervened  between  the 
 death  of  St.  Ninias  and  the  appointment  of  Pechthelm,  owing  to  the  civil 
 wars  .ind  the  invasion  of  the  Saxons. 
 
294  BEDE's    ecclesiastical    history.  [b.v.  c.24. 
 
 show.  This  is  for  the  present  the  state  of  all  Britain ;  in 
 the  year  since  the  coming  of  the  English  into  Britain  about 
 285,  but  in  the  731st  year  of  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord, 
 in  whose  reign  may  the  earth  ever  rejoice;  may  Britain 
 exult  in  the  profession  of  his  faith ;  and  may  many  islands 
 be  glad,  and  sing  praises  in  honour  of  his  holiness  I 
 
 CHAP.  XXIV. 
 
 Chronological  recapitulation   of  the  whole  work:  also    concerning  the 
 author  himself. 
 
 I  ha\t:  thought  fit  briefly  to  sum  up  those  things  which  have 
 been  related  more  at  large,  according  to  the  distinction  of 
 times,  for  the  better  preserving  them  in  memory. 
 
 In  the  sixtieth  year  before  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord, 
 Caius  Julius  Caesar,  first  of  the  Romans,  invaded  Britain, 
 and  was  victorious,  yet  could  not  gain  the  kingdom. 
 
 In  the  year  from  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord,  46,  Claudius, 
 second  of  the  Romans,  invading  Britain,  had  a  great  part  of 
 the  island  surrendered  to  him,  and  added  the  Orkney  islands 
 to  the  Roman  empire. 
 
 In  the  year  from  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  167,  Eleu- 
 therius,  being  made  bishop  at  Rome,  governed  the  Church 
 most  gloriously  fifteen  years.  Lucius,  king  of  Britain, 
 writing  to  him,  requested  to  be  made  a  Christian,  and  suc- 
 ceeded in  obtaining  his  request. 
 
 In  the  year  from  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  189,  Severus, 
 being  made  emperor,  reigned  seventeen  years ;  he  enclosed 
 Britain  with  a  trench  from  sea  to  sea. 
 
 In  the  year  381,  Maximus,  being  made  emperor  in  Britain, 
 sailed  over  into  Gaul,  and  slew  Gratian. 
 
 In  the  year  409,  Rome  was  crushed  by  the  Goths,  from 
 wliich  time  Roman  emperors  began  to  reign  in  Britain. 
 
 In  the  year  430,  Palladius  was  sent  to  be  first  the  bishop 
 of  the  Scots  that  believed  in  Christ,  by  Pope  Celestine. 
 
 In  the  year  449,  INIartian  being  made  emperor  with  Valen- 
 tinian,  reigned  seven  years ;  in  whose  time  the  English,  being 
 called  by  the  Britons,  came  into  Britain. 
 
 In  the  year  538,  there  happened  an  eclipse  of  the  sun,  on 
 the  16th  of  February,  from  the  first  to  the  third  hour. 
 
 In  the  year  540,  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  happened  on  the 
 
A.o.  664.J  CHRONOLOGICAL    SUMMARY.  295 
 
 20tli  of  June,  and  the  stars  appeared  during  almost  half  an 
 hour  after  the  tliird  hour  of  the  day. 
 
 In  the  year  547,  Ida  began  to  reign ;  from  him  the  royal 
 family  of  the  Northumbrians  derives  its  original ;  he  reigned 
 twelve  years. 
 
 In  the  year  565,  the  priest,  Columba,  came  out  of  Scotland, 
 into  Britain,  to  instruct  the  Picts,  and  he  built  a  monastery 
 in  the  isle  of  Hii. 
 
 In  the  year  596,  Pope  Gregory  sent  Augustine  with 
 monks  into  Britain,  to  preach  the  word  of  God  to  the 
 EngKsh  nation. 
 
 In  the  year  597,  the  aforesaid  teachers  arrived  in  Britain ; 
 being  about  the  150th  year  from  the  coming  of  the  Enghsh 
 into  Britain. 
 
 In  the  year  601,  Pope  Gregory  sent  the  pall  into  Britain, 
 to  Augustine,  who  was  already  made  bishop ;  he  sent  also 
 several  ministers  of  the  word,  among  whom  was  Paulinus. 
 
 In  the  year  603,  a  battle  was  fought  at  Degsastane. 
 
 In  the  year  604,  the  East  Saxons  received  the  faith  of 
 Christ,  under  King  Sabert,  and  Bishop  Mellitus. 
 
 In  the  year  605,  Gregory  died. 
 
 In  the  year  616,  Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent,  died. 
 
 In  the  year  625,  the  venerable  PauHnus  was,  by  Arch- 
 bishop Justus,  ordained  bishop  of  the  Northumbrians. 
 
 In  the  year  626,  Eanfleda,  daughter  to  King  Edwin,  was 
 baptized  with  twelve  others,  on  Whit- Saturday. 
 
 In  the  year  627,  King  Edwin  was  baptized,  with  his 
 nation,  at  Easter. 
 
 In  the  year  633,  King  Edwin  being  killed,  Paulinus  re- 
 turned to  Kent. 
 
 In  the  year  640,  Eadbald,  king  of  Kent,  died. 
 
 In  the  year  642,  King  Oswald  was  slain. 
 
 In  the  year  644,  Paulinus,  first  bishop  of  York,  but  now 
 of  the  city  of  Rochester,  departed  to  our  Lord. 
 
 In  the  year  651,  King  Oswin  was  killed,  and  Bishop  Aidan 
 died. 
 
 In  the  year  653,  the  Midland  Angles,  under  their  prince, 
 Penda,  received  the  mysteries  of  the  faith. 
 
 In  the  year  655,  Penda  was  slain,  and  the  Mercians  be- 
 came Christians. 
 
 In  the  year  664,   there  happened  an  echpse  of  the  sun ; 
 
296  BEDE's  ecclesiastical  history.  [e.  IV.  c.  24. 
 
 Earconbert,  king  of  Kent,  died ;  and  Colman  returned  to  the 
 Scots  ;  a  pestilence  arose ;  Ceadda  and  Wilfrid  were  ordained 
 bishops  of  the  Northumbrians. 
 
 In  the  year  668,  Theodore  was  ordained  bishop. 
 
 In  the  year  670,  Oswy,  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  died. 
 
 In  the  year  673,  Egbert,  king  of  Kent,  died,  and  a  synod 
 was  held  at  Hertford,  in  the  presence  of  King  Egfrid,  Arch- 
 bishop Theodore  presiding  :  the  synod  did  much  good,  and 
 its  decrees  are  contained  in  ten  chapters. 
 
 In  the  year  675,  Wulf  here,  king  of  the  Mercians,  dying, 
 when  he  had  reigned  seventeen  years,  left  the  crown  to  his 
 brother  Ethelred. 
 
 In  the  year  676,  Ethelred  ravaged  Kent. 
 
 In  the  year  678,  a  comet  appeared;  Bishop  Wilfrid  was 
 driven  from  liis  see  by  King  Egfrid ;  and  Bosa,  Eata,  and 
 Eadhed  were  consecrated  bishops  in  his  stead. 
 
 In  the  year  679,  Elfwine  was  killed. 
 
 In  the  year  680,  a  synod  was  held  in  the  field  called  Heth- 
 feld,  concerning  the  Christian  faith.  Archbishop  Theodore 
 presiding  ;  John,  the  Roman  abbat,  was  also  present.  The 
 same  year  also  the  Abbess  Hilda  died  at  Streaneshalch. 
 
 In  the  year  685,  Egfrid,  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  was 
 slain. 
 
 The  same  year,  Lothere,  king  of  Kent  died. 
 
 In  the  year  688,  Ctedwalla,  king  of  the  West  Saxons, 
 went  to  Rome  from  Britain. 
 
 In  the  year  690,  Archbishop  Theodore  died. 
 
 In  the  year  697,  Queen  Osti  itha  was  murdered  by  her  own 
 people,  that  is,  the  nobility  of  the  Mercians. 
 
 In  the  year  698,  Berthred,  the  royal  commander  of  the 
 Northumbrians,  was  slain  by  the  Picts. 
 
 In  the  year  704,  Ethelred  became  a  monk,  after  he  had 
 reigned  thirty  years  over  the  nation  of  the  Mercians,  and 
 gave  up  the  kingdom  to  Coenred. 
 
 In  the  year  705,  Alfrid,  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  died. 
 
 In  the  year  709,  Coenred,  king  of  the  Mercians,  having 
 reigned  six  years,  went  to  Rome. 
 
 In  the  year  711,  Earl  Bertfrid  fought  with  the  Picts. 
 
 In  the  year  716,  Osred,  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  was 
 killed ;  and  Ceolred,  king  of  the  Mercians,  died ;  and  Egbert, 
 
A.D.731.]  WOKKS   OF    BEDE.  297 
 
 the  man  of  God,  brought  the  monks  of  Hii  to  observe  the 
 Cathohc  Easter  and  ecclesiastical  tonsure. 
 
 In  the  year  725,  Withred,  king  of  Kent,  died. 
 
 In  the  year  729,  comets  appeared ;  the  holy  Egbert  de- 
 parted; and,  Osric  died. 
 
 In  the  year  731,  Archbishop  Bertwald  died. 
 
 The  same  year  Tatwine  was  consecrated  ninth  archbishop 
 of  Canterbury,  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  Ethelbald,  king  of 
 Kent. 
 
 Thus  much  of  the  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Britain,  and 
 more  especially  of  the  English  nation,  as  far  as  I  could  learn 
 either  from  the  writings  of  the  ancients,  or  the  tradition  of 
 our  ancestors,  or  of  my  own  knowledge,  has,  with  the  help 
 of  God,  been  digested  by  me,  Bede,  the  servant  of  God,  and 
 priest  of  the  monastery  of  the  blessed  apostles,  Peter  and 
 Paul,  which  is  at  Wearmouth  and  Jarrow ;  who  being  born 
 in  the  territory  of  that  same  monastery,  was  given,  at  seven 
 years  of  age,  to  be  educated  by  the  most  reverend  Abbat 
 Benedict,  and  afterwards  by  Ceolfrid ;  and  spending  all  the 
 remaining  time  of  my  life  in  that  monastery,  I  wholly  applied 
 myself  to  the  study  of  Scripture,  and  amidst  the  observance 
 of  regular  discipline,  and  the  daily  care  of  singing  in  the 
 church,  I  always  took  delight  in  learning,  teaching,  and 
 writing.  In  the  nineteenth  year  of  my  age,  I  received 
 deacon's  orders;  in  the  thirtieth,  those  of  the  priesthood, 
 both  of  them  by  the  ministry  of  the  most  reverend  Bishop 
 John,  and  by  order  of  the  Abbat  Ceolfrid.  From  which 
 time,  till  the  fifty-ninth  year  of  my  age,  I  have  made  it  my 
 business,  for  the  use  of  me  and  mine,  to  compile  out  of  the 
 works  of  the  venerable  Fathers,  and  to  interpret  and  explain 
 according  to  their  meaning  these  following  pieces  : — 
 
 On  the  Beginning  of  Genesis,  to  the  Nativity  of  Isaac  and 
 the  Reprobation  of  Ismael,  three  books. 
 
 Of  the  Tabernacle  and  its  Vessels,  and  of  the  Priestly 
 Vestments,  tliree  books. 
 
 On  the  first  Part  of  Samuel,  to  the  Death  of  Saul,  four 
 books. 
 
298  BEtE's  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  Lb-  v.  c.  24. 
 
 Of  the  Building  of  the  Temple,  of  Allegorical  Exposition, 
 like  the  rest,  two  books. 
 
 Item,  on  the  Book  of  Kings,  thirty  Questions. 
 
 On  Solomon's  Proverbs,  three  books. 
 
 On  the  Canticles,  seven  books. 
 
 On  Isaiah,  Daniel,  the  twelve  Prophets,  and  Part  of  Jere- 
 miah, Distinctions  of  Chapters,  collected  out  of  St.  Jerome's 
 Treatise. 
 
 On  Esdras  and  Nehemiah,  three  books. 
 
 On  the  Song  of  Habacuc,  one  book. 
 
 On  the  Book  of  the  blessed  Father  Tobias,  one  Book  of 
 Allegorical  Exposition  concerning  Christ  and  the  Church. 
 
 Also,  Chapters  of  Readings  on  Moses's  Pentateuch,  Joshua, 
 and  Judges. 
 
 On  the  Books  of  Kings  and  Chronicles. 
 
 On  the  Book  of  the  blessed  Father  Job. 
 
 On  the  Parables,  Ecclesiastes,  and  Canticles. 
 
 On  the  Prophets  Isaiah,  Esdras,  and  Nehemiah. 
 
 On  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  four  books. 
 
 On  the  Gospel  of  Luke,  six  books. 
 
 Of  Homilies  on  the  Gospel,  two  books. 
 
 On  the  Apostle,  I  have  carefully  transcribed  in  order  all 
 that  I  have  found  in  St.  Augustine's  Works. 
 
 On  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  two  books. 
 
 On  the  Seven  Catholic  Epistles,  a  book  on  each. 
 
 On  the  Revelation  of  St.  John,  three  books. 
 
 Also,  Chapters  of  Readings  on  all  the  New  Testament, 
 except  the  Gospel. 
 
 Also  a  book  of  Epistles  to  different  Persons,  of  which  one 
 is  of  the  Six  ages  of  the  world  ;  one  of  the  Mansions  of  the 
 Children  of  Israel ;  one  on  the  Words  of  Isaiah,  "  And  they 
 shall  be  shut  up  in  the  prison,  and  after  many  days  shall 
 they  be  visited ;"  one  of  the  Reason  of  the  Bissextile,  or 
 Leap-Year,  and  of  the  Equinox,  according  to  Anatolius. 
 
 Also,  of  the  Histories  of  Saints.  I  translated  the  Book  of 
 the  Life  and  Passion  of  St.  Felix,  Confessor,  from  Paulinus's 
 Work  in  metre,  into  prose. 
 
 The  Book  of  the  Life  and  Passion  of  St.  Anastasius, 
 which  was  ill  translated  from  the  Greek,  and  worse  amended 
 by  some  unskilful  person,  I  have  corrected  as  to  the  sense. 
 
 I  have  written  the  Life  of  the  Holy  Father  Cuthbert,  who  , 
 
A-D-  664.]  WORKS  OF  BEDE.  299 
 
 was  both  monk  and  prelate,  first  in  heroic  verse,  and  then  in 
 prose. 
 
 The  History  of  the  Abbats  of  this  Monastery,  in  which  I 
 rejoice  to  serve  the  Divine  Goodness,  viz.  Benedict,  Ceolfrid, 
 and  Huetbert,  in  two  books. 
 
 The  Ecclesiastical  History  of  our  Island  and  Nation  in 
 five  books. 
 
 The  Martyrology  of  the  Birth-days  of  the  Holy  Martyrs, 
 in  which  I  have  carefully  endeavoured  to  set  down  all  that  I 
 could  find,  and  not  only  on  what  day,  but  also  by  what  sort 
 of  combat,  or  under  what  judge  they  overcame  the  world. 
 
 A  Book  of  Hymns  in  several  sorts  of  metre,  or  rhyme. 
 
 A  Book  of  Epigrams  in  heroic  or  elegiac  verse. 
 
 Of  the  Nature  of  Things,  and  of  the  Times,  one  book  of 
 each. 
 
 Also,  of  the  Times,  one  larger  book. 
 
 A  book  of  Orthography  digested  in  Alphabetical  Order. 
 
 Also  a  Book  of  the  Art  of  Poetry,  and  to  it  I  have  added 
 another  little  Book  of  Tropes  and  Figures  ;  that  is,  of  the 
 Figures  and  Manners  of  Speaking  in  which  the  Holy  Scrip- 
 tures are  written. 
 
 And  now,  I  beseech  thee,  good  Jesus,  that  to  whom  thou 
 hast  graciously  granted  sweetly  to  partake  of  the  words  of 
 thy  wisdom  and  knowledge,  thou  wilt  also  vouchsafe  that  he 
 may  some  time  or  other  come  to  thee,  the  fountain  of  all 
 wisdom,  and  always  appear  before  thy  face,  who  livest  and 
 reignest  world  without  end.     Amen  ! 
 
 HERE  ENDS,  BY  GOD'S  HELP, 
 
 THE  FIFTH  BOOK 
 
 OF    THE   ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY 
 
 OF  THE  ENGLISH  NATION. 
 
 (What  follows  appears  to  he  hy  another  hand.) 
 fin  the  year  from  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  732,  Egbert  was  made  bishop 
 of  York,   in  the  room   of  "NVilfrid  [II.];  Cunebert,   bishop  of  Lindisfarians 
 [SidnacesterPJ  died.  ,,„,:,,.- 
 
 A.  D.  733,  there  happened  an  eclipse  of  the  sun,  on  the  18th  day  betore  the 
 kalends  of  September,  about  the  third  hour  of  the  day ;  so  that  almost  all  the 
 orb  of  the  sun  seemed  to  be  covered  with  a  black  and  horrid  shield. 
 
 In  the  year  from  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  733,  archbishop  Tatwine 
 
300  BEDE's   ecclesiastical    history.  [b.  v.  c.  23. 
 
 having  received  the  pall  by  apostolical  authority,  ordained  Alwich*  and  Sig- 
 Iridf  bishops. 
 
 A.  D.  734,  the  moon,  on  the  2nd  before  the  kalends  of  February,  about  the 
 time  of  cock-crowing,  was,  for  about  a  whole  hour,  covered  with  a  bloody  red, 
 after  which  a  blackness  followed,  and  she  regained  her  light. 
 
 In  the  year  from  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  734,  bishop  Tatwine  died 
 In  the  year  from  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  735,  Nothelm  was  ordained 
 archbishop ;  and  bishop  Egbert,  having  received  the  paU  from  the  apostolic  see, 
 was  the  first  confirmed  archbishop  after  Paulinus,  and  ordained  FrithbertJ  and 
 Frithwald  1|  bishops  ;  and  the  priest  Bede  died. 
 
 A.  D.  737,  too  much  drought  rendered  the  land  unfruitful,  and  Ceolwulf, 
 voluntarily  receiving  the  tonsure,  left  the  kingdom  to  Eadbert. 
 
 A.  D.  739,  Ethelard,  king  of  the  West- Saxons,  died,  as  did  archbishop 
 Nothelm. 
 
 A.  D.  740,  Cuthbert  was  consecrated  in  Nothelm's  stead.  Ethelbald,  king 
 of  the  Mercians,  through  impious  fraud,  wasted  part  of  the  Northumbrians, 
 their  king  Eadbert,  with  his  army,  being  emploj^ed  against  the  Picts.  Bishop 
 Ethelwald  died  also,  and  Conwulf  was  consecrated  in  his  stead.  Amwin  and 
 Eadbert  were  slain. 
 
 A.  D  741,  first  a  great  drought  happened  in  the  country.  Charles,  king  of 
 the  Franks,  died  ;  and  his  sons,  Caroloman  and  Pepin,  reigned  in  his  stead. 
 
 A.  D.  745,  Bishop  Wilfrid  and  Ingwald,  bishop  of  London,  departed  to  our 
 Lord. 
 
 A.  D.  747,  the  man  of  God,  Herefrid,  died. 
 
 A.D.  750,  Cuthred,  king  of  the  West  Saxons,  rose  up  against  king  Ethelbald 
 and  Oenguse  ;  Theneorus  and  Eanred  died ;  Eadbert  added  the  plain  of  Kyle 
 and  other  places  to  his  dominions. 
 
 A.  D.  756,  in  the  fifth  year  of  king  Eadbert,  on  the  ides  of  January,  there 
 happened  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  ;  afterwards,  the  same  year  and  month,  on  the 
 9th  before  the  kalends  of  February  the  moon  suffered  an  eclipse,  being  most 
 horridly  black. 
 
 A.  D.  756,  Boniface,  called  also  Winfrid,  bishop  of  the  Franks,  received  the 
 crown  of  martyrdom,  with  fifty-three  others ;  and  Redger  was  consecrated 
 archbishop  in  his  stead,  by  pope  Stephen, 
 
 A.  D.  757,  Ethelbald,  king  of  the  Mercians,  was  miserably  murdered,  in  the 
 night,  by  bis  own  tutors ;  Beonred  began  his  reign  ;  Cynewulf,  king  of  the 
 West-Saxons,  died;  and  the  same  year,  Ofi'a,  having  vanquished  Beonred,  in  a 
 bloody  manner,  sought  to  gain  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians. 
 
 A.  D.  758,  Eadbert.  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  receiving  St.  Peter's  ton- 
 sure for  the  love  of  God,  and  to  gain  the  heavenly  country  by  violence,  left  the 
 kingdom  to  his  son  Oswulph. 
 
 A.  D.  759,  Oswulph  was  wickedly  murdered  by  his  own  servants ;  and  Ethel- 
 wald,  being  chosen  the  same  year  by  his  people,  entered  upon  the  kingdom  ;  in 
 whose  second  year  there  happened  a  great  tribulation  of  mortality,  and  con- 
 tinued almost  two  years,  several  grievous  distempers  raging,  but  more  espe- 
 cially the  dysentery. 
 
 A.  D.  761,  Oeng,  king  of  tne  Picts,  died;  who,  from  the  beginning  to  the 
 end  of  his  reign,  continued  a  bloody  tyrannical  butcher  :  Oswin  was  also  slain. 
 A.  D.  765,  King  Alcred  was  advanced  to  the  throne. 
 
 A.  p.  766,  Archbishop  Egbert,  of  the  royal  race,  and  endued  with  Divine 
 knowledge,  as  also  Frithbert,  both  of  them  truly  faithful  prelates,  departed  to 
 our  Lord.] 
 
 *  Sidnacester.  f  Selsey.  +  Hexham.  li  Whithemo. 
 
THE 
 
 ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE, 
 
THE 
 
 ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE 
 
 [The  island!  of  Britain  is  eight  hundred  miles  long  and 
 two  hundred  miles  broad :  and  here  in  this  island  are  five 
 tongues  ;  English,  British,  Scottish,  Pictish,  and  Latin.  The 
 first  inhabitants  of  this  land  were  Britons  ;  they  came  from 
 Annenia,J  and  first  settled  in  the  south  of  Britain.  Then 
 befell  it  that  Picts  came  from  the  south  from  Scytliia,  with 
 long  ships,  not  many,  and  first  landed  in  North  Hibernia, 
 and  there  entreated  the  Scots  that  they  might  there  abide. 
 But  they  would  not  permit  them,  for  they  said  that  they 
 could  not  all  abide  there  together.  And  then  the  Scots  said, 
 '  We  may  nevertheless  give  you  counsel.  We  know  another 
 island  eastward  of  tliis,  where  ye  may  dwell  if  ye  will,  and 
 if  any  one  withstand  you,  we  will  assist  you,  so  that  you  may 
 subdue  it.'  Then  went  the  Picts  and  subdued  this  land 
 northwards  ;  the  southern  part  the  Britons  had,  as  we  before 
 have  said.  And  the  Picts  obtained  wives  for  themselves  of 
 the  Scots,  on  this  condition,  that  they  should  always  choose 
 their  royal  lineage  on  the  woman's  side  ;  which  they  have 
 held  ever  since.     And  then  befell  it  in  the  course  of  years 
 
 *  The  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  is  apparently  the  work  of  many  successive 
 hands,  and  extends  in  different  copies  from  the  time  of  Caesar's  invasion  to 
 the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century.  As  it  has  been  repeatedly  printed,  it 
 may  suffice  here  to  repeat,  that,  ^vith  the  exception  of  the  insertions  placed 
 within  brackets,  the  text  ta  the  year  975  is  mostly  taken  from  the  MS. 
 designated  by  the  letter  A.',  from  that  period  to  1079  from  MSS.  A.  C.  D. 
 E.  F.  and  G.,and  from  thence  to  the  conclusion  from  MS.£^.:  and  that  such 
 portions  of  the  different  MSS.  as  are  concurrent  with  the  text,  but  will  not 
 conveniently  admit  of  collation,  are  given  separately  in  a  smaller  type. 
 These  variations  -will  sometimes  convey  the  same  information  two  or  three 
 times  over  :  but  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to  retain  all  of  them 
 that  the  reader  may  have  a  more  ample  means  of  judging  of  the  authority 
 of  this  invaluable  national  record. 
 
 t  This  description  of  Britam  is  taken  from  Bede's  Ecclesiastical 
 History.  X  Armorica. 
 
304  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1—5. 
 
 that  some  part  of  the  Scots  departed  from  Hibernia  into 
 Britain,  and  conquered  some  portion  of  the  land.  And  their 
 leader  was  called  Reoda ;  from  whom  they  are  named 
 Dalreodi.*] 
 
 Sixty  years  before  Christ  was  born,  Gains  Julius,  emperor 
 of  the  Romans,  with  eighty  ships,  sought  Britain.  There  he 
 was  at  first  distressed  by  a  fierce  battle,  and  a  large  portion 
 of  his  army  was  dispersed.  And  then  he  left  his  army  to 
 abide  among  the  Scots, f  and  went  south  into  Gaul,  and  there 
 collected  six  hundred  ships,  with  which  he  came  again  into 
 Britain.  And  as  they  first  rushed  together,  the  emperor's 
 '  gerrefa  '|  was  slain  :  he  was  called  Labienus.  Then  the 
 Welsh  took  large  and  sharp  stakes  and  drove  them  into  the 
 fording  place  of  a  certain  river  under  water  ;  tliis  river  was 
 called  Thames.  When  the  Romans  discovered  tliis,  then 
 would  they  not  go  over  the  ford.  Then  fled  the  Britons  to 
 the  wood- wastes,  and  the  emperor  conquered  very  many  of 
 their  chief  cities  after  a  great  struggle,  and  departed  again 
 into  Gaul. 
 
 Before  the  incarnation  of  Christ  sixty  years,  Gains  Julius  the  emperor, 
 ftrst  of  the  Romans,  sought  the  land  of  Britain ;  and  he  crushed  the  Britons 
 in  battle,  and  overcame  them  :  and  nevertheless  he  was  unable  to  gain  any 
 empire  there. 
 
 A.D.  1.  Octavianus  reigned  fifty-six  years;  and  in  the 
 forty-second  year  of  his  reign  Christ  was  born. 
 
 A.  2.  The  three  astrologers  came  from  the  eastern  parts 
 in  order  that  they  might  worship  Christ.  And  the  children 
 were  slain  at  Bethlehem,  in  persecution  of  Christ  by 
 Herod. 
 
 A.  3.  This  year  died  Herod,  having  stabbed  himself,  and 
 Archelaus  his  son  succeeded  to  the  government.  And  the 
 child  Christ  was  brought  back  again  from  Egypt. 
 
 A.  4.  5.  § 
 
 •  See  the  etymology  of  this  name  in  a  note  at  page  7. 
 
 t  "  This  is  an  error,  arising  from  the  inaccurately  written  MSS.  of 
 Orosius  and  Bede  ;  where  in  Hybernia  and  in  Hibemiam  occur  for  in 
 hiberna.     The  eiTor  is  retained  in  Wheloc's  Bede." — Ingrvm. 
 
 X  "  Tribune." — Ingram. 
 
 §  These  blank  dates  are  found  in  the  MSS.  of  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  and 
 are  retained  in  this  volume,  for  the  sake  of  references  which  occur  between 
 the  MSS.  where  the  date  happens  to  be  blank,  and  others  in  which  facts 
 .ire  assigned  to  them. 
 
A.D.  6—47.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  305 
 
 A.  6.  From  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  year,  fi\'e 
 thousand  and  two  hundred  years  were  gone  by. 
 
 A.  7.— 10. 
 
 A.  II.  This  year  Herod  the  son  of  Antipater  obtained 
 the  government  of  Judea. 
 
 A.  12.  Philip  and  Herod  divided  Lysia  (between  them), 
 and  Judea  they  divided  into  tetrarchies. 
 
 A.  12.  This  year  Judea  was  divided  into  four  tetrarchies. 
 
 A.  13.— 15. 
 
 A,  16.  This  year  Tiberius  succeeded  to  the  empire. 
 
 A.  17.— 25. 
 
 A.  26.  This  year  Pilate  began  to  rule  over  the  Jews. 
 
 A.  27.-29. 
 
 A.  30.  This  year  Christ  was  baptized  ;  and  he  converted 
 Peter  and  Andrew,  and  James  and  John  and  Philip,  and  the 
 twelve  apostles. 
 
 A.  31.  32. 
 
 A.  33.  This  year  Christ  was  crucified  ;  being  from  the 
 beginning  of  the  world  about  five  thousand  two  hundred  and 
 twenty-six  years. 
 
 A.  34.  This  year  St.  Paul  was  converted,  and  St.  Stephen 
 stoned. 
 
 A.  35.  This  year  the  blessed  apostle  Peter  established  a 
 bishop's  see  in  the  city  of  Antioch. 
 
 A.  36.  37. 
 
 A.  38.  This  year  Pilate  slew  himself  with  his  own  hand. 
 
 A.  39.  This  year  Caius  obtained  the  empire. 
 
 A.  40.  Matthew,  in  Judea,  began  to  write  his  gospel. 
 
 A.  41.— 44. 
 
 A.  45.  This  year  the  blessed  apostle  Peter  established  a 
 bishop's  see  in  Rome.  This  year  James,  the  brother  of  John, 
 was  slain  by  Herod. 
 
 A.  46.  This  year  Herod  died  ;  he  who  slew  James,  one 
 year  before  his  own  death. 
 
 A.  46.  This  year  the  emperor  Claudius  came  to  Britain,  and  subdued 
 a  large  part  of  the  island  ;  and  he  also  added  the  island  of  Orkney  to  the 
 dominion  of  the  Romans. 
 
 A.  47.  This  year  Claudius,  second  of  the  Roman  kings, 
 sought  the  land  of  Britain,  and  brought  under  his  power  the 
 greater  part  of  the  island,  and  also  subjected  the  Orkney 
 Islands   to   the   dominion   of    the   Romans.     This  war  he 
 
 X 
 
306  THE   ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  47—100. 
 
 effected  in  the  fourth  year  of  his  reign  :  and  in  the  same 
 year  was  the  great  famine  in  Syria,  which  was  foretold  in 
 the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  through  Agabus  the  prophet.  Then 
 Nero  succeeded  to  the  empire  after  Claudius  :  he  neai-ly  lost 
 the  island  of  Britain  through  his  cowardice.  Mark  the 
 Evangelist  begins  to  write  the  gospel  in  Egypt. 
 
 A.  47.  This  was  in  the  fourth  year  of  his  reign,  and  in  this  same  year 
 was  the  great  famine  in  Syria  which  Luke  speaks  of  in  the  book  called 
 '  Actus  Apostolorum.' 
 
 A.  47.  This  year  Claudius,  king  of  the  Romans,  went  with  an  army  into 
 Britain,  and  subdued  the  island,  and  subjected  all  the  Picts  and  Welsh  to 
 the  rule  of  the  Romans. 
 
 A.  48.  In  this  year  there  was  a  very  severe  famine. 
 
 A.  49.  This  year  Nero  began  to  reign. 
 
 A.  50.  This  year  Paul  was  sent  in  bonds  to  Rome. 
 
 A.  51.— 61 
 
 A.  62.  This  year  James,  the  brother  of  our  Lord,  suffered 
 martyrdom. 
 
 A.  63.  This  year  Mark  the  Evangelist  died. 
 
 A.  64.-68. 
 
 A.  69.  This  year  Peter  and  Paul  suffered  martyrdom. 
 
 A.  69.  Th-£>  year  Peter  suffered  on  the  cross,  and  Paul  was  slain 
 
 A.  70.  This  year  Vespasian  obtained  the  empire. 
 
 A.  71.  This  year  Titus,  the  son  of  Vespasian,  slew  one 
 hundred  and  eleven  thousand  Jews  in  Jerusalem. 
 
 A.  72.-80. 
 
 A.  81.  Tills  year  Titus  succeeded  to  the  empire,  after 
 Vespasian  ;  he  who  said  that  he  had  lost  the  day  on  which 
 he  had  done  no  good. 
 
 A.  82.  83. 
 
 A.  84.  This  year  Domitian,  the  brother  of  Titus,  suc- 
 ceeded to  the  empire. 
 
 A.  84.  This  year  John  the  Apostle  wrote  the  book  which  is  called 
 Apocalypse. 
 
 A.  85.  86. 
 
 A.  87.  This  year  John  the  Evangelist  wrote  the  book  of 
 the  Apocalypse  in  the  island  of  Patmos. 
 
 A.  88.-99. 
 
 A.  100.  This  year  Simon  the  apostle,  the  kinsman  of 
 Christ,  was  crucified,  and  John  the  Evangelist  rested  in 
 death  on  that  day  at  Ephesus. 
 
AD    101—286.]  THE    .iNGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  307 
 
 A.   101.  This  year  pope  Clement  died. 
 
 A.   102.— 109. 
 
 A.   1 10.  This  year  Ignatius  the  bishop  suffered  martyrdom. 
 
 A.  111.— 115. 
 
 A.   116.  This  year  Adrian  the  emperor  began  to  reign. 
 
 A.  117.— 136. 
 
 A.   137.  This  year  Antoninus  began  to  reign. 
 
 A.  138.— 144. 
 
 A.  145.  This  year  Marcus  Antoninus  and  Aurelius  his 
 brother  succeeded  to  the  empire. 
 
 A.  146.-166. 
 
 A.  167.  This  year  Eleutherius  obtained  the  bishopric  of 
 Rome,  and  held  it  in  great  glory  for  twelve  years.*  To  him 
 Lucius,  king  of  Britain,  sent  letters  praying  that  he  might  be 
 made  a  Christian  :  and  he  fulfilled  that  he  requested.  And 
 they  afterwards  continued  in  the  right  faith  till  the  reign  of 
 Diocletian. 
 
 A.  167.  This  year  Eleutherius  succeeded  to  the  popedom,  and  held  it 
 fifteen  years  ;  and  in  the  same  year  Lucius,  king  of  the  Britons,  sent  and 
 begged  baptism  of  him.  And  he  soon  sent  it  him  ;  and  they  continued  in 
 the  true  faith  vmtil  the  time  of  Diocletian. 
 
 A.  168.— 187. 
 
 A.  188.  This  year  Severus  succeeded  to  the  empire,  and 
 went  with  an  army  into  Bi-itain,  and  subdued  a  great  part  of 
 the  island  by  battle  ;  and  then,  for  the  protection  of  the 
 Britons,  he  built  a  rampart  of  turf,  and  a  broad  wall  thereon, 
 from  sea  to  sea.  He  reigned  seventeen  years,  and  then 
 ended  his  days  at  York.  His  son  Bassianus  succeeded  to  the 
 empire  :  another  son  of  his  was  called  Geta  ;  he  died. 
 
 A.   190.-198. 
 
 A.   199.  In  this  year  the  Holy-rood  f  was  found. 
 
 A.  200.  Two  hundred  years. 
 
 A.  201.— 285. 
 
 A.  286.  This  year  St.  Alban  the  martyi'  suffered. 
 
 *  According  to  Muratori,  Eleutherius  presided  from  A.  170  to  A.  18.5. 
 
 +  "  Those  writers  who  mention  this  gi'and  discovery  of  the  holy  cross,  by 
 Helena  the  mother  of  Constantine,  disagree  so  much  hi  their  chronology, 
 that  it  is  a  vain  attempt  to  reconcile  them  to  truth  or  to  each  other.  This 
 and  the  other  notices  of  ecclesiastical  matters,  whether  Latin  or  Saxon, 
 from  the  year  190  to  the  year  380  of  the  Laud  MS.  and  381  of  the 
 printed  Chronicle,  may  be  safely  considered  as  inter  olations,  probably 
 posterior  to  the  Norman  Conquest." — Ingram. 
 
 X2 
 
308  THE   ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.  d.  287-443. 
 
 A.  287.-299. 
 
 A.  300.  Three  hundred  years. 
 
 A.  301.— 342. 
 
 A.  343.  This  year  S.  Nicolas  died. 
 
 A.  344.-378. 
 
 A.  379.  This  year  Gratian  succeeded  to  the  empire. 
 
 A.  380. 
 
 A.  381.  This  year  Maximus  the  emperor  obtained  the 
 empire ;  he  was  born  in  the  land  of  Britain,  and  went  thence 
 into  Gaul.  And  he  there  slew  the  emperor  Gratian,  and 
 drove  his  brother,  who  was  called  Yalentinian,  out  of  the 
 country.  And  Yalentinian  afterwards  gathered  an  army  and 
 slew  Maximus,  and  obtained  the  empire.  In  these  days  the 
 heresy  of  Pelagius  arose  throughout  the  world. 
 
 A.  382.— 408. 
 
 A.  409.  This  year  the  Goths  took  the  city  of  Rome  by 
 storm,  and  after  this  the  Romans  never  ruled  in  Britain ;  and 
 this  was  about  eleven  hundred  and  ten  years  after  it  had  been 
 built.  Altogether  they  ruled  in  Britain  four  hundred  and 
 seventy  years  since  Caius  Julius  first  sought  the  land. 
 
 A.  410.-417. 
 
 A.  418.  This  year  the  Romans  collected  all  the  treasures 
 that  were  in  Britain,  and  some  they  hid  in  the  earth,  so  that 
 no  one  has  since  been  able  to  find  them  ;  and  some  they 
 carried  with  them  into  Gaul. 
 
 A.  419. — 422. 
 
 A.  423.  This  year  Theodosius  the  younger  succeeded  to 
 the  empire. 
 
 A.  424.-429. 
 
 A.  430.  This  year  Palladius  *  the  bishop  was  sent  to  the 
 Scots  by  pope  Celestinus,  that  he  might  confirm  their  faith. 
 
 A.  430.  This  year  Patrick  was  sent  by  pope  Celestine  to  preach 
 baptism  to  the  Scots. 
 
 A.  431.— 442. 
 
 A.  443.  This  year  the  Britons  sent  over  sea  to  Rome,  and 
 begged  for  help  against  the  Picts ;  but  they  had  none,  because 
 they  were  themselves  warring  against  Attila,  king  of  the 
 
 *  "Palladius  and  Patricius  have  been  sometimes  confounded  together; 
 so  that  it  is  difficult  to  assign  to  each  his  respective  share  of  merit  in  the 
 conversion  of  the  Scots  of  Ireland." — Ingram. 
 
A. D.  444— 455.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  ;309 
 
 Huns.  And  then  they  sent  to  the  Angles,  and  entreated  tlie 
 like  of  the  ethelings  of  the  Angles. 
 
 A.  444.  This  year  St.  Martin  died. 
 
 A.  445.-447. 
 
 A.  448.  This  year  John  the  Baptist  revealed  his  head  to 
 two  monks,  who  came  from  the  east  to  offer  up  their  prayers 
 at  Jerusalem,  on  the  spot  which  was  formerly  Herod's 
 residence. 
 
 A.  449.  This  year  Martianus  and  Yalentinus  succeeded 
 to  the  empire,  and  reigned  seven  years.  And  in  their  days 
 Hengist  and  Horsa,  invited  by  Vortigern,  king  of  the 
 Britons,  landed  in  Britain  on  the  shore  which  is  called 
 Wippidsfleet  ;  at  first  in  aid  of  the  Britons,  but  afterwards 
 they  fought  against  them.  King  Vortigern  gave  them  land 
 in  the  south-east  of  this  country,  on  condition  that  they 
 should  fight  against  the  Picts.  Then  they  fought  against  the 
 Picts,  and  had  the  victory  wheresoever  they  came.  They 
 then  sent  to  the  Angles  ;  desired  a  larger  force  to  be  sent, 
 and  caused  them  to  be  told  the  worthlessness  of  the  Britons, 
 and  the  excellencies  of  the  land.  Then  they  soon  sent 
 thither  a  larger  force  in  aid  of  the  others.  At  that  time 
 there  came  men  from  three  tribes  in  Germany  ;  from  the 
 Old- Saxons,  from  the  Angles,  from  the  Jutes.  From  the 
 Jutes  came  the  Kentish-men  and  the  Wightwarians,  that  is, 
 the  tribe  which  now  dwells  in  Wight,  and  that  race  among 
 the  West- Saxons  which  is  still  called  the  race  of  Jutes. 
 From  the  Old- Saxons  came  the  men  of  Essex  and  Sussex 
 and  Wessex.  From  Anglia,  wliich  has  ever  since  remained 
 waste  betwixt  the  Jutes  and  Saxons,  came  the  men  of  East 
 Anglia,  IVIiddle  Angha,  Mercia,  and  all  North-humbria. 
 Their  leadei's  were  two  brothers,  Hengist  and  Horsa  :  they 
 were  the  sons  of  Wihtgils  ;  Wihtgils  son  of  Witta,  Witta  of 
 Wecta,  Wecta  of  Woden  :  from  this  Woden  sprang  all  our 
 royal  families,  and  those  of  the  South-humbrians  also. 
 
 A.  449.  And  in  their  days  Vortigern  invited  the  Angles  thither,  and 
 they  came  to  Britain  in  tliree  ceols,  at  the  place  called  Wippidsfleet: 
 
 A.  450.— 454. 
 
 A.  455.  This  year  Hengist  and  Horsa  fought  against  kmg 
 Vortigern  at  the  place  which  is  called  ^.gels-threp, 
 [Aylesford,]  and  his  brother  Horsa  was  there  slain,  and  after 
 that  Hengist  obtained  the  kingdom,  and  ^sc  his  son. 
 
310         THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.     [a.d.  456-491. 
 
 A.  456.  This  year  Hengist  and  JEsc  slew  four  troops  of 
 Britons  with  the  edge  of  the  sword,  in  the  place  which  is 
 named  Creccanford,  [Crajford].* 
 
 A.  457.  Tills  year  Hengist  and  jEsc  his  son  fought 
 against  the  Britons  at  the  place  which  is  called  Crecganford, 
 [Crayfordj]  and  there  slew  four  thousand  men  ;  and  the 
 Britons  then  forsook  Kent,  and  in  great  terror  fled  to 
 London. 
 
 A.  458.-464. 
 
 A.  465.  This  year  Hengist  and  ^sc  fought  against  the 
 Welsh  near  Wippidsfleet,  [Ebbsfleet  ?]  and  there  slew  twelve 
 Welsh  ealdormen,  and  one  of  their  own  thanes  was  slain 
 there,  whose  name  was  Wipped. 
 
 A.  466.-472. 
 
 A.  473.  This  year  Hengist  and  ^sc  fought  against  the 
 Welsh,  and  took  spoils  innumerable  ;  and  the  Welsh  fled 
 from  the  Angles  like  fire. 
 
 A.  474.-476. 
 
 A.  477.  This  year  ^lla,  and  his  three  sons,  Cymen,  and 
 Wlencing,  and  Cissa,  came  to  the  land  of  Britain  with  three 
 ships,  at  a  place  which  is  named  Cymenes-ora,  and  there 
 slew  many  Welsh,  and  some  they  di'ove  in  flight  into  the 
 wood  that  is  named  Andreds-lea. 
 
 A.  478.— 481. 
 
 A.  482.  This  year  the  blessed  abbat  Benedict,  by  the 
 glory  of  his  miracles,  shone  in  this  world,  as  the'  blessed 
 Gregory  relates  in  his  book  of  Dialogues. 
 
 A.  483.  484. 
 
 A.  485.  This  year  ^lla  fought  against  the  Welsh  near 
 tlie  bank  of  Mearcraedsburn. 
 
 A.  486.  487. 
 
 A.  488.  This  year  JEsc  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  and 
 was  king  of  the  Kentish-men  twenty-four  years. 
 
 A.  489.  490. 
 
 A.  491.  This  year  ^Ua  and  Cissa  besieged  Andreds- 
 cester,  and  slew  all  that  dwelt  therein,  so  that  not  a  single 
 Briton  was  there  left. 
 
 *  The  positions  usually  assigned  to  various  places  mentioned  in  the 
 earlier  portion  of  the  Chronicle,  are  often  very  uncertain,  depending  chiefly 
 on  a  supposed  or  real  similarity  of  names.  Where  these,  however,  appear 
 sufficiently  probable,  they  are  placed  between  brackets  if  otherwiisej  a 
 quaere  is  added. 
 
A. D.  492— 534.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  311 
 
 A.  492.-494. 
 
 A.  495.  This  year  two  ealdorinen  came  to  Britain,  Cerdic 
 and  Cjnric  his  son,  with  five  ships,  at  the  place  which  is 
 called  Cerdics-ore,  and  the  same  day  they  fought  against  the 
 Welsh.* 
 
 A.  496.— 500. 
 
 A.  501.  This  year  Port,  and  his  two  sons  Bieda  and 
 M^gla,  came  to  Britain  with  two  ships,  at  a  place  which  is 
 called  Portsmouth,  and  they  soon  effected  a  landing,  and  they 
 there  slew  a  young  British  man  of  high  nobihty. 
 
 A.  502.-507. 
 
 A.  508.  This  year  Cerdic  and  Cynric  slew  a  British  king, 
 whose  name  was  Natan-leod,  and  five  thousand  men  with 
 him.  After  that  the  country  was  named  Natan-lea,  as  far 
 Cerdicsford,  [Char ford.] 
 
 A.  509.  This  yearf  St.  Benedict  the  abbat,  father  of  all 
 monks,  went  to  heaven. 
 
 A.  510.-513. 
 
 A.  514.  This  year  the  West-Saxons  came  to  Britain 
 with  three  ships,  at  the  place  which  is  called  Cerdic's-ore, 
 and  Stuf  and  Whitgar  fought  against  the  Britons,  and  put 
 them  to  flight. 
 
 A.  515.— 518. 
 
 A.  519.  This  year  Cerdic  and  Cynric  obtained  the  king- 
 dom of^  the  West- Saxons  ;  and  the  same  year  they  fought 
 against  the  Britons  where  it  is  now  named  Cerdicsford. 
 And  from  that  time  forth  the  royal  offspring  of  the  West- 
 Saxons  reigned. 
 
 A.  520.— 526. 
 
 A.  527.  Tliis  year  Cerdic  and  Cynric  fought  against  the 
 Britons  at  the  place  which  is  called  Cerdic's-lea. 
 
 A.  528.  529. 
 
 A.  530.  This  year  Cerdic  and  Cynric  conquered  the 
 island  of  Wight,  and  slew  many  men  at  Whit-garas-byrg, 
 [Carisbrooke,  in  Wight.] 
 
 A.  531.— 533. 
 
 A.  534.  This  year  Cerdic,  the  first  king  of  the  West 
 Saxons,  died,  and  Cynric  his  son  succeeded  to  the  kingdom, 
 
 *  Gibson  here  introduced  into  the  text  a  long  genealogy,  which,  as  Dr. 
 Ingram  observes  :  "is  not  justified  by  a  single  MS." 
 h  Benedict  died,  according  to  Mabillon,  in  543. 
 
312  THE   AJ^^GLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  535— 560. 
 
 and  reigned  from  that  time  twenty-six  years  ;  and  they  gave 
 the  whole  island  of  Wight  to  their  two  nephews,  Stuf  and 
 Wihtgar. 
 
 A.  535.-537. 
 
 A.  538.  This  year,  fourteen  days  before  the  Kalends  of 
 March,  the  sun  was  eclipsed  from  early  morning  till  nine  in 
 the  forenoon. 
 
 A.  539. 
 
 A.  540.  Tliis  year  the  sun  was  eclipsed  on  the  twelfth 
 before  the  Kalends  of  July,  and  the  stars  showed  themselves 
 full-nigh  half  an  hour  after  nine  in  the  forenoon. 
 
 A.  541.— 543. 
 
 A.  544.  This  year  Wihtgar  died,  and  they  buried  him  in 
 Wiht-gara-byrg.     [Carisbrooke.] 
 
 A.  545.  546. 
 
 A.  547.  This  year  Ida  began  to  reign,  from  whom  arose 
 the  royal  race  of  North-humbria ;  and  he  reigned  twelve 
 years,  and  built  Bambrough,  which  was  at  first  enclosed  by 
 a  hedge,  and  afterwards  by  a  wall.  Ida  was  the  son  of 
 Eoppa,  Eoppa  of  Esa,  Esa  of  Ingwi,  Ingwi  of  Angenwit, 
 Angenwit  of  Aloe,  Aloe  oi  Benoc,  Benoc  of  Brond,  Brond 
 of  Beldeg,  Beldeg  of  Woden,  Woden  of  Frithowald,  Fritho- 
 wald  of  Frithuwulf,  Frithuwulf  of  Finn,  Finn  of  Godwulf, 
 Godwulf  of  Geat. 
 
 A.  548.— 551. 
 
 A.  552.  This  year  Cynric  fought  against  the  Britons  at 
 the  place  which  is  called  Searo-byrig  [Old  Sarum],  and  he 
 put  the  Britons  to  flight.  Cerdic  was  Cynric's  father , 
 Cerdic  was  the  son  of  Elesa,  Elesa  of  Esla,  Esla  of  Gewis, 
 Gewis  of  Wig,  Wig  of  Freawin,  Freawin  of  Frithogar,  Fri- 
 thogar  of  Brond,  Brond  of  Beldeg,  Beldeg  of  Woden.  And 
 Ethelbert,  the  son  of  Ermenric  was  born  ;  and  in  the  thir- 
 tieth year  of  his  reign  he  received  baptism,  the  first  of  the 
 kings  in  Britain. 
 
 A.  553.-555. 
 
 A.  556.  This  year  Cynric  and  Ceawlin  fought  against  the 
 Britons  at  Berin-Byrig,  [Banbury  ?] 
 
 A.  557.-559. 
 
 A.  560.  This  year  Ceawlin  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of 
 the  West- Saxons,  and  Ida  being  dead.  Alia  succeeded  to  the 
 kingdom  of  North-humbria,  each  of  whom  reigned  thirty 
 
A.D.  561-571.]     THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  313 
 
 years.  Alia  was  the  son  of  Iff,  Iff  of  Usfrey,  Usfrey  of 
 Wilgis,  Wilgis  of  Westerfalcon,  Westerfalcon  of  Seatbwl, 
 Seafowl  of  Sebbald,  Sebbald  of  Sigeat,  Sigeat  of  Swadd, 
 Swadd  of  Sygar,  Sygar  of  Waddy,  Waddy  of  Woden, 
 Woden  of  Frithuwulf. 
 
 A.  561—564. 
 
 A.  565.  This  year  Ethelbert*  succeeded  to  the  kingdom 
 of  the  Kentish-men,  and  held  it  fifty-three  years.  In  his 
 days  the  holy  pope  Gregory  sent  us  baptism,  that  was  in  the 
 two  and  thirtieth  year  of  his  reign :  and  Columba,  a  mass- 
 priest,  came  to  the  Picts,  and  converted  them  to  the  faith  of 
 Christ :  they  are  dwellers  by  the  northern  mountains.  And 
 their  king  gave  him  the  island  which  is  called  li  [lona] : 
 therein  are  five  hides  of  land,  as  men  say.  There  Columba 
 built  a  monastery,  and  he  was  abbat  there  thirty-seven  years, 
 and  there  he  died  when  he  was  seventy-two  years  old.  His 
 successors  still  have  the  place.  The  Southern  Picts  had 
 been  baptized  long  before:  bishop  Ninia,  who  had  been  in- 
 structed at  Rome,  had  preached  baptism  to  them,  whose 
 church  and  his  monastery  is  at  Whitherne,  consecrated  in  the 
 name  of  St.  Martin :  there  he  resteth,  with  many  holy  men. 
 Now  in  li  there  must  ever  be  an  abbat,  and  not  a  bishop; 
 and  all  the  Scottish  bishops  ought  to  be  subject  to  him,  be- 
 cause Columba  was  an  abbat  and  not  a  bishop. 
 
 A.  565.  This  year  Columba  the  presbyter  came  from  the  Scots  among 
 the  Britons,  to  instruct  the  Picts,  and  he  built  a  monastery  in  the  island  of 
 Hii. 
 
 A.  566.  567. 
 
 A.  568.  This  year  Ceawlin,  and  Cutha,  Ceawlin's  brother, 
 fought  against  Ethelbert,  and  drove  him  into  Kent,  and  they 
 killed  two  ealdormen  at  Wibban-dune  [Wimbledon],f  Oslaf 
 and  Cnebba. 
 
 A.  569.  570. 
 
 A.  571.  This  year  Cuthulf  fought  against  the  Britons 
 at  Bedcanford  [Bedford],  and  took  four  towns,  Lygean-birg 
 "Lenbury],  and  jEgeles-birg  [Aylesbury],  and  Bgenesington 
 'Benson],  and  Egonesham  [Eynsham] ;  and  the  same  year 
 le  died.     Cutha  was  Ceawlin's  brother. 
 
 *  Bede  [ii.  5,]  says  Ethelbert  died  on  February  23,  a.d.  616,  after  & 
 reign  of  fifty-six  yeaia.  This  would  make  it  out  that  he  succeeded  to  the 
 throne  in  a.d.  560.  f  Or  Worplesdon,  Surrey. 
 
314  THE   ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  572-600. 
 
 A.  572.-576. 
 
 A.  577.  Tliis  year  Cuthmne  and  Ceawlin  fought  against 
 the  Britons,  and  tliey  slew  three  kings,  Comail,  and  Condi- 
 dan,  and  Farinmeail,  at  the  place  which  is  called  Deorham 
 [Derham  ?],  and  took  thi'ee  cities  from  them,  Gloucester, 
 and  Cirencester,  and  Bath. 
 
 A.  578.-582. 
 
 A.  583.  This  year  Mauricius  succeeded  to  the  empire  of 
 the  Romans. 
 
 A.  584.  This  year  Ceawlin  and  Cutha  fought  against  the 
 Britons  at  the  place  which  is  called  Fethan-lea,  [Frethern  ?] 
 and  there  was  Cutha  slain  ;  and  Ceawlin  took  many  towns, 
 and  spoils  innumerable  ;  and  wrathful  he  thence  returned  to 
 his  own. 
 
 A.  585.-587. 
 
 A.  588.  This  year  King  ^lle  died,  and  Ethelric  reigned 
 after  him  five  years. 
 
 A.  589. 
 
 590.  At  this  period  Ceol  reigned  five  years. 
 
 591.  This  year  in  Britain  was  a  great  slaughter  in  battle 
 at  Woddesbeorg  [Wemborow  ?],  and  Ceawlin  was  expelled. 
 
 A.  592.  This  year  Gregory  succeeded  to  the  popedom  in 
 Rome. 
 
 A.  593.  This  year  Ceawlin,  and  Cwichelm,  and  Crida, 
 perished  ;  and  Ethelfrith  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
 North-humbrians  ;  he  was  the  son  of  Ethelric,  -Ethelric  of 
 Ida. 
 
 A.  594.  595. 
 
 A.  596.  This  year  Pope  Gregory  sent  Augustine  to  Britain, 
 with  a  great  many  monks,  who  preached  the  word  of  God  to 
 the  nation  of  the  Angles. 
 
 A.  597.  Tliis  year  Ceolwulf  began  to  reign  over  the 
 West- Saxons  ;  and  he  fought  and  contended  incessantly 
 against  either  the  Angles,  or  the  Welsh,  or  the  Picts,  or  the 
 Scots.  He  was  the  son  of  Cutha,  Cutha  of  Cynric,  Cynric 
 of  Cerdic,  Cerdic  of  Elesa,  Elesa  of  Esla,  Esla  of  Gewis, 
 Gewis  of  Wig,  Wig  of  Freawine,  Freawine  of  Frithogar, 
 Frithogar  of  Brond,  Brond  of  Beldeg.  Beldeg  of  Woden. 
 This  year  Augustine  and  Ids  companions  came  to  the  land 
 of  the  Angles. 
 
 A.  598.— 600. 
 
A.D.  601-614.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  315 
 
 A.  601.  This  year  Pope  Gregory  sent  a  pall  to  Arch- 
 bishop Augustine  in  Britain,  and  also  a  great  many  religious 
 teachers  to  assist  him,  and  amongst  them  was  Paulinus  the 
 bishop,  who  afterwards  converted  Edwin,  king  of  the  North- 
 humbrians,  to  baptism. 
 
 A.  602. 
 
 A.  603.  Tliis  year  there  was  a  battle  at  Egesanstane.* 
 
 A.  603.  This  year  ^than,  king  of  the  Scots,  fought  against  the 
 Dalreods  and  against  Etheifrith  king  of  the  North-humbrians,  at 
 D^egsanstane  [Dawston?],  and  they  slew  almost  all  his  army.  There 
 Theodbald,  Ethelfrith's  brother,  was  slain  with  all  his  band.  Since  then 
 no  king  of  the  Scots  has  dared  to  lead  an  army  against  this  nation. 
 Hering,  the  son  of  Hussa,  led  the  enemy  thither. 
 
 A.  604.  This  year  the  East- Saxons  received  the  faith  and 
 baptism  under  King    Sebert    and  Bishop  Melb'tus. 
 
 A.  604.  This  year  Augustine  consecrated  two  bishops,  Mellitus  and 
 Justus.  He  sent  Mellitus  to  preach  baptism  to  the  East- Saxons,  whose 
 king  was  called  Scbeit  son  of  Ricole,  the  sister  of  Ethelbert,  and 
 Avhom  Ethelbert  had  there  appointed  king.  And  JEthelbert  gave 
 Mellitus  a  bishop's  see  in  London,  and  to  Justus  he  gave  Rochester,  which 
 is  twenty-four  miles  from  Canterbury. 
 
 A.  605. 
 
 A.  606.  This  year  Pope  Gregory  died,  about  ten  yeai-s 
 after  he  had  sent  us  baptism  ;  his  father  was  called  Gordian, 
 and  his  mother  Silvia. 
 
 A.  607.  This  year  Ceolwulf  fought  against  the  South- 
 Saxons.  And  this  year  Ethelfrith  led  his  army  to  Chester, 
 and  there  slew  numberless  Welshmen  :  and  so  was  fulfilled 
 the  prophecy  of  Augustine,  wherein  he  saith,  *  K  the  Welsh 
 will  not  be  at  peace  with  us,  they  shall  perish  at  the  hands 
 of  the  Saxons.'  There  also  were  slain  two  hundred  priests, 
 who  came  to  pray  for  the  army  of  the  Welsh  :  their  ealdor 
 was  called  Scromail  [Brocmail],  who  with  some  fifty  escaped 
 thence. 
 
 A.  608.— 610. 
 
 A.  611.  This  year  Cynegils  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of 
 the  West- Saxons,  and  held  it  thirty-one  years.  Cynegils 
 was  the  son  of  Ceol,  Ceol  of  Cutha,  Cutha  of  Cynric. 
 
 A.  612.  613. 
 
 A.  614.   This    year   Cynegils   and   Cuichelm   fought   at 
 
 *  See  Bede's  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  I  c.  34,  p.  81. 
 
316  THE   ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  615-616. 
 
 Beandune*  [Bampton  ?],  and  slew  two  thousand  and  sixty- 
 five  Welshmen. 
 
 A.  615 
 
 A.  616.  This  year  Ethelbert,  king  of  the  Kentish-men, 
 died  ;  he  was  the  first  English  king  who  received  baptism, 
 and  he  was  the  son  of  Eormenric  ;  he  reigned  fifty- six 
 years,  and  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  same 
 year  five  thousand  eight  hundred  years  were  gone  by  ;  and 
 after  him  Eadbald  his  son  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  ;  he  for- 
 sook his  baptismal  vow,  and  lived  after  the  manner  of  the 
 heathens,  so  that  he  had  his  father's  widow  to  wife.  Then 
 Laurentius,  who  was  archbishop  of  Kent,  was  minded  that 
 he  would  go  southwards  over  the  sea,  and  leave  it  entirely. 
 But  the  apostle  Peter  came  to  him  by  night  and  scourged 
 him  sorely,  because  he  wished  thus  to  forsake  the  flock  of 
 God,  and  commanded  him  to  go  to  the  king  and  preach  the 
 true  faith  to  him  ;  and  he  did  so,  and  the  king  was  con- 
 verted and  was  baptized.  In  this  king's  days  Laurentius, 
 who  was  archbishop  of  Kent  after  Augustine,  died,  and  was 
 buried  beside  Augustine  on  the  4th  Non.  Feb.  After  him 
 Melhtus,  who  formerly  had  been  bishop  of  London,  suc- 
 ceeded to  the  archbishopric  :  then  the  men  of  London,  where 
 Mellitus  had  been  formerly,  became  heathens  (again).  And 
 in  about  five  years,  during  the  reign  of  Eadbald,  Mellitus 
 departed  to  Christ.  Then  after  him  Justus  succeeded  to  the 
 archbishopric  ;  and  he  consecrated  Romanus  to  Rochester, 
 where  formerly  himself  had  been  bishop. 
 
 A.  616.  In  that  time  Laurentius  was  archbishop,  and  for  the  sorrow- 
 fulness which  he  had  on  account  of  the  king's  unbelief  he  was  minded  to 
 forsake  this  country  entirely,  and  go  over  sea  ;  but  St.  Peter  the  apos- 
 tle scourged  him  sorely  one  night,  because  he  wished  thus  to  forsake  the 
 flock  of  God,  and  commanded  him  to  teach  boldly  the  true  faith  to  the 
 king  ;  and  he  did  so,  and  the  king  turned  to  the  right  (faith).  In  the  days 
 of  this  same  king,  Eadbald,  this  Laurentius  died.  The  holy  Augustine, 
 while  yet  in  sound  health,  ordained  him  bishop,  in  order  that  the  commu- 
 nity of  Christ,  which  was  yet  new  in  England,  should  not  after  his  decease 
 be  at  any  time  without  an  archbishop.  After  him  Mellitus, who  had  been 
 previously  bishop  of  London,  succeeded  to  the  archbishopric.  And  with- 
 in five  years  of  the  decease  of  Laurentius,  while  Eadbald  still  reigned, 
 Mellitus  departed  to  Christ. 
 
 *  This  is  more  likely  to  be  Bampton  in  Oxfordshire,  than  Bampton  in 
 Devonshire,  which  is  by  far  too  remote  to  admit  the  supposition  that  the 
 battle  in  question  was  fought  there. 
 
A. D.  617— 627.1  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  317 
 
 A.  617.  This  year  Ethelfrid  king  of  the  North-hiim- 
 brians  was  slain  by  Redwald  king  of  the  East- Angles,  and 
 Edwin  the  son  of  Alia  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  and 
 subdued  all  Britain,  the  Kentish-men  alone  excepted.  And  he 
 drove  out  the  ethelings,  sons  of  Ethelfrid  ;  that  is  to  say, 
 first  Eanfrid,  Oswald,  and  Oswy,  Oslac,  Oswudu,  Oslaf, 
 and  Oifa. 
 
 A.  618. 
 
 A.  619.  This  year  archbishop  Laurentius  died. 
 
 A.  620.— 623. 
 
 A.  624.  Tliis  year  archbishop  Mellitus  died. 
 
 A.  625.  This  year  Paulinus  was  ordained  bishop  of  the 
 North-humbrians  by  archbishop  Justus  on  the  xn.  Kalends 
 of  August. 
 
 A.  625.  This  year  archbishop  Justus  consecrated  Paulinus  bishop  of 
 the  North-humbrians. 
 
 A.  626.  This  year  Eumer  came  from  Cuichelm  king  of 
 the  West- Saxons,  thinking  to  stab  king  Ed^vin.  But  he 
 stabbed  Lilla  his  thane,  and  Forthhere,  and  wounded  the 
 king.  And  on  the  same  night  a  daughter  was  born  to  Ed- 
 win :  she  was  called  Eanfled.  Then  the  king  made  a  vow 
 to  Paulinus  that  he  would  give  his  daughter  to  God,  if  he 
 would  obtain  of  God  that  he  might  kill  his  foe  who  had  sent 
 the  assassin.  And  he  then  went  with  an  army  against  the 
 West- Saxons,  and  there  killed  five  kings,  and  slew  a  great 
 number  of  the  people.  And  at  Pentecost  Paulinus  baptized 
 his  daughter  with  twelve  others.  And  within  a  twelvemonth 
 the  king  and  all  his  court  were  baptized  at  Easter  ;  that  year 
 Easter  fell  on  the  second  before  the  Ides  of  April,  This  was 
 done  at  York,  where  he  first  ordered  a  church  to  be  built  of 
 wood,  which  was  consecrated  in  the  name  of  St.  Peter. 
 There  the  king  gave  Paulinus  a  bishop's  see,  and  there  lie 
 afterwards  commanded  a  larger  church  to  be  built  of  stone. 
 And  this  year  Penda  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  [Mercia],  and 
 reigned  thirty  years ;  and  he  was  fifty  years  (old)  when  he  suc- 
 ceeded to  the  kingdom.  Penda  was  the  son  of  Pybba,  Pybba  of 
 Creoda,  Creoda  of  Cynewald,  Cynewald  of  Cnebba,  Cnebba 
 of  Icel,  Icel  of  Eomaer,  Eomoer  of  Angeltheow,  Angeltheow 
 of  Offa,  Ofi'a  of  Wsermund,  Waermund  of  Wihtlaeg,  Wihtlaeg 
 of  Woden. 
 
 A  627.  This  year   king  Edwin   was   baptized  with  his 
 
318  THE   ANGLO-SAXON   CHEONICLE.  La.d.  627-635 
 
 people  by  Paulinus  at  Easter.  And  tliis  Paulinus  also 
 preached  baptism  in  Lindsey,  where  the  first  who  believed 
 was  a  certain  great  man  called  Blecca,  with  all  his  followers. 
 And  in  this  time  Honorius,  who  sent  Paulinus  his  pall, 
 succeeded  to  the  popedom  after  Boniface.  And  archbishop 
 Justus  died  on  the  fourth  before  the  Ides  of  November,  and 
 Honorius  was  consecrated  archbishop  of  Canterbury  by 
 Paulinus  at  Lincoln.  And  to  this  Honorius  the  pope  also 
 sent  a  pall :  and  he  sent  a  letter  to  the  Scots,  desiring  that 
 they  should  turn  to  the  right  Easter. 
 
 A.  627.  This  year,  at  Easter,  Paulinus  baptized  Edwin  king  of  the 
 North-liumbrians,  with  his  people :  and  earlier  within  the  same  year,  at 
 Pentecost,  he  had  baptized  Eanfled  daughter  of  the  same  king. 
 
 A.  628.  This  year  Cynegils  and  Cuichelm  fought  against 
 Penda  at  Cirencester  ;  and  then  made  a  treaty. 
 
 A.  629.— 631. 
 
 A.  632.  This  year  Eorpwald  was  baptized. 
 
 A.  633.  This  year  king  Edwin  was  slain  by  Cadwalla  and 
 Penda  at  Heathfield  [Hatfield  Chase  ?]  on  the  second  before 
 the  Ides  of  October,  and  he  reigned  seventeen  years ;  and  his 
 son  Osfrid  was  also  slain  with  him.  And  after  that  went 
 Cadwalla  and  Penda  and  laid  waste  the  whole  country  of  the 
 North-humbrians.  When  Paulinus  saw  that,  he  took 
 Ethelberga,  Edwin's  widow,  and  departed  in  a  ship  to 
 Kent.  And  Eadbald  and  Honorius  received  him  very 
 honourably,  and  gave  him  a  bishop's  see  in  Rochester  ;  and 
 he  dwelt  there  till  his  end. 
 
 A.  634.  This  year  Osric,  whom  Paulinus  had  formerly 
 baptized,  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  Deira ;  he  was  the  son  of 
 Elfric,  Edwin's  uncle.  And  Eanfrid  the  son  of  Ethelfrid 
 succeeded  to  Bernicia.  And  tliis  year  also  bishop  Birinus 
 first  preached  baptism  to  the  West- Saxons  under  king 
 Cynegils.  Birinus  came  thither  by  command  of  Honorius 
 the  pope,  and  he  there  was  bishop  until  his  life's  end.  And 
 this  year  also  Oswald  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
 North-humbrians,  and  he  reigned  nine  years  ;  the  ninth 
 being  numbered  to  him  because  of  the  heathenism  which 
 they  practised  who  reigned  over  them  the  one  year  between 
 him  and  Edwin. 
 
 A.  635.  This  year  king  Cynegils  was  baptized  by  Birinus 
 
A.D.  636—644.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  319 
 
 the  bishop,  at  Dorchester,  and  Oswald  king  of  the  North 
 humbrians  was  his  godfather. 
 
 A.  636.  This  year  king  Cuichelm  was  baptized  at 
 Dorchester,  and  the  same  year  he  died.  And  bishop 
 Felix  preached  the  faith  of  Christ  to  the  East- Angles. 
 
 A.  637.  638 
 
 A.  639.  This  year  Birinus  baptized  king  Cutlired  at 
 Dorchester,  and  received  him  as  his  (god)  son. 
 
 A.  640.  This  year  Eadbald,  king  of  the  Kentish-men, 
 died,  and  he  reigned  twenty-five  years.  He  had  two  sons, 
 Ermenred  and  Earconbert,  and  Earconbert  reigned  there 
 after  his  father.  He  overtlirew  all  idolatry  in  his  kingdom, 
 and  was  the  first  of  the  English  kings  who  established  the 
 Easter-fast.  His  daughter  was  called  Earcongota,  a  holy 
 woman  and  a  wondrous  person,  whose  mother  was  Sexberga, 
 daughter  of  Anna,  king  of  the  East-Angles.  And  Ermenred 
 begot  two  sons,  who  afterwards  were  martyred  by  Thunner. 
 
 A.  641. 
 
 A.  642.  This  year  Oswald,  king  of  the  North-humbrians, 
 was  slain  by  Penda  and  the  South-humbrians  at  Maserfeld 
 on  the  Nones  of  August,*  and  his  body  was  buried  at  Bardney. 
 His  sanctity  and  his  miracles  were  afterwards  manifested  in 
 various  ways  beyond  this  island,  and  his  hands  are  at 
 Bambrough,  uncorrupted.  And  the  same  year  that  Oswald 
 was  slain,  Oswy  his  brother  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of 
 the  North-humbrians,  and  he  reigned  two  less  (than)  thirty 
 years. 
 
 A.  643.  This  year  Kenwalk  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of 
 the  West- Saxons,  and  held  it  tliirty-one  years  ;  and  Kenwalk 
 commanded  the  old  church  at  Winchester  to  be  built  in  the 
 name  of  St.  Peter  :  and  he  was  the  son  of  Cynegils. 
 
 A.  644.  This  year  Paulinus  died,  on  the  sixth  before  the 
 Ides  of  0(\tober  ;f  he  was  first  archbishop  of  York,  and  after- 
 wards at  Rochester.  He  was  bishop  one  less  (than)  twenty 
 years,  and  two  months  and  twenty-one  days.  And  this  year 
 Oswin's  uncle's  son,  J  the  son  of  Osric,  succeeded  to  the 
 kingdom  of  Deira,  and  reigned  seven  years. 
 
 *  The  5th  of  August.  t  The  1 0th  of  October. 
 
 +  This  is  apparently  corrupt,  and  should  be  read  '  Oswin,  the  «ion  of 
 Osric,  Edwin's  imcle's  son.'     See  Bede,  iii.  1,  and  above  An.  (j34. 
 
320  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  645-655. 
 
 A.  645.  This  year  king  Kenwalk  was  driven  out  of  his 
 kingdom  by  king  Penda. 
 
 A.  646.  This  year  king  Kenwalk  was  baptized. 
 
 A.  647. 
 
 A.  648.  Tliis  year  Kenwalk  gave  Cutlired,  his  kinsman, 
 three  thousand  hides  of  land  by  Ashdown,  [Aston  ?]  Cuthred 
 was  the  son  of  Cuichelm,  Cuichelm  of  Cynegils.  This  year 
 the  minster  was  built  at  Winchester,  wldeh  king  Kenwalk 
 caused  to  be  made,  and  hallowed  in  the  name  of  St.  Peter. 
 
 A.  649. 
 
 A.  650.  This  year  Agilbert,  a  native  of  Gaul,  obtained 
 the  bishopric  of  the  West- Saxons  after  Birinus  the  Romish 
 bishop. 
 
 A.  650.  This  year  Birinus  the  bishop  died,  and  Agilbert  the  French- 
 man was  ordained. 
 
 A.  650.  This  year  king  Oswy  ordered  king  Oswin  to 
 be  slain,  on  the  thirteenth  before  the  Kal.  of  September  ;  and 
 about  twelve  days  after  this  bishop  Aidan  died,  on  the 
 second  before  the  Kal.  of  September. 
 
 A.  651. 
 
 A.  652.  This  year  Kenwalk  fought  at  Bradford  on  the  Avon. 
 
 A.  653.  This  year  the  Middle- Saxons,  under  Peada  the 
 ealdorman,  received  the  true  faith. 
 
 A.  654.  This  year  king  Anna  was  slain,  and  Botolph  began 
 to  build  a  minster  at  Ycean-ho  [Boston  ?].  And  this  year 
 archbishop  Honorius  died,  on  the  second  before  the  Kalends 
 of  October. 
 
 A.  655.  This  year  king  Oswy  slew  king  Penda  at 
 Winwidfield,  and  thirty  men  of  royal  race  with  him,  and 
 some  of  them  were  kings,  among  whom  was  Ethelhere, 
 brother  of  Anna,  king  of  the  East  Angles.  And  the 
 Mercians  became  Clmstians.  From  the  beginning  of  the 
 world  to  this  time  five  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty 
 years  were  agone  ;  and  Peada  the  son  of  Penda  succeeded  to 
 tlie  kingdom  of  the  Mercians. 
 
 *In  his  time  he  and  Oswy  the  brother  of  king  Oswald  came 
 together,  and  agreed  that  they  would  rear  a  monastery  to  the 
 glory  of  Christ  and  the  honour  of  St.  Peter.  And  tliey  did 
 so,  and  named  it  *  Medeshamstede'  [Peterborough],  because 
 
 ^  •  This  is  the  first  of  many  late  additions  to  the  Chronicle  concerning 
 tiie  monastery  of  Peterborough,     They  occur  in  only  one  of  the  MSS. 
 
A.D.  656,  657.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CmiONICLE.  321 
 
 there  is  a  wliirpool  at  this  place,  whicli  is  called  ISIeadswell. 
 And  they  began  the  foundations  and  wrought  thereon,  and 
 then  committed  it  to  a  monk  who  was  called  Sexwulf.  He 
 was  greatly  God's  friend,  and  all  the  country  loved  him,  and 
 he  was  very  nobly  born,  and  rich  in  a  worldly  sense  ;  but  he 
 is  now  much  richer,  being  with  Christ.  Ajid  king  Peada 
 reigned  no  long  time,  for  he  was  betrayed  by  his  own  wife 
 at  Easter. 
 
 This  year  Ithamar  bishop  of  Eochester  consecrated  Deus- 
 dedit  to  the  see  of  Canterbury  on  the  seventh  before  the  Ka- 
 lends of  April. 
 
 A.  656. 
 
 A.  657.  This  year  Peada  died,  and  Wulfhere  the  son  of 
 Penda  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians. 
 
 In  his  time  the  abbacy  of  Medeshamstede,  which  his 
 brother  had  begun,  waxed  very  rich.  The  king  favoured  it 
 much  for  the  love  of  his  brother  Peada,  and  for  the  love  of 
 Oswy  his  brother  by  baptism,  and  for  the  love  of  abbat 
 Sexwulf.  And  he  said  that  he  would  dignify  and  honour  it, 
 and  this  by  the  counsel  of  Ethelred  and  Merwal  liis 
 brothers,  and  Kyneburg  and  Kyneswith  his  sisters,  and  by 
 the  counsel  of  the  archbishop,  who  was  called  Deus-dedit, 
 and  by  the  counsel  of  all  his  witan,  both  clergy  and  laity, 
 who  were  in  his  kingdom  ;  and  he  did  so. 
 
 Then  the  king  sent  after  the  abbat  that  he  should  come  to 
 him  with  all  speed  ;  and  he  did  so.  Then  the  king  said  to 
 the  abbat, '  Lo  !  I  have  sent  for  thee,  beloved  Sexwulf,  for  the 
 behoof  of  my  soul,  and  I  will  plainly  tell  thee  for  why.  My 
 brother  Peada  and  my  dear  friend  Oswy  began  a  monastery 
 to  the  glory  of  Christ  and  St.  Peter.  But  my  brother,  as  it 
 has  pleased  Christ,  is  departed  this  life,  and  lo  I  my  prayer 
 to  thee  is,  beloved  friend,  that  they  work  diligently  on  the 
 work,  and  I  will  find  thee  gold  and  silver,  land  and 
 possessions,  and  all  that  behoveth  thereto.'  Then  the  abbat 
 went  home  and  began  to  build  ;  and  he  so  sped,  by  the  grace 
 of  Christ,  that  in  a  few  years  the  monastery  was  ready. 
 When  the  king  heard  that  said,  he  was  very  glad  :  he  bade 
 send  throughout  the  nation  after  all  his  thanes,  after  the 
 archbishop,  and  after  the  bishops,  and  after  his  earls,  and 
 after  all  who  loved  God,  that  they  should  come  to  him  ;  and 
 he  set  a  day  on  which  the  monastery  should  be  hallowed. 
 
 Y 
 
322  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.         [a.v.  657. 
 
 At  the  hallowing  of  the  monastery  king  Wulfhere  was 
 present,  and  his  brother  Ethelred,  and  his  sisters  Kyneburg 
 and  Kyneswith.  And  Deus-dedit  archbishop  of  Canterbury- 
 hallowed  the  monastery,  and  Ithamar  bishop  of  Rochester, 
 and  the  bishop  of  London,  who  was  called  Wini,  and  the 
 bishop  of  the  Mercians,  who  was  called  Jaruman,  and  bishop 
 Tuda.  And  there  was  Wilfrid  the  priest,  who  was  afterwards 
 a  bishop  :  and  all  his  thanes  who  were  within  his  kingdom 
 were  there. 
 
 When  the  monastery  had  been  hallowed  in  the  name  of 
 St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  and  St.  Andrew,  then  the  king  stood  up 
 before  all  his  thanes,  and  said  with  a  clear  voice,  '  Thanked 
 be  the  high  Almighty  God  for  the  worthy  deed  which  here 
 is  done,  and  I  will  this  day  do  honour  to  Christ  and  St. 
 Peter  ;  and  I  desire  that  ye  all  assent  to  my  words  :  I, 
 Wulfhere,  do  this  day  give  to  St.  Peter  and  abbat  Sexwulf,  and 
 the  monks  of  the  monastery,  these  lands,  and  these  waters, 
 and  meres,  and  fens,  and  wears,  and  all  the  lands  which  lie 
 thereabout,  which  are  of  my  kingdom,  freely,  so  that  none 
 but  the  abbat  and  the  monks  shall  have  any  claim  upon 
 them.  This  is  the  grant.  From  Medeshamstede  to  North- 
 borough,  and  thence  to  the  place  which  is  called  Foleys,  and 
 thence  all  the  fen  straight  to  Esendic,  and  from  Esendic  to 
 the  place  which  is  called  Fethermouth,  and  thence  along 
 the  straight  way  ten  miles  to  Ugdike,  and  thence  to 
 Ragwell,  and  from  Ragwell  five  miles  to  the  straight 
 stream  Avhich  goeth  to  Elm  and  to  Wisbeach,  and  thence 
 about  three  miles  to  Trokenholt,  and  from  Trokenholt 
 straight  through  all  the  fen  to  Derworth  wliich  is  twenty 
 miles  long,  and  thence  to  Great  Cross,  and  from  Great  Cross 
 through  a  clear  water  called  Bradney,  and  thence  six  miles 
 to  Paxlade,  and  thence  onward  through  all  the  meres  and 
 fens  which  lie  toward  Huntingdon-port,  and  these  meres  and 
 lakes,  Shelfermere  and  Wittleseymere,  and  all  the  others  which 
 lie  thereabout,  ■v\dth  the  land  and  the  houses  which  are  on  the 
 east-half  of  Shelfermere,  and  from  thence  all  the  fens  to  Medes- 
 hamstede, and  from  Medeshamstede  to  Welmsford,  and  from 
 Welmsford  to  Clive,  and  thence  to  Easton,  and  from  Easton 
 to  Stamford,  and  from  Stamford  even  as  the  water  runneth 
 to  the  aforesaid  North-borough.'  These  are  the  lands  and  the 
 fens  which  the  king  gave  to  St.  Peter's  monastery. 
 
A.D.  657]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  323 
 
 Then  said  the  king,  '  This  gift  is  little  ;  but  it  is  my  will 
 that  they  shall  hold  it  so  royally  and  so  freely  that  neither 
 geld  nor  tribute  be  taken  from  it,  except  for  the  monks  alone. 
 And  thus  free  I  will  make  this  minster,  that  it  be  subject  to 
 Rome  alone  ;  and  here  it  is  my  will  that  all  of  us  who  are 
 unable  to  go  to  Rome  shall  visit  St.  Peter.' 
 
 While  he  was  saying  these  words,  the  abbat  desired  of 
 him  that  he  would  grant  him  what  he  should  desire  of  him  : 
 and  the  king  granted  it.  'I  have  here  ' godefrihte ' *  monks 
 who  wish  to  spend  their  lives  as  anchorites,  if  they  knew 
 where.  And  there  is  an  island  here,  wliich  is  called 
 Anchorets-isle,  and  my  desire  is,  that  we  might  build  a 
 minster  there  to  the  glory  of  St.  Mary,  so  that  those  may 
 dwell  therein  who  wish  to  lead  a  life  of  peace  and  rest.' 
 
 Then  the  king  answered,  and  said  thus  :  '  Behold,  Sexwulf, 
 lo  !  not  only  that  one  which  thou  hast  desired,  but  all  things 
 which  I  know  thee  to  desire  on  our  Lord's  behalf,  I  thus 
 approve  and  grant.  And  I  beg  of  thee,  my  brother 
 Ethelred,  and  my  sisters  Kyneburg  and  Kyneswith,  that  ye 
 be  witnesses  for  your  souls'  redemption,  and  that  ye  write  it 
 with  your  fingers.  And  I  beg  all  those  who  come  after  me, 
 be  they  my  sons,  be  they  my  brothers,  or  kings  that  come 
 after  me,  that  our  gift  may  stand,  even  as  they  would  be 
 partakers  of  the  life  eternal,  and  would  escape  everlasting 
 torment.  Whosoever  shall  take  from  this  our  gift,  or  the 
 gifts  of  other  good  men,  may  the  heavenly  gateward  take 
 from  him  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and  whosoever  will 
 increase  it,  may  the  heavenly  gateward  increase  (his  state)  in 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven.' 
 
 These  are  the  witnesses  who  were  there,  who  subscribed 
 it  with  their  fingers  on  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  assented  to  it 
 with  their  tongues.  King  Wulfhere  was  the  first  who 
 confirmed  it  by  word,  and  afterwards  subscribed  it  with  his 
 fingers  on  the  cross  of  Christ ;  and  said  thus  :  '  I,  king 
 Wulfhere,  with  the  kings,  and  earls,  and  dukes,  and  thanes, 
 the  witnesses  of  my  gift,  do  confirm  it  before  the  archbishop 
 Deus-dedit  with  the  cross  of  Christ,  t^ '  '  And  I,  Oswy  king 
 of  the  North-humbrians,  the  friend  of  this  monastery  and  of 
 abbat  Sexwulf,  approve  of  it  with  the  cross  of   Christ,  t^* ' 
 
 *  This  word  is  rendered  by  Lye,  "  God-fearing,"  and  by  Ingram,  simpiy 
 good." 
 
 t2 
 
324  THE  A2s'GL0-SAX0N  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  637 
 
 *  And  I,  kvag  Sighere,  grant  it  with  the  cross  of  Christ.  >J< ' 
 
 *  And  I,  king  Sibbi,  subscribe  it  with  the  cross  of  Christ.  >J<' 
 '  And  I,  Etbelred,  the  king's  brother,  grant  it  with  the  cross 
 of  Christ.  >J< '  '  And  we,  the  king's  sisters,  Kyneburg  and 
 Kyneswith,  we  approve  it.  ►J* '  *  And  I,  Deus-dedit 
 archbishop  of  Canterbury,  grant  it.  *^ '  After  that,  all  the 
 others  who  were  there  assented  to  it  with  the  cross  of 
 Christ.^J^  They  were  by  name  Ithamar  bishop  of  Rochester, 
 and  Wini  bishop  of  London,  and  Jaruman  who  was  bishop 
 of  the  Mercians,  and  bishop  Tuda,  and  Wilfrid  the  priest, 
 who  was  afterwards  bishop,  and  Eappa  the  priest,  whom  king 
 Wulf  here  sent  to  preach  Christianity  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and 
 abbat  Sexwulf,  and  Immine  the  ealdorman,  and  Edbert  the 
 ealdorman,  and  Herefrid  the  ealdorman,  and  Wilbert  the 
 ealdorman,  and  Abon  the  ealdorman,  Ethelbald,  Brordan, 
 Wilbert,  Elmund,  Frethegis.  These,  and  many  others 
 who  were  there,  servants  of  the  king,  all  assented  to  it. 
 This  writing  was  written  six  hundred  and  sixty-four  years 
 after  the  birth  of  our  Lord,  (in)  the  seventh  year  of  king 
 Wulf  here  ;  the  ninth  year  of  archbishop  Deus-dedit.  They 
 then  laid  the  curse  of  God,  and  the  curse  of  all  saints,  and 
 of  all  Christian  people  (upon  him)  who  should  undo  any 
 thing  which  there  was  done.     '  So  be  it,'  say  all,  '  Amen.' 
 
 When  these  things  were  done,  the  king  sent  to  Rome  to 
 Vitalian  who  then  was  pope,  and  desired  that  he  should 
 grant  by  his  rescript,  and  with  his  blessing,  all  the  before- 
 mentioned  things.  And  the  pope  sent  this  rescript,  thus 
 saying,  'I,  pope  Vitalian,  concede  to  thee  king  Wulf  here, 
 and  archbishop  Deus-dedit,  and  abbat  Sexwulf,  all  the  things 
 which  ye  desire,  and  I  forbid  that  any  king  or  any  man  have 
 any  claim  thereon,  except  the  abbat  alone  ;  nor  let  him  obey 
 any  man  except  the  pope  of  Rome,  and  the  archbishop  of 
 Canterbury.  If  any  one  break  this  in  any  thing,  may  St. 
 Peter  exterminate  him  with  his  sword  :  if  any  one  observe 
 it,  may  St.  Peter,  with  the  keys  of  heaven,  undo  for  him  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven.'  Thus  the  monastery  at  Medeshamstede 
 was  begun,  which  since  has  been  called  Burh  [Peterborough]. 
 
 After  that,  another  archbishop  came  to  Canterbury,  who 
 was  called  Theodore,  a  very  good  and  a  wise  man,  and  he 
 held  his  synod  with  his  bishops  and  with  the  clergy.  There 
 was   Winfred   bishop   of    the   Mercians   deposed   from   his 
 
A.  D.  658-C67.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  326 
 
 bishopric,  and  abbat  Saxulf  was  there  chosen  to  be  bishop, 
 and  Cuthbald,  a  monk  of  the  same  monastery,  was  chosen 
 abbat.  This  synod  was  hekl  six  hundred  and  seventy-three 
 years  after  the  birth  of  our  Lord. 
 
 A.  658.  This  year  Kenwalk  fought  against  the  Welsh  at 
 Peonna  [Pen]  ;  and  he  drove  them  as  far  as  Pedrida, 
 [Petherton  ?]  this  was  fought  after  he  came  from  East- 
 Anglia  ;  he  was  there  three  years  in  exile.  Thither  had 
 Penda  driven  him,  and  deprived  him  of  his  kingdom,  because 
 he  had  forsaken  his  sister. 
 
 A.  659. 
 
 A.  660.  This  year  Bishop  Agilbert  departed  from  Ken- 
 walk,  and  Wini  held  the  bishopric*  three  years,  and  Agil- 
 bert obtained  the  bishopric  of  Paris  in  France  by  the 
 Seine. 
 
 A.  661.  Tliis  year,  during  Easter,  Kenwalk  fought  at 
 Pontesbury,  and  Wulf  here,  the  son  of  Penda,  laid  the  coun- 
 try waste  as  far  as  Ashdown.  And  Cuthred  the  son  of 
 Cuichelm  and  king  Cenbertf  died  in  one  year.  And 
 "Wulfhere  the  son  of  Penda  laid  waste  Wight,  and  gave  the 
 people  of  Wight  to  Ethelwald  king  of  the  South- Saxons, 
 because  Wulfhere  had  been  his  sponsor  at  baptism.  And 
 Eappa  the  mass-priest,  by  the  command  of  Wilfrid  and 
 King  Wulfhere,  was  the  first  of  men  who  brought  baptism  to 
 the  people  of  the  Isle  of  Wight. 
 
 A.  662.  663. 
 
 A.  664.  This  year  the  sun  was  eclipsed  on  the  5th  before  the 
 Nones  of  ^May  ;  J  and  Earconbert  king  of  the  Kentish-men 
 died,  and  Egbert  his  son  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  ;  and 
 Colman,§  with  his  companions,  went  to  his  country.  The 
 same  year  there  was  a  great  pestilence  in  the  island  of  Bri- 
 tain, and  bishop  ||  Tuda  died  of  the  pestilence,  and  was  buried 
 at  Wagele.^  And  Chad  and  Wilfrid  were  ordained  ;  and 
 the  same  year  archbishop  Deus-dedit  died. 
 
 A.  665.  666. 
 
 A.  667.  This    year    Oswy  and    Egbert    sent    Wi;2hard 
 
 •  Of  Wessex,  at  Winchester.     See  p.  191. 
 
 t  "  Father  of  Cajd walla,  king  of  Wessex.     See  A.  685."— Petrie. 
 X  May  3.      "  This  happened  on  the  1st  of  May  ;  but  the   error   is 
 Bede's." — Petrie. 
 
 §  Bishop  of  Lindisfame.      I|  Of  Lindisfame.      %  See  note  at  p.  162 
 
326  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.     [a.d.  667-C75. 
 
 the  priest  to  Rome,  that  he  might  there  be  consecrated  arch- 
 bishop of  Canterbury  ;  but  he  died  soon  after  he  came 
 thither. 
 
 A.  667.  Tills  year  Wighard  went  to  Rome,  even  as  King  Oswy  and 
 Egbert  had  sent  him, 
 
 A.  668.  This  year  Theodore  was  ordained  an  archbishop, 
 and  sent  to  Britain. 
 
 A.  669.  Tliis  year  king  Egbert  gave  Reculver  to  Bass 
 the  mass-priest,  that  he  might  build  a  minster  thereon. 
 
 A.  670.  This  year  Oswy  king  of  the  North-humbrians 
 died,  on  the  15th  before  the  Kalends  of  March  ;*  and  Egfrid 
 his  son  reigned  after  him  ;  and  Hlothere,t  the  nephew  of 
 bishop  Agilbert,  obtained  the  bishopric  over  the  West- 
 Saxons,  and  held  it  seven  years.  Bishop  Theodore  conse- 
 crated him.  And  Oswy  was  the  son  of  Ethelfrid,  Ethelfrid 
 of  Ethelric,  Ethelric  of  Ida,  Ida  of  Eoppa. 
 
 A.  671.  This  year  was  the  great  destruction  among  the 
 birds. 
 
 A.  672.  This  year  king  Kenwalk  died,  and  Sexburga  his 
 queen  reigned  one  year  after  him. 
 
 A.  673.  This  year  Egbert,  king  of  the  Kentish-men 
 died  ;  and  the  same  year  there  was  a  Synod  at  Hertford,  and 
 Saint  Etheldrida  began  the  minster  at  Ely. 
 
 A.  674.  This  year  Escwin  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of 
 the  West- Saxons  ;  he  was  the  son  of  Cenfus,  Cenfus  of 
 Cenferth,  Cenferth  of  Cutligils,  Cuthgils  of  Ceolwulf,  Ceol- 
 wulf  of  Cynric,  Cynric  of  Cerdic. 
 
 A.  675.  This  year  Wulfhere,  the  son  of  Pen  da,  and 
 Escwin,  the  son  of  Cenfus,  fought  at  Beadan-head  ;  and 
 the  same  year  Wulfhere  died,  and  Ethelred  succeeded  to 
 the  kingdom. 
 
 Now  in  his  time  he  sent  bishop  Wilfrid  to  Rome  to  the 
 pope  that  then  was,  he  was  called  Agatho,  and  showed  him 
 by  letter  and  by  message  how  his  brothers  Peada  and  Wulf- 
 here, and  Sexwulf  the  abbat,  had  built  a  minster,  which  was 
 called  Medeshamstede,  and  that  they  had  freed  it  against 
 king  and  against  bishop  of  all  services  ;  and  he  besought 
 him  that  he  would  assent  to  it  with  his  rescript  and  with  his 
 blessing.  And  then  the  pope  sent  his  rescript  to  England, 
 thus  saying  : 
 
 *  February  15th.        f  Eleutherius,  bishop  of  Winchester.   Seep.  191. 
 
A.D.  675.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHKONICLE.  327 
 
 "I,  Agatho,  pope  of  Eome,  greet  well  the  worshipful 
 Ethelred,  king  of  the  Mercians,  and  the  archbishop  Tlieo- 
 dore  of  Canterbury,  and  the  bishop  of  the  Mercians  Sexwulf, 
 who  was  formerly  abbat,  and  all  the  abbats  who  are  in  Eng- 
 land, with  the  greeting  of  God  and  my  blessing.  I  have 
 heard  the  desire  of  king  Ethelred,  and  of  archbishop  Theo- 
 dore, and  of  bishop  Sexwulf,  and  of  abbat  Cuthbald  ;  and 
 it  is  my  will  that  it  be  in  all  wise  even  as  you  have  spoken. 
 And  I  ordain,  on  behalf  of  God  and  St.  Peter,  and  of  all 
 saints,  and  of  every  person  in  orders,  that  neither  king,  nor 
 bishop,  nor  earl,  nor  any  man  have  any  claim,  nor  any  tribute, 
 geld,  or  military  service ;  neither  let  any  man  exact  any 
 kind  of  service  from  the  abbacy  of  Medeshamstede.  I  also 
 ordain  that  the  shire-bishop  be  not  so  bold  that  he  perform 
 any  ordination  or  consecration  within  the  abbacy  unless  the 
 abbat  beseech  it  of  him,  nor  have  any  claim  there  for 
 proxies,  or  synodals,  or  for  any  kind  of  thing.  And  it  is  my  will 
 that  the  abbat  be  holden  as  legate  of  Rome  over  all  the 
 island,  and  that  whatsoever  abbat  shall  be  there  chosen  by 
 the  monks,  he  be  consecrated  by  the  archbishop  of  Canter- 
 bury. I  will  and  concede  that  whatever  man  shaU  have 
 made  a  vow  to  go  to  Rome,  which  he  may  be  unable  to  fulfil, 
 either  from  sickness  or  his  Lord's  need  (of  him),  or  from 
 poverty,  or  be  unable  to  come  there  from  any  other  kind  of 
 need,  be  he  of  England,  or  of  whatever  other  island  he  be,  let 
 him  come  to  the  minster  at  Medeshamstede,  and  have  the  same 
 forgiveness  of  Christ  and  St.  Peter,  and  of  the  abbat  and 
 of  the  monks,  that  he  should  have  if  he  went  to  Rome. 
 Now  I  beseech  thee,  brother  Theodore,  that  thou  cause  to 
 be  commanded  throughout  all  England,  that  a  synod  be 
 gathered,  and  this  decree,  be  read  and  observed.  In  like 
 manner  I  command  thee  bishop  Sexwulf,  that  even  as  thou 
 didst  desire  that  the  minster  be  free,  so  I  forbid  thee  and  all 
 the  bishops  that  shall  come  after  thee,  from  Christ  and  all  his 
 saints,  that  ye  have  any  claim  upon  the  minster,  except  so 
 far  as  the  abbat  shall  be  willing.  Now  will  I  say  in  a  word, 
 that  whoso  observeth  this  rescript  and  this  decree,  let  liim 
 be  ever  dwelling  with  God  Almighty  in  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven  ;  and  whoso  breaketh  through  it,  let  him  be  excom- 
 municated, and  thrust  down  with  Judas  and  wath  all  the 
 devils  in  hell,  unless  he  turn  to  repentance.     Amen  ! " 
 
328  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  La.d.  C76. 
 
 This  rescript  Pope  Agatho  and  one  hundred  and  twentj- 
 five  bishops  sent  to  England  by  Wilfrid  archbishop  of  York. 
 This  was  done  six  hundi-ed  and  eighty  years  after  the  birth 
 of  our  Lord,  and  in  the  sixth  year  of  king  Ethelred. 
 
 The  king  then  commanded  the  archbishop  Theodore 
 that  he  should  appoint  a  meeting  of  all  the  witan  at  the 
 place  which  is  called  Heathfield.*  When  they  were  there 
 assembled,  he  caused  the  rescript  to  be  read,  wiiich  the  pope 
 had  sent  thither,  and  they  all  assented  to  and  fully  con- 
 firmed it. 
 
 Then  said  the  king  :  "  All  those  things  which  my  brother 
 Peada,  and  my  brother  Wulf  here,  and  my  sisters  Kyneburg 
 and  Kyneswith,  gave  and  granted  to  St.  Peter  and  the  abbat, 
 it  is  my  will  shall  stand  ;  and  I  will  in  my  day  increase  it 
 for  the  good  of  their  souls  and  of  my  own.  Now  to-day  I 
 give  St.  Peter  at  his  minster,  Medeshamstede,  these  lands 
 and  all  that  lieth  there  adjoining ;  that  is  to  say,  Bredon, 
 Replugs,  Cadney,  Swineshead,  Hanbury,  Lodeshall,  Scuffan- 
 liall,  Cosford,  Stratford,  Wattleburn,  Lushgard,  Ethelhun- 
 island,  Bardney.  These  lands  I  give  St.  Peter  all  as  freely 
 as  I  myself  possessed  them,  and  so  that  none  of  my  succes- 
 sors take  anything  therefrom.  If  any  one  shall  do  so,  let 
 him  have  the  curse  of  the  pope  of  Rome,  and  the  curse  of 
 all  bishops,  and  of  all  those  who  are  here  witnesses,  and  this 
 I  confirm  with  Christ's  token.^"  *'I,  Theodore,  arch- 
 bishop of  Canterbury,  am  witness  to  this  charter  of  Medes- 
 hamstede, and  I  confirm  it  with  my  signature,  and  I  excom- 
 municate all  those  who  shall  break  any  part  thereof,  and  I 
 bless  all  those  who  shall  observe  it.>^"  "  I,  Wilfrid,  arch- 
 bishop of  York,  I  am  witness  to  this  charter,  and  I  assent  to 
 the  same  curse.Kjn"  "  I,  Sexwulf,  who  was  first  abbat  and  am 
 now  bishop,  I  give  those  my  curse,  and  that  of  all  my  suc- 
 cessors, who  shall  break  through  this."  "I,  Ostritha,  wife 
 of  Ethelred,  grant  it."  "I,  Adi-ian,  legate,  assent  to  it." 
 "  I,  Putta,  bishop  of  Rochester,  I  subscribe  it."  "  I,  Wald- 
 here,  bishop  of  London,  confirm  it."  "  I,  Cuthbald,  abbat, 
 assent  to  it.  so  that  whoso  shall  break  it,  let  liim  have  the 
 cursing  of  all  bishops  and  of  all  Christian  folk.     Amen  ! " 
 
 A.  676.  Tliis  year,  in  which  Hedda  succeeded  to  his  bishop- 
 ric ;  f  Escwin  died,  and  Ken  twin  succeeded  to  the  kingdom 
 
 *  Bishop's  Hatfield.     See  p.  201.  f  Of  Wessex,  or  Winchester. 
 
A.D.  677-6S5.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  329 
 
 of  the  West-Saxons  :  and  Kentwin  was  the  son  of  Cynegils, 
 Cynegils  of  Ceolwulf.  And  Etheked,  king  of  the  Mer- 
 cians, laid  waste  Kent. 
 
 A.  677. 
 
 A.  678.  This  year  the  star  (called)  a  comet  appeared  in 
 August,  and  shone  like  a  sunbeam  every  morning  for  three 
 months  ;  and  bishop  Wilfrid  was  driven  from  his  bishopric 
 by  King  Egfrid  ;  and  two  bishops  were  consecrated  in  his 
 stead  ;  Bosa  to  Deira,  and  Eata  to  Bernicia.  And  Eadhed 
 was  consecrated  bishop  over  the  men  of  Lindsey  ;  he  was 
 the  first  of  the  bishops  of  Lindsey.* 
 
 A.  679.  This  year  Elfwin  was  slain  near  the  Trent, 
 where  Egfrid  and  Ethelred  fought ;  and  Saint  Ethel- 
 drida  died.  And  Coldingham  was  burned  by  fire  from 
 heaven,  f 
 
 A.  680.  This  year  archbishop  Theodore  appointed  a 
 synod  at  Heathfield,  because  he  wished  to  set  forth  aright 
 the  Christian  faith.  And  the  same  year  Hilda,  abbess  of 
 Whitby,  died. 
 
 A.  681.  This  year  Tumbert  was  consecrated  bishop  of 
 Hexham,  and  Trumwine  of  the  Picts,  J  for  at  that  time  they 
 were  subject  to  this  country. 
 
 A.  682.  In  this  year  Kentwin  drove  the  Britons  to  the 
 sea. 
 
 A.  683. 
 
 A.  684.  Here  in  this  year  Egfrid  sent  an  army  against 
 the  Scots,  and  Beort  his  ealdorman  with  it,  and  miserably 
 they  plundered  and  burned  the  churches  of  God. 
 
 A.  685.  This  year  king  Egfrid  commanded  that  Cuth- 
 bert  should  be  consecrated  a  bishop  ;  and  on  tlie  first  day  of 
 Easter,  at  York,  archbishop  Theodore  consecrated  him 
 bishop  of  Hexham  ;  because  Tumbert  had  been  deposed 
 from  his  bishopric.  This  year  Casdwalla  began  to  contend  for 
 the  kingdom.  Casdwalla  was  the  son  of  Cenbert,  Cenbert 
 of  Cadda,  Cadda  of  Cutha,  Cutha  of  Ceawlin,  Ceawlin  of  Cyn- 
 ric,  C}Tiric  of  Cerdic.  And  Mul  was  the  brother  of  Ceedwalla, 
 and  he  was  afterwards  burned  in  Kent.  And  the  same  year, 
 f»n  the  13th  before  the  Kalends  of  June,  king  Egfrid  was 
 slain  near  the  North-sea,  and  a  great  army  with  him.§  He 
 was  kino-  fifteen  years,  and  Alfrid  his  brother  succeeded  to 
 
 ♦  See  p.  193.        t  See  p.  2-20.         J  Whithem.         $  See  p.  223. 
 
330  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  La.d.  685— «9a 
 
 the  kingdom  after  him.  Egfrid  was  the  son  of  Oswy, 
 Oswj  of  Ethelfrid,  Ethelfrid  of  Ethekic,  Ethebic  of 
 Ida,  Ida  of  Eoppa.  And  Lothere,  king  of  the  Kentish- 
 men,  died  the  same  year.  And  John  was  consecrated  bishop 
 of  Hexham,  and  he  was  there  until  Wilfrid  returned. 
 Afterwards  John  succeeded  to  the  bishopric  of  York,  for 
 bishop  Bosa  was  dead.  Then,  after  that,  Wilfrid*  his 
 priest  was  consecrated  bishop  of  York,  and  John  retired  to 
 his  minster  at  Derewood.f  This  year  it  rained  blood  in 
 Britain,  and  milk  and  butter  were  turned  into  blood. 
 
 A.  685.  And  in  this  same  year  Cuthbert  was  consecrated  bishop  of 
 Hexham  by  archbishop  Theodore  at  York,  because  bishop  Tumbert  had 
 been  driven  from  the  bishopric. 
 
 A.  686.  This  year  Casdwalla  and  Mul  his  brother  laid 
 waste  Kent  and  Wight.  This  Caedwalla  gave  to  St.  Peter's 
 minster  at  Medeshamstede,  Hook,  which  is  in  an  island  called 
 Egborough  ;  the  then  abbat  of  the  monastery  was  called 
 Egbald.  He  was  the  third  abbat  after  Sexwulf.  At  that 
 time  Theodore  was  archbishop  in  Kent. 
 
 A.  687.  This  year  Mul  was  burned  in  Kent,  and  twelve 
 other  men  with  him  ;  and  the  same  year  Caedwalla  again 
 laid  waste  Kent. 
 
 A.  688.  This  year  Ina  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
 West- Saxons,  and  held  it  thirty-seven  years  ;  and  he  built 
 the  minster  at  Glastonbury  ;  and  he  afterwards  went  to 
 Rome,  and  there  dwelt  to  the  end  of  his  days  :  and  the  same 
 year  Caedwalla  went  to  Rome,  and  received  baptism  from 
 the  pope,  J  and  the  pope  named  him  Peter  ;  and  in  about 
 seven  days  he  died.  Now  Ina  was  the  son  of  Cenred,  Cen- 
 red  of  Ceolwald,  Ceolwald  was  Cynegil's  brother,  and  they 
 were  sons  of  Cuthwine  the  son  of  Ceawlin,  Ceawlin  of  Cyn- 
 ric,  Cynric  of  Cerdic. 
 
 A.  688.  This  year  king  Caedwalla  went  to  Rome,  and  reoeived  baptism 
 of  Pope  Sergius,  and  he  gave  him  the  name  of  Peter,  and  in  about  seven 
 days  afterwards,  on  the  twelfth  before  the  Kalends  of  May,  while  he  was  yet 
 in  his  baptismal  garments,  he  died  ;  and  he  was  buried  in  St.  Peter's 
 church.  And  Ina  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  West-Saxons  after 
 him,  and  he  reigned  twenty-seven  years. 
 
 A.  689. 
 
 A.  690.  This  year  archbishop    Theodore   died ;   he  was 
 
 •  Wilfrid  II.  See  p.  293.         t  Beverley.  See  p.  237.        t  Sergius. 
 
A.D.  691-694.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  331 
 
 bishop  twentj-two  years,  and  he  was  buried  at  Canterbury  ; 
 and  Berthwald  succeeded  to  the  bishopric.  Before  this  the 
 bishops  had  been  Romans,  but  from  this  time  they  were 
 English. 
 
 A.  691. 
 
 A.  692.  This  year  Berthwald  was  chosen  archbishop  on 
 the  Kalends  of  July  ;  he  was  before  that  abbat  of  Reculver. 
 There  were  then  two  kings  in  Kent,  Witlired  and  Webherd 
 [Suebhard]. 
 
 A.  693.  This  year  Berthwald  was  consecrated  archbishop 
 by  Guodun,  bishop  of  the  Gauls,  on  the  5th  before  the  Nones 
 of  July.  *  At  this  time  Gebmund,  bishop  of  Rochester,  died, 
 and  archbishop  Berthwald  consecrated  Tobias  in  his  place  ; 
 and  Drithelm  departed  this  life. 
 
 A.  694.  This  year  the  Kentish-men  compounded  with 
 Ina,  and  gave  him  thirty  thousand  pounds  |  for  his  friendship, 
 because  they  had  formerly  burned  Mul.  And  Withred  suc- 
 ceeded to  the  kingdom  of  the  Kentish-men,  and  held  it 
 thirty-three  years.  Withred  was  the  son  of  Egbert,  Eg- 
 bert of  Earconbert,  Earconbert  of  Eadbald,  Eadbald  of 
 Ethelbert. 
 
 As  soon  as  he  was  king,  he  commanded  a  great  council  to  be 
 assembled  at  the  place  which  is  called  Baccancelde,;}:  in  which 
 sat  Withred,  king  of  the  Kentish-men,  and  Berthwald,  the 
 archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  Tobias,  bishop  of  Rochester, 
 and  with  them  were  assembled  abbats  and  abbesses,  and 
 many  wise  men,  all  to  consult  about  the  bettering  of  God's 
 churches  in  Kent.  Now  began  the  king  to  speak,  and  said, 
 "  It  is  my  will  that  all  the  minsters  and  the  churches  that  were 
 given  and  bequeathed  to  the  glory  of  God  in  the  days  of 
 faithful  kings  my  predecessors,  and  in  the  days  of  my  kins- 
 men, of  King  Ethelbert  and  those  who  followed  after  him, 
 
 ♦  The  29th  of  June. 
 
 f  "  The  reading  of  MSS.  B  and  F,  however  excessive  the  sum  may  ap- 
 pear, has  been  placed  in  the  text,  because,  unlike  the  '  thirty  men '  of 
 A.Gy  or  the  *  thirty  thousand'  of  D.E,  it  is  intelligible  wthout  having 
 recourse  to  conjecture.  The  payment,  whatever  its  amount  may  have  been, 
 was  probably  the  legal  compensation  for  the  death  of  Mul  ...  Of  the 
 early  Latin  \vriters,  Ethelwald  says,  it  was  30,000  solidi,  *  per  singulos 
 constanti  numero  sexdecim  nummis ;'  Florence,  of  Worcester,  3750 
 pounds ;  and  Malmesburj-,  30,000  mancuses,  which,  at  eight  to  the  pound, 
 would  agree  with  Florence." — Petrie.  X  Beckenham,  Kent. 
 
332  THE  AXGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  695—705. 
 
 do  SO  remain  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  firmly  continue  so  to 
 all  eternity  for  evermore.  For  I,  ^Yithred,  an  earthly  king, 
 instigated  by  the  King  of  heaven,  and  burning  with  the  zeal 
 of  righteousness,  have  learned  from  the  institutes  of  our 
 forefathers,  that  no  layman  has  a  right  to  possess  himself  of 
 a  church,  nor  of  any  of  the  things  wliich  belong  to  a  church. 
 And  hence  strictly  and  faithfully  do  we  appoint  and  decree, 
 and  in  the  name  of  the  Almighty  God  and  of  all  his  saints 
 we  forbid  to  all  kings  our  successors,  and  to  ealdormen,  and 
 all  laymen  any  lordship  whatever  over  the  churches,  and 
 over  all  their  possessions,  which  I,  or  my  elders  of  olden 
 days,  have  given  as  an  everlasting  inheritance  to  the  glory  of 
 Christ  and  of  our  lady  St.  Mary,  and  of  the  holy  apostles. 
 And  observe,  when  it  shall  happen  that  a  bishop,  or  an  abbat, 
 or  an  abbess,  shall  depart  this  life,  let  it  be  made  known  to 
 the  archbishop,  and  by  his  counsel  and  advice,  let  such  an 
 one  be  chosen  as  shall  be  worthy.  And  let  the  archbishop 
 inquire  into  the  life  and  purity  of  him  who  is  chosen  to  such 
 a  duty,  and  in  nowise  let  any  one  be  chosen  to  such  a  duty 
 without  the  counsel  of  the  archbishop.  It  is  the  duty  of 
 kings  to  appoint  earls  and  ealdormen,  shire-reeves  and 
 doomsmen,  and  of  the  archbishop  to  instruct  and  advise  the 
 community  of  God,  and  bishops,  and  abbats,  and  abbesses, 
 priests  and  deacons,  to  choose  and  appoint,  and  consecrate  and 
 stablish  them  by  good  precepts  and  example,  lest  any  of 
 God's  flock  stray  and  be  lost. 
 
 A.  695.  696. 
 
 A.  697.  Tliis  year  the  South-humbrians  slew  Ostritha, 
 Ethelred's  queen,  Egfrid's  sister. 
 
 A.  698. 
 
 A.  699.  This  year  the  Picts  slew  Beort  the  ealdorman. 
 
 A.  700.  701. 
 
 A.  702.  This  year  Kenred  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of 
 the  South-humbrians. 
 
 A.  703.  This  year  bishop  Hedda  died,  and  he  held  the 
 bishopric  at  Winchester  twenty-seven  years. 
 
 A.  704.  This  year  Ethelred  the  son  of  Penda,  king  of 
 the  Mercians,  became  a  monk,  and  he  had  held  the  kingdom 
 twenty-nine  years  ;  then  Kenred  succeeded  to  it. 
 
 A.  705.  This  year  Alfrid  king  of  the  North-humbrians 
 died   at   Driffield  on  the  nineteenth  before  the  Kalends  of 
 
A.D.  700— ri8.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  8a3 
 
 January :  and  bishop  Sexwulf.*  Then  Osred  his  son 
 succeeded  to  the  kingdom. 
 
 A.  706.— 708. 
 
 A.  709.  This  year  bishop  Aldhelm  died,  he  was  bishop  f 
 on  the  west  of  Selwood  ;  and  in  the  early  days  of  Daniel  the 
 land  of  the  West-Saxons  was  divided  into  two  bishop-shires, 
 and  before  that  it  had  been  one  ;  the  one  |  Daniel  held,  the 
 other  §  Aldhelm.  After  Aldhelm,  Forthhere  succeeded  to 
 it.  And  king  Ceolred  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
 Mercians  ;  and  Kenred  went  to  Rome,  and  Oifa  with  him. 
 And  Kenred  was  there  till  the  end  of  his  life.  And  the 
 same  year  bishop  Wilfrid  ||  died  at  Oundle,  and  his  body 
 was  carried  to  Ripon  ;  he  was  bishop  forty-five  years  ;  him 
 king  Egfrid  had  formerly  driven  away  to  Rome. 
 
 A.  710.  This  year  Acca,  Wilfrid's  priest,  succeeded  to 
 the  bishopric  ^  which  before  he  had  held ;  and  the  same  year 
 Bertfrid  the  ealdorman  fought  against  the  Picts  between 
 Heugh  and  Carau.  And  Ina  and  Nun  his  kinsman  fought 
 against  Gerent  king  of  the  Welsh ;  and  the  same  year 
 Higbald  was  slain. 
 
 A.  711.— 713. 
 
 A.  714.  This  year  Saint  Guthlac  died,  and  king  Pepin. 
 
 A.  715.  This  year  Ina  and  Ceolred  fought  at  Wanborough. 
 This  year  died  king  Dagobert. 
 
 A.  716.  This  year  Osred  king  of  the  North-humbrians 
 was  slain  on  the  southern  border ;  he  had  the  kingdom  seven 
 years  after  Alfrid;  then  Kenred  succeeded  to  the  kingdom, 
 and  held  it  two  years,  then  Osric,  who  held  it  eleven  years  ; 
 and  the  same  year  Ceolred  king  of  the  Mercians  died,  and 
 his  body  lies  at  Lichfield,  and  Ethelred's  the  son  of  Penda 
 at  Bardney.  Then  Ethelbald  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of 
 the  Mercians,  and  held  it  forty-one  years.  Ethelbald  was 
 the  son  of  Alwy,  Alwy  of  Eawa,  Eawa  of  Pybba,  whose 
 genealogy  is  written  before.**  And  that  pious  man  Egbert 
 converted  the  monks  in  the  island  of  Hii  to  the  right  faith,  so 
 that  they  observed  Easter  duly,  and  the  ecclesiastical  tonsure. 
 
 A.  717. 
 
 A.  718.  This  year  Ingild  the  brother  of  Ina  died,  and 
 tlieir  sisters  were  Cwenburga  and  Cuthburga.  And  Cuthburga 
 
 *  Of  Lichfield.  t  Of  Sherborne.      t  Winchester. 
 
 ^  Sherborne.    See  p.  -267.     J|  Of  Hexham.        %   Hexham.     **A.  626. 
 
334  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  719-731. 
 
 built  the  monastery  at  Wimburn  ;  and  she  was  given  in 
 marriage  to  Alfrid  king  of  the  North-humbrians ;  but  they 
 separated  during  his  life-time. 
 
 A.  719.  720. 
 
 A.  721.  This  year  bishop  Daniel*  went  to  Rome;  and 
 the  same  year  Ina  slew  Cynewulf  the  etheling.  And  this 
 year  the  holy  bishop  Johnf  died;  he  was  bishop  thirty-three 
 years,  eight  months,  and  thirteen  days ;  and  his  body  rests 
 at  Beverley. 
 
 A.  722.  This  year  queen  Ethelburga  razed  Taunton, 
 which  Ina  had  previously  built ;  and  Ealdbert  the  exile 
 departed  into  Surry  and  Sussex,  and  Ina  fought  against  the 
 South- Saxons. 
 
 A.  723.  724. 
 
 A.  725.  This  year  Withred  king  of  the  Kentish-men  died 
 on  the  ninth  before  the  Kalends  of  May ;  he  reigned  thirty-four 
 years  ;  his  genealogy  is  above :  and  Egbert  succeeded  to 
 the  kingdom  of  Kent ;  and  Ina  fought  against  the  South- 
 Saxons,  and  there  slew  Ealdbert  the  etheling,  whom  he 
 before  had  driven  into  exile. 
 
 A.  726. 
 
 A.  727.  This  year  Tobias  bishop  of  Rochester  died,  and 
 in  his  place  archbishop  Berthwald  consecrated  Aldwulf  bishop. 
 
 A.  728.  This  year  Ina  went  to  Rome,  and  there  gave  (up) 
 his  life,  and  Ethelard  his  kinsman  succeeded  to  the 
 kingdom  of  the  West- Saxons,  and  held  it  fourteen  years. 
 And  the  same  year  Ethelard  and  Oswald  the  etheling 
 fought ;  and  Oswald  was  the  son  of  Ethelbald,  Ethelbald 
 of  Cynebald,  Cynebald  of  Cuthwin,  Cuthwin  of  Ceawlin. 
 
 A.  729.  This  year  the  star  (called)  a  comet  appeared,  and 
 Saint  Egbert  died  in  li. 
 
 A.  729.  And  the  same  year  Osric  died ;  he  was  king  eleven  years ; 
 then  Ceolwulf  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  and  held  it  eight  years. 
 
 A.  730.  This  year  Oswald  the  etheling  died. 
 
 A.  731.  This  year  Osric  king  of  the  North-humbrians 
 was  slain,  and  Ceolwulf  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  and  held 
 it  eight  years,t  and  Ceolwulf  was  the  son  of  Cutha,  Cutha 
 of  Cuthwin,  Cuthwin  of  Leodwald,  Leodwald  of  Egwald, 
 
 •  Of  Winton.  +  Of  York. 
 
 X  Osric's  death  is  rightly  placed  by  another  MS.  in  729. 
 
A.D.  732-741.]     THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  335 
 
 Egwald  of  Aldhelm,  Aldhelm  of  Ocga,  Ocga  of  Ida,  Ida  of 
 Eoppa.  And  archbishop  Berthwald  died  on  the  Ides  of 
 January  ;*  he  was  bishop  thirty-seven  years  six  months  and 
 fourteen  days.  And  the  same  year  Tatwine  was  con- 
 secrated archbishop  ;f  he  had  been  before  a  priest  at  Bredon 
 among  the  Mercians.  Daniel  bishop  of  Winchester,  and 
 Ingwald  bishop  of  London,  and  Aldwin  bishop  of  Lichfield, 
 and  Aldwulf  bishop  of  Rochester  consecrated  him  on  the 
 tenth  of  June  :  he  had  the  archbishopric  three  years. 
 
 A.  732. 
 
 A.  733.  This  year  Ethelbald  conquered  Somerton  ;  and 
 the  sun  was  eclipsed,  and  the  whole  disc  of  the  sun  was  like 
 a  black  shield.     And  Acca  was  driven  from  his  bishopric.  :f 
 
 A.  734.  This  year  the  moon  was  as  if  it  had  been 
 sprinkled  with  blood  ;  and  archbishop  Tatwine  and  Bede 
 died,  and  Egbert  was  consecrated  bishop.  § 
 
 A.  735.  This  year  bishop  Egbert  received  his  paU  at 
 Rome. 
 
 A.  736.  This  year  archbishop  Nothelm  received  his  pall 
 from  the  bishop  of  the  Romans.  || 
 
 A.  737.  This  year  bishop  Forthere,^  and  queen  Fritho- 
 githa**  went  to  Rome.  And  king  Ceolwulff  f  received  Peter's 
 tonsure,  and  gave  his  kingdom  to  Eadbert,  liis  uncle's  son  ; 
 he  reigned  twenty-one  years  ;  and  bishop  Ethelwald  |  :j:  and 
 Acca  died,  and  Conwulf  was  consecrated  bishop.  §  §  And  the 
 same  year  king  Ethelbald  laid  waste  the  land  of  the  North- 
 humbrians. 
 
 A.  738.  This  year  Eadbert  the  son  of  Eata,  Eata  being 
 the  son  of  Leodwald,  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  North- 
 humbrians,  and  held  it  twenty-one  years.  His  brother  was 
 archbishop  §  Egbert  the  son  of  Eata  ;  and  they  both  rest 
 in  one  porch  in  the  city  of  York. 
 
 A.  739.  740. 
 
 A.  741.  This  year  king  Ethelard  died,  and  Cuthred 
 his  kinsman  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Saxons, 
 and  held  it  sixteen  years  ;  and  he  contended  strenuously 
 against  Ethelbald  king  of  the  Mercians.     And  archbishop 
 
 *  The  1 3th  of  January.         f  Of  Canterbury.  J  Hexham. 
 
 §  Of  York.  II  Greg.  III.  ^   Of  Winton. 
 
 **  Of  Wessex.  ft  Of  Northumbria. 
 
 tl  Of  Lindisfame.  §§  Of  York. 
 
336  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  742-755. 
 
 Nothelm*  died,  and  Cuthbert  was  consecrated  archbishop  ; 
 and  Dun  bishop  to  Rochester.     This  year  York  was  burnt. 
 
 A.  742.  This  year  a  great  synod  was  held  at  Cloveshou  ; 
 and  there  was  Ethelbald  king  of  the  Mercians,  and 
 archbishop  Cuthbert,  and  many  other  wise  men. 
 
 A.  743.  This  year  Ethelbald  king  of  the  Mercians,  and 
 Cuthred  king  of  the  West -Saxons,  fought  against  the 
 Welsh. 
 
 A.  744.  This  year  Daniel  gave  up  the  see  of  Winchester, 
 and  Hunferth  succeeded  to  the  bishopric  :  and  stars  were 
 seen  to  shoot  rapidly  :  and  Wilfrid  the  younger,  f  who  was 
 bishop  of  York,  died  on  the  third  before  the  Kalends  of 
 May  ;  J  he  was  bishop  thirty  years. 
 
 A.  745.  This  year  Daniel  died  :  then  forty- three  years 
 had  elapsed  since  he  obtained  the  bishopric. 
 
 A.  746.  This  year  king  Selred  was  slain. 
 
 A.  747. 
 
 A.  748.  This  year  Cynric  the  etheling  of  the  West- 
 Saxons  was  slain  :  and  Eadbert  king  of  the  Kentish-men 
 died  ;  and  Ethelbert,  the  son  of  king  Withred,  succeeded  to 
 the  kingdom. 
 
 A.  749. 
 
 A.  750.  This  year  Cuthred,  king  of  the  West- Saxons, 
 fo\ight  against  Ethelhun,  the  proud  ealdorman. 
 
 A.  751. 
 
 A.  752.  This  year  Cuthred,  king  of  the  West- Saxons,  in 
 the  twelfth  year  of  his  reign,  fought  at  Burford  against 
 Ethelbald  king  of  the  Mercians,  and  put  him  to  flight. 
 
 A.  753.  This  year  Cuthred,  king  of  the  West- Saxons, 
 fought  against  the  Welsh. 
 
 A.  754.  Tliis  year  Cuthred,  king  of  the  West- Saxons, 
 died  ;  and  Kineward  obtained  the  bishopric  of  Winchester, 
 after  Hunferth :  and  the  same  year  Canterbury  was  burned  : 
 and  Sigebert  his  kinsman  succeeded  to  the  langdom  of  the 
 West- Saxons,  and  held  it  one  year. 
 
 A.  755.  This  year  Cynewulf,  and  the  West- Saxon  'witan  ' 
 
 *  Of  Canterbury. 
 
 t  Wilfrid  the  second,  archbishop  of  York,  is  apparently  confounded 
 with  the  bishop  of  Worcester  of  the  same  name.  The  former  was 
 succeeded  by  Egbert  in  734.     See  A.  734  and  776,  and  Bede,  p.  299. 
 
 t   The  29th  of  April. 
 
4.D.  755.J  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  337 
 
 deprived  his  kinsman  Sigebert  of  his  kingdom,  except 
 Hampshire,  for  his  unjust  doings  ;  and  that  he  held  until  he 
 slew  the  ealdorman  who  longest  abode  by  him.  And  then 
 Cjnewulf  drove  him  into  Andi*ed,  and  he  abode  there  until 
 a  swine-herd  stabbed  him  at  Privets-flood  [Privett,  Hamp- 
 shire], and  avenged  the  ealdorman  Cumbra. 
 
 And  Cynewulf  fought  very  many  battles  against  the 
 Welsh  ;  and  after  he  had  held  the  Mngdom  about  one  and 
 thirty  years,  he  purposed  to  expel  an  etheling,  who  was 
 named  Cyneard :  and  Cyneard  was  Sigebert's  brother. 
 And  he  then  learned  that  the  king  with  a  small  band  was 
 gone  to  Merton  to  visit  a  woman  ;  and  he  there  beset  him 
 and  surrounded  the  chamber  on  every  side,  before  the  men 
 who  were  with  the  king  discovered  him.  And  when  the 
 king  perceived  this,  he  went  to  the  door,  and  there  manfully 
 defended  himself,  until  he  beheld  the  etheling,  and  then  he 
 rushed  out  upon  him  and  sorely  wounded  him  ;  and  they  all 
 continued  fighting  against  the  king  until  they  had  slain 
 him. 
 
 And  upon  this,  the  king's  thanes  having  discovered  the 
 affray  by  the  woman's  cries,  each,  as  he  was  ready,  and  with 
 his  utmost  speed  ran  to  the  spot.  And  the  etheling  oifered 
 money  and  life  to  each  of  them,  and  not  one  of  them  would 
 accept  it ;  but  they  continued  fighting  till  they  all  fell,  except 
 one,  a  British  hostage,  and  he  was  sorely  wounded. 
 
 Then  upon  the  morrow,  the  king's  thanes,  whom  he  had 
 left  behind  him,  heard  that  the  king  was  slain,  then  rode  they 
 thither,  and  Osric  his  ealdorman,  and  Wiferth  his  thane,  and 
 the  men  whom  he  had  previously  left  behind.  And  at  the 
 town  wherein  the  king  lay  slain  they  found  the  etheling,  and 
 those  within  had  closed  the  gates  against  them  ;  but  they 
 then  went  onward  And  he  then  offered  them  their  own 
 choice  of  land  and  money  if  they  would  grant  him  the 
 kingdom,  and  showed  them  that  their  kinsman  were  with 
 him,  men  who  would  not  desert  him.  And  they  then  said, 
 that  no  kinsman  was  dearer  to  them  than  their  lord,  and  that 
 they  never  would  follow  his  murderer.  And  they  then  bade 
 their  kinsmen  that  they  should  go  away  from  him  in  safety ; 
 but  they  said  that  the  same  had  been  bidden  their  companions 
 w^ho  before  that  had  been  with  the  king ;  then  they  said,  that 
 they  no  more  minded  it  'than  your  companions  who  were 
 
 z 
 
338  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.  d.  755-761- 
 
 slain  with  the  king.'  And  then  they  continued  fifrhting 
 around  the  gates  until  they  made  their  way  in,  and  slew  the 
 etheHng,  and  all  the  men  who  were  with  him,  except  one 
 who  was  the  ealdorman's  godson  ;  and  he  escaped  with  life, 
 though  he  was  wounded  in  several  places. 
 
 And  Cynewulf  reigned  thirty-one  years,  and  liis  body  lies 
 at  Winchester,  and  the  etheling's  at  Axminster  ;  and  their 
 right  paternal  kin  reaches  to  Cerdic. 
 
 And  the  same  year  Ethelbald  king  of  the  Mercians  was 
 slain  at  Seckington,  and  his  body  lies  at  Repton,  and  he 
 reigned  forty-one  years  ;  and  Bernred  obtained  the  kingdom, 
 and  held  it  a  Httle  while  and  unhappily.  And  the  same  year 
 Offa  drove  out  Bernred  and  obtained  the  kingdom,  and  held 
 it  thirty-nine  years ;  and  his  son  Egfert  held  it  one  hundred 
 and  forty- one  days.  Offa  was  the  son  of  Thingferth, 
 Thingferth  of  Enwulf,  Enwulf  of  Osmod,  Osmod  of 
 Eawa,  Eawa  of  Pybba,  Pybba  of  Creoda,  Creoda  of 
 Cynewald,  Cynewald  of  Cnebba,  Cneblm  of  Icel,  leel  of 
 EomaBr,  Eom.a3r  of  Angeltheovf,  Angeltheow  of  Offi,  Oiia  of 
 Wssrmund,  Wosrmund  of  Wihtlceg,  Wihtlceg  of  Woden. 
 
 A.  755.  This  year  Cyne-vvnlf  deprived  king  Sigebert  of  his  kingdom  ; 
 and  Sigebert 's  brother,  Cynehard  by  name,  slew  Cynewulf  at  Merton  ;  and 
 he  reigned  thirty-one  years.  And  in  the  same  year  Ethelbald  king  of  the 
 Mercians  was  slain  at  Repton.  And  Offa  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
 Mercians,  Berm-ed  being  driven  out. 
 
 A.  756. 
 
 A.  757.  This  year  Eadbert  king  of  the  North-humbrians 
 was  shorn,  and  his  son  Oswulph  succeeded  to  the  kingdom, 
 and  reigned  one  year  ;  and  he  was  slain  by  his  household  on 
 the  eighth  before  tlie  Kal.  of  August.* 
 
 A.  758.  Tliis  year  archbishop  Cuthbert  died  ;  and  he 
 held  the  archbishopric  eighteen  years.f 
 
 A.  759.  This  year  Bregowin  was  ordained  archbishop  at 
 St.  Michael's-tide,  and  held  the  see  four  years.  And  Moll 
 Ethelwald.  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Northhum- 
 brians,  and  reigned  six  years,  and  then  resigned  it. 
 
 A.  760.  This  year  Ethelbert  king  of  the  Kentish-men 
 died  ;  he  was  the  son  of  king  Withred  :  and  Ceolwulf  also 
 died. 
 
 A.  761.  This  year  was  the  severe  winter  ;  and  Moll  king 
 •  The  25th  of  July.  f  Of  Canterbur}\ 
 
A.D  7G2-777.1  THE  ^VNGLO-SAXOX  CIIKOXICLE.  339 
 
 of  the   Korth-hiimbrians   slew  Oswin  at  Edwin's  Cliff  on 
 the  eighth  before  tlie  Ides  of  August. 
 
 A.  762.  This  year  archbishop  *  BregOAvin  died. 
 
 A.  763.  This  year  Lambert  was  ordained  archbishop  on 
 the  fortieth  day  after  mid- winter, f  and  held  the  see  twenty-six 
 years.  And  Frithwald  bishop  of  Whitherne  died  on  the 
 Nones  of  May.  J  He  was  consecrated  at  York  on  the 
 eighteenth  before  the  Kal.  of  September,  §  in  the  sixth  year  of 
 Ceolwuli's  reign,  and  he  was  bishop  twenty-nine  years. 
 Then  Petwin  was  consecrated  bishop  of  Whitherne  at 
 Adlingfleet,  on  the  sixteenth  before  the  Kalends  of  August.  || 
 
 A.  764.  This  year  archbishop  Lambert  received  his  pall. 
 
 A.  765.  This  jeav  Alcred  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of 
 the  North-humbrians,  and  reigned  nine  years. 
 
 A.  766.  This  year  died  archbishop  Egbert  at  York  on 
 the  13th  before  the  Kalends  of  December  ;  he  was  bishop 
 thirty-seven  years ;  and  Frithbert  at  Ilexliam ;  he  was 
 bishop  thirty-three  years  ;  and  Ethelbert  was  consecrated 
 to  York,  and  xllhmund  to  Hexham. 
 
 A.  767. 
 
 A.  768.  Tliis  year  king  Eadbert  the  son  of  Eata,  died 
 on  the  tliirteenth  before  the  Kalends  of  September. 
 
 A.  769.— 771. 
 
 A.  772.  Tliis  year  bishop  Milred  ^  died. 
 
 A.  773.  This  year  a  fiery  crucilix  appeared  in  the  heavens 
 after  sunset  :  and  the  same  year  the  Mercians  and  the 
 Kentisli-m.ea  fought  at  Otford  ;  and  wondrous  adders  were 
 seen  in  the  land  of  the  South- Saxons. 
 
 A.  774.  This  year  at  Easter-tide,  the  JSTorth-humbrians 
 drove  their  king  Alcred  from  York,  and  took  Etheked,  the 
 son  of  Moll,  to  be  their  lord  ;  he  reigned  four  years. 
 
 A.  77o. 
 
 A.  776.  This  year  bishop  Petwin**  died  on  the  thir- 
 teenth before  the  Kalends  of  October  ;  lie  was  bkhop  ibur- 
 teen  years. 
 
 A.  777.  TJiis  year  Cynewolf  and  Offa  fought  about  Ben- 
 bington,   and  Offa  took  the  town  ;  and  tiie  same  year,  on 
 
 *  Cant:T]-,ury.  +  Tlie  2n<l  of  Fcbniar/. 
 
 t  The  7th  of  Mav.  §  The  15th  of  Aur^ust.' 
 
 Ij  The  1 7th  of  July.  ",1  Of  Worcester. 
 
 ♦•  Of  Whitherne. 
 
 z2 
 
340  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.     [a.d.  777— 7S0. 
 
 the  seventeenth  before  the  Kalends  of  July,  Ethelbert  was 
 consecrated  at  York  bishop  of  Whitherne. 
 
 In  the  days  of  king  Offii  there  was  an  abbat  of  Medesham- 
 stede  called  Beonna.  The  same  Beonna,  by  the  consent  of 
 all  the  monks  of  the  minster,  let  to  Ciithbert  the  ealdorman 
 ten  copy-lands  at  Swineshead,  with  lease,  and  with  meadow, 
 and  with  all  that  lay  thereto,  and  on  this  condition: 
 that  Cuthbert  should  give  the  abbat  therefore  fifty  pounds, 
 and  each  year  one  day's  entertainment,  or  thirty  shillings  in 
 money  ;  and  furthermore,  that  after  his  decease  the  land 
 should  return  to  the  minster.  The  witnesses  of  this  were 
 king  Offa,  and  king  Egfert,  and  archbishop  Higbert,*  and 
 bishop  Ceolwulf,  and  bishop  Inwona,  and  abbat  Beonna,  and 
 many  other  bishops  and  abbats,  and  many  other  great  men. 
 In  the  days  of  this  same  OfFa  there  was  an  ealdorman  who 
 was  called  Brorda.  He  desired  of  the  king  that  for  love  of 
 him  he  would  free  a  minster  of  his  called  Woking,  because 
 he  wished  to  give  it  to  Medeshamstede,  and  St.  Peter,  and 
 the  abbat  that  then  was,  wlio  was  called  Pusa.  Pusa 
 succeeded  Beonna,  and  the  king  loved  him  greatly.  And 
 the  king  then  freed  the  minster  Woking,  against  king,  and 
 against  bishop,  and  against  earl,  and  against  all  men,  so  that 
 no  one  should  have  any  claim  there  except  St.  Peter  and  the 
 abbat.  This  was  done  in  the  king's  town  called  Free- 
 Richburn. 
 
 A.  778.  This  year  Ethelbald  and  Herbert  slew  three 
 high-reeves  ;  Edulf,  the  son  of  Bosa,  at  Kings-chfF,  and 
 Cynewolf  and  Egga  at  Helathyrn,  on  the  eleventh  before  the 
 Kalends  of  April :  and  then  Alfwold  obtained  the  kingdom,  f 
 and  drove  Etheh-ed  out  of  the  country  ;  and  he  reigned  ten 
 years. 
 
 A.  779. 
 
 A.  780.  This  year  the  Old- Saxons  and  the  Franks  fought ; 
 and  the  l^gh-reeves  of  the  North-humbrians  burned  Bern 
 the  ealdorman  at  Silton,  on  the  eighth  before  the  Kalends  of 
 January :  and  archbishop  Ethelbert  died  at  York,  in 
 whose  place  Eanbald  was  consecrated ;  and  bishop  Cynewolf 
 gave  up  the  bishopric  of  Lindisfarne.  This  year  Alhmund, 
 bishop  of  Hexham,  died  on  the  seventh  before  the  Ides  of 
 September,  and  Tilbert  was  consecrated  in  his  place  on  the 
 *  Of  Lichfield  ?  +  Northumbria. 
 
A. D.  781- -789.1         THE    AJS'GLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  341 
 
 sixth  before  the  Nones  of  October ;  and  Higbald  was  conse- 
 crated at  Sockbury  bishop  of  Lindisfarne ;  and  king  Alfwold 
 sent  to  Rome  for  a  pall,  and  invested  Eanbald  as  archbishop. 
 
 A.  781. 
 
 A.  782.  This  year  died  Werburh,  Ceolred's  queen,  and 
 Cynewolf,  bishop  of  Lindisfarne  ;  and  there  was  a  synod  at 
 Acley. 
 
 A.  783. 
 
 A.  784.  This  year  Cyneard  slew  king  Cynewolf,  and  was 
 himself  there  slain,  and  eighty-four  men  with  him;  and 
 then  Bertric  obtained  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Saxons, 
 and  he  reigned  sixteen  years,  and  his  body  lies  at  Wareham  ; 
 and  his  right  paternal  kin  reaches  to  Cerdic.  At  this  time 
 king  Elmund  reigned  in  Kent.  This  king  Elmund  was 
 the  father  of  Egbert,  and  Egbert  was  father  of  Athulf. 
 
 A.  785.  This  year  abbat  Bothmn  died  at  Ripon  ;  and 
 this  year  there  was  a  contentious  synod  at  Chalk -hy the,  and 
 archbishop  Lambert  gave  up  some  portion  of  his  bishopric, 
 and  Higbert  was  elected  by  king  Offa  ;  and  Egfert  was 
 consecrated  king.  And  at  this  time  messengers  were  sent 
 from  Rome  by  pope  Adrian  to  England,  to  renew  the  faith 
 and  the  peace  which  St.  Gregory  had  sent  us  by  Augustine 
 the  bishop  ;  and  they  were  worshipfully  received,  and  sent 
 away  in  peace. 
 
 A.  786. 
 
 A.  787.  This  year  king  Bertric  took  to  wife  Eadburga, 
 king  Offa's  daughter  ;  and  in  his  days  first  came  three  ships 
 of  Northmen,  out  of  Hosretha-land  [Denmark].  And  then 
 the  reve*  rode  to  the  place,  and  would  have  driven  them  to 
 the  king's  town,  because  he  knew  not  who  they  were  :  and 
 they  there  slew  him.  These  were  the  first  ships  of  Danish- 
 men  which  sought  the  land  of  the  English  nation. 
 
 A.  788.  This  year  a  synod  was  assembled  in  the  land  of 
 the  North-humbrians  at  Fingall,  on  the  4th  before  the 
 Nones  of  September  ;  and  abbat  Albert  died  at  Ripon. 
 
 A.  789.  This  year  Alfwold,  king  of  the  Northumbrians, 
 was  slain  by  Siga  on  the  8th  before  the  Kalends  of  October  ; 
 and  a  heavenly  light  was  frequently  seen  at  the  place  where 
 he  was  slain  ;  and  he  was  buried  at  Hexham  within  the 
 church  ;  and  Osred,  the  son  of  Alcred  succeeded  to  the 
 *  Since  called  sheriff  ;  i.  e.  the  reve,  or  steward,  of  the  shire. — Ingram. 
 
342  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.        ia.d.  rso-rsi- 
 
 kingdom  after  him  :  he  was  liis  nephew.     And  a  sjnod  was 
 assembled  at  Aeley. 
 
 A.  790.  This  year  archbishop  Lambert  died,  and  the 
 same  year  abbat  Athelard  Avas  chosen  archbishop.*  And 
 Osred,  king  of  the  North-humbrians,  was  betrayed,  and 
 driven  from  the  kingdom ;  and  Etheked,  the  son  of  Ethel- 
 wald,  again  obtained  the  government. 
 
 A.  791.  This  year  Baiduif  was  consecrated  bishop  of 
 Whitherne,  on  the  16th  before  the  Kalends  of  August,  by 
 archbishop  Eanbald,f  and  by  bishop  Ethelbert.J 
 
 A.  792.  This  year  Ofia,  king  of  the  Mercians,  commanded 
 the  head  of  Idng  Etheibert§  to  be  struck  off.  And  Osred, 
 who  had  been  king  of  the  Northumbrians,  having  come 
 home  after  his  exile,  was  seized  and  slain  on  the  18th  before 
 the  Kalends  of  October  ;  and  his  body  lies  at  Tinemouth. 
 And  king  Ethelred  took  a  new  vfife,  who  was  called  Elfleda, 
 on  the  3rd  before  the  Kalends  of  October. 
 
 A.  793.  This  year  dire  forwarnings  came  over  the  land 
 of  the  North-humbrians,  and  miserably  terrified  the  people  ; 
 these  were  excessive  whirlwinds,  and  lightnings  ;  and  fiery 
 dragons  were  seen  flying  in  the  air.  A  great  famine  soon 
 followed  these  tokens  ;  and  a  little  after  that,  in  the  same 
 year,  on  the  6th  before  the  Ides  of  January,  the  ravaging  of 
 heathen  men  lamentably  destroyed  God's  church  at  Lindis- 
 farne  through  rapine  and  slaughter.  And  Siga  died  on  the 
 8th  before  the  Kalends  of  March. 
 
 A.  794.  This  year  Pope  Adrian  ||  and  king  Offa  died ;  and 
 Ethelred,  king  of  the  North-humbrians,  was  slain  by  his  own 
 people  on  the  13th  before  the  Kalends  of  May  ;  and  bishop 
 Ceolwulf  ^  and  bishop  Eadbald  went  away  from  the  land. 
 And  Egfert  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians 
 and  died  the  same  year.  And  Eadbert,  who  by  a  second 
 name  was  named  Pren,  obtained  the  kingdom  of  Kent* 
 And  Ethelherd  the  ealdorman  died  on  the  Kalends  of  Au- 
 gust ;  and  the  heathens  ravaged  among  the  North-humbrians, 
 and  plundered  Egfert's  monastery  at  the  mouth  of  the  Wear ; 
 and  there  one  of  their  leaders  was  slain,  and  also  some  of 
 their  ships  were  wrecked  by  a  tempest ;  and  many  of  them 
 
 •  Of  Canterbury.  +  Of  York. 
 
 t  Of  Hexham.  ^  Of  East  Anglia. 
 
 II  Pope  Adrian  died  December  25th,  795.         «I  Of  Lindsey. 
 
A.D.  795—796.1  THE    AIn^GLO-S^NJXOX    CHRONICLE.  343 
 
 were  there  di'owned,  and  some  came  on  sliore  alive,  and  tliey 
 were  soon  slain  at  the  river's  mouth. 
 
 A.  79o.  This  year  the  moon  was  eclipsed  between  cock- 
 cro^ving  and  dawn,  on  the  5th  before  the  Kalends  of  April ; 
 and  Eardulf  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  North-humbrians 
 on  the  2nd  before  the  Ides  of  May ;  and  he  was  afterwards  con- 
 secrated king,  and  raised  to  his  throne  on  the  8th  before 
 the  Kalends  of  June,  at  York,  by  archbishop  Eanbald,  and 
 bishop  Ethelbert,*  and  Higbald,!  and  Badulf,J  bishops. 
 
 A.  796.  This  year  Kenulf,  king  of  the  JVIercians,  laid 
 waste  Kent  as  far  as  the  marshes,  and  took  Pren  their  king, 
 and  led  him  bound  into  Mercia,  and  let  his  eyes  be  picked 
 out  and  his  hands  be  cut  off.  And  Athelard,  archbishop 
 of  Canterbury,  appointed  a  synod,  and  confirmed  and  ratified, 
 by  the  command  of  Pope  Leo,  all  the  things  respecting  God's 
 ministers  which  were  appointed  in  Withgar's  days,  and  in 
 other  kings'  days,  and  thus  sayeth  : 
 
 "I,  Athelard,  the  humble  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  by 
 the  unanimous  counsel  of  the  whole  synod,  and  Avith  ...  of 
 all ...  to  the  congregation  of  all  the  ministers  to  which  in  old 
 days  immunity  was  given  by  faithful  men,  in  the  name  of 
 God,  and  by  his  awful  doom,  I  command,  as  I  have  com- 
 mand of  Pope  Leo,  that  henceforth  none  dare  to  choose  for 
 themselves  lords  over  God's  heritage  from  amongst  laymen. 
 But  even  as  it  stands  in  the  rescript  which  the  pope  has 
 given,  or  those  holy  men  have  appointed  who  are  our  fathers 
 and  instructors  concerning  holy  minsters,  thus  let  them  con- 
 tinue inviolate,  without  any  kind  of  gainsaying.  If  there 
 be  any  man  who  will  not  observe  this  ordinance  of  God,  and 
 of  our  pope,  and  ours,  and  who  despiseth  and  holdeth  it  for 
 nought,  let  him  know  that  he  shall  give  account  before  the 
 judgment-seat  of  God.  And  I,  Athelard,  archbishop,  with 
 twelve  bishops,  and  three  and  twenty  abbats,  do  confirm  and 
 ratify  this  same  with  Christ's  rood-token." 
 
 And  archbishop  Eanbald  died  on  the  4th  before  the  Ides 
 of  August  of  the  same  year,  and  his  body  lies  at  York ;  and 
 the  same  year  died  bishop  Ceolwulf  ;§   and  a  second  Ean- 
 
 *  Of  Hexham.  +  T-indisfarne. 
 
 +  Whitherne.  .  §  Of  Lmdsey. 
 
344  THE    AXGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  796— S02. 
 
 bald  was  consecrated  in  the  place  of  the  other  on  the  19th 
 before  the  Kalends  of  September. 
 
 A.  796.  This  year  Offa,  king  of  the  Mercians,  died  on  the  4th  before  the 
 Kalends  of  August ;  he  reigned  forty  years. 
 
 A.  797.  This  year  the  Romans  cut  out  the  tongue  of  Pope 
 Leo,  and  put  out  his  eyes,  and  drove  him  from  his  see  ;  and 
 soon  afterwards,  God  helping,  he  was  able  to  see  and  speak, 
 and  again  was  pope  as  he  before  was.  And  Eanbald  re- 
 ceived his  pall  on  the  6th  before  the  Ides  of  September  ;  and 
 bishop  Ethelbert*  died  on  the  17th  before  the  Kalends  of  No- 
 vember ;  and  Heandi'ed  was  consecrated  bishop  in  his  place 
 on  the  3rd  before  the  Kalends  of  November  ;  and  bishop 
 Alfun  died  at  Sudbury,  and  he  was  buried  in  Dunwich,  and 
 Tidfrith  was  chosen  after  him  ;  and  Siric,  king  of  the  East 
 Saxons,  went  to  Rome.  In  this  same  year  the  body  of  Wit- 
 burga  was  found  at  Dereham,  all  whole  and  uncorrupted,  five 
 and  fifty  years  after  she  had  departed  from  this  life. 
 
 A.  798.  This  year  there  was  a  great  fight  at  Whalley 
 in  the  land  of  the  North-humbrians,  during  Lent,  on  the  4th 
 before  the  Nones  of  April,  and  there  Alric,  the  son  of  Her- 
 bert, was  slain,  and  many  others  with  him. 
 
 A.  799.  This  year  archbishop  Athelardf  and  Kenebert 
 bishop  of  the  West- Saxons,  J  went  to  Rome. 
 
 A.  800.  This  year,  on  the  17th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 February,  the  moon  was  eclipsed  at  the  second  hour  of  the 
 night.  And  king  Bertric  and  Worr  the  ealdorman  died,  and 
 Egbert  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Saxons. 
 And  the  same  day  Ethelmund,  ealdorman,  rode  over  from 
 the  Wiccians,  at  Cynemaeresford  [Kempsford].  Then  Wox- 
 tan  the  ealdorman  with  the  men  of  Wiltshire  met  him. 
 There  was  a  great  fight,  and  both  the  ealdormen  were  slain, 
 and  the  men  of  Wiltshire  got  the  victory. 
 
 A.  801. 
 
 A.  801.  This  year  Beommod  was  ordained  bishop  of  Rochester. 
 
 A.  802.  This  year  on  the  13th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 January  the  moon  was  eclipsed  at  dawn  ;  and  Beornmod  was 
 ordained  bishop  of  Rochester.  § 
 
 •  Of  Hexham.  f  Of  Canterbury.  :J:  Winchester. 
 
 i  Placed  in  801  by  another  M3. 
 
A.D.  303-  Siy  :  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  345 
 
 A.  803.  This  year  died  Iligbald  bishop  of  Lindisfarne  on 
 the  8th  before  the  Kalends  of  July,  and  Egbert  II.  was  con- 
 secrated in  his  stead  on  the  3d  before  the  Ides  of  June ;  and 
 this  year  archbishop  Athelard  died  in  Kent,  and  Wulfred 
 was  ordained  archbishop  ;  and  abbat  Forthred  died. 
 
 A.  804.  This  year  archbishop  Wulfred  received  his  pall. 
 
 A.  805.  This  year  king  Cuthred  died  among  the  Kentish- 
 men,  and  Colburga  abbess,*  and  Herbert  the  ealdorman. 
 
 A.  806.  This  year  the  moon  was  eclipsed  on  the  Kalends 
 of  September  :  and  Eardulf  king  of  the  North-humbrians 
 was  driven  from  his  kingdom  ;  and  Eanbert  bishop  of  Hex- 
 ham died.  Also  in  the  same  year,  on  the  2d  before  the  Nones 
 of  June,  a  cross  appeared  in  the  moon  on  a  Wednesday  at 
 dawn  ;  and  afterwards  in  this  year,  on  the  third  before  the 
 Kalends  of  September,  a  wonderful  circle  was  seen  about  the 
 sun. 
 
 A.  807.  808. 
 
 A.  809.  This  year  the  sun  was  eclipsed  at  the  beginning 
 of  the  fifth  hour  of  the  day  on  the  17th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 August,  the  2d  day  of  the  week,  the  29th  of  the  moon. 
 
 A.  810.  811. 
 
 A.  812.  This  year  king  Charlemagne  died,  and  he  reigned 
 five  and  forty  years  ;  and  archbishop  Wulfred  and  Wigbert 
 bishop  of  the  West-Saxons f  both  went  to  Rome. 
 
 A.  813.  Tliis  year  archbishop  Wulfred,  with  the  blessing 
 of  pope  Leo,  returned  to  his  own  bishopric  ;  and  the  same 
 year  king  Egbert  laid  waste  West- Wales  from  eastward  to 
 westward. 
 
 A.  814.  This  year  the  noble  and  holy  pope  |Leo  died, 
 and  after  him  Stephen  succeeded  to  the  popedom. 
 
 A.  815. 
 
 A.  816.  This  year  pope  Stephen  died,  and  after  him 
 Paschal  was  ordained  pope  ;  and  the  same  year  the  English 
 school  at  Rome§  was  burned. 
 
 A.  817.  818. 
 
 A.  819.  This  year  Kenulf  king  of  the   Mercians  died, 
 
 •  Of  Berkeley.  +  Sherborne. 
 
 t  Leo  III.  died  11th  June  816.  Eginhard,Ann.  Stephen  IV.  was  con- 
 secrated on  the  ■2"2d  of  the  same  month. 
 
 $  The  Angle-School  was  a  quarter  near  St.  Peter's,  where  the  English 
 pilojims  at  Rome  resided.  According  to  Anastasius,  they  called  it  their 
 *  Borough,'  (burgus).      V,  Anastas.  DibUothecar.  de  Vita  Stephani  IV. 
 
346  THE  AXGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.     [a.d.  820-827. 
 
 and  Ceolwulf  succeeded  to  the  kingdom ;  and  Eadbert  the 
 ealdorman  died. 
 
 A.  820. 
 
 A.  821.  This  year  Ceolwulf  was  deprived  of  his  king- 
 dom.* 
 
 A.  822.  This  year  two  ealdormen,  Burhehn  and  Mucca, 
 were  slain  ;  and  there  was  a  synod  at  Cloveshoo. 
 
 A.  823.  This  year  there  was  a  battle  between  the  Welsh 
 and  the  men  of  Devon  at  Camelford  rf  and  the  same  year  Eg- 
 bert king  of  the  West- Saxons  and  Bernulf  king  of  the 
 Mercians  fought  at  Wilton,  and  Egbert  got  the  victory, 
 and  there  was  great  slaughter  made.  He  then  sent  from 
 the  army  his  son  Ethelwulf,  and  Ealstan  his  bishop,  J  and 
 Wulf  herd  his  ealdorman,  into  Kent  with  a  large  force,  and 
 they  drove  Baldred  the  king  northwards  over  the  Thames. 
 And  the  men  of  Kent,  and  the  men  of  Surrey,  and  the  South- 
 Saxons,  and  the  East- Saxons,  submitted  to  him  ;  for  for- 
 merly they  had  been  unjustly  forced  from  his  kin.  And  the 
 same  year  the  king  of  the  East- Angles  and  the  people  sought 
 the  alliance  and  protection  of  king  Egbert  for  dread  of  the 
 Mercians  ;  and  the  same  year  the  East- Angles  slew  Bernulf 
 king  of  Mercia. 
 
 A.  824. 
 
 A.  825.  This  year  Ludecan  king  of  the  Mercians  was  slain, 
 and  his  five  ealdormen  with  him  ;  and  Withlaf  succeeded  to 
 the  kingdom. 
 
 A.  826. 
 
 A.  827.  This  year  the  moon  was  eclipsed  §  on  the  mass- 
 night  of  midwinter.  And  the  same  year  king  Egbert 
 conquered  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians,  and  all  that  was 
 south  of  the  Ilumber  ;  and  he  was  the  eighth  king  who  was 
 Bretwalda.  jEUa  king  of  the  South- Saxons  was  the  first 
 who  had  thus  much  dominion ;  the  second  was  Ceawlin  king 
 of  the  West- Saxons  ;  the  third  was  Ethelbert  king  of  the 
 Kentish-men  ;  the  fourth  was  Eedwald  king  of  the  East- 
 Angles  ;  the  fifth  was  Edwin  king  of  the  North-humbrians ; 
 the  sixth  was  Oswald  who  reigned  after  liim  ;  the  seventh 
 was  Oswy,  Oswald's  brother  ;  the  eighth  was  Egbert  king 
 of  the  West- Saxons.     And   Egbert  led  an  army  to   Dore 
 
 *  Mercia.  +  In  Cornwall.  J  Sherborne. 
 
 §  The  eclipse  happened  on  the  25th  of  December,  823. 
 
A.D.  828— S3C.]  THE    AJs'GLO-SAXOX    CHRONICLE.  347 
 
 against  the  I>orth-humbrians,  and  they  tliere  oiFered  him 
 obedience  and  allegiance,  and  with  that  they  separated. 
 
 A.  828.  This  year  Withlaf  again  obtained  the  kingdom  of 
 the  Mercians,  and  bishop  Ethelwald*  died  ;  and  the  same 
 year  king  Egbert  led  an  army  against  the  North- Welsh, 
 and  he  forced  them  to  obedient  subjection. 
 
 A.  829.  This  year  archbishop  Wulfred  died,  and  after 
 him  abbat  Theologild  was  chosen  to  the  archbishopric,]'  on 
 the  7th  before  the  Kalends  of  May  ;  and  lie  was  consecrated 
 upon  a  Sunday,  the  5th  before  the  Ides  of  June :  and  he 
 died  on  the  3rd  before  the  Kalends  of  September. 
 
 A.  830.  This  year  Ceolnoth  was  chosen  bishop,:j:  and  or- 
 dained ;  and  abbat  Theologild  died. 
 
 A.  831.  This  year  archbishop  Ceolnoth  received  his  pall. 
 
 A.  832.  This  year  the  heathen  men  ravaged  Sheppey. 
 
 A.  833.  This  year  king  Egbert  fought  against  the  men  of 
 thirty -five  sliips  at  Charmouth,  and  there  was  great  slaughter 
 made,  and  the  Danish-men  maintained  possession  of  the  field. 
 And  Herefrith§  and  Wigthun,  ||  two  bishops,  died ;  and  Dudda 
 and  Osmod,  two  ealdormen,  died. 
 
 A.  834. 
 
 A.  835.  This  year  a  great  hostile  fleet  came  to  the  West- 
 Welsh,^  and  they  united  together,  and  made  war  upon  Eg- 
 bert king  of  the  West- Saxons.  As  soon  as  he  heard  of  it 
 he  went  thither  with  an  army,  and  fought  against  them  at 
 Hengeston,  and  there  he  put  to  flight  both  the  Welsh  and 
 the  Danish-men. 
 
 A.  836.  This  year  king  Egbert  died ;  before  he  was 
 king,  Offa  king  of  the  Mercians,  and  Bertric,  king  of  the 
 West- Saxons,  drove  him  out  of  England  into  France  for 
 thi'ee  years  ;  and  Bertric  assisted  Offa,  because  he  had  his 
 daughter  for  his  queen.  And  Egbert  reigned  thirty-seven 
 years  and  seven  months  :  and  Ethelwulf  the  son  of  Eg- 
 bert succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Saxons  ;  and 
 he  gave  his  son  Athelstan  the  kingdoms  of  the  Kentish-men, 
 and  of  the  East-Saxons,  and  of  the  men  of  Surrey,  and  of  the 
 South- Saxons. 
 
 A.  83G.  And  Ethelstan  his  other  son  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of 
 the  Kentish-men,  and  to  Surrey,  and  to  the  kingdom  of  the  South-Saxons. 
 
 ♦  Of  Lichfield.  +  Of  Canterbury.  t  Of  Canterbury. 
 
 §  Of  Selsey.  |1  Of  Winchester.  t  Cornwall. 
 
348  THE    ANGLO-S.VXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  837-851. 
 
 A.  837.  This  year  Wulfherd  the  ealdorman  fought  at 
 Hamtun  [Southampton],  against  the  forces  of  thirty-five 
 ships,  and  there  made  great  slaughter,  and  got  the  victory  ; 
 and  the  same  year  Wulfherd  died.  And  the  same  year 
 Ethelhehn  the  ealdorman  fought  against  the  Danish  army 
 at  Portland-isle  "vvith  the  men  of  Dorset,  and  for  a  good 
 while  he  put  the  enemy  to  flight ;  but  the  Danish-men  had 
 possession  of  the  field,  and  slew  the  ealdorman. 
 
 A.  838.  This  year  Herebert  the  ealdorman  was  slain  by 
 the  heathen  men,  and  many  with  him  among  the  Marsh - 
 men  ;  and  afterwards,  the  same  year,  in  Lindsey,  and  in 
 East-Anglia,  and  in  Kent,  many  men  were  slain  by  the 
 enemy. 
 
 A.  839.  This  year  there  was  great  slaughter  at  London, 
 and  at  Canterbury,  and  at  Rochester. 
 
 A.  840.  This  year  king  Ethelwulf  fought  at  Charmouth 
 against  the  crews  of  thirty-five  ships,  and  the  Danish-men 
 maintained  possession  of  the  field.  And  Louis  the  emperor 
 died. 
 
 A.  841.— 844. 
 
 A.  845.  This  year  Eanwulf  the  ealdorman,  with  the  men 
 of  Somerset,  and  bishop  Ealstan,*  and  Osric  the  ealdor- 
 man, with  the  men  of  Dorset,  fought  at  the  mouth  of  the 
 Parret  against  the  Danish  army,  and  there  made  great 
 slaughter,  and  got  the  victory. 
 
 A.  846.— 850. 
 
 A.  851.  This  year  Ceorl  the  ealdorman,  with  the  men  of 
 Devonshire,  fought  against  the  heathen  men  at  Wembury,f 
 and  there  made  great  slaughter  and  got  the  victory.  And 
 the  same  year  king  Athelstan  and  Elchere  the  ealdormen 
 fought  on  shipboard,  and  slew  a  great  number  of  the  enemy 
 at  Sandwich  in  Kent,  and  took  nine  ships,  and  put  the  others 
 to  flight ;  and  the  heathen  men,  for  the  first  time,  remained 
 over  winter  in  Thanet.  And  the  same  year  came  three 
 hundred  and  fifty  ships  to  the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  and  the 
 crews  landed  and  took  Canterbury  and  London  by  storm, 
 and  put  to  flight  Berthwulf,  king  of  the  Mercians,  with 
 his  army,  and  then  went  south  over  the  Thames  into  Surrey  ; 
 and  there  king  Ethelwulf  and  his  son  Ethelbald,  with  the 
 army  of  the  West- Saxons,  fought  against  them  at  Ockley, 
 •  Of  Sherborne.  t  Near  Plymouth. 
 
A.D.  S52-S55A  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  349 
 
 and  there  made  the  greatest  slaughter  among  the  heathen 
 army  that  we  have  heard  reported  to  the  present  day,  and 
 there  got  the  victory. 
 
 A.  852.  At  this  time  Ceolred,  abbat  of  Medeshamstede 
 and  the  monks  let  to  Wulfred  the  land  of  Sempringham,  on 
 this  condition,  that  after  his  decease  the  land  should  return 
 to  the  minster,  and  that  Wulfred  should  give  the  land  of 
 Sleaford  to  Medeshamstede,  and  each  year  should  deliver 
 into  the  minster  sixty  loads  of  wood,  and  twelve  of  coal 
 and  six  of  faggots,  and  two  tuns  full  of  pure  ale,  and 
 two  beasts  fit  for  slaughter,  and  six  hundred  loaves,  and 
 ten  measures  of  Welsh  ale,  and  each  year  a  horse,  and  thirty 
 shillings,  and  one  day's  entertainment.  At  this  agreement  were 
 present  king  Burhred,  and  archbishop  Ceolred,  and  bishop 
 Tunbert,  and  bishop  Cenred,  and  bishop  Aldhun,  and 
 abbat  Witred,  and  abbat  Wertherd,  and  Ethelherd, 
 the  ealdorman,  and  Hunbert,  the  ealdorman,  and  many 
 others. 
 
 A.  853.  This  year  Burhred,  king  of  the  Mercians,  and 
 his  council,  begged  of  king  Ethelwulf  that  he  would  assist 
 him  so  that  he  might  make  the  North- Welsh  obedient  to 
 him.  He  then  did  so  ;  and  went  with  an  army  across  Mer- 
 cia  among  the  North- Welsh,  and  made  them  all  obedient  to 
 him.  And  the  same  year  king  Ethelwulf  sent  his  son 
 Alfred  to  Rome.  Leo  [lY.]  was  then  pope  of  Rome  ;  and 
 he  consecrated  him  king,  and  took  him  for  his  son  at  confir- 
 mation. Then,  in  the  same  year,  Ealhere,  with  the  men  of 
 Kent,  and  Huda,  with  the  men  of  Surry,  fought  in  Thanet, 
 against  the  heathen  army  ;  and  at  first  they  were  victorious  ; 
 and  many  there  were  slain,  and  drowned  on  either  hand,  and 
 both  the  ealdormen  were  killed.  And  upon  this  after  Easter 
 Ethelwulf,  king  of  the  West- Saxons,  gave  his  daughter  to 
 Burhred  king  of  the  Mercians. 
 
 A.  854. 
 
 A.  855.  This  year  the  heathen  men,  for  the  first  time, 
 remained  over  winter  in  Sheppey  :  and  the  same  year  king 
 Ethelwulf  gave  by  charter  the  tenth  part  of  his  land 
 throughout  his  realm  for  the  glory  of  God  and  his  own 
 eternal  salvation.  And  the  same  year  he  went  to  Rome  in 
 great  state,  and  dwelt  there  twelve  months,  and  then  re- 
 turned homewards.     And  then  Charles,  king  of  the  Franks, 
 
6oU  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a-d.  S55— 36C. 
 
 gave  him  liis  daughter  to  wife  ;  and  after  that  he  came  to 
 his  people,  and  they  were  glad  of  it.  And  about  two  years 
 after  he  came  from  France  he  died,  and  his  body  lies  at  Win- 
 chester. And  he  reigned  eighteen  years  and  a  half.  And 
 Ethehvulf  was  the  son  of  Egbert,  Egbert  of  Elmund, 
 Elmund  of  Eafa,  Eafa  of  Eoppa,  Eoppa  of  Ingild  ;  Ingild 
 was  Ina's  brother,  king  of  the  West- Saxons,  he  who  held  the 
 kingdom  thirty-seven  years,  and  afterwards  went  to  St. 
 Peter,  and  tliere  resigned  his  life  ;  and  they  T\^ere  the  sons  of 
 Kenred,  Kenred  of  Ceolwald,  Ceolwald  of  Cutha,  Cutha  of 
 Cuthwin,  Cuthwin  of  Ceawlin,  Ceawlin  of  Cynric,  Cynric 
 of  Cerdic,  Cerdic  of  Elesa,  Elesa  of  Esla,  Esla  of  Gewis,  Gewis 
 of  Wig,  Wig  of  Freawin,  Freawin  of  Frithogar,  Frithogar 
 of  Brond,  Brond  of  Beldeg,  Beldeg  of  Woden,  Woden  of 
 Frithowald,  Fritliowald  of^Frealaf,  Frealaf  of  Frithuwulf, 
 Frithuwulf  of  Finn,  Finn  of  Godwulf,  Godwnlf  of  Geat, 
 Geat  of  Toetwa,  T^twa  of  Beaw,  Beaw  of  Sceldi,  Sceldi 
 of  rieremod,  Heremod  of  Itermon,  Itermon  of  Hathra, 
 Hatlu-a  of  Guala,  Guala  of  Bedwig,  Bedwig  of  Sceaf,  that 
 is,  the  son  of  Noah,  he  was  born  in  Noah's  ark  ;  Lameeh, 
 Methusalem,  Enoh,  Jared,  Malalahel,  Cainion,  Enos,  Seth, 
 Adam  the  first  man,  and  our  Father,  that  is,  Christ.  Amen. 
 Then  Ethelwulf 's  two  sons  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  ; 
 Ethelbald  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Saxons  ; 
 and  Ethelbert  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Kentish-men,  and  to 
 the  kingdom  of  the  East-Saxons,  and  to  Surry,  and  to  the 
 kingdom  of  the  vSouth- Saxons  ;  and  then  Ethelbald  reigned 
 five  years.  Alfred  liis  third  son  he  had  sent  to  Rome  :  and 
 when  Pope  Leo  [IV.]  heard  say  that  Ethelwulf  was  dead, 
 he  consecrated  Alfred  king,  and  held  him  as  his  spiritual  son 
 at  confirmation,  even  as  his  father  Ethelwulf  had  requested 
 on  sending  him  thither. 
 
 A.  855.  And  on  his  return  homewards  he  took  to  (wife)  the  daughter 
 of  Charles,  king  of  the  French,  whose  name  was  Judith,  and  he  came 
 liome  safe.  And  then  in  about  two  years  he  died,  and  his  body  lies  nt 
 Winchester  ;  and  he  reigned  eigliteen  years  and  a  half,  and  he  was  the  son 
 of  Egbert.  And  tlien  his  tM'o  sons  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  ;  Ethel- 
 bald to  the  kingdom  of  the  West-Saxons,  and  Ethelbert  to  the  kingdom 
 of  the  Kentish-men,  and  of  the  East-Saxons,  and  of  Surry,  and  of  the 
 South-Saxons.     And  he  reigned  live  years. 
 
 A.  856.— 859. 
 
 A.  860.  This  year  died  king  Ethelbald,  and  his  body  lie;H 
 
A.D.  8C1— 8C8.1  THE    ANGLO-S.LXOX    CIIKONICLK.  351 
 
 at  Sherborne  ;  and  Ethelbert  succeeded  to  all  the  realm 
 of  his  brother,  and  he  held  it  in  goodly  concord  and  in  great 
 tranquillity.  And  in  his  days  a  large  Heet  came  to  land,  and 
 the  crews  stormed  Winchester.  And  Osric  the  ealdorman, 
 with  the  men  of  Hampshire,  Ethelwulf  the  ealdorman,  with 
 the  men  of  Berkshire,  fought  against  the  army,  and  j^ut 
 them  to  flight,  and  had  possession  of  the  place  of  carnage. 
 And  Ethelbert  reigned  five  years,  and  his  body  lies  at 
 Sherborne. 
 
 A.  861.  This  year  died  St.  Swithun  the  bishop.* 
 
 A.  862.-864. 
 
 A.  865.  This  year  the  heathen  army  sat  down  in  Thanet, 
 and  made  peace  with  the  men  of  Kent,  and  the  men  of  Kent 
 promised  them  money  for  the  peace ;  and  during  the  peace 
 and  the  promise  of  money  the  army  stole  away  by  night, 
 and  ravaged  all  Kent  to  the  eastward. 
 
 A.  866.  This  year  Ethelred,  Ethelbert's  brother,  suc- 
 ceeded to  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Saxons  :  and  the  same 
 year  a  great  heathen  army  came  to  the  land  of  the  English 
 nation,  and  took  up  their  winter  quarters  among  the  East- 
 Angles,  and  there  they  were  horsed ;  and  the  East- Angles 
 made  peace  with  them. 
 
 A.  867.  This  year  the  army  went  from  East-Anglia  over 
 the  mouth  of  the  Humber  to  York  in  iNorth-humbria.  And 
 there  was  much  dissension  among  that  people,  and  they  liad 
 cast  out  their  king  Osbert,  and  had  taken  to  themselves  a 
 king,  iElla,  not  of  royal  blood ;  but  late  in  the  year  they  re- 
 solved that  they  would  fight  against  the  army ;  and  therefore 
 they  gathered  a  large  force,  and  sought  the  army  at  the  town 
 of  York,  and  stormed  the  town,  and  some  of  them  got  witliin, 
 and  there  was  an  excessive  slaughter  made  of  the  North- 
 humbrians,  some  Avithin,  some  without,  and  the  kings  were 
 both  slain :  and  the  remainder  made  peace  with  the  army. 
 And  the  same  year  bishop  Ealstan  died;  and  he  had  the 
 bishopric  of  Sherborne  fifty  years,  and  his  body  lies  in  the 
 town. 
 
 A.  868.  This  year  the  same  army  went  into  IMercia  to 
 
 Nottingham,  and  there  took  up  their  A\'inter  quarters.     And 
 
 Burlu'ed  king  of  the  Mercians,  and  his  'witan,'  begged  of 
 
 Ethelred  king  of  the  West- Saxons,  and  of  Alfred  his  brother, 
 
 *  Winchester. 
 
352  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  U-d.  8C9.  S70. 
 
 that  they  would  help  them,  that  they  might  fight  against  the 
 army.  And  then  they  went  with  the  West- Saxon  power 
 into  Mercia  as  far  as  Nottingham,  and  there  met  with  the 
 army  within  the  fortress ;  and  besieged  them  therein :  but 
 there  was  no  great  battle;  and  the  Mercians  made  peace 
 with  the  army. 
 
 A.  869.  This  year  the  army  again  went  to  York,  and  sat 
 there  one  year. 
 
 A.  870.  This  year  the  army  rode  across  Mercia  into  East- 
 Anglia,  and  took  up  their  winter  quarters  at  Thetford :  and 
 tlie  same  winter  king  Edmund  fought  against  them,  and  the 
 Danes  got  the  victory,  and  slew  the  king,  and  subdued  all 
 the  land,  and  destroyed  all  the  minsters  which  they  came  to. 
 The  names  of  their  chiefs  who  slew  the  king  were  HingWar 
 and  Hubba.  At  that  same  time  they  came  to  Medesham- 
 stede,  and  burned  and  beat  it  down,  slew  abbat  and  monks,  and 
 all  that  they  found  there.  And  that  place,  which  before  was 
 full  rich,  they  reduced  to  nothing.  And  the  same  year  died 
 archbishop  Ceolnoth.  Then  went  Ethelred  and  Alfred  liis 
 brother,  and  took  Athelred  bishop  of  AViltsliire,  and  appointed 
 him  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  because  formerly  he  had  been 
 a  monk  of  the  same  minster  of  Canterbury.  As  soon  as 
 he  came  to  Canterbury,  and  he  was  stablished  in  his  arch- 
 bishopric, he  then  thought  how  he  might  expel  the  clerks  who 
 (were)  there  within,  whom  archbishop  the  Ceolnoth  had  (be- 
 fore) placed  there  for  such  need  ...  as  we  shall  relate.  The 
 first  year  that  he  was  made  archbishop  there  was  so  great  a 
 mortality,  that  of  all  the  monks  whom  he  found  there  within, 
 no  more  than  five  monks  survived.  Then  for  the  ....  he 
 (commanded)  his  chaplains,  and  also  some  priests  of  his  vills, 
 that  they  should  help  the  few  monks  who  there  survived  to 
 do  Christ's  service,  because  he  could  not  so  readily  find 
 monks  who  might  of  themselves  do  the  service ;  and  for  this 
 reason  he  commanded  that  the  priests,  the  while,  until  God 
 should  give  peace  in  this  land,  should  help  the  monks.  In 
 tliat  same  time  was  this  land  much  distressed  by  frequent 
 battles,  and  hence  the  archbishop  could  not  there  effect  it, 
 for  there  was  warfare  and  sorrow  all  his  time  over  England ; 
 and  hence  the  clerks  remained  with  the  monks.  Nor  was 
 there  ever  a  time  that  monks  were  not  there  within,  and  they 
 ever  had  lordship  over  the  priests.     Again  the  archbishop 
 
A.D.  871.]  THE   ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.  353 
 
 Ceolnoth  thought,  and  also  said  to  those  who  were  with  him, 
 '  As  soon  as  God  shall  give  peace  in  this  land,  either 
 these  priests  shall  be  monks,  or  from  elsewhere  I  will  place 
 within  the  minister  as  many  monks  as  may  do  the  service  of 
 
 themselves  :  for  God  knows  that  I )* 
 
 A.  871.  This  year  the  army  came  to  Reading  in  Wessex  ; 
 and  three  days  after  this,  two  of  their  earls  rode  forth. 
 Then  Ethelwulf  the  ealdorman  met  them  at  Englefield,  and 
 there  fought  against  them,  and  got  the  victory :  and  there 
 one  of  them,  whose  name  was  Sidrac,  was  slain.  About 
 three  days  after  this,  king  Ethelred  and  Alfred  his  brother 
 led  a  large  force  to  Reading,  and  fought  against  the  army, 
 and  there  was  great  slaughter  made  on  either  hand.  And 
 Ethelwulf  the  ealdorman  was  slain,  and  the  Danish-men  had 
 possession  of  the  place  of  carnage.  And  about  four  days 
 after  this,  king  Ethelred  and  Alfred  his  brother  fought 
 against  the  whole  army  at  Ashdown  ;  and  they  were  in  two 
 bodies  :  in  the  one  were  Bagsac  and  Halfdene  the  heathen 
 kings,  and  in  the  other  were  the  earls.  And  then  king 
 Ethelred  fought  against  the  division  under  the  kings,  and 
 there  king  Bagsac  was  slain;  and  Alfred  his  brother 
 against  the  division  under  the  earls,  and  there  earl  Sidrac 
 tlie  elder  was  slain,  earl  Sidrac  the  younger,  and  earl  Osbern, 
 and  earl  Frene,  and  earl  Harold  ;  and  both  divisions  of  the 
 army  were  put  to  flight,  and  many  thousands  slain  ;  and  they 
 continued  fighting  until  night.  And  about  fourteen  days 
 after  this,  king   Ethelred  and  Alfred   his   brother   fought 
 
 *  As  this  portion  of  the  text  is  slightly  defective,  the  Latin  narrative  is 
 subjoined  :  Cum  autem  venisset  Cantuariam,  statim  cogitare  coepit  quo- 
 modo  possit  ejicere  clericos  de  ecclesia  Christi,  quos  Ceolnothus  pro  tali  ne- 
 cessitate conipulsus  ibi  posuit.  Primo  igitur  anno  ordinationis  suse  tanta 
 mortalitas  facta  est  in  ecclesia  Christi,  ut  de  tota  congregatione  monacho- 
 i-um  non  remanerent  nisi  quinque.  Qua  de  causa  quia  ita  subito  non  potuit 
 invenire  tot  monachos  qui  ibi  servitium  Dei  facere  possent,  ex  simplicitate 
 cordis  przecepit  capellanis  clericis  suis,  ut  essent  cum  eis  usque  quod  Deus 
 pacificaret  terram,  quaj  tunc  nimis  erat  turbata  propter  nimias  tempestates 
 bellorum.  Accepit  etiam  de  villis  suis  presbyteros,  ut  essent  cum  monachis, 
 ita  tamen  ut  monachi  semper  haberent  dominatum  super  clericos.  Cogita- 
 vit  idem  archiepiscopvis  et  ssepe  suis  dixit,  quia  statim  cum  Deus  pacem 
 nobis  dederit,  aut  isti  clerici  monachi  fient,  aut  ego  ubicumque  monachos 
 inveniam  quos  reponam.  Scit  enim  Deus,  inquit  quod  aliter  facere  non 
 possum.  Sed  nunquam  temporibus  suis  pax  fuit  in  Anglia,  et  ideo  reman- 
 serunt  clerici  crnn  monachis,  nee  ullo  tempore  fuit  ecclesia  sine  monachis- 
 Sed  nee  iste  ^Etheiredus  archiepiscopus  potuit  facere. 
 
 A  A 
 
354  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.     La.d.  871-874. 
 
 against  tlie  army  at  Basing,  and  there  the  Danes  obtained 
 the  victoiy.  And  about  two  months  after  tliis,  king  Ethelred 
 and  Alfred  his  brother  fought  against  the  army  at  Marden ; 
 and  they  were  in  two  bodies,  and  they  put  both  to  flight, 
 and  during  a  great  part  of  the  day  were  victorious ;  and  there 
 was  great  slaughter  on  either  hand ;  but  the  Danes  had  pos- 
 session of  the  place  of  carnage :  and  there  bishop  Heah- 
 mund*  was  slain,  and  many  good  men  :  and  after  this  battle 
 there  came  a  great  army  in  the  summer  to  Reading.  And 
 after  this,  over  Easter,  king  Ethelred  died ;  and  he  reigned 
 five  years  and  his  body  lies  at  Winburn-minster. 
 
 Then  Alfred  the  son  of  Ethelwulf,  his  brother,  succeeded 
 to  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Saxons.  And  about  one  month 
 after  this,  king  Alfred  with  a  small  band  fought  against  the 
 whole  army  at  Wilton,  and  put  them  to  flight  lor  a  good  part 
 of  the  day  ;  but  the  Danes  had  possession  of  the  place  of 
 carnage.  And  this  year  nine  general  battles  were  fought 
 against  the  army  in  the  kingdom  south  of  the  Thames, 
 besides  which,  Alfred  the  king's  brother,  and  single 
 ealdormen,  and  king's  thanes,  oftentimes  made  incursions  on 
 them,  which  were  not  counted  :  and  witliin  the  year  nine 
 earls  and  one  king  were  slain.  And  that  year  the  West- 
 Saxons  made  peace  with  the  army. 
 
 A.  871.  And  the  Danish-meu  were  overcome  :  and  they  had  two 
 heathen  kings,  Bagsac  and  Halfdene,  and  many  earls  ;  and  there  was 
 king  Bagsac  slain,  and  these  earls  ;  Sidrac  the  elder,  and  also  Sidrac  the 
 younger,  Osbern,  Frene,  and  Harold  ;  and  the  army  was  put  to  flight. 
 
 A.  872.  This  year  the  army  went  from  Reading  to 
 London,  and  there  took  up  their  winter-quarters  :  and  then 
 the  Mercians  made  peace  with  the  army. 
 
 A.  873.  This  year  the  army  went  into  North-humbria, 
 and  took  up  their  winter-quarters  at  Torksey  in  Lindsey  : 
 and  then  the  Mercians  made  peace  with  the  army. 
 
 A.  874.  This  year  the  army  went  from  Lindsey  to  Repton, 
 and  there  took  up  their  winter-quarters,  and  drove  king 
 Burhred  over  sea  about  twenty-two  years  after  he  had 
 obtained  the  kingdom  ;  and  subdued  the  whole  country :  and 
 Burhred  went  to  Rome,  and  there  remained  ;  and  his  body 
 lies  in  St.  Mary's  church  at  the  English  school.  And  that 
 same  year  they  committed  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians  to 
 *  Of  Sherborne. 
 
A. D.  875— 877. J  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  355 
 
 the  keeping  of  Ceolwulf,  an  unwise  king's-thane  ;  and  he 
 swore  oaths  to  them,  and  delivered  hostages  that  it  should  be 
 ready  for  them  on  whatever  day  they  would  have  it,  and  that 
 he  would  be  ready  both  in  his  own  person  and  with  all  who 
 would  follow  him,  for  the  behoof  of  the  army. 
 
 A.  875.  This  year  the  army  went  from  Repton  :  and 
 rialfdene  went  with  some  of  the  army  into  Nortli-humbria, 
 and  took  up  winter-quarters  by  the  river  Tyne.  And  the 
 army  subdued  the  land,  and  oft-times  spoiled  the  Picts,  and 
 the  Strathclyde  Britons.  And  the  three  kings,  Gothrun,  and 
 Oskytel,  and  Anwind,  went  with  a  large  army  from  Repton 
 to  Cambridge,  and  sat  down  there  one  year.  And  that 
 summer  king  Alfred  went  out  to  sea  with  a  fleet,  and  fought 
 against  the  forces  of  seven  ships,  and  one  of  them  he  took, 
 and  put  the  rest  to  flight. 
 
 A.  876.  This  year  the  army  stole  away  to  Wareham,  a 
 fortress  of  the  West- Saxons.  And  afterwards  the  king  made 
 peace  with  the  army  ;  and  they  delivered  to  the  king  hostages 
 from  among  the  most  distinguished  men  of  the  army  ;  and 
 then  they  swore  oaths  to  him  on  the  holy  ring,  which  they 
 never  before  would  do  to  any  nation,  tliat  they  would 
 speedily  depart  his  kingdom.  And  notwithstanding  tliis, 
 that  part  of  the  army  which  was  horsed  stole  away  by  night 
 from  the  fortress  to  Exeter.  And  that  year  Halfdene 
 apportioned  the  lands  of  North-humbria  :  and  they  thence- 
 forth continued  ploughing  and  tilling  them.  This  year  RoUa 
 overran  Normandy  with  his  army,  and  he  reigned  fifty 
 years. 
 
 A.  876.  And  in  this  same  year  the  army  of  the  Danes  in  England  swore 
 oaths  to  king  Alfred  upon  the  holy  ring,  which  before  they  would  not  do  to 
 any  nation  ;  and  they  delivered  to  the  king  hostages  from  among  the 
 most  distinguished  men  of  the  army,  that  they  would  speedily  depart  from 
 his  kingdom ;  and  that  by  night  they  broke. 
 
 A.  877.  This  year  the  army  came  to  Exeter  from 
 Wareham  ;  and  the  fleet  sailed  round  westwards  :  and  then 
 a  great  storm  overtook  them  at  sea,  and  there  one  hundred 
 and  twenty  ships  were  wrecked  at  Swanwich.  And  king 
 Alfred  with  his  forces  rode  after  the  army  which  was 
 mounted,  as  far  as  Exeter ;  and  they  were  unable  to  overtake 
 them  before  they  were  within  the  fortress,  where  they  could 
 not  be  come  at.     And  they  there  delivered  to  him  hostages 
 
 A  A  2 
 
356  THE  AXGLO-SAXOX  CIIKONICLE.  [a.d.  873.  879 
 
 as  many  as  lie  would  have,  and  swore  many  oaths  :  and  then 
 they  observed  the  peace  well.  And  afterwards,  during 
 harvest,  the  army  went  into  Mercia,  and  some  part  of  it  they 
 apportioned,  and  some  they  delivered  to  Ceolwulf. 
 
 A.  878.  This  year,  during  midwinter,  after  twelfth  night, 
 the  army  stole  away  to  Chippenham,  and  overran  the  land  of 
 the  West- Saxons,  and  sat  down  there  ;  and  many  of  the 
 people  they  drove  beyond  sea,  and  of  the  remainder  the 
 greater  part  they  subdued  and  forced  to  obey  them,  except 
 king  Alfred  :    and  he,  with  a  small   band,  mth    difficulty 
 retreated  to  the  woods  and  to  the  fastnesses  of  the  moors. 
 And  the  same  winter  the  brother  of  Hingwar  and  of  Halfdene 
 came  with  twenty-tliree  ships  to  Devonshire  in  Wessex ;  and 
 he  was  there  slain,  and  with  him  eight  hundred  and  forty 
 men  of  his  army  :  and  there  was  taken  the  war-flag  which 
 they  called  the  Raven,     After  this,  at  Easter  king  Alfred 
 with  a  small  band  constructed  a  fortress  at  Athelney  ;  and 
 from  this  fortress,  with  that  part  of  the  men  of  Somerset 
 which  was  nearest  to  it,  from  time  to  time  they  fought 
 against  the  army.   Then  in  the  seventh  week  after  Easter  he 
 rode  to  Brixton,  on  the  east  side  of  Selwood  ;   and  there 
 came  to  meet  him  all  the  men  of  Somerset,  and  the  men  of 
 Wiltshire,  and  that  portion  of  the  men  of  Hampshire  which 
 was  on  this  side  of  the  sea  ;  and  they  were  joyful  at  his 
 presence.     On  the  following  day  he  went  from  that  station 
 to  Iglea  [Iley],  and  on  the  day  after  this  to  Heddington, 
 and  there  fought  against  the  whole  army,  put  them  to  flight, 
 and  pursued  them  as  far  as  their  fortress  :  and  there  he  sat 
 down  fourteen  days.     And  then  the  army  delivered  to  him 
 hostages,    with   many   oaths,    that    they   would    leave    his 
 kingdom,   and    also    promised   him  that  their  king    should 
 receive  baptism  :  and  this  they  accordingly  fulfilled.     And 
 about  three  weeks  after  this  king  Gothrun  came  to  him, 
 with  some  thirty  men  wlio  were  of  the  most  distinguished  in 
 tlie  army,  at  Aller,  which  is  near  Athelney  :  and  the  king 
 was  his  godfather  at  baptism  ;  and  his  chrism -loosing  *  was  at 
 Wedmore  :    and  he  was  twelve  days  with  the  king;  and  he 
 greatly  honoured  him  and  his  companions  with  gifts. 
 
 A.  879.  This  year  the  army  went  to  Cirencester  from 
 
 *  Apparently  the  removal  of  the  fillet  which,  covering  the  chrism  on 
 the  forehead,  was  bound  round  the  head  at  confirmation. 
 
A.D.  880—885.]  THE  AXGLO-SAXOX  CHRONICLE.  367 
 
 Chippenham,  and  sat  there  one  year.  And  that  year  a 
 body  of  pirates  drew  together,  and  sat  down  at  Fulhain  on 
 tlie  Thames.  And  that  same  year  the  sun  was  eclipsed 
 during  one  hour  of  the  day.* 
 
 A.  880.  This  year  the  army  went  from  Cirencester  to 
 East  Anglia,  and  settled  in  the  land,  and  apportioned  it. 
 And  that  same  year  the  army,  which  previously  had  sat 
 down  at  Fulham,  went  over  sea  to  Ghent  in  France,  and 
 sat  there  one  year. 
 
 A.  881.  This  year  the  army  went  further  into  France, 
 and  the  French  fought  against  them:  and  then  was  the 
 army  there  horsed  after  the  battle. 
 
 A.  882.  This  year  the  army  went  up  along  the  banks  of 
 the  Maese  far  into  France,  and  there  sat  one  year.  And 
 that  same  year  king  Alfred  went  out  to  sea  mth  liis  ships, 
 and  fought  against  the  forces  of  four  ships  of  Danish  men, 
 and  took  two  of  the  ships,  and  the  men  were  slain  that  were 
 in  them;  and  the  forces  of  two  ships  surrendered  to  him, 
 and  they  were  sorely  distressed  and  wounded  before  they 
 surrendered  to  him. 
 
 A.  883.  This  year  the  army  went  up  the  Scheldt  to 
 Conde,  and  sat  there  one  year.  And  Marinus  the  pope 
 then  sent  '  lignum  Domini '  to  king  Alfred  ;  and  that  same 
 year  Sighelm  and  Athelstan  carried  to  Rome  the  alms 
 which  the  king  had  vowed  to  send  thither,  and  also  to 
 India,  to  St.  Thomas  and  to  St.  Bartholomew,  when  they 
 sat  down  against  the  army  at  London ;  and  there,  thanks  be 
 to  God,  they  largely  obtained  the  object  of  their  prayer  after 
 the  vow. 
 
 A.   884.   This   year   the   army  went   up  the   Somme  to 
 Amiens,  and  there  sat  one  year.     This  yearf  the  benevo 
 lent  bishop  Ethelwold  died. 
 
 A.  885.  JThis  year  the  fore-mentioned  army  divided  it- 
 self into  two;  the  one  part  went  eastward,  the  other  part 
 
 •  The  eclipse  happened  on  the  14th  of  March,  880. 
 
 +  The  account  of  tlie  death  of  Ethelwold  bishop  of  Winchester,  here 
 inserted  in  MS.  F.,  is  anticipated  a  century  by  the  carelessness  of  the 
 scribe :  the  name  of  his  successor  in  the  Latin  puts  this  beyond  all  doubt. 
 See  A.  984. 
 
 :  Asser  omits  the  events  of  A.  884  of  the  Chronicle,  and  places  those  of 
 88j  under  that  year.  At  any  rate  the  foreign  transactions  are  rightly  so 
 placed. 
 
353  THE  AXGLO-SAXON  CHllONICLE.  [a.d.  886. 
 
 to  Rochester,  and  besieged  the  city,  and  wrought  another 
 fortress  about  themselves.  And,  notwitlistanding  this,  the 
 townsmen  defended  the  city  till  king  Alfred  came  out  with 
 his  forces.  Then  went  the  army  to  their  ships,  and  aban- 
 doned their  fortress ;  and  they  were  there  deprived  of  their 
 horses,  and  soon  after,  in  that  same  manner,  departed  over 
 sea.  And  that  same  year  king  Alfred  sent  a  fleet  from 
 Kent  to  East-Anglia.  So  soon  as  they  came  to  the  mouth 
 of  the  Stour,  there  met  them  sixteen  sliips  of  pirates ;  and 
 they  fought  against  them,  and  captured  all  the  ships  and 
 killed  the  men.  As  they  afterwards  returned  homeward 
 with  the  booty,  a  large  fleet  of  pirates  met  them,  and  then 
 fought  against  them  that  same  day,  and  the  Danish-lli^n  had 
 the  victory.  That  same  year,  before  mid-winter,  *Charles  king 
 of  the  French  died ;  he  was  killed  by  a  wild  boar ;  and  one 
 year  before  this,  his  brother f  died:  he  too  had  the  western 
 kingdom :  and  they  were  both  sons  of  Louis,  who  likewise 
 had  the  western  kingdom,  and  died  that  year  when  the  sun 
 was  eclipsed:  he  was  son  of  Charles |  whose  daughter 
 Ethelwulf,  king  of  the  West- Saxons,  had  for  his  queen. 
 And  that  same  year  a  large  fleet  drew  together  against  the 
 Old  Saxons ;  and  there  was  a  great  battle  twice  in  that  year, 
 and  the  Saxons  had  the  victory,  and  the  Frisians  were  there 
 with  them.  That  same  year  Charles  §  succeeded  to  the  wes- 
 tern kingdom,  and  to  all  the  kingdom  on  tliis  side  the  Wen- 
 del-sea  [Tuscan  Sea],  and  beyond  this  sea,  in  like  manner 
 as  liis  great-grandfiither  had  it,  with  the  exception  of  the 
 Lid-wiccas  [Bretons].  Charles  was  Louis's  son ;  Louis  was 
 Charles's  brother,  who  was  father  of  Judith,  whom  king 
 Ethelwulf  had ;  and  they  were  sons  of  Louis,  Louis  was 
 son  of  the  elder  Charles,  Charles  was  Pepin's  son.  And 
 that  same  year  died  the  good  Pope  Marinus,  who,  at  the 
 prayer  of  Alfred  king  of  the  West- Saxons,  freed  the  Eng- 
 lish school;  and  he  sent  him  great  gifts,  and  part  of  the 
 rood  on  which  Christ  suffered.  And  that  same  year  the 
 army  in  East-Anglia  broke  the  peace  with  king  Alfred. 
 
 A.  886.  This  year  the  army  which  before  had  drawn 
 eastward,  went  westward  again,  and  thence  up  the  Seine, 
 and  there  took  up  their  winter  quarters  near  the  town  of 
 Paris.     That  same  year  king  Alfred  repaired  London ;  and 
 
 *  Carloraan.  f  Louis  III.  J  The  Bald  §  The  Fat. 
 
A.  D.  887-890.J  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  359 
 
 all  the  English  submitted  to  him,  except  those  who  were 
 under  the  bondage  of  the  Danish-men;  and  then  lie  com- 
 mitted the  town  to  the  keeping  of  Ethered  the  ealdorman. 
 
 A.  887.  This  year  the  army  went  up  through  the  bridge 
 at  Paris,  and  thence  up  along  the  Seine  as  far  as  the  Marne, 
 and  thence  up  the  Marne  to  Chezy,  and  then  sat  down,  there, 
 and  on  the  Yonne,  two  winters  in  the  two  places.  And  that 
 same  year  Charles*  king  of  the  French  died  ;  and  six  weeks 
 before  he  died,  Arnulf  his  brother's  son  bereaved  him  of  the 
 kingdom.  And  then  was  that  kingdom  divided  into  five, 
 and  five  kings  were  consecrated  thereto.  This,  however, 
 was  done  by  permission  of  Arnulf :  and  they  said  that  they 
 would  hold  it  from  his  hand,  because  none  of  them  on  the 
 father's  side  was  born  thereto  except  him  alone.  Arnulf 
 then  dwelt  in  the  land  east  of  the  Ehine  :  and  Rodulf  then 
 succeeded  to  the  middle  kingdom,f  and  Oda  to  the  western 
 part,  and  Beorngar  and  Witha:}:  to  the  land  of  the  Lombards 
 and  to  the  lands  on  tliat  side  of  the  mountain  :  and  that  they 
 held  in  great  discord,  and  fought  two  general  battles,  and  oft 
 and  many  times  laid  waste  the  land,  and  each  repeatedly 
 drove  out  the  other.  And  that  same  year  that  the  army 
 went  up  beyond  the  bridge  at  Paris,  Ethelhelm  the  ealdor- 
 man §  carried  the  alms  of  the  West- Saxons  and  of  king 
 Alfred  to  Rome. 
 
 A.  888.  This  year  Beeke  the  ealdorman  carried  the  alms 
 of  the  West- Saxons  and  of  king  Alfred  to  Rome  ;  and  queen 
 Ethelswith,  who  was  king  Alfred's  sister,  died  on  the  way 
 to  Rome,  and  her  body  lies  at  Pavia.  And  that  same  year 
 Athelred  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  Ethelwold  the  eal- 
 dorman died  in  the  same  month. 
 
 A.  889.  In  this  year  there  was  no  journey  to  Rome,  ex- 
 cept that  king  Alfred  sent  two  couriers  with  letters. 
 
 A.  890.  This  year  abbat  Bernhelm  carried  the  alms  of 
 the  West- Saxons  and  of  king  Alfred  to  Rome.  And  Goth- 
 run  the  Northern  king  died,  whose  baptismal  name  was 
 Athelstan  ;  he  was  king  Alfred's  godson,  and  he  abode  in 
 East-Anglia,  and  first  settled  that  country.  And  that  same 
 year  the  army  went  from  the  Seine  to  St.  Lo,  wliich  is  be- 
 tween Brittany  and  France  ;  and  the  Bretons  fought  against 
 them,  and  had  the  victory,  and  drove  them  out  into  a  river, 
 
 •  Tne  Fat.  +  Burgundy.  t  Guido.  §  Of  Wilts. 
 
360  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.     La.d.  891-894. 
 
 and  drowned  many  of  them.  This  year  Plegmund  was 
 chosen  of  God  and  of  all  the  people  to  be  archbishop  of 
 Canterbury. 
 
 A.  891.  This  year  the  army  went  eastward  ;  and  king 
 Arnulf,  with  the  East-Franks  and  Saxons  and  Bavarians, 
 fought  against  that  part  Avhich  was  mounted  before  the  ships 
 came  up,  and  put  them  to  flight.  And  three  Scots  came  to 
 king  Alfred  in  a  boat  without  any  oars  from  Ireland,  whence 
 they  liad  stolen  away,  because  they  desired  for  the  love  of 
 God  to  be  in  a  state  of  pilgrimage,  they  recked  not  where. 
 The  boat  in  wliich  they  came  was  made  of  two  hides  and  a 
 half ;  and  they  took  with  them  provisions  sufficient  for  seven 
 days  ;  and  then  about  the  seventh  day  they  came  on  shore  in 
 Cornwall,  and  soon  after  went  to  king  AJfred.  Thus  they 
 were  named ;  Dubslane,  and  Macbeth,  and  Maelinmun. 
 And  S"\vinney,  the  best  teacher  among  the  Scots,  died. 
 
 A.  892.  And  that  same  year  after  Easter,  about  Rogation 
 week  or  before,  the  star  appeared  which  in  Latin  is  called 
 cometa;  some  men  say  in  English  that  it  is  a  hairy  star, 
 because  a  long  radiance  streams  from  it,  sometimes  on  the 
 one  side,  and  sometimes  on  each  side. 
 
 A.  893.  In  this  year  the  great  army,  about  wliich  we  for- 
 merly spoke,*  came  again  from  the  eastern  kingdom  westward 
 to  Boulogne,  and  there  Avas  shipped  ;  so  that  they  came  over 
 in  one  passage,  horses  and  all ;  and  they  came  to  land  at 
 Limne-mouth  with  two  hundred  and  fifty  ships.  This  port 
 is  in  the  eastern  part  of  Kent,  at  the  east  end  of  the  great 
 wood  which  we  caU  Andred  ;  the  wood  is  in  length  from 
 east  to  west  one  hundi'ed  and  twenty  miles,  or  longer,  and 
 thirty  miles  broad  :  the  river  of  which  we  before  spoke  flows 
 out  of  the  weald.  On  this  river  they  towed  up  their  ships 
 as  far  as  the  weald,  four  miles  from  the  outward  harbour, 
 and  there  stormed  a  fortress  :  within  the  fortress  a  few 
 churls  were  stationed,  and  it  was  in  part  only  constructed. 
 Then  soon  after  that  Hasten  with  eighty  ships  landed  at  the 
 mouth  of  the  Thames,  and  wrought  himself  a  fortress  at 
 Milton  ;  and  the  other  army  did  the  like  at  Appledore. 
 
 A.  894.  In  this  year,  that  was  about  a  twelve-month  after 
 these  had  wrought  the  fortress  in  the  eastern  district,  the 
 North-humbrians  and  the  East- Angles  had  given  oaths  to 
 *  See  back  at  a.d.  891. 
 
A.I..  Sa.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  361 
 
 king  Alfred,  and  the  East-Angles  six  hostages  ;  and  never- 
 theless, contrary  to  their  plighted  troth,  as  oft  as  the  other 
 armies  went  out  with  all  their  force,  they  also  went  out, 
 either  with  them  or  on  their  own  part.  On  this  king  Alfred 
 gathered  together  his  forces,  and  proceeded  until  he  en- 
 camped between  the  two  armies,  as  near  as  he  could  for  the 
 wood  fastnesses,  and  for  the  water  fastnesses,  so  that  he 
 might  be  able  to  reach  either  of  them  in  case  they  should 
 seek  any  open  country.  From  this  time  the  enemy  always 
 went  out  along  the  weald  in  bands  and  troops,  by  whichever 
 border  was  at  the  time  without  forces  :  and  they  also  were 
 sought  out  by  other  bands,  almost  every  day,  either  by  day 
 or  night,  as  well  from  the  king's  force  as  also  from  the  towns. 
 The  king  had  divided  his  forces  into  two,  so  that  one  half 
 was  constantly  at  home,  the  other  half  in  the  field  ;  besides 
 those  men  whose  duty  it  was  to  defend  the  towns.  The  army 
 did  not  come  out  of  their  stations  with  their  whole  force 
 oftener  than  twice  :  once  when  they  first  came  to  land,  be- 
 fore the  forces  were  assembled  ;  a  second  time  when  they 
 would  go  away  from  their  stations.  Then  had  they  taken 
 much  booty,  and  would  at  that  time  go  northward  over  the 
 Thames  into  Essex  towards  their  ships.  Then  the  king's 
 forces  outrode  and  got  before  them,  and  fought  against  them 
 at  Farnham,  and  put  the  army  to  flight,  and  retook  the 
 booty  ;  and  they  fled  over  the  Thames,  where  there  was  no 
 ford  ;  then  up  along  the  Colne  into  an  island.  Then  the 
 forces  there  beset  them  about  so  long  as  they  there  had  any 
 provisions  :  but  at  length  they  had  stayed  their  term  of  ser- 
 vice, and  had  consumed  their  provisions  ;  and  the  king  was 
 then  on  his  way  thitherwards  with  the  division  which 
 warred  under  liim.  While  he  was  on  his  way  thither,  and 
 the  other  force  was  gone  homewards,  and  the  Danish-men 
 remained  there  behind,  because  their  king  had  been  wounded 
 in  the  battle,  so  that  they  could  not  carry  him  away,  then 
 those  who  dwell  among  the  North-humbrians  and  among  the 
 East-Anglians  gathered  some  hundred  ships  and  went  about 
 south  ;  and  some  forty  ships  about  to  the  north,  and  be- 
 sieged a  fortress  in  Devonshire  by  the  north  sea  ;  and  those 
 who  went  about  to  the  south  besieged  Exeter.  When  the 
 king  heard  that,  then  turned  he  westward  towards  Exeter 
 with  all  his  force,  except  a  very  strong  body  of  the  people 
 
362  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  8P4. 
 
 eastward.  These  went  onwards  until  thej  came  to  London ; 
 and  then  with  the  townsmen,  and  the  aid  which  came  to 
 them  from  the  west,  they  went  east  to  Bamfleet.  Hasten 
 was  then  come  there  with  his  band  which  before  sat  at 
 Milton  ;  and  the  great  army  was  also  come  thereto,  which 
 before  sat  at  Appledore  near  Limne-mouth.  The  fortress  at 
 Bamfleet  had  been  ere  this  constructed  by  Hasten,  and  he 
 was  at  that  time  gone  out  to  plunder  ;  and  the  great  army 
 was  therein.  Then  came  they  thereto,  and  put  the  army  to 
 flight,  and  stormed  the  fortress,  and  took  all  that  was  within 
 it,  as  well  the  property,  as  the  women,  and  tlie  children  also, 
 and  brought  the  whole  to  London  ;  and  all  the  ships  they 
 either  broke  in  pieces  or  burned,  or  brought  to  London  or  to 
 Rochester  ;  and  they  brought  the  wife  of  Hasten  and  liis 
 two  sons  to  the  king  :  and  he  afterwards  gave  them  up  to 
 him  again,  because  one  of  them  was  his  godson,  and  the 
 other  Ethered,  the  ealdorman's.  They  had  become  their 
 godfathers  before  Hasten  came  to  Bamfleet,  and  at  that 
 time  Hasten  had  delivered  to  him  hostages  and  taken  oaths : 
 and  the  king  had  also  given  him  many  gifts  ;  and  so  like- 
 wise when  he  gave  up  the  youth  and  the  woman.  But  as 
 soon  as  they  came  to  Bamfleet,  and  the  fortress  was  con- 
 structed, then  plundered  he  that  very  port  of  the  king's  realm 
 which  was  in  the  keeping  of  Ethered  his  compeer  ;  and 
 again,  this  second  time,  he  had  gone  out  to  plunder  that  very 
 same  district  when  his  fortress  was  stormed.  Now  the  king 
 with  his  forces  had  turned  westward  towards  Exeter,  as  I 
 said  before,  and  the  army  had  beset  the  city  ;  but  when 
 he  arrived  there,  then  went  they  to  their  ships.  While  the 
 king  was  thus  busied  with  the  army  there,  in  the  west,  and 
 both  the  other  armies  had  drawn  together  at  Shoebury  in 
 Essex,  and  there  had  constructed  a  fortress,  then  both  to- 
 gether went  up  along  the  Thames,  and  a  great  addition 
 came  to  them,  as  well  from  the  East-Anglians  as  from  the 
 North-humbrians.  They  then  went  up  along  the  Thames 
 till  they  reached  the  Severn  ;  then  up  along  the  Severn. 
 Then  Ethered  the  ealdorman,  and  Ethelra  the  ealdorman, 
 and  Ethelnoth  the  ealdorman,  and  the  king's  thanes  who 
 were  then  at  home  in  the  fortified  places,  gathered  forces 
 from  every  town  east  of  the  Parret,  and  as  well  west  as  east 
 of  Selwood,  and  also  north  of  the  Thames,  and  west  of  the 
 
A.D.  895.J  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  363 
 
 Severn,  and  also  some  part  of  the  North -Welsh  people. 
 When  thej  had  all  drawn  together,  then  they  came  up  with 
 the  army  at  Buttington  on  the  banks  of  the  Severn,  and  there 
 b3set  them  about,  on  either  side,  in  a  fastness.  When  tliey 
 liad  now  sat  there  many  weeks  on  both  sides  of  the  river, 
 and  the  king  was  in  the  west  in  Devon,  against  the  fleet, 
 then  were  the  enemy  distressed  for  want  of  food  ;  and  hav- 
 ing eiiten  a  great  part  of  their  horses,  the  others  being 
 starved  with  hunger,  then  went  they  out  against  the  men 
 who  were  encamped  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  and  fought 
 against  them  :  and  the  Christians  had  the  victory.  And 
 Ordhelm  a  king's  thane  was  there  slain,  and  also  many  other 
 king's  thanes  were  slain  ;  and  of  the  Danish-men  there  was 
 very  great  slaughter  made  ;  and  that  part  which  got  away 
 thence  was  saved  by  flight.  When  they  had  come  into 
 Essex  to  their  fortress  and  to  their  ships,  then  the  survivors 
 again  gathered  a  great  army  from  among  the  East- Angles 
 and  the  North-humbrians  before  winter,  and  committed  their 
 wives  and  their  ships  and  their  wealth  to  the  East-Angles, 
 and  went  at  one  stretch,  day  and  night,  until  they  arrived  at 
 a  western  city  in  Wirall,  which  is  called  Lega-ceaster 
 [Chester].  Then  were  the  forces  unable  to  come  up  with 
 them  before  they  were  within  the  fortress  :  nevertheless 
 they  beset  the  fortress  about  for  some  two  days,  and  took  all 
 the  cattle  that  was  there  Avithout,  and  slew  the  men  whom 
 they  were  able  to  overtake  without  the  fortress,  and  burned 
 all  the  corn,  and  with  their  horses  ate  it  every  evening. 
 And  this  was  about  a  twelve-month  after  they  first  came 
 hither  over  sea. 
 
 A.  895.  And  then  soon  after  that,  in  this  year,  the  army 
 from  Wirall  went  among  the  North- Welsh,  for  they  were 
 unable  to  stay  there  :  this  was  because  they  had  been  de- 
 prived both  of  the  cattle  and  of  the  corn  which  they  had 
 plundered.  When  they  had  turned  again  out  of  North- 
 Wales,  with  the  booty  which  tliey  had  there  taken,  then 
 went  they  over  Nortliumberland  and  East-Anglia,  in 
 such  wise  that  the  forces  could  not  overtake  them  before 
 they  came  to  the  eastern  parts  of  the  land  of  Essex,  to  an 
 island  that  is  out  on  the  sea,  which  is  called  Mersey.  And 
 as  the  army  which  had  beset  Exeter  again  turned  homewards, 
 then  spoiled  they  the  South-Saxons  near  Chichester  ;  and 
 
3G4  THE   ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  896.  897. 
 
 the  townsmen  put  them  to  flight,  and  slew  many  hundreds 
 of  them,  and  took  some  of  their  ships.  Then  that  same 
 year,  before  winter,  the  Danish-men  who  had  sat  down  in 
 Mersey,  towed  their  ships  up  the  Thames,  and  thence  up  the 
 Lea.  This  was  about  two  years  after  they  had  come  hither 
 over  sea. 
 
 A.  896.  In  that  same  year  the  fore-mentioned  army  con- 
 structed a  fortress  on  the  Lea,  twenty  miles  above  London. 
 After  this,  in  summer,  a  great  body  of  the  townsmen,  and 
 also  of  other  people,  went  onwards  until  they  arrived  at  the 
 Danish  fortress  ;  and  there  they  were  put  to  flight,  and 
 some  four  king's  thanes  were  slain.  Then  after  this,  during 
 harvest,  the  king  encamped  near  to  the  town,  while  the 
 people  reaped  the  corn,  so  that  the  Danish-men  might  not 
 deprive  them  of  the  crop.  Then  on  a  certain  day  the  king 
 rode  up  along  the  river,  and  observed  where  the  river  might 
 be  obstructed,  so  that  they  would  be  unable  to  bring  out 
 their  ships.  And  they  then  did  thus  :  they  constructed  two 
 fortresses  on  the  two  sides  of  the  river.  When  they  had 
 already  begun  the  work,  and  had  encamped  before  it, 
 then  perceived  the  army  that  they  should  not  be  able  to 
 bring  out  their  ships.  They  then  abandoned  them,  and 
 went  across  the  country  till  they  arrived  at  Bridgenorth  by 
 the  Severn  ;  and  there  they  constructed  a  fortress.  Then 
 the  forces  rode  westwards  after  the  army  :  and  the  men  of 
 London  took  possession  of  the  ships  ;  but  all  which  they 
 could  not  bring  away,  they  broke  up,  and  those  which  were 
 worthy  of  capture  they  brought  to  London  :  moreover  the 
 Danish-men  had  committed  their  mves  to  the  keeping  of  the 
 East- Angles  before  they  went  out  from  their  fortress.  Then 
 sat  they  down  for  the  winter  at  Bridgenorth.  This  was 
 about  three  years  after  they  had  come  liither  over  sea  to 
 Limne-mouth. 
 
 A.  897.  After  this,  in  the  summer  of  this  year,  the  army 
 broke  up,  some  for  East-Anglia,  some  for  North-humbria  ; 
 and  they  who  were  moneyless  procured  themselves  ships 
 there,  and  went  southwards  over  sea  to  the  Seine.  Thanks 
 be  to  God,  the  army  had  not  utterly  broken  down  the  Eng- 
 lish nation  ;  but  during  the  three  years  it  was  much  more 
 broken  down  by  the  mortality  among  cattle  and  among  men, 
 and  most  of  all  by  tliis,   that  many  of  the  most  eminent 
 
A.D  897.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  365 
 
 king's  thanes  in  the  land  died  during  the  three  years  ;  some 
 of  Avliom  were,  Swithulf,  bishop  of  Rochester,  and  Ceol- 
 mund,  ealdorman  of  Kent,  and  Bertulf,  ealdorman  of 
 Essex,  and  Wulfred,  ealdorman  of  Hampshire,  and  Eal- 
 hard,  bishop  of  Dorchester,  and  Eadulf,  the  king's  thane  in 
 Sussex,  and  Bernwulf,  the  governor  of  Winchester,  and 
 Eadulf,  the  king's  horse-thane,  and  many  also  besides  these, 
 though  I  have  named  the  most  distinguished.  That  same 
 year  the  armies  from  among  the  East-Anghans  and  from 
 among  the  North-humbrians  harassed  the  land  of  the  West- 
 Saxons,  chiefly  on  the  south  coast,  by  praedatory  bands  ; 
 most  of  all  by  their  esks,  which  they  had  built  many 
 years  before.  Then  king  Alfred  commanded  long  ships  to 
 be  built  to  oppose  the  esks  ;  they  were  full-nigh  twice  as 
 long  as  the  others  ;  some  had  sixty  oars,  and  some  had  more ; 
 they  were  both  swifter  and  steadier,  and  also  higlier  than  the 
 others.  They  were  shapen  neither  like  the  Frisian  nor  the 
 Danish,  but  so  as  it  seemed  to  him  they  would  be  most  efficient. 
 Then  some  time  in  the  same  year,  there  came  six  ships  to  the 
 Isle  of  Wight,  and  there  did  much  harm,  as  well  as  in  Devon, 
 and  elsewhere  on  the  sea-coast.  Then  the  king  commanded 
 nine  of  the  new  ships  to  go  thither,  and  they  obstructed  their 
 passage  from  the  port  towards  the  outer  sea.  Then  went 
 they  with  three  of  their  ships  out  against  tliem  ;  and  three 
 lay  in  the  upper  part  of  the  port  in  the  dry  ;  for  the  men 
 were  gone  ashore.  Then  took  they  two  of  the  three 
 ships  at  the  outer  part  of  the  port,  and  killed  the  men,  and 
 the  other  ship  escaped  ;  in  that  also  the  men  were  killed  ex- 
 cept five  :  they  got  away  because  the  other  ships  were 
 aground.  They  also  were  aground  very  disadvantageously  : 
 three  lay  aground  on  that  side  of  the  deep  on  which  the 
 Danish  ships  were  aground,  and  all  the  rest  upon  the  other 
 side,  so  that  no  one  of  them  could  get  to  the  others.  But 
 when  the  water  had  ebbed  many  furlongs  from  the  ships, 
 then  the  Danish-men  went  from  their  three  ships  to  the 
 other  three  which  were  left  by  the  tide  on  tlieir  side,  and 
 then  they  there  fought  against  them.  There  was  slain  Lu- 
 cumon,  the  king's  reeve,  and  Wulfheard,  the  Frisian,  and 
 Ebb,  the  Frisian,  and  Ethelere,  the  Frisian,  and  Ethelferth, 
 the  Idng's  neat-herd,  and  of  all  the  men,  Frisians  and  Eng- 
 lish, seventy-two  ;  and  of  the  Danish-men,  one  hundred  and 
 
366  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CKRONICLE.  [a.d.  89S-901 
 
 twenty.  Then,  however,  the  flood-tide  came  to  the  Danish 
 ships  before  the  Christians  could  shove  theirs  off,  and  they 
 therefore  rowed  them,  out  :  nevertheless,  they  were  damaged 
 to  such  a  degree  that  they  could  not  row  round  the  Sussex 
 land  ;  and  there  the  sea  cast  two  of  them  on  shore,  and  the 
 men  were  led  to  the  king  at  Winchester  ;  and  he  commanded 
 them  to  be  there  hanged :  and  the  men  who  were  in  the 
 single  ship  came  to  East-Anglia,  sorely  wounded.  That 
 same  summer  no  less  than  twenty  ships,  with  their  crews, 
 wholly  perished  upon  the  south  coast.  That  same  year  died 
 Wulfric,  the  king's  horse-thane ;  he  was  also  "  Wealh- 
 reeve." 
 
 A.  898.  In  this  year  died  Ethelm,  ealdorman  of  Wiltshire, 
 nine  days  before  midsummer  ;  and  tliis  year  died  Elstan, 
 who  was  bishop  of  London. 
 
 A.  899.  900. 
 
 A.  901.  This  year  died  Alfred,  the  son  of  Ethelwulf,  six 
 days  before  the  mass  of  All  Saints.  He  was  king  over  the  whole 
 English  nation,  except  that  part  wliich  was  under  the  do- 
 minion of  the  Danes  ;  and  he  held  the  kingdom  one  year 
 and  a  half  less  than  thirty  years.  And  then  Edward  liis 
 son  succeeded  to  the  kingdom.  Then  Ethelwald,  the  ethe- 
 ling,  his  uncle's  son,  seized  the  castle  at  Wimborne*  and  that  at 
 Twineham,!  without  leave  of  the  king  and  of  his  "witan." 
 Then  rode  the  king  with  his  forces  until  he  encamped  at 
 Badbury,  near  Wimborne  ;  and  Ethelwald  sat  within  the 
 vill,  ^vith  the  men  who  had  submitted  to  him  ;  and  he  had 
 obstructed  all  the  approaches  towards  him,  and  said  that  he 
 would  do  one  of  two  things — or  there  live,  or  there  lie. 
 But  notwithstanding  that,  he  stole  away  by  night,  and 
 sought  the  army  in  ISTorth-liumbria  ;  and  they  received  him 
 for  their  king,  and  became  obedient  to  him.  And  the  king 
 commanded  that  he  shouLl  be  ridden  after  ;  but  they  were 
 unable  to  overtake  him.  They  then  beset  the  woman  whom 
 he  had  before  taken,  without  the  king's  leave,  and  against 
 the  bishop's  command  ;  for  she  had  previously  been  conse- 
 crated a  nun.  And  in  this  same  year  Ethelred,  who  was 
 ealdorman  of  Devonshire,  died,  four  weeks  before  lung 
 Alfred. 
 
 *  Dorsetshire. 
 
 t  Christchurch,  New  Forest  division  of  Southampton. 
 
A.D  902-906.]  THE    A^'GLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  367 
 
 A.  902.  And  tliat  same  year  was  the  battle  at  the  Holme, 
 between  the  Kentish-men  and  the  Danish-men. 
 
 A.  902.  This  year  Elswitha  died. 
 
 A.  903.  This  year  died  Athulf,  the  ealdorman,  brother  of 
 Elswitha,  king  Edward's  mother  ;  and  Virgilius,  abbat  of 
 the  Scots  ;  and  Grimbald,  the  mass-priest,  on  the  8th  before  the 
 Ides  of  July.  And  this  same  year  w^as  the  consecration  of 
 the  New-minster  at  Winchester,  and  St.  Judoc's  advent. 
 
 A.  904.  This  year  Etlielwald  came  hither  over  sea  with 
 the  ships  that  he  was  able  to  gel,  and  he  was  submitted  to  in 
 Essex.     This  year  the  moon  was  eclipsed. 
 
 A.  905.  This  year  Ethelwald  enticed  the  army  in  East- 
 Anglia  to  break  the  peace,  so  that  they  ravaged  over  all  the 
 land  of  Mercia  until  they  came  to  Cricklade,  and  there  they 
 went  over  the  Thames,  and  took,  as  well  in  Bradon  as 
 thereabout,  all  that  they  could  lay  hands  on,  and  then  turned 
 homewards  again.  Then  king  Edward  went  after  them,  as 
 speedily  as  he  could  gather  his  forces,  and  overran  all  their 
 land  between  the  dikes  and  the  Ouse,  all  as  far  north  as  the 
 fens.  When,  after  this,  he  would  return  thence,  then 
 commanded  he  it  to  be  proclaimed  through  his  whole  force, 
 that  they  should  all  return  together.  Then  the  Kentish-men 
 remained  there  behind,  notwithstanding  his  orders,  and 
 seven  messengers  whom  he  had  sent  to  them.  Then  the 
 army  there  came  up  to  them,  and  there  fought  them  :  and 
 there  Siwulf  the  ealdorman,  and  Sigelm  the  ealdorman,  and 
 Eadwold  the  king's  thane,  and  Kenwulf  the  abbat,  and 
 Sigebright  son  of  Siwulf,  and  Eadwold  son  of  Acca,  were 
 slain,  and  likewise  many  with  them,  though  I  have  named 
 the  most  distinguished.  And  on  the  Danish  side  were  slain 
 Eohric  their  king,  and  Ethelwald  the  etheling,  who  had 
 enticed  him  to  break  the  peace,  and  Byrtsige  son  of  Brith- 
 noth  the  etheling,  and  Ysopk  the  'hold'  [governor?],  and  Os- 
 kytel  the  hold,  and  very  many  ^vith  them,  whom  Ave  are  now 
 unable  to  name.  And  there  was  great  slaughter  made  on 
 either  hand  ;  and  of  the  Danish-men  tliere  were  more  slain, 
 though  they  had  possession  of  the  place  of  carnage.  And 
 Elhswitha  died  that  same  year.  This  year  a  comet  aj^peared 
 on  the  thirteenth  b^ifore  the  Kalends  of  November. 
 
 A.  906.  In  this  year  died  Alfred,  who  was  governor  of 
 
368  THE    AXGLO-SAXON    CHROXICLE.  [a.  d.  90G— 911. 
 
 Bath.  And  in  the  same  year  peace  was  concluded  at  Hitch- 
 ingford,  even  as  king  Edward  ordained,  as  well  with  the 
 East-Angles  as  with  the  North-humbrians. 
 
 A.  906.  This  year  king  Edward,  from  necessity,  concluded  a  peace  both 
 with  the  army  of  East-Anglia  and  of  North-humbria. 
 
 A.  907.  This  year  Chester  was  repaired. 
 
 A.  908.  Tliis  year  died  Denewulf,  who  was  bishop  at 
 Winchester. 
 
 A.  909.  This  year  St.  Oswald's  body  was  removed  from 
 Bardney  into  Mercia. 
 
 A.  910.  This  year  Frithstan  succeeded  to  the  bishopric 
 at  Winchester  :  and,  after  that,  bishop  Asser  died  ;  he  was 
 bishop  at  Sherborne.  And  that  same  year  king  Edward 
 sent  out  a  force  both  of  West- Saxons  and  of  Mercians,  and 
 they  greatly  spoiled  the  army  of  the  north,  as  well  of  men  a? 
 of  every  kind  of  cattle,  and  slew  many  of  the  Danish-men  : 
 and  they  were  therein  five  weeks.  In  this  year  the  Angles 
 and  the  Danes  fought  at  Tootenhall  on  the  eighth  before  the 
 Ides  of  August,  and  the  Angles  obtained  the  victory.  And 
 that  same  year  Ethelfled  built  the  fortress  at  Bramsbury. 
 
 A.  910.  This  year  the  army  of  the  Angles  and  of  the  Danes  fought  at 
 Tootenhall.  And  Ethelred  ealdor  of  the  Mercians  died  ;  and  king  Edward 
 took  possession  of  London,  and  of  Oxford,  and  of  all  the  lands  which 
 owed  obedience  thereto.  And  a  great  fleet  came  hither  from  the  south, 
 from  the  Lidwiccas,  [Brittany,]  and  greatly  ravaged  by  the  Severn  ;  but 
 they  there,  afterwards,  almost  all  perished. 
 
 A.  911.  This  year  the  army  among  the  North-humbrians 
 broke  the  peace,  and  despised  whatever  peace  king  Edward 
 and  his  'witan'  offered  them,  and  overran  the  land  of  Mercia. 
 And  the  king  had  gathered  together  some  hundred  ships,  and 
 was  then  in  Kent,  and  the  ships  went  south-east  along  the 
 sea-coast  towards  him.  Then  thought  the  army  that  the 
 greatest  part  of  his  force  was  in  the  ships,  and  that  they 
 should  be  able  to  go,  unfought,  wheresoever  they  chose. 
 When  the  king  learned  that,  that  they  were  gone  out  to 
 plunder,  then  sent  he  his  forces  after  them,  both  of  the  West- 
 Saxons  and  of  the  Mercians  ;  and  they  overtook  the  army  as 
 they  were  on  their  way  homewards,  and  then  fought  against 
 them,  and  put  them  to  flig]it,  and  slew  many  thousands  of 
 them  ;  and  there  were  slain  king  Ec^vils,  and  king  Halfdene 
 and  Ohter  the  earl,  and  Scurf  the  earl,  and  Othulf  the  hold, 
 
A.D.  911— 916.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  369 
 
 and  Benesing  the  hold,  and  Anlaf  the  black,  and  Thurferth 
 the  hold,  and  Osf  erth  the  collector  and  Guthferth  the  hold,  and 
 Agmund  the  hold,  and  Guthferth. 
 
 A,  911.  Then  the  next  year  after  this  died  Ethelred  lord  of  tlie 
 Mercians. 
 
 A.  912.  This  year  died  Ethered  ealdorman  of  the 
 Mercians  ;  and  king  Edward  took  possession  of  London  and 
 of  Oxford,  and  of  all  the  lands  which  owed  obedience  thereto. 
 This  year  Ethelfled  lady  of  the  Mercians  came  to  Scaergate 
 on  the  holy  eve,  '  Invention  of  the  Holy  Cross,'  and  there 
 built  the  fortress  ;  and  the  same  year,  that  at  Bridgenorth. 
 
 A.  913.  In  this  year,  about  Martinmas,*  king  Edward 
 commanded  the  northern  fortress  to  be  built  at  Hertford, 
 between  the  Memer,  the  Benewic,  and  the  Lea.  And  then 
 after  that,  during  the  summer,  between  Rogation-days  and 
 midsummer,  king  Edward  went  with  some  of  his  forces  to 
 Maldon  in  Essex,  and  there  encamped,  whilst  the  fortress  at 
 Witham  was  wrought  and  built ;  and  a  good  part  of  the 
 people  who  were  before  under  the  dominion  of  the  Danish- 
 men  submitted  to  him  :  and  in  the  meanwhile  some  part  of 
 his  force  constructed  the  fortress  at  Hertford,  on  the  south  side 
 of  the  Lea.  This  year,  by  the  help  of  God,  Ethelfled  lady 
 of  the  Mercians  went  with  all  tlie  Mercians  to  Tamworth, 
 and  there  built  the  fortress  early  in  the  summer ;  and  after 
 this  before  Lammas,  that  at  Stafford. 
 
 A.  914.  Then  after  this,  in  the  next  year,  that  at 
 Eddesbury,  early  in  the  summer  ;  and  afterrv^ards,  in  the 
 same  year,  late  in  harvest,  that  at  Warwick. 
 
 A.  915.  Then  after  this,  in  the  next  year,  after  mid- 
 winter, that  at  Cherburg,  and  that  at  Warburton  ;  and 
 that  same  year,  before  mid-winter,  that  at  Runcorn. 
 
 A.  9] 5.  This  year  was  Warwick  built. 
 
 A.  916.  This  year  abbat  Egbert  was  guiltlessly  slain,  be- 
 fore midsummer,  on  the  sixteenth  before  the  Kalends  of  July  : 
 the  same  day  was  the  feast  of  the  martyr  St.  Ciricius  and 
 his  fellows.  And  about  three  days  after  this,  Ethelfled  sent 
 her    forces    among    the    Welsh,   and    stormed    Brecknock, 
 
 *  Florence  of  Worcester  seems  to  understand  tliis  as  relating  to  the 
 festival  of  St.  Martin  of  Tours,  1 1  Nov.  and  places  Maldon,  &c.  as  well  as 
 the  events  of  917  of  the  text,  under  the  year  914. 
 
 B  B 
 
370  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  La.d.  917, 918. 
 
 and  there  took  tlie  king's  wife,  and  some  four  and  tliirty 
 persons. 
 
 A.  917.  In  this  year,  after  Easter,  the  army  rode  forth 
 from  Northampton  and  Leicester,  and  broke  the  peace,  and 
 slew  many  men  at  Hockerton,  and  there  about.  And  then  very 
 speedily  after  that,  when  the  one  came  home,  then  they  got 
 ready  another  troop  which  rode  out  against  Leighton :  and  then 
 the  inhabitants  were  aware  of  them,  and  fought  against  them, 
 and  put  them  to  full  flight,  and  retook  all  which  they  had 
 seized,  and  also  a  great  portion  of  their  horses  and  of  their 
 weapons.  This  year,  before  Lammas,  Ethelfled,  lady  of  the 
 Ivlercians,  God  helping  her,  got  possession  of  the  fortress  which 
 is  called  Derby,  w^ith  all  that  owed  obedience  thereto  ;  and 
 there  also  were  slain,  within  the  gates,  four  of  her  thanes, 
 which  to  her  was  a  cause  of  sorrow. 
 
 A.  918.  This  year,  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  by  God's 
 help,  she  got  into  her  power,  by  treaty,  the  fortress  at  Leicester, 
 and  the  greater  part  of  the  army  w^hich  owed  obedience 
 thereto  became  subject  to  her;  and  the  people  of  York  had 
 also  covenanted  with  her,  some  having  given  a  pledge,  and 
 some  having  bound  themselves  by  oath,  that  they  would  be 
 at  her  command.  Li  this  year  a  great  fleet  came  over  hither 
 from  the  south,  from  the  Lidwiccas,  [Brittany,]  and  with  it 
 two  earls,  Olitor  and  Rhoald :  and  they  went  west  about  till 
 they  arrived  within  the  mouth  of  the  Severn,  and  they 
 spoiled  the  North- Welsh  everj^vhere  by  the  sea-coast  where 
 they  then  pleased.  And  in  Archenfield  they  took  bishop* 
 Cameleac,  and  led  him  with  them  to  their  ships ;  and  then 
 king  Edward  ransomed  him  afterwards  with  forty  pounds. 
 Then  after  that,  the  whole  army  landed,  and  would  have  gone 
 once  more  to  plunder  about  Archenfield.  Then  met  them  the 
 men  of  Hereford  and  of  Gloucester,  and  of  the  nearest  towns, 
 and  fought  against  them  and  put  them  to  flight,  and  slew  the 
 earl  Rhoald,  and  a  brother  of  Ohter  the  other  earl,  and  many 
 of  the  army,  and  drove  them  into  an  inclosure,  and  there 
 beset  them  about,  until  they  delivered  hostages  to  them  that 
 they  would  depart  from  king  Edward's  dominion.  And  the 
 king  had  so  ordered  it  that  his  forces  sat  doAvn  against  them 
 on  the  south  side  of  Severn-mouth,  from  the  Welsh  coast 
 westward,  to  the  moutli  of  the  Avon  eastward ;  so  that  on 
 *  Of  LlandafF. 
 
1..D.918— 921.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  371 
 
 that  side  tliey  durst  not  anjrwiiere  attempt  tlie  land.  Then, 
 nevertheless,  thej  stole  away  by  night  on  some  two  occasions  ; 
 once,  to  the  east  of  Watchet,  and  another  time  to  Porlock. 
 But  they  were  beaten  on  either  occasion,  so  that  few  of  them 
 got  away,  except  those  alone  who  there  swam  out  to  the 
 ships.  And  then  they  sat  down,  out  on  the  island  of  Bradan- 
 relice,  [Flat-holms,]  until  such  time  as  they  w^ere  quite  desti- 
 tute of  food ;  and  many  men  died  of  hunger,  because  they 
 could  not  obtain  any  food.  Then  they  went  thence  to  Deo- 
 mod,  [S.  Wales,]  and  then  out  to  Ireland  :  and  this  was 
 during  harvest.  And  then  after  that,  in  the  same  year, 
 before  Ma'rtinmas,  king  Edward  went  with  his  forces  to 
 Buckingham,  and  there  sat  doTNii  four  weeks ;  and,  ere  he 
 went  thence,  he  erected  both  the  forts  on  either  side  of  the 
 river.  And  Thurkytel  the  earl  sought  to  him  to  be  his  lord, 
 and  all  the  captains,  and  almost  all  the  chief  men  who  owed 
 obedience  to  Bedford,  and  also  many  of  those  who  owed 
 obedience  to  Northampton. 
 
 A.  918.  But  very  shortly  after  they  had  become  so,  she  died  at  Tam- 
 Avorth,  twelve  days  before  midsmnmer,  the  eighth  year  of  her  having  rule 
 and  right  lordship  over  the  Mercians  ;  and  her  body  lies  at  Gloucester, 
 within  the  east  porch  of  St.  Peter's  chui-ch.     [See  end  of  a.d.  922.] 
 
 A.  918.  This  year  died  Ethelfled  the  lady  of  the  Mercians. 
 
 A.  919.  In  this  year,  before  Martinmas,  king  Edward 
 went  with  his  forces  to  Bedford,  and  gained  the  town  ;  and 
 almost  all  the  townsmen  who  formerly  dwelt  there  submitted 
 to  him :  and  he  sat  down  there  four  weeks,  and  commanded 
 the  town  to  be  built  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  before  lie 
 went  thence. 
 
 A.  919.  This  year  also  the  daughter  of  Ethelred,  lord  of  the  Mercians, 
 was  deprived  of  all  dominion  over  the  ^Mercians,  and  carried  into  Wessex, 
 three  weeks  before  mid-winter  :  she  was  called  Elfwina. 
 
 A.  920.  In  this  year,  before  midsummer,  king  Edward 
 went  to  Maldon,  and  built  the  town,  and  fortified  it  before  he 
 departed  thence.  And  that  same  year  Thurkytel  the  earl 
 went  over  sea  into  France,  together  with  such  men  as  would 
 follow  him,  with  the  peace  and  aid  of  king  Edward. 
 
 A.  921.  In  this  year,  before  Easter,  king  Edward  gave 
 
 orders  to  take  possession  of  the  town  at   Towcester,  and  to 
 
 fortify  it.     And  again,  after  that,  in  the  same  year,   during 
 
 Rogation   days,    he   commanded  the  town   at   Wigmore   to 
 
 B  b2 
 
6  I  2  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.  d.  921. 
 
 be  built.  That  same  summer,  between  Lammas  and  mid- 
 summer, the  army  from  Northampton  and  from  Leicester, 
 and  thence  north,  broke  the  peace,  and  went  to  Towcester, 
 and  fought  against  the  town  the  whole  day ;  and  they  thought 
 that  they  should  be  able  to  take  it  by  storm.  But,  neverthe- 
 less, the  people  who  were  within  defended  it  until  a  larger 
 force  came  to  them  :  and  then  they  departed  from  the  town 
 and  went  away.  Then,  again  very  soon  after  that,  they  went 
 out  once  more  by  night  with  a  predatory  band,  and  came 
 upon  men  who  were  unprepared,  and  took  no  small  number 
 as  well  of  men  as  of  cattle  between  Burnham  wood  and  Ayles- 
 bury. At  that  same  time  went  out  the  army  from  Hunting- 
 don and  from  the  East- Angles,  and  constructed  the  fortress 
 at  Tempsford,  and  abode,  and  built  there ;  and  forsook  the 
 other  at  Huntingdon,  and  thought  that  from  thence  they 
 could,  by  warfare  and  hostility,  get  more  of  the  land  again. 
 And  they  went  forth  until  they  arrived  at  Bedford  :  and 
 then  the  men  who  were  there  within  went  out  against  them, 
 and  fought  with  them  and  put  them  to  flight,  and  slew  a 
 good  part  of  them.  Then  again,  after  that,  a  large  army 
 once  more  drew  together  from  East-Anglia  and  from  Mercia, 
 and  went  to  the  town  at  Wigmore,  and  beset  it  round 
 about,  and  fought  against  it  the  greater  part  of  the  day, 
 and  took  the  cattle  thereabout.  And  nevertheless,  the 
 men  who  were  within  the  town  defended  it ;  and  then  the 
 army  left  the  to^vn  and  went  away.  Then,  after  that,  in 
 the  same  summer,  much  people,  within  king  Edward's 
 dominion,  drew  together  out  of  the  nearest  towns,  who  could 
 go  thither,  and  went  to  Tempsford,  and  beset  the  town,  and 
 fought  against  it  till  they  took  it  by  storm,  and  slew  the  king, 
 and  Toglos  the  earl,  and  Mann  the  earl,  his  son,  and  his 
 brother,  and  all  those  who  were  there  within  and  would  de- 
 fend themselves ;  and  took  the  others,  and  all  that  was 
 therein.  Then,  very  soon  after  this,  much  people  drew 
 together  during  harvest,  as  well  from  Kent  as  from  Surrey 
 and  from  Essex,  and  from  each  of  the  nearest  towns,  and 
 went  to  Colchester,  and  beset  the  town,  and  fought  against 
 it  until  they  mastered  it,  and  slew  all  the  people  there  within, 
 and  took  all  that  was  there,  except  the  men  who  fled  away 
 over  the  wall.  Then  after  that,  once  again  during  the 
 ?ame  harvest,  a  large  army  drew  together  out  of  East-Anglia, 
 
A.D.  922.J  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  373 
 
 as  well  of  the  land-force  as  of  the  pirates  whom  they  had  en- 
 ticed to  their  aid ;  and  they  thought  that  they  should  be  able 
 to  avenge  their  wrongs.  And  tliey  went  to  Maldon,  and 
 beset  the  town,  and  fought  against  it  until  more  aid  came  to 
 the  help  of  the  townsmen  from  without ;  and  then  the  army 
 left  the  town  and  went  away.  And  then  the  men  from  the 
 town  went  out  after  them,  and  those  also  who  came  from 
 without  to  their  aid  ;  and  they  put  the  army  to  flight,  and 
 slew  many  hundreds  of  them,  as  well  of  the  pirates  as  of 
 the  others.  Then,  very  shortly  after,  during  the  same 
 harvest,  king  Edward  went  with  the  forces  of  the  West- 
 Saxons  to  Passoham,  and  sat  down  there  while  they  encom- 
 passed the  town  at  Towcester  with  a  stone  wall.  And  Thur- 
 ferth  the  earl,  and  the  captains,  and  all  the  army  which  owed 
 obedience  to  Northampton,  as  far  north  as  the  Welland,  sub- 
 mitted to  him,  and  sought  to  him  to  be  their  lord  and  pro- 
 tector. And  when  one  division  of  the  forces  went  home, 
 then  another  went  out,  and  took  possession  of  the  town  of 
 Huntingdon,  and  repaired  and  rebuilt  it,  by  command  of 
 king  Edward,  where  it  had  been  previously  demolished  ;  and 
 all  who  were  left  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  country  submitted 
 to  king  Edward,  and  sought  his  peace  and  his  protection. 
 And  after  this,  still  in  the  same  year,  before  Martinmas,  king 
 Edward  went  with  the  forces  of  the  West- Saxons  to  Col- 
 chester, and  repaired  the  town,  and  rebuilt  it  where  it  had 
 been  before  broken  dowai;  and  much  people  submitted  to 
 him,  as  well  among  the  East-Anghans  as  among  the  East 
 Saxons,  who  before  were  under  the  dominion  of  the  Danes. 
 And  all  the  army  among  the  East-Anglians  swore  union 
 with  him,  that  they  would  all  that  he  would,  and  would 
 observe  peace  towards  all  to  which  the  king  should  grant  his 
 peace,  both  by  sea  and  by  land.  And  the  army  which  owed 
 obedience  to  Cambridge  chose  liim  specially  to  be  their 
 lord  and  protector ;  and  confirmed  it  with  oaths,  even  as  he 
 then  decreed  it.  This  year  king  Edward  built  the  town  at 
 Gladmouth.     This  year  king  Sihtric  slew  Neil  his  brother. 
 
 A.  922.  In  this  year,  between  Rogation  days  and  mid- 
 summer, king  Edward  went  with  his  forces  to  Stamford, 
 and  commanded  the  town  to  be  built  upon  the  south  side  of 
 the  river:  and  all  the  people  which  owed  obedience  to  the 
 northern  town  submitted  to  him,  and  sought  to  him  to  be 
 
374  THE    ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  923—925, 
 
 their  lord.  And  then,  during  the  sojourn  which  he  there 
 made,  Ethelfled  his  sister  died  there,  at  Tamworth,  twelve 
 days  before  midsummer.  And  then  he  took  possession  of 
 the  town  at  Tamworth;  and  all  the  people  of  the  land  of 
 Mercia,  who  before  were  subject  to  Ethelfled,  submitted  to 
 him ;  and  the  kings  of  the  North- Welsh,  Howel,  and  Cle- 
 dauc,  and  Jothwel,  and  all  the  North- Welsh  race,  sought  to 
 him  to  be  their  lord.  Then  went  he  thence  to  Nottingham 
 and  took  possession  of  the  town,  and  commanded  it  to  be 
 repaired  and  occupied  as  well  by  English  as  by  Danes. 
 And  all  the  people  who  were  settled  in  Mercia,  as  well  Dan- 
 ish as  English,  submitted  to  liim. 
 
 A.  923.  In  this  year,  after  harvest,  king  Edward  went 
 with  his  forces  to  Thelwall,  and  commanded  the  town  to  be 
 built,  and  occupied,  and  manned;  and  commanded  another 
 force  also  of  INIercians,  the  while  that  he  sat  there,  to  take 
 possession  of  Manchester  in  North-humbria,  and  repair  and 
 man  it.  This  year  died  archbishop  Plegmund.  This  year 
 Idni^  Res^inald  won  York. 
 
 A.  924.  In  this  year,  before  midsummer,  king  Edward 
 went  with  his  forces  to  Nottingham,  and  commanded  the 
 town  to  be  built  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  over  against 
 the  other,  and  the  bridge  over  the  Trent,  between  the  two 
 towns:  and  then  he  went  thence  into  Peakland,  to  Bake- 
 well,  and  commanded  a  town  to  be  built  nigh  thereunto, 
 and  manned.  And  then  chose  liim  for  father  and  for  lord, 
 the  king  of  the  Scots  and  the  whole  nation  of  the  Scots,  and 
 Reginald  and  the  son  of  Eadulf  and  all  those  who  dwell  in 
 North-humbria,  as  well  English  as  Danes,  and  North-men 
 and  others,  and  also  the  king  of  the  Strath-clyde  Britons, 
 and  all  the  Strath-clyde  Britons. 
 
 A.  924.  This  year  Edward  was  chosen  for  father  and  for  lord  by  the 
 king  of  the  Scots,  and  by  the  Scots,  and  king  Reginald,  and  by  all  the 
 North-humbrians,  and  also  the  kmg  of  the  Strath-clyde  Britons,  and  by 
 all  the  Strath-clyde  Britons. 
 
 A.  924.  This  year  king  Edward  died  among  the  Mercians  at  Famdon; 
 and  very  shortly,  about  sixteen  days  after  this,  Elward  his  son  died  at 
 Oxford;  and  their  bodies  lie  at  Winchester.  And  Athelstan  was  chosen 
 king  by  the  jMercians,  and  consecrated  at  Kingston.  And  he  gave  his  sister 
 to  Ofsae  [Otho],  son  of  the  king  of  the  Old-Saxons. 
 
 A.  925.  This  year  king  Edward  died,  and  Athelstan  his 
 son  succeeded  to  the  kingdom.     And  St.  Dunstan  was  born : 
 
AD.  924-937.]  THE   ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.  375 
 
 and  Wulf  helm  succeeded  to  the  archbishopric  of  Canterbur}\ 
 This  year  king  Athelstan  and  Sihtric  king  of  the  North- 
 humbrians  came  together  at  Tamworth,  on  the  3d  before  the 
 Kalends  of  February ;  and  Athelstan  gave  him  his  sister. 
 
 A.  925.  This  year  Bishop  Wulfhelm  was  consecrated.  And  that  same 
 year  king  Edward  died. 
 
 A.  926.  This  year  fiery  lights  appeared  in  the  north  part 
 of  the  heavens.  And  Sihtric  perished:  and  king  Athel- 
 stan obtained  the  kingdom  of  the  North-humbrians.  And 
 he  ruled  all  the  kings  who  were  in  this  island :  first,  Howel 
 king  of  the  West- Welsh ;  and  Constantine  king  of  the  Scots ; 
 and  Owen  king  of  the  Monmouth  people ;  and  Aldred,  son  of 
 Ealdulf,  of  Bambrough:  and  they  confirmed  the  peace  by 
 pledge,  and  by  oaths,  at  the  place  which  is  called  Eamot, 
 on  the  4th  before  the  Ides  of  July ;  and  they  renounced  all 
 idolatry,  and  after  that  submitted  to  him  in  peace. 
 
 A.  927.  This  year  king  Athelstan  expelled  king  Guth- 
 frith.     And  this  year  Archbishop  Wulfhelm  went  to  Rome. 
 
 A.  928.  William  succeeded  to  Normandy,  and  held  it 
 fifteen  years. 
 
 A.  929.  930. 
 
 A.  931.  This  year  Brinstan  was  ordained  bishop  of  Win- 
 chester on  the  4th  before  the  Kalends  of  June ;  and  he  held 
 the  bishopric  two  years  and  a  half. 
 
 A.  931.  This  year  died  Frithstan  bishop  of  Winchester,  and  Brinstan 
 was  blessed  in  his  place. 
 
 A.  932.  This  year  died  bishop  Frithstan. 
 
 A.  933.  This  year  Edmn  the  etheling  was  drowned  at 
 sea.  This  year  king  Athelstan  went  into  Scotland,  as  well 
 with  a  land  army  as  with  a  fleet,  and  ravaged  a  great  part 
 of  it.  And  bishop  Brinstan  died  at  Winchester  on  the 
 feast  of  AU-HaUows. 
 
 A.  934.  This  year  bishop  Elphege  succeeded  to  the 
 bishopric  of  Winchester. 
 
 A.  935.  936. 
 
 A.  937. 
 Here  Athelstan,  king,  and  his  brother  eke, 
 
 of  earls  the  lord,  Edmund  etheling, 
 
 of  heroes  the  bracelet-giver,        life-long-glory 
 
376 
 
 THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE. 
 
 [A.D.  937 
 
 in  battle  won 
 
 with  edges  of  swords 
 
 near  Brumby. 
 
 The  board-walls  they  clove, 
 
 they  hewed  the  war-lindens, 
 
 Hamora  lafan' 
 offspring  of  Edward, 
 such  was  their  noble  nature 
 from  their  ancestors, 
 that  they  in  battle  oft 
 'gainst  every  foe 
 the  land  defended, 
 hoards  and  homes. 
 The  foe  they  crushed, 
 the  Scottish  people 
 and  the  shipmen 
 fated  fell. 
 
 The  field  'd^niede' 
 with  warriors'  blood, 
 since  the  sun  up 
 at  morning-tide, 
 mighty  planet, 
 glided  o'er  grounds, 
 God's  candle  bright, 
 the  eternal  Lord's, 
 till  the  noble  creature 
 sank  to  her  settle. 
 There  lay  many  a  warrior 
 by  javelins  strewed ; 
 northern  man 
 over  shield  shot ; 
 so  the  Scots  eke, 
 weary,  war-sad. 
 West- Saxons  onwards 
 throughout  the  day, 
 in  bands, 
 
 pursued  the  footsteps 
 of  the  loathed  nations. 
 They  hewed  the  fugitives 
 behind,  amain, 
 with  swords  mill-sharp. 
 
 Mercians  refused  not 
 
 the  hard  hand-play 
 
 to  any  heroes 
 
 who  with  Anlaf, 
 
 over  the  ocean, 
 
 in  the  ship's  bosom, 
 
 this  land  sought 
 
 fated  to  the  fight. 
 
 Five  lay 
 
 on  the  battle-stead, 
 
 youthful  kings, 
 
 by  swords  in  slumber  laid : 
 
 so  seven  eke 
 
 of  Anlaf 's  earls; 
 
 of  the  army  countless, 
 
 shipmen  and  Scots. 
 
 There  was  made  flee 
 
 the  North-men's  chieftain, 
 
 by  need  constrained, 
 
 to  the  ship's  prow 
 
 with  a  little  band. 
 
 The  bark  drove  afloat : 
 
 the  king  departed 
 
 on  the  fallow  flood, 
 
 his  life  preserved. 
 
 So  there  eke  the  sage 
 
 came  by  flight 
 
 to  his  country  north, 
 
 Constantine, 
 
 hoary  warrior. 
 
 He  had  no  cause  to  exult 
 
 in  the  communion  of  swords. 
 
 Here  was  his  kindred  band 
 
 of  friends  o'erthrown 
 
 on  the  folk-stead, 
 
 in  battle  slain ; 
 
 and  his  son  he  left 
 
 on  the  slaughter-place, 
 
 mangled  with  wounds, 
 
 young  in  the  fight : 
 
 he  had  no  cause  to  boast, 
 
A.D.  937-941.] 
 
 THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE. 
 
 377 
 
 hero  grizzly-liaired, 
 
 of  the  bill-clashing, 
 
 the  old  deceiver ; 
 
 nor  Anlaf  the  moor,      [mies  ; 
 
 with  the  remnant  of  their  ar- 
 
 they  had  no  cause  to  laugh 
 
 that  thej  in  war's  works 
 
 the  better  men  were 
 
 in  the  battle-stead, 
 
 at  the  conflict  of  banners, 
 
 meeting  of  spears, 
 
 concourse  of  men, 
 
 traffic  of  weapons ;  [field 
 
 that  thej  on  the  slaughter- 
 
 with  Edward's 
 
 offspring  played. 
 
 The  North-men  departed 
 in  their  nailed  barks ; 
 bloody  relic  of  darts, 
 on  roaring  ocean 
 o'er  the  deep  water 
 Dublin  to  seek, 
 again  Ireland, 
 shamed  in  mind. 
 
 So  too  the  brothers, 
 both  together, 
 king  and  etheling, 
 their  country  sought, 
 West- Saxons'  land, 
 
 in  the  war  exulting. 
 
 They  left  behind  them, 
 
 the  corse  to  devour, 
 
 the  sallowy  kite 
 
 and  the  swarthy  raven 
 
 with  horned  nib, 
 
 and  the  dusky  '  pada,* 
 
 erne  wliite-tailed;, 
 
 the  corse  to  enjoy, 
 
 greedy  war-haAvk, 
 
 and  the  grey  beast, 
 
 wolf  of  the  wood. 
 
 Carnage  greater  has  not  been 
 
 in  this  island 
 
 ever  yet 
 
 of  people  slain, 
 
 before  this, 
 
 by  edges  of  swords, 
 
 as  books  us  say, 
 
 old  writers, 
 
 since  from  the  east  hither. 
 
 Angles  and  Saxons 
 
 came  to  land, 
 
 o'er  the  broad  seas 
 
 Britain  sought, 
 
 mighty  war-smiths, 
 
 the  Welsh  o'ercame, 
 
 earls  most  bold, 
 
 this  earth  obtained. 
 
 A.  937.  This  year  king  Athelstan  and  Edmund  his  brother  led  a  force 
 to  Brumby,  and  there  fought  against  Anlaf;  and,  Christ  helping,  had 
 the  victory:  and  they  there  slew  five  kings  and  seven  earls. 
 
 A.  938.  939. 
 
 A.  940.  This  year  king  Athelstan  died  at  Gloucester  on 
 the  6th  before  the  Kalends  of  November,  about  forty-one  years, 
 except  one  day,  after  king  Alfred  died.  And  Edmund  the 
 ethehng,  his  brother,  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  and  he  was 
 then  eighteen  years  of  age  :  and  king  Athelstan  reigned 
 fourteen  years  and  ten  weeks.  Then  was  Wulf  helm  arch- 
 bishop in  Kent. 
 
 A.  941.  This  year   the  North-humbrians  were   false  to 
 
37b  THE  ^\:NGL0-SAX0N  CURONICLE.  [a.d.  942—945. 
 
 their  plighted  troth,  and  chose  Anlaf  of  Ireland  to  be  their 
 
 king. 
 
 Here  Edmund  king, 
 
 ruler  of  Angles, 
 protector  of  men, 
 Mercia  obtained, 
 dear  deed-doer, 
 as  the  Dor  flows, 
 course  of  the  white-well, 
 and  Humber's  river, 
 broad  sea-stream. 
 Five  towns, 
 Leicester, 
 and  Lincoln, 
 and  Nottingham, 
 
 so  Stamford  eke, 
 
 and  Derby, 
 
 to  Danes  were  erewhile, 
 
 under  North-men, 
 
 by  need  constrained, 
 
 of  heathen  men 
 
 in  captive  chains, 
 
 a  long  time  ; 
 
 until  again  redeemed  them, 
 
 for  his  worthiness, 
 
 the  bulwark  of  warriors, 
 
 offspring  of  Edward, 
 
 Edmund  king. 
 
 A.  941.  This  year  king  Edmund  received  king  Anlaf  at  baptism  ;  and 
 that  same  year,  a  good  long  space  after,  he  received  king  Reginald  at  the 
 bishop's  hands. 
 
 A.  942.  This  year  king  *Anlaf  died. 
 
 A.  943.  This  year  Anlaf  stormed  Tamworth,  and  great 
 carnage  was  on  either  hand  ;  and  the  Danes  had  the  victory, 
 and  much  booty  they  led  away  with  them  :  there  during  the 
 pillage  was  Wulfrun  taken.  This  year  king  Edmund  be- 
 sieged king  Anlaf  and  archbishop  Wulfstan  in  Leicester  ; 
 and  he  would  have  taken  them,  were  it  not  that  they  broke 
 out  by  night  from  the  town.  And,  after  that,  Anlaf  acquired 
 king  Edmund's  friendship  ;  and  king  Edmund  then  re- 
 ceived king  Anlaf  at  baptism,  and  he  royally  gifted  him. 
 And  that  same  year,  after  a  good  long  time,  he  received  king 
 Reginald  at  the  bishop's  hands.  This  year  king  Edmund 
 delivered  Glastonbury  to  St.  Dunstan,  where  he  afterwards 
 became  the  first  abbat. 
 
 A.  944.  This  year  king  Edmund  subdued  all  Northum- 
 berland under  his  power,  and  expelled  two  kings,  Anlaf, 
 son  of  Sihtric,  and  Reginald,  son  of  Guthferth. 
 
 A.  945.  This  year  king  Edmund  ravaged  all  Cumber- 
 land, and  granted  it  all  to  Malcolm  king  of  the  Scots,  on  the 
 
 *  See  Hen.  Huntingdon  and  Simeon  of  Durham.  A.  941.  There  were 
 several  chiefs  of  that  name  at  this  period  :  Anlaf  the  son  of  Guthferth; 
 Anlaf  the  son  of  Sihtric,  and  Anlaf  Cuaran,  mentioned  A.  949. 
 
A.v.  946-954.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  379 
 
 condition,  that  lie  should  be  liis  fellow-worker  as  well  by  sea 
 as  by  land. 
 
 A.  946.  This  year  Idng  Edmund  died  on  St.  Augustine's 
 mass-day.  That  was  widely  Icnown  how  he  his  days  ended  : 
 that  Leofa  stabbed  him  at  Puckle-church.  And  Aelfleda 
 at  Damerham,  Elgar's  daughter,  the  ealdorman,  was  then 
 his  queen  :  and  he  had  the  kingdom  six  years  and  a  half. 
 And  then  after  liim  his  brother  Edred  the  etheling  suc- 
 ceeded to  the  kingdom,  and  subdued  all  Northumberland 
 under  his  power  :  and  the  Scots  gave  him  oaths,  that  they 
 would  all  that  he  would. 
 
 A.  947.  This  year  king  Edred  came  to  Tadden's-cliiF, 
 and  there  Wulfstan  the  archbishop  and  all  the  North-hum- 
 brian  "  witan  "  plighted  their  troth  to  the  king  :  and  within 
 a  little  while  they  belied  it  all,  both  pledge  and  also  oaths. 
 
 A.  948.  This  year  king  Edred  ravaged  all  Northum- 
 berland, because  they  had  taken  Eric  to  be  their  king  :  and 
 then,  during  the  pillage,  was  the  great  minster  burned  at 
 Ripon  that  St.  Wilfrid  built.  And  as  the  king  went 
 homewards,  then  the  army  of  York  overtook  him  :  the  rear 
 of  the  king's  forces  was  at  Chesterford ;  and  there  they 
 made  great  slaughter.  Then  was  the  king  so  wi'oth  that  he 
 would  have  marched  his  forces  in  again  and  wholly  destroyed 
 the  land.  When  the  North-humbrian  "witan"  understood 
 that,  then  forsook  they  Eric,  and  made  compensation  for 
 the  deed  with  king  Edi-ed. 
 
 A.  949.  This  year  Anlaf  Curran  came  to  Northumber- 
 land. 
 
 A.  950. 
 
 A.  951.  This  year  died  Elphege  bishop  of  Winchester,  on 
 St.  Gregory's  mass-day.    This  same  blessed  St.  Dunstan.  .  .  . 
 
 A.  952.  In  this  year  king  Edred  commanded  archbishop 
 Wulfstan  to  be  brought  into  the  fastness  at  Jedburgh, 
 because  he  had  been  oft  accused  to  the  king  :  and  in  this 
 year  also  the  king  commanded  great  slaughter  to  be  made  in 
 the  town  of  Thetford,  in  revenge  of  the  abbat  Edelm,  whom 
 they  had  before  slain.  This  year  the  North-humbrians  ex- 
 pelled king  Anlaf,  and  received  Eric,  Harold's  son. 
 
 A.  953. 
 
 A.  954.  This  year  the  North-humbrians  expelled  Eric, 
 and  Edred  obtained  the  kingdom  of  the  North-humbrians. 
 
380 
 
 THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE. 
 
 [a.d.  955—958. 
 
 This  year  archbishop  Wulfstan  again  obtained  a  bishopric 
 at  Dorchester. 
 
 A.  955.  This  year  died  king  Edred  on  St.  Clement's 
 mass-day,  at  Frome,  and  he  rests  in  the  Old-minster  [Win- 
 chester] ;  and  he  reigned  nine  years  and  a  half.  And  then 
 Edwy  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  king  Edmund's  and  St. 
 Elfgiva's  son.  And  he  banished  St.  Dunstan  out  of  the 
 land. 
 
 A.  955.  And  Edwy  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Saxons,  and 
 Edgar  his  brother  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians  :  and  they 
 were  the  sons  of  King  Edmund  and  of  S.  Elfgiva. 
 
 A.  956. 
 
 A.  957.  This  year  died  Wulfstan  archbishop  of  York,  on 
 the  1 7th  before  the  Kalends  of  January,  and  he  was  buried  at 
 Oundle.  And  in  the  same  year  abbat  Dunstan  was  driven 
 away  over  sea.  This  year  Edgar  the  etheling  succeeded  to 
 the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians. 
 
 A.  958.  In  this  year  archbishop  Odo*  separated  king 
 Edwy  and  Elfgiva,  because  they  were  too  nearly  related. 
 This  year  died  king  Edwy  on  the  Kalends  of  October  ;  and 
 Edgar  his  brother  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  as  well  of  the 
 West- Saxons  as  of  the  Mercians,  and  of  the  North-hum - 
 brians  ;  and  he  was  then  sixteen  years  of  age. 
 
 In  his  days 
 
 it  prospered  well, 
 
 and  God  him  granted 
 
 that  he  dwelt  in  peace 
 
 the  while  that  he  lived  ; 
 
 and  he  did  as  behoved  him, 
 
 diligently  he  earned  it. 
 
 He  upreared  God's  glory  wide, 
 
 and  loved  God's  law, 
 
 and  bettered  the  public  peace, 
 
 most  of  the  kings 
 
 who  were  before  him 
 
 in  man's  memory. 
 
 And  God  him  eke  so  helped, 
 
 that  kings  and  earls 
 
 gladly  to  him  bowed, 
 
 and  were  submissive 
 
 to  that  that  he  willed  ; 
 
 and  without  war 
 
 he  ruled  all 
 
 that  himself  would. 
 
 He  was  wide 
 
 throughout  nations 
 
 greatly  honoured, 
 
 because  he  honoured 
 
 God's  name  earnestly, 
 
 and  God's  law  pondered 
 
 much  and  oft, 
 
 and  God's  glory  reared 
 
 wide  and  far, 
 
 and  wisely  counselled, 
 
 most  oft,  and  ever, 
 
 for  God  and  for  the  world, 
 
 of  all  his  people. 
 
 Of  Canterbury. 
 
.4.D.  959— 9C3.J  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  381 
 
 One  misdeed  he  did 
 all  too  much 
 that  he  foreign 
 vices  loved. 
 
 and  harmful  people 
 allured  to  this  land. 
 But  God  grant  him 
 that  his  good  deeds 
 be  more  avaihng 
 than  his  misdeeds, 
 for  his  soul's  protection 
 on  the  longsome  course. 
 
 and  heathen  customs 
 within  this  land 
 brought  too  oft, 
 and  outlandish  men 
 hitlier  enticed, 
 
 A.  959.  This  year  Edgar  sent  after  St.  Dunstan,  and 
 gave  him  the  bishopric  at  Worcester ;  and  afterwards  the 
 bishopric  at  London. 
 
 A.  960. 
 
 A.  961.  This  year  departed  Odo  the  Good,  archbishop  ; 
 and  St.  Dunstan  succeeded  to  the  archbishopric. 
 
 A.  962.  This  year  died  Elfgar,  the  king's  kinsman,  in 
 Devonshire,  and  his  body  rests  at  Wilton.  And  king  Sif- 
 ferth  killed  himself,  and  his  body  lies  at  Wimborne.  And 
 then,  within  the  year,  there  was  a  great  mortality,  and  the 
 great  fever  was  in  London  ;  and  Paul's  minster  was  burnt, 
 and  that  same  year  was  again  built  up.  In  tliis  same  year 
 Athelmod  the  mass-priest  went  to  Rome,  and  there  died,  on 
 the  18th  before  the  Kalends  of  September. 
 
 A.  963.  This  year  died  Wulfstan  the  deacon,  on  Childer- 
 mass-day,  and  after  that  died  Gyric  the  mass-priest.  In  this 
 same  year  abbat  Ethelwold*  succeeded  to  the  bishopric  at 
 Winchester,  and  he  was  consecrated  on  the  vigil  of  St. 
 Andrew  :  it  was  Sunday  that  day.  In  the  year  after  he  was 
 consecrated,  then  made  he  many  minsters,  and  drove  the 
 clerks  out  of  the  bishopric,  because  they  would  not  observe 
 any  rule,  and  he  set  monks  there.  He  made  there  two  abba- 
 cies ;  one  of  monks,  one  of  nuns  ;  all  which  was  within 
 Winchester.  Afterwards,  then  came  he  to  the  king,  Edgar, 
 and  begged  of  him  that  he  would  give  him  all  the  minsters 
 which  heathen  men  had  formerly  broken  down,  because  he 
 would  restore  them :  and  the  king  cheerfully  granted  it.  And 
 then  the  bishop  came  first  to  Ely,  where  St.  Etheldrida  lies, 
 and  caused  the  minster  to  be  made  :  then  he  gave  it  to  one 
 of  his  monks,  who  was  named  Britnoth.  He  then  conse- 
 crated him  abbat,  and  there  set  monks  to  serve  God  where 
 *  Of  Abingdon. 
 
382  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  963. 
 
 previously  had  been  nuns  :  lie  bought  then  many  villages 
 of  the  king,  and  made  it  very  rich.  After  that  came  bishop 
 Ethelwold  to  the  minster  which  was  called  Medeshamstede, 
 which  form.erly  had  been  destroyed  by  heathen  men  :  he 
 found  nothing  there  but  old  walls  and  wild  woods.  There 
 found  he,  hidden  in  the  old  walls,  writings  that  abbat 
 Hedda  had  erewhile  written,  how  king  Wulfhere  and 
 Ethelred  his  brother  had  built  it,  and  how  they  had  freed  it 
 against  king  and  against  bishop,  and  against  all  secular  ser- 
 vices, and  how  the  pope  Agatho  had  confirmed  the  same  by 
 his  rescript,  and  the  archbishop  Deus-dedit.  Then  caused 
 he  the  minster  to  be  built ;  and  set  there  an  abbat,  who  was 
 called  Adulf,  and  caused  monks  to  be  there  where  before 
 was  nothing.  Then  came  he  to  the  king,  and  caused  him 
 to  look  at  the  writings  which  before  were  found  ;  and  the 
 king  answered  then  and  said  : 
 
 "I,  Edgar,  grant  and  give  to-day,  before  God  and  before 
 the  archbishop  Dunstan,  freedom  to  St.  Peter's  minster, 
 Medeshamstede,  from  king  and  from  bishop  :  and  all  the 
 villages  which  lie  thereto  ;  that  is  to  say,  Eastiield,  and 
 Dodthorp,  and  Eye,  and  Paston.  And  thus  I  free  it,  that 
 no  bishop  have  there  any  command,  without  the  abbat  of  the 
 minster.  And  I  give  the  town  wliich  is  called  Oundle,  with 
 all  which  thereto  lieth,  that  is  to  say,  that  wliich  is  called 
 'the  Eight-hundreds,'  and  market  and  toll,  so  freely,  that 
 neither  king,  nor  bishop,  nor  earl,  nor  sheriff,  have  there 
 any  command,  nor  any  man  except  the  abbat  alone,  and  him 
 whom  he  thereto  appointeth.  And  I  give  to  Christ  and  St. 
 Peter,  and  through  the  prayer  of  bishop  Ethelwold,  these 
 lands  ;  that  is  to  say,  Barro,  Warmington,  Ashton,  Ketter- 
 ing, Castor,  Eylesworth,  Walton,  Witherington,  Eye,  Thorp  ; 
 and  one  moneyer  in  Stamford.  These  lands,  and  all  the 
 others  that  belong  to  the  minster,  them  declare  I  free  :  that 
 is,  with  sack  and  sock,  toll  and  team,  and  infangthief ;  these 
 rights,  and  all  others,  them  declare  I  the  shire  of  Christ  and  St. 
 Peter.  And  I  give  the  two  parts  of  Whittlesey-mere,  wdth  the 
 waters  and  with  the  wears  and  fens,  and  so  through  Meer- 
 lade  straight  to  the  water  which  is  called  Nen,  and  so  east- 
 ward to  King's-delf.  And  I  will  that  a  market  be  in  the 
 same  town,  and  tliat  no  other  be  between  Stamford  and  Hun- 
 tingdon.    And  I  will  that  the  toll  be  thus  given  :  first,  from 
 
A.D.  963.]  THE  AJs'GLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  383 
 
 Whittlesey-mere  all  as  far  as  the  king's  toll  of  Norman-cross- 
 hundred,  and  then  back  again  from  Whittlesey-mere,  through 
 Meerlade,  straight  to  the  Nen,  and  so  as  the  water  runneth 
 to  Crowland,  and  from  Crowland  to  Must,  and  from  Must 
 to  King's-delf,  and  to  Whittlesey-mere.  And  I  will  that  all 
 liberties,  and  all  the  remissions  that  my  predecessors  have 
 given,  that  they  stand  ;  and  I  sign  and  confirm  it  with 
 Clirist's  rood-token."  >^ 
 
 Then  Dunstan  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  answered, 
 and  said  :  "  I  grant  that  all  the  things  which  here  are  given 
 and  spoken  of,  and  all  the  things  which  thy  predecessors  and 
 mine  have  conceded,  those  will  I  that  they  stand  ;  and  who- 
 soever this  breaketh,  then  give  I  him  the  curse  of  God,  and 
 of  all  saints,  and  of  all  ordained  heads,  and  of  myself,  unless 
 he  come  to  repentance.  And  I  give,  in  acknowledgment,  to 
 St.  Peter,  my  mass-hackel,  and  my  stole,  and  my  '  reef,'  for 
 the  service  of  Clu-ist."  "I,  Oswald,  archbishop  of  York, 
 assent  to  all  these  words  by  the  holy  rood  which  Christ  suf- 
 fered on."^jH  "I,  Ethelwold,  bishop,  bless  all  who  shall 
 observe  this  ;  and  I  excommunicate  all  who  shall  break  this, 
 unless  he  come  to  repentance."  Here  was  Elfstan  bishop, 
 Athulf  bishop,  and  Eskwi  abbat,  and  Osgar  abbat,  and 
 Ethelgar  abbat,  and  Elfere  the  ealdorman,  Ethelwin  the 
 ealdorman,  Britnoth  ;  Oslac  the  ealdorman,  and  many  other 
 great  men  :  and  all  assented  to  it,  and  all  signed  it  with 
 Christ's  cross.  ►^  This  was  done  after  the  birth  of  our  Lord 
 nine  hundred  and  seventy-two  years,  of  the  king's  reign  the 
 sixteenth  year. 
 
 Then  the  abbat  Aldulf  bought  lands,  numerous  and  many, 
 then  greatly  enriched  the  minster  withal ;  and  then  was 
 he  there  so  long  as  until  the  archbishop  Oswald  of  York 
 was  dead,  and  then  he  was  chosen  archbishop.  And  then, 
 soon,  another  abbat  was  chosen  of  the  self-same  minster,  who 
 was  called  Kenulf  :  he  was  afterwards  bishop  at  Winchester. 
 And  he  first  made  the  wall  about  the  minster  :  then  gave  he 
 that  to  name  Peterborough,  which  before  was  called  Medes- 
 hamstede :  he  was  there  until  he  was  appointed  bishop 
 at  Winchester.  Then  another  abbat  Avas  chosen  of  the  self- 
 same minster,  who  was  called  Elfsy  :  Elfsy  was  then  abbat, 
 from  that  time,  fifty  years.  He  took  up  St.  Kyneburg  and 
 St.  Kyneswith,  who  lay  at  Castor,  and  St.  Tibba,  who  l^j  at 
 
384  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.     [a.d.  963—972. 
 
 Ryhall,  and  brought  them  to  Peterborough,  and  made  an 
 offering  of  them  all  to  St.  Peter  in  one  day  ;  and  preserved 
 them  all  the  while  he  was  there. 
 
 A.  963.  This  year,  by  king  Edgar,  St.  Ethelwold  was  chosen  to  the 
 bishoprick  at  Winchester.  And  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  St.  Dun- 
 stan,  consecrated  him  bishop  on  the  first  Sunday  of  Advent ;  that  was  on 
 the  3rd  before  the  Kalends  of  December. 
 
 A.  964.  This  year  king  Edgar  expelled  the  priests  at 
 Winchester  from  the  Old-minster  and  from  the  New-minster, 
 and  from  Chertsey,  and  from  Milton,  and  filled  them  with 
 monks  ;  and  he  appointed  abbat  Ethelgar  abbat  to  the  New- 
 minster,  and  Ordbert  to  Chertsey,  and  Cyneward  to  Milton. 
 
 A.  964.  This  year  were  the  canons  driven  out  of  the  Old-minster  by 
 king  Edgar,  and  also  from  the  New-minster,  and  from  Chertsey  and  from 
 Milton  ;  and  he  appointed  thereto  monks  and  abbats  :  to  the  New-minster 
 Ethelgar,  to  Chertsey  Ordbert,  to  Milton  Cyneward. 
 
 A.  965.  In  this  year  king  Edgar  took  Elfrida  for  liis 
 queen  ;  she  was  daughter  of  Ordgar  the  ealdorman. 
 
 A.  966.  This  year  Thored,  Gunner's  son,  ravaged  West- 
 moreland.    And  that  same  year  Oslac  obtained  an  ealdordom. 
 
 A.  967. 
 
 A.  968.  In  this  year  king  Edgar  ordered  all  Thanet- 
 land  to  be  ravaged. 
 
 A.  969.  970. 
 
 A.  971.  This  year  died  archbishop  Oskytel :  he  was  first 
 consecrated  bishop  of  Dorchester,  and  afterwards  of  York  ; 
 by  favour  of  king  Edred,  and  of  all  his  'witan,'  he  was 
 consecrated  archbishop ;  and  he  was  a  bishop  twenty  two 
 years;  and  he  died  on  the  mass-night  of  All-Hallows,  ten 
 days  before  Martin-mass,  at  Thame.  And  abbat  Thurkytel 
 his  kinsman,  carried  the  bishop's  body  to  Bedford,  because 
 he  was  then,  at  that  time,  abbat  there. 
 
 A.  972.  This  year  died  Edmund  the  etheling,  and  his 
 body  lies  at  Rumsey. 
 
 A.  97'2.  This  year  Edgar  the  etheling  was  consecrated  king  at  Bath, 
 on  Pentecost's  mass-day,  on  the  5th  before  the  Ides  of  May,  the  thirteenth 
 year  since  he  had  obtained  the  kingdom  ;  and  he  was  then  one  less  than 
 thirty  years  of  age.  And  soon  after  that,  the  king  led  all  his  ship-forces 
 to  Chester;  and  there  came  to  meet  him  six  kings,  and  they  all  plighted 
 tlieir  troth  to  him,  that  they  would  be  his  fellow- workers  by  sea  and  by 
 land. 
 
A. 'J.  973  .J 
 
 THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE. 
 
 385 
 
 A.  973. 
 Here  was  Edgar, 
 ruler  of  Angles, 
 in  full  assembly, 
 halloAved  king, 
 at  the  old  city 
 Akemanscester  ; 
 but  it  the  islanders, 
 beorns,  by  another  word, 
 name  Bath. 
 There  was  much  bliss 
 on  that  blessed  day 
 to  all  occasioned, 
 which  children  of  men 
 name  and  call 
 Pentecost's  day. 
 There  was  a  heap  of  priests  ; 
 of  monks  a  large  band, 
 as  I  have  heard, 
 of  sage  ones,  gathered : 
 and  then  agone  was 
 ten  hundred  years, 
 told  in  numbers, 
 from  the  birth- tide 
 of  the  glorious  King, 
 Pastor  of  light, 
 but  that  there  remaining 
 then  still  was, 
 of  yearly-tale, 
 as  writings  say, 
 seven  and  twenty : 
 so  nigh  had  to  the  Yictor-lord 
 a  thousand  run  out 
 when  this  befel. 
 And  himself,  Edmund's 
 offspring,  had 
 nine  and  twenty, 
 guardian  'gainst  evil  works, 
 years  in  the  world 
 when  this  was  done, 
 
 *  Of 
 
 and  then  in  the  thirtieth,  was 
 hallowed  ruler. 
 
 A.  974. 
 
 A.  975. 
 Here,  ended 
 the  joys  of  earth, 
 Edgar,  of  Angles  king 
 chose  him  another  light, 
 beauteous  and  winsome 
 and  left  this  frail, 
 this  barren  life. 
 Children  of  men  name, 
 men  on  the  earth, 
 every  where,  that  month, 
 in  this  land, 
 
 those  who  erewhile  we:  e 
 in  the  art  of  numbers 
 rightly  taught, 
 July  month, 
 
 when  the  youth  departed, 
 on  the  eighth  day, 
 Edgar,  from  life, 
 bracelet  giver  to  heroes. 
 And  then  his  son  succeeded 
 to  the  kingdom, 
 a  child  un-waxen, 
 of  earls  the  prince. 
 to  whom  was  Edward  name. 
 And  him,  a  glorious  chief, 
 ten  days  before, 
 departed  from  Britain, 
 the  good  bishop,* 
 through  nature's  course, 
 to  whom  was  Cyneward  name. 
 Then  was  in  Mercia, 
 as  I  have  heard, 
 widely  and  every  where, 
 the  glory  of  the  Lord 
 laid  low  on  earth  : 
 many  were  expelled, 
 Wells. 
 o 
 
386 
 
 THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE. 
 
 ta-d.  m. 
 
 sage  servants  of  God  ; 
 
 that  was  much  grief 
 
 to  him  who  in  his  breast  bore 
 
 a  burning  love 
 
 of  the  Creator,  in  his  mind. 
 
 Then  was  the  Source  of  wonders 
 
 too  oft  contemned ; 
 
 the  Victor-lord, 
 
 heaven's  Ruler.  [through 
 
 Then    men    his     law    broke 
 
 and  then  was  eke  driven  out, 
 
 beloved  hero, 
 
 Oslac  from  this  land, 
 
 o'er  rolling  waters, 
 
 o'er  the  ganet's-bath  ; 
 
 hoary-haired  hero, 
 
 wise  and  word-skilled, 
 
 o'er  the  water's  throng, 
 
 o'er  the  whale's  domain, 
 
 A.  975.  The  8th  before  the  Ides  of 
 July. 
 
 Here  Edgar  died, 
 ruler  of  Angles, 
 West-Saxons'  joy, 
 and  Mercians'  protector. 
 
 Known  was  it  widely 
 throughout  many  nations. 
 *  Thaet'  offspring  of  Edmund, 
 o'er  the  ganet's-bath. 
 
 And  this  year  Edward,  Edgar's  son,  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  ;  and  then 
 soon,  in  the  same  year,  during  harvest,  appeared  '  cometa'  the  star  ;  and 
 then  came  in  the  following  year  a  very  great  famine,  and  very  manifold 
 coxnmotions  among  the  English  people. 
 
 whom  Edgar,  king,  ordered  erewhile 
 
 of  home  bereaved. 
 
 And  then  was  seen, 
 
 high  in  the  heavens. 
 
 a  star  in  the  firmament, 
 
 which  lofty-souled 
 
 men,  sage  minded, 
 
 call  widely, 
 
 cometa  by  name  ; 
 
 men  skilled  in  arts, 
 
 wise  truth-bearers. 
 
 Throughout  mankind  was 
 
 the  Lord's  vengeance 
 
 widely  known, 
 
 famine  o'er  earth. 
 
 That  again  heaven's  Guardian^ 
 
 bettered.  Lord  of  angels, 
 
 gave  again  bliss 
 
 to  each  isle-dweller. 
 
 through  earth's  fruits. 
 
 honoured  far, 
 
 Kings  him  widely 
 bowed  to  the  kinr, 
 as  wf\s  his  due  by  kind. 
 
 No  fleet  was  so  daring, 
 nor  army  so  strong, 
 that  'mid  the  English  nation 
 took  from  him  aught, 
 the  while  that  the  noble  king 
 ruled  on  his  throne. 
 
 Tp  bis  days, 
 
 for  his  youth, 
 
 God's  gainsayers 
 
 God's  law  broke  ; 
 
 Eldfere,  ealdorman, 
 
 and  others  many  ; 
 
 and  rule  monastic  quashed. 
 
 and  minsters  dissolved, 
 
 and  monks  drove  out, 
 
 and  God's  servants  put  down, 
 
 the  holy  bishop 
 Ethelwold  to  stablish  ; 
 and  widows  they  plundered, 
 many  times  and'  oft  : 
 and  many  unrighteousnesses, 
 and  evil  unjust-deeds 
 arose  up  afterwards  : 
 and  ever  after  that 
 it  greatly  grew  in  evil. 
 
 And  at  that  time,  also,  was  Oslac  the  great  earl  banished  from  England. 
 
A.D.  976-979.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  387 
 
 A.  976.  This  year  was  the  great  famine  among  the  Eng 
 lish  nation. 
 
 A.  977.  This  year,  after  Easter,  was  the  great  council  at 
 Kiitlington  ;  and  there  died  bishop  Sideman,  by  a  sudden 
 death,  on  the  2d  before  the  Kalends  of  May.  He  was  bishop  ia 
 Devonshire,  and  he  desired  that  the  resting-place  of  his  body 
 should  be  at  Crediton,  at  his  episcopal  seat.  Then  commanded 
 king  Edward  and  archbishop  Dunstan  that  he  should  be  borne 
 to  St.  Mary's  minster,  which  is  at  Abingdon  :  and  so  too  was 
 it  done :  and  he  is  moreover  honourably  buried  on  the  north 
 side,  in  St.  Paul's  chapel. 
 
 A.  978.  In  this  year  all  the  cliief  '  witan'  of  the  English 
 nation  fell  at  Calne  from  an  upper  chamber,  except  the  holy 
 archbishop  Dunstan,  who  alone  supported  himself  upon  a 
 beam ;  and  there  some  were  grievously  maimed,  and  some 
 did  not  escape  with  life.  In  this  year  was  King  Edward 
 martyred  ;  and  Ethelred  the  etheling,  his  brother,  succeeded 
 to  the  kingdom,  and  he  was  in  the  same  year  consecrated  king. 
 In  that  year  died  Alfwold  ;  he  was  bishop  of  Dorset,  and  his 
 body  lies  in  the  minster  at  Sherborne. 
 
 A.  979.  In  this  year  was  Ethelred  consecrated  king  at 
 Kingston,  on  the  Sunday,  fourteen  days  after  Easter;  and 
 there  were  at  his  consecration  two  archbishops,  and  ten  suffra- 
 gan-bishops. That  same  year  was  seen  a  bloody  cloud,  often- 
 times, in  the  likeness  of  fire  ;  and  it  was  mostly  apparent 
 at  midnight,  and  so  in  various  beams  was  coloured  :  when  it 
 began  to  dawn,  then  it  glided  away. 
 
 A.  979.  This  year  was  king  Edward  slain  at  even-tide,  at  Corfe-irate, 
 on  the  loth  before  the  Kalends  of  April,  and  then  ^vas  he  buried  at  Waie- 
 ham,  without  any  kind  of  kingly  honours. 
 
 There  has  not  been  'mid  Angles 
 
 a  worse  deed  done 
 
 than  this  was, 
 
 since  they  first 
 
 Britain-land  sought. 
 
 Men  him  murdered, 
 
 but  God  him  glorified. 
 
 He  was  in  life 
 
 an  ecuthly  king  ; 
 
 he  is  now  after  death 
 
 a  heavenly  saint. 
 
 Him  v.'ould  not  his  earthly 
 
 kinsmen  avenire, 
 
 but  him  hath  his  heavenly  Father 
 
 C  C 
 
 greatly  avenged. 
 
 The  earthly  mm-derers 
 
 would  his  memory 
 
 on  earth  blot  out, 
 
 but  tl,e  lofty  Avenger 
 
 hath  his  memory 
 
 in  the  heavens 
 
 and  on  earth  wide-spread. 
 
 They  who  would  not  erewhile 
 
 to  his  living 
 
 body  bow  down, 
 
 they  now  humbly 
 
 on  knees  bend 
 
 to  his  dead  bones. 
 
 o 
 
388  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  980-D82. 
 
 Now  we  may  understand 
 that  men's  wsdom 
 and  their  devices, 
 
 and  their  councils, 
 are  like  nought 
 'gainst  God's  resolves. 
 
 This  year  Ethelred  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  ;  and  he  was  very  quickly 
 after  that,  mth  much  joy  of  the  English  witan,  consecrated  king  at  Kingston. 
 
 A.  980.  In  this  year  abbat  Ethelgar*  was  consecrated 
 bishop  on  the  6th  before  the  Nones  of  May,  to  the  episcopal  seat 
 at  Seisey.  And  in  the  same  year  was  Southampton  ravaged 
 by  a  ship-force,  and  the  most  part  of  the  townsmen  slain,  and 
 led  captive.  And  that  same  year  was  Thanet-land  ravage<:l 
 by  a  ship  force,  and  the  most  part  of  the  townsmen  slain, 
 and  led  captive.  And  that  same  year  was  Legecester-shire 
 [Chester]  ravaged  by  a  northern  ship-force.  In  this  year  St. 
 Dunstan  and  Alfere  the  ealdorman  fetched  the  holy  king's 
 body,  St.  Edward's,  from  Wareham,  and  bore  it  with  much 
 solemnity  to  Shaftsbury. 
 
 A.  981.  In  this  year  St.  Petroc's-stowe  [Padstow]  was 
 ravaged  ;  and  that  same  year  was  much  harm  done  every- 
 where by  the  sea-coast,  as  well  among  the  men  of  Devon  as 
 among  the  Welsh.  And  in  the  same  year  died  Elfstan 
 bishop  of  Wiltshire,  and  his  body  lies  in  the  minster  at 
 Abingdon  ;  and  Wulfgar  then  succeeded  to  the  bishopric. 
 And  in  the  same  year  died  abbat  Womaref  at  Ghent. 
 
 A.  981.  This  year  came  first  the  seven  ships,  and  ravaged  Southampton. 
 
 A.  982.  In  this  year  landed  among  the  men  of  Dorset 
 three  ships  of  pirates  ;  and  they  ravaged  in  Portland.  That 
 same  year  London  was  burnt ;  and  in  the  same  year  died  two 
 ealdonnen,  Ethelmer  in  Hampshire,  and  Edwin  in  Sussex  ; 
 and  Ethelmer's  body  lies  at  Winchester,  in  the  New-minster, 
 and  Edwin's  in  the  minster  at  Abingdon.  This  same  year 
 died  two  abbesses  in  Dorset,  Herelufu  at  Shaftesbury,  and 
 Wulfwina  at  Wareham.  And  that  same  year  went  Otho  the 
 Roman  emperor  to  Greek-land  [Calabria],  and  there  met  he  a 
 large  force  of  Saracens,  coming  up  from  the  sea,  and  they  would 
 then  go  plundering  the  Christian  people.  And  then  the  Empe- 
 ror fought  against  them,  and  there  was  great  slaughter  made 
 on  either  hand  ;  and  the  emperor  had  possession  of  the  place  oi 
 carnage  :  and  nevertheless  he  was  there  much  harassed  be- 
 fore he  turned  thence  :  and  as  he  homeward  went,  then  died 
 
 *  Of  Ncw-minstcr.  f  Of  St.  Peter's. 
 
A.D.  983— COL]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  389 
 
 liis  brotlier's  8on,  who  was  named  Otlio,  and  he  was  Leo- 
 dulf  the  etlieling's  son,  and  Leodulf  was  the  elder  Otlio's 
 son  and  king  Edward's  daughter's  son. 
 
 A.  983.  This  year  died  Alfere  the  ealdorman,  and 
 Alfric  succeeded  to  the  same  ealdorman-ship.*  And  Pope 
 Benedict  [VIL]  died. 
 
 A.  984.  This  year  died  the  benevolent  bishop  of  Winches- 
 ter, Ethelwold,  father  of  monks,  on  the  Kalends  of  August  ; 
 and  the  consecration  of  the  succeeding  bishop,  Elphege  [11.], 
 Avho  by  another  name  was  called  Godwin,  was  on  the  14th 
 before  the  Kalends  of  November  ;  and  he  took  the  ejiiscopal 
 seat  at  Winchester,  on  the  day  of  the  two  aj^ostles  Simon 
 and  Jude. 
 
 A.  985.  This  year  was  Alfric  the  eoldorman  banished  the 
 land.  And  in  the  same  year  was  Edwin  consecrated  abbat 
 of  the  minster  at  Abingdon. 
 
 A.  986.  This  year  the  king  laid  waste  the  bishopric  of 
 Rochester.  This  year  first  came  the  great  murrain  among 
 cattle  in  the  English  nation. 
 
 A.  987. 
 
 A.  988.  This  year  was  Watchet  ravaged,  and  Goda,  the 
 Devonshire  thane,  slain,  and  with  him  much  slaughter  made. 
 And  this  year  departed  the  holy  archbishop  Dunstan,  and 
 passed  to  the  heavenly  life  :  and  bishop  Ethelgarf  succeeded, 
 after  him,  to  the  archbishopric  4  and  little  while  after  that 
 he  lived,  but  one  year  and  three  months. 
 
 A.  989. 
 
 A.  990.  Tliis  year  Siric  was  consecrated  archbishop,  § 
 and  afterwards  went  to  Rome  for  his  pall.  And  abbat  Ead- 
 win||  died;  and  abbat  Wulfgar  succeeded  to  the  abbacy. 
 
 A.  991.  This  year  was  Ipswich  ravaged;  and  after  that, 
 very  shortly,  was  Britnoth  the  ealdorman  slain  at  Maldon. 
 And  in  that  year  it  was  decreed  that  tribute,  ^or  the  first 
 time,  should  be  given  to  the  Danish-men,  on  account  of  the 
 great  terror  which  they  caused  by  the  sea-coast  ;  that  was  at 
 first  ten  thousand  pounds  :  this  counsel  was  first  given  by 
 archbishop  Siric. 
 
 A.  992.  This  year  Oswald  the  holy  archbishop  If  left  this, 
 and  passed  to  the  heavenly  life:  and  Ethelwin  the  ealdor- 
 
 •  Mercia-  +  Of  Selsev.  $  Of  Canterbury. 
 
 §  Of  Canterbury.      |1  Of  Abingdon.  If  Of  York. 
 
390  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CITRONICLE.  [a  d.  992,  993. 
 
 man*  died  in  the  same  year.  Then  decreed  the  king  and 
 all  his  witan  that  all  the  ships  which  were  worth  anything 
 should  be  gathered  together  at  London.  And  the  king  then 
 committed  the  forces  to  the  leading  of  Elfric  the  ealdorman, 
 and  of  Thorod  the  earl,  and  of  bishop  Elfstan,  "j"  and  of 
 bishop  Escwy ; ;}:  and  they  were  to  try  if  they  could  any 
 where  betrap  the  army  about.  Then  sent  the  ealdorman 
 Elfric  and  directed  the  army  to  be  warned ;  and  then  during 
 the  night  of  which  they  should  have  joined  battle  by  day, 
 then  fled  he  by  night  from  the  forces,  to  his  great  disgrace : 
 and  the  army  then  escaped,  except  one  ship,  whose  crew 
 was  there  slain.  And  then  the  ships  from  East-Anglia,  and 
 from  London  met  the  army,  and  there  they  made  great 
 slaughter  of  them ;  and  took  the  ship,  all  armed  and  equip- 
 ped, in  which  the  ealdorman  was.  And  then  after  the  de- 
 cease of  archbishop  Oswald,  abbat  Aldulf,  of  Peterborough, 
 succeeded  to  the  bishopric  of  York,  and  of  Worcester  ;  and 
 Kenulf  to  the  abbacy  of  Peterborough. 
 
 A.  992.  This  year  Oswald  the  blessed  archbishop  died,  and  Abbat 
 Eadulf  succeeded  to  York  and  to  Worcester.  And  this  year  the  king  and 
 all  his  witan  decreed  that  all  the  ships  which  were  worth  anything  should  be 
 gathered  together  at  London,  in  order  that  they  might  try  if  they  could 
 any  where  betrap  the  anny  from  without.  But  Elfric  the  ealdorman,  one 
 of  those  in  whom  the  king  had  most  confidence,  directed  the  army  to  be 
 warned;  and  in  the  night,  as  they  should  on  the  morrow  have  joined  battle, 
 the  self-same  ^Elfric  fled  from  the  forces;  and  then  the  army  escaped. 
 
 A.  993.  In  this  year  was  Bambrough  entered  by  storm, 
 and  much  booty  there  taken.  And  after  that  the  army  came 
 to  the  mouth  of  the  Humber,  and  there  wrought  much  evil, 
 as  well  in  Lindsey  as  in  Northumbria.  Then  a  very  large 
 force  was  gathered  together ;  and  as  they  should  have  joined 
 battle,  then  the  leaders,  hi^t  of  all,  began  the  flight;  that 
 was  Frene,  and  Godwin,  and  Frithgist.  In  this  year  the 
 king  ordercid  Elfgar,  son  of  Elfric  the  ealdorman,  to  be 
 blinded. 
 
 A.  993.  In  this  year  came  Olave  with  ninety-three  ships  to  Staines,  and 
 ravaged  there  about,  and  then  went  thence  to  Sandwich,  and  so  thence  to 
 Ipswich,  and  that  all  over- ran;  and  so  to  Maldon.  And  there  Britnoth 
 the  cciklornian  came  against  them  with  his  forces,  and  fought  against  them: 
 and  they  there  slew  the  ealdorman,  and  had  possession  of  the  place  of 
 
 •  Of  E.  Anglia.  t  Of  London.  *  Of  Dorcl  ester. 
 
A.D  994,  995.J  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CnilONJOLE.  391 
 
 caniage.  And  after  that  peace  was  made  with  them;  and  him  [Anlaf] 
 the  king  afterwards  received  at  the  bishop's  hands,  through  tlie  instruction 
 of  Siric  bishop  of  the  Kentish-men,  and  of  ^Iphege  [IL]  of  Winchester. 
 
 A.  994.  In  this  year  came  Olave  and  Sweyn  to  London, 
 on  the  nativity  of  St.  Mary,  with  ninety-four  ships;  and 
 they  then  continued  fighting  stoutly  against  the  city,  and 
 would  also  have  set  fire  to  it.  But  they  there  sustained 
 more  harm  and  evil  than  they  ever  supposed  that  any  citizens 
 would  be  able  to  do  unto  them.  But  the  holy  mother 
 of  God,  on  that  day,  shewed  her  mercy  to  the  citizens 
 and  delivered  them  from  their  foes.  And  they  then  went 
 thence,  and  wrought  the  utmost  evil  that  ever  any  army 
 could  do,  by  burning,  and  plundering,  and  by  man-slaying, 
 both  by  the  sea-coast  and  among  the  East- Saxons,  and  in 
 the  land  of  Kent,  and  in  Sussex,  and  in  Hampshire.  And 
 at  last  they  took  to  themselves  horses,  and  rode  as  far  as 
 they  would,  and  continued  doing  unspeakable  evil.  Then 
 the  king  and  his  ^vitan  decreed  that  they  should  be  sent  to, 
 and  promised  tribute  and  food,  on  condition  that  they  should 
 cease  from  their  plundering  :  which  terms  they  accepted. 
 And  then  all  the  army  came  to  Southampton,  and  there 
 took  up  their  winter-quarters :  and  there  they  were  vic- 
 tualled from  all  the  realm  of  the  West- Saxons,  and  they 
 were  paid  sixteen  thousand  pounds  of  money.  Then  the 
 king  sent  bishop  Elphege  [II  ]*  and  Ethelwerd  the  ealdorman 
 after  king  Olave,  and  the  while,  hostages  were  delivered  to 
 the  ships;  and  they  then  led  Olave  with  much  worship  to 
 the  king  at  Andover.  And  king  Ethelred  received  him  at 
 the  bishop's  hands,  and  royally  gifted  him.  And  then  Olave 
 made  a  covenant  with  him,  even  as  he  also  fulfilled,  that  he 
 never  again  would  come  hostilely  to  the  English  nation. 
 
 A.  995.  In  tliis  year  appeared  'cometa,'  the  star,  and 
 archbishop  Sigic  died :  and  Alfric  bishop  of  Wiltshire  f 
 was  chosen  J  on  Easter-day,  at  Amesbury,  by  king  Ethelred 
 and  by  all  his  witan.  Tliis  Alfric  was  a  very  wise  man,  so 
 that  there  was  no  sager  man  in  England.  Then  went  Alfric 
 to  his  archiepiscopal  seat ;  and  when  he  came  thither  he  was 
 received  by  those  men  in  orders  who  were  most  unacceptable 
 to  him,  that  was,  by  clerks.  And  soon  (he  sent  for)  all  the 
 wisest  men  he  anywhere  knew  of,  and  also  the  old  men  who 
 
 •  Of  Winchester.         t  Afterwards  Salisbury.         i   To  Canterbiu-y. 
 
392  THE   ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  995- 
 
 R'ere  able  to  say  the  sootliest  liow  each  thing  had  been  in 
 this  land  in  the  days  of  their  elders ;  in  addition  to  what 
 himself  had  learned  from  books  and  from  wise  men.  Him 
 told  the  very  old  men,  as  well  clergy  as  laity,  that  their 
 elders  had  told  them  how  it  had  been  established  by  law 
 soon  after  St.  Augustine  came  to  this  land.  When  Augus- 
 tine had  obtained  the  bishopric  in  the  city,*  then  was  he 
 archbishop  over  all  king  Ethelbert's  kingdom,  as  it  is  re- 
 lated in  Historia  Anglorumf make  (a  bishop's)  see  by 
 
 the  king's  aid  in  ...  .  was  begun  by  the  old  Romans  .  .  .  and 
 to  sprout  forth.  In  that  company  the  foremost  were  Mel- 
 litus,  Justus,  Paulinus,  Rufinianus.  By  these  sent  the  blessed 
 pope  the  pall,  and  therewith  a  letter,  and  instruction  how  he 
 should  consecrate  bishops,  and  in  which  place  in  Britain  he 
 should  seat  them.  And  to  the  king  (also)  he  sent  letters 
 and  many  worldly  gifts  of  divers  things.  And  the  churches 
 wliich  they  had  got  ready  he  commanded  to  be  consecrated  in 
 the  name  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Clirist  and  St.  Mary; 
 and  for  himself  there  fix  a  dwelling-place,  and  for  all  his 
 after-followers ;  and  that  he  (should)  place  therein  men  of 
 the  same  order  that  he  had  sent  thither,  and  of  which  he 
 
 himself  was,  and  also  that  each monks  who  should 
 
 fill  the  arcliiepiscopal  seat  at  Canterbury,  and  that  be  ever 
 observed  by  Grod's  leave  and  blessing  and  by  St.  Peter's,  and 
 by  all  who  came  after  him.  When  this  embassy  came  again 
 to  king  Egelbert  and  to  Augustine,  they  were  very  pleased 
 with  such  instruction.  And  the  archbishop  then  conse- 
 crated the  minster  in  Christ's  name  and  St.  Mary's,  (on) 
 the  day  which  is  called  the  mass-day  of  the  two  martyrs, 
 Primus  et  Felicianus,  and  there  witliin  placed  monks  all  as 
 St.  Gregory  commanded :  and  they  God's  service  continently 
 performed ;  and  from  the  same  monks  bishops  were  taken  for 
 
 each as  thou  mayst  read  in  Historia  Anglorum.J     Then 
 
 was  archbishop  Alfric  very  blithe,  that  he  had  so  many  wit- 
 nesses (who)  stood  best  at  that  time  with  the  king.     Still 
 more,  the  same  witan  who  were  with  the  archbishop  said : 
 Thus  also  y>re  ....  monks  have  continued  at  Christ-Church 
 
 during  Augustine's  days,  and  during  Laurentius',  Mellitus', 
 Justus',  Honorius',  Deusdedit,  Theodore's,  Berthwold's,  Tat- 
 wine's,  Nothelm's,  Cuthbert's,  Bregwine's,  Lambert's,  ...... 
 
 Canterbury.  t  Bede,  b.  i.  c.  25.  J  Bede,  b.  i.  c.  33. 
 
A.D.995]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  393 
 
 Atlielard's,  Wulfred's,  Theologild's.  But  the  (first)  year  when 
 Ceolnoth  came  to  the  archbishopric,  there  was  such  a  mor- 
 tality that  there  remained  no  more  than  five  monks  within 
 Christ-Church.  During  all  his  time  there  was  war  and  sor- 
 row in  this  land,  so  that  no  man  could  think  of  anything  else 
 
 but Now,  God  be  thanked,  it  is  in  the  king's  power 
 
 and  thine,  whether  they  may  be  longer  there  witlnn,  because 
 they  (might)  never  better  be  brought  thereout  than  now  may 
 be  done,  if  it  is  the  king's  will  and  thine.  The  archbishop 
 then,  without  any  staying,  with  all  (these)  men,  went  anon 
 to  the  king  and  showed  him  all,  so  as  we  here  before  have 
 related.  Then  was  the  king  very  glad  (at  these)  tidings, 
 and  said  to  the  archbishop  and  to  the  others,  'It  seemeth 
 advisable  to  me  that  thou  shouldst  go  first  of  all  to  Rome 
 after  thy  (pall,  and  that)  thou  show  to  the  pope  all  this,  and, 
 after  that,  act  by  his  counsel:'  And  they  all  answered,  that 
 that  was  the  best  counsel.  When  (the  priests)  heard  this, 
 then  resolved  they  that  they  should  take  two  from  among 
 themselves  and  send  to  the  pope ;  and  they  should  ofier  him. 
 great  gifts  and  silver,  on  condition  that  he  should  give  them 
 the  arch(-pall).  But  when  they  came  to  Rome,  then  would 
 not  the  pope  do  that,  because  they  brought  him  no  letter 
 either  from  the  king  or  from  the  people,  and  commanded 
 them  to  go,  lo  !  where  they  would.  (So  soon  as)  the  priests 
 had  gone  thence,  came  archbishop  Alfric  to  Rome,  and  the 
 pope  received  liim  with  much  worship,  and  commanded  liim 
 on  the  morrow  to  perform  mass  at  St.  Peter's  altar,  and  the 
 pope  himself  put  on  him  his  own  pall,  and  greatly  honoured 
 him.  When  tliis  was  done,  the  archbishop  began  telling  the 
 pope  all  about  the  clerks,  how  it  had  happened,  and  how 
 they  were  within  the  minster  at  his  archbishopric.  And 
 the  pope  related  to  him  again  how  the  priests  had  come  to 
 him,  and  offered  great  gifts,  in  order  that  he  should  give 
 them  the  pall.  And  the  pope  said,  'Go  now  to  England 
 again  with  God's  blessing,  and  St.  Peter's  and  mine ;  and  as 
 thou  comest  home,  place  in  thy  minster  men  of  that  order 
 which  St.  Gregorius  commanded  Augustine  therein  to  place, 
 by  God's  command,  and  St.  Peter's  and  mine.'  Then  the 
 archbishop  with  this  returned  to  England.  As  soon  as  he 
 came  home,  he  entered  his  arcliiepiscopal  seat,  and  after  that 
 went  to  the  (king)  and  the  king  and  all  his  people  thanked 
 
394  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  396—999 
 
 God  for  his  return,  and  that  he  so  had  succeeded  as  was 
 pleasing  to  them  all.  He  then  went  again  to  Canterbury, 
 and  drove  the  clerks  out  of  the  minster,  and  there  within 
 placed  monks,  all  as  the  pope  commanded  him. 
 
 A.  996.  In  this  year  was  Alfric  consecrated  archbishop 
 to  Chi-ist- Church.*  This  year  was  Wulstan  ordained  bishop 
 of  London. 
 
 A.  997.  In  this  year  the  army  went  about  Devonsliire 
 into  Severn-mouth,  and  there  ravaged,  as  well  among  the 
 Cornish-men  as  among  the  North- Welsh,  and  among  the 
 men  of  Devon  ;  and  then  landed  at  Watchet,  and  there 
 wrought  much  evil  by  burning  and  by  man-slaying.  And 
 after  that  they  again  went  about  Penwithstert,  on  the  south 
 side,  and  went  then  into  the  mouth  of  the  Tamar,  and  then 
 went  up  until  they  came  to  Liddyford,  and  burned  and  de- 
 stroyed every  thing  which  they  met  with  ;  and  they  burned 
 Ordulf's  minster  at  Tavistock,  and  brought  unspeakable 
 booty  with  them  to  their  ships.  This  year  archbishop  Al- 
 fric went  to  Rome  after  his  arch-pall. 
 
 A.  998.  This  year  the  army  went  again  eastward  into 
 Frome-mouth,  and  everpvhere  there  they  went  up  as  far  as 
 they  would  into  Dorset.  And  forces  were  often  gathered 
 against  them  ;  but,  as  soon  as  they  should  have  joined  battle, 
 then  was  there  ever,  through  some  cause,  flight  begun  ;  and 
 in  the  end  they  ever  had  the  victory.  And  then  at  another 
 time  they  sat  down  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  got  their  food 
 the  while  from  Hampshire  and  from  Sussex. 
 
 A.  999.  This  year  the  army  again  came  about  into 
 Thames,  and  went  then  up  along  the  Medway,  and  to 
 Rochester.  And  then  the  Kentish  forces  came  there  to  meet 
 them,  and  they  there  stoutly  joined  battle  :  but  alas  !  that 
 they  too  quickly  yielded  and  fled  ;  for  they  had  not  the  sup- 
 port which  they  should  have  had.  And  the  Danish-men 
 had  possession  of  the  place  of  carnage  ;  and  then  they  took 
 horse  and  rode  wheresoever  they  themselves  would,  and  full 
 nigh  ail  the  West-Kentish  men  they  ruined  and  plundered. 
 Then  the  king,  with  his  witan,  decreed  that,  with  a  ship 
 force  and  also  with  a  land  force,  they  should  be  attacked. 
 But  when  the  ships  were  ready,  then  the  miserable  crew  delayed 
 from  day  to  day,  and  distressed  the  poor  people  who  lay  in 
 *  Canterbury. 
 
^D.  1000,1001.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  395 
 
 the  ships  :  and  ever  as  it  shoiihl  have  been  forwarder,  so  was 
 it  hiter  from  one  time  to  another  ;  and  ever  they  let  their 
 enemies'  forces  increase,  and  ever  the  people  retired  from  the 
 sea,  and  they  ever  went  forth  after  them.  And  then  in  the 
 end,  these  expeditions  both  by  sea  and  land  effected  nothing, 
 except  the  people's  distress  and  waste  of  money,  and  the 
 emboldening  of  their  foes. 
 
 A.  1000.  In  this  year  the  king  went  into  Cumberland, 
 and  ravaged  it  well  nigh  all.  And  his  ships  went  out  about 
 Chester,  and  should  have  come  to  meet  him,  but  they  were 
 not  able  :  then  ravaged  they  i^nglesey.  And  the  hostile 
 fleet  went  this  summer  to  Richard's  dominions.* 
 
 A.   1001.  In  this  year  was  much  hostility  in  the  land  of 
 the  English  through  the  ship-force,   and  well  nigh  every 
 where   they   ravaged   and   burned,   so   that   they  advanced 
 in  one  course  until  they  came  to  the  town  of  Alton  ;  and 
 then  there  came  against  them  the  men  of  Hampshire,  and 
 fought  against  them.     And  there  was  Ethelwerd  the  king's 
 high-steward  slain,  and  Leofric  at  Whitchurch,  and  Leofwin 
 the  king's  liigh-steward,  and  Wulf  here  the  bishop's  thane,  and 
 Godwin  at  Worthy,  bishop    Elfsy's    son,t  and  of   all  men, 
 one  and  eighty  ;  and  there  were  of  the  Danish-men  many 
 more  slain,  though  they  had  possession  of  the  place  of  car- 
 nage.    And   they   went   thence   west   until   they   came   to 
 Devon  ;  and  there  Paley  came  to  meet  them,  with  the  ships 
 which  he  could  gather,  because  he  had  fled  from  king  Ethel- 
 red,  contrary  to  all  the  plighted  troth  that  he  had  given  him ; 
 and  the  king  had  also  well  gifted  him  with  houses,  and  with 
 gold  and  with  silver.     And  they  burned  Teignton,  and  also 
 many  other  good  towns  which  we  are  unable  to  name  ;  and 
 there,   afterwards,  peace  was  made  with  them,     i^nd  they 
 then  went  thence  to  Exmouth,  so  that  they  proceeded  up- 
 wards in  one  course  until  they  came  to  Pen  :    and   there 
 Cole  the  king's  high-reve,  and  Edsy  the  king's-reve,  went 
 against  them  with  the  forces  which  they  were  able  to  gather 
 together  ;  and  they  there  were  put  to  flight,  and  there  were 
 many  slain  :  and  the  Danish-men  had  possession  of  the  place 
 of  carnage.     And  the  morning  after,  they  burned  the  village 
 of  Pen  and  at  Clifton,  and  also  many  goodly  towns  which  we 
 are  unable  to  name,  and  then  went  again  east  until  they 
 ♦  Normandy.  t  See  note  at  p.  413. 
 
39^  THE  AIs^GLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1002, 1003. 
 
 came  to  the  Isle  of  AYiglit ;  and  on  the  morning  after,  thej 
 burned  the  town  at  Waltham,  and  many  other  small  towns  ; 
 and  soon  after  a  treaty  was  entered  into  with  them,  and  they 
 made  peace. 
 
 A.  1001.  This  year  the  army  came  to  Exmouth,  and  then  went  up  to 
 the  town,  and  there  continued  fighting  stoutly  ;  but  they  were  very  strenu- 
 ously resisted.  Then  went  they  through  the  land,  and  did  all  as  was  then- 
 wont  ;  destroyed  and  burnt.  Then  Avas  collected  a  vast  force  of  the  peo- 
 ple of  Devon  and  of  the  people  of  Somerset,  and  they  then  came  together 
 at  Pen.  And  so  soon  as  they  joined  battle,  then  the  people  gave 
 way  :  and  there  they  made  great  slaughter,  and  then  they  rode  over  the 
 land,  and  their  last  incursion  was  ever  Avorse  than  the  one  before  :  and  then 
 they  brought  much  booty  with  them  to  their  ships.  And  thence  they  went 
 into  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  there  they  roved  about,  even  as  they  themselves 
 would,  and  nothing  withstood  them  :  nor  any  fleet  by  sea  durst  meet  them  ; 
 nor  land  force  either,  went  they  ever  so  far  up.  Then  was  it  in  every 
 wise  a  heavy  time,  because  they  never  ceased  from  their  evil  doings. 
 
 A.  1002.  In  this  year  the  king  decreed,  and  his  witan, 
 that  tribute  should  be  paid  to  the  fleet,  and  peace  made  with 
 them,  on  condition  that  they  should  cease  from  their  evil- 
 doings.  Then  sent  the  king  to  the  fleet  Leofsy  the 
 ealdorman  ;  and  he  then  settled  a  truce  with  them  by  the 
 king's  word,  and  his  witan's,  and  that  they  should  receive 
 food  and  tribute.  And  that  they  then  accepted :  and  then 
 were  they  paid  twenty-four  thousand  pounds.  Then  during 
 this,  Leofsy  the  ealdorman  slew  Eafy  the  king's  high-steward ; 
 and  the  king  then  banished  him  the  land.  And  then  in  the 
 same  Lent  came  the  lady,  Richard's*  daughter,  Emma 
 Elfgive,  hither  to  land  :  and  in  the  same  summer  archbishop 
 Aldulf  f  died.  And  in  that  year  the  king  ordered  all  the 
 Danish-men  who  were  in  England  to  be  slain.  This  was 
 done  on  St.  Brice's  mass-day  ;  because  it  was  made  known 
 to  the  king  that  they  would  treacherously  bereave  him  of  his 
 life,  and  afterwards  all  his  witan  ;  and  after  that  have  his 
 kingdom  without  any  gainsaying. 
 
 A.  1003.  This  year  was  Exeter  entered  by  storm,  through 
 the  French  churl  Hugh,  whom  the  J  lady  had  appointed  her 
 steward :  and  then  the  army  entirely  ruined  the  town,  and 
 there  took  much  booty.  And  in  the  same  year  the  army 
 went  up  into  Wiltshire.  Then  was  gathered  a  very  large 
 force    from    Wiltshire    and    from    Hampshire,    and    very 
 
 ♦  Duke  of  Normandy.         t  Of  York  +  Emma. 
 
H.D.  1004,1005.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  397 
 
 resolutely  they  came  in  presence  of  the  army.  Then  should 
 the  ealdorman  Elfric  have  led  the  forces,  but  he  then  had 
 recourse  to  his  old  devices :  as  soon  as  they  were  so  near  that 
 either  army  could  look  on  the  other,  then  feigned  he  himself 
 sick,  and  began  by  retching  to  spew,  and  said  that  he  was 
 grievously  iU  :  and  thus  deceived  the  people  whom  he  should 
 have  led  ;  as  it  is  said  :  When  the  leader  groAveth  feeble, 
 then  is  all  the  army  greatly  hindered.  When  Sweyn  saw 
 that  they  were  not  unanimous,  and  that  they  all  separated, 
 then  led  he  his  army  into  Wilton ;  and  they  spoiled  the  town, 
 and  burned  it ;  and  he  went  then  to  Salisbury,  and  thence 
 went  to  the  sea  again,  where  he  kncAV  that  his  sea-horses 
 Avere. 
 
 A.  1004.  This  year  came  Sweyn  with  his  fleet  to 
 Norwich,  and  entirely  spoiled  and  burned  the  town.  Then 
 decreed  Ulfkytel,  with  the  witan  of  East-Anglia,  that  it  were 
 better  that  they  should  purchase  peace  of  the  army  before 
 they  did  very  much  harm  in  the  land  ;  because  they  had 
 come  unawares,  and  he  had  not  time  that  he  might  gather 
 his  forces.  Then  during  the  truce  which  ought  to  have  been 
 between  them,  then  stole  the  army  up  from  their  ships,  and 
 went  their  way  to  Thetford.  When  Ulfkytel  understood 
 that,  then  sent  he  word  that  the  ships  should  be  hewed  in 
 pieces,  but  they  in  whom  he  trusted  failed  to  do  it,  and  he 
 then  gathered  his  forces  secretly,  as  he  best  might.  And 
 the  army  then  came  to  Thetford,  within  three  weeks  of  their 
 having  before  plundered  Norwich,  and  were  one  day  there 
 within,  and  plundered  and  burned  the  town.  And  then  on  the 
 morrow,  as  they  would  have  gone  to  their  ships,  then  came 
 Ulfkytel  with  his  band,  in  order  that  they  might  there  join 
 battle  with  them.  And  they  there  stoutly  joined  battle, 
 and  much  slaughter  was  there  made  on  either  hand.  There 
 were  the  chief  among  the  East- Anglian  people  slain  ;  but  if 
 the  full  force  there  had  been,  they  never  again  had  gone  to 
 their  ships  ;  inasmuch  as  they  themselves  said,  that  they 
 never  had  met  a  worse  hand-play  among  the  English  nation 
 than  Ulfk}^el  had  brought  to  them. 
 
 A.  lOOo.  In  this  year  was  the  great  famine  throughout 
 the  English  nation  ;  such,  that  no  man  ever  before  recollected 
 one  so  grim.  And  the  fleet  in  this  year  went  from  this  land 
 to  Denmark  ;  and  staid  but  a  little  space  ere  it  came  again. 
 
398  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CimONICLE.  [a.d.  1006. 
 
 A.  1006.  This  year  died  archbishop  Alfric,  and  after  him 
 bishop  Elphege  [II.]  succeeded  to  the  archbishopric  :  *  and  bi- 
 shop Brithwin  succeeded  to  the  bishopric  of  Wiltshire,  j"  And 
 in  the  same  year  was  Wulfgeat  deprived  of  all  his  possessions, 
 and  Wulfeah  and  Ufgeat  were  blinded,  and  Elfehn  the 
 ealdorman  was  slain  ;  and  bishop  Kenulf  |  died.  And  then, 
 after  mid-summer,  then  came  the  great  fleet  to  Sandwich,  and 
 did  all  as  they  had  been  before  wont  ;  they  ravaged,  and 
 burned,  and  destroyed,  wherever  they  went.  Then  the  king 
 commanded  all  the  people  of  Wessex  and  of  Mercia  to  be 
 called  out  ;  and  then  they  lay  out  all  the  harvest  in  the  field 
 against  the  army.  But  it  availed  nothing  the  more  than  it 
 oft  before  had  done :  but  for  all  this  the  army  went 
 wheresoever  itself  would,  and  the  forces  did  every  kind  of 
 harm  to  the  inhabitants  ;  so  that  neither  profited  them,  nor 
 the  home  army  nor  the  foreign  army.  When  it  became 
 winter,  then  went  the  forces  home ;  and  the  army  then  came, 
 over  St.  Martin's-mass,  to  their  quarters  in  the  Isle  of  Wight, 
 and  procured  themselves  there  from  all  parts  that  Avliich  they 
 needed.  And  then,  at  mid-winter,  they  went  to  their  ready 
 store,  throughout  Hampshire  into  Berkshire,  to  Reading: 
 and  they  did  their  old  wont ;  they  lighted  their  war-beacons 
 as  they  went.  Then  went  they  to  Wallingford,  and  that  all 
 burned,  and  were  then  one  day  in  Cholsey  :  and  they  went 
 then  along  Ashdown  to  Cuckamsley-hill,  and  there  abode, 
 as  a  daring  boast ;  for  it  had  been  often  said,  if  they  should 
 reach  Cuckamsley-hill,  that  they  would  never  again  get  to 
 the  sea  :  then  they  went  homewards  another  way.  Then 
 were  forces  assembled  at  Kennet,  and  they  there  joined  battle : 
 and  they  soon  brought  that  band  to  flight,  and  afterwards 
 carried  their  booty  to  the  sea.  But  there  might  the 
 Winchester-men  see  an  army  daring  and  fearless,  as  they 
 went  by  their  gates  toAvards  the  sea,  and  fetched  themselves 
 food  and  treasures  over  fifty  miles  from  the  sea.  Then  had 
 the  king  gone  over  Thames  into  Shropshire,  and  there  took 
 his  abode  during  the  mid-winter's  tide.  Then  became  the 
 dread  of  the  army  so  great,  that  no  man  could  think  or 
 discover  how  they  could  be  driven  out  of  the  land,  or  this 
 land  maintained  against  them  ;  for  they  had  every  shire  in 
 
 *  Of  Canterbury.  f  Afterwards  the  diocese  of  Salisbury. 
 
 X  Of  Winchester. 
 
A.u.  1006—1009.]       THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  399 
 
 Wessex  sadly  marked,  by  burning  and  by  plundering.  Then 
 the  king  began  earnestly  with  his  witan  to  consider  what 
 might  seem  most  advisable  to  them  all,  so  that  this  land 
 might  be  saved,  before  it  was  utterly  destroyed.  Then  the 
 king  and  his  witan  decreed,  for  the  behoof  of  the  whole 
 nation,  though  it  was  hateful  to  them  all,  that  they  needs 
 must  pay  tribute  to  the  army.  Then  the  king  sent  to  the 
 army,  and  directed  it  to  be  made  known  to  them,  that  he 
 would  that  there  should  be  a  truce  between  them,  and  that 
 tribute  should  be  paid,  and  food  given  them.  And  then  all 
 that  they  accepted  :  and  then  were  they  victualled  from 
 throughout  the  English  nation. 
 
 A.  1006.  This  year  Elphege  [II.]  was  consecrated  archbishop.* 
 
 A.  1007.  In  this  year  was  the  tribute  delivered  to  the 
 aimy,  that  was  thirty-six  thousand  pounds.  In  this  year 
 also  was  Edric  appointed  ealdorman  over  the  kingdom  of 
 Mercia.  This  year  bishop  Elphege  went  to  Rome  after  his 
 pall. 
 
 A.  1008.  This  year  the  king  commanded  that  ships  should 
 be  speedily  built  throughout  the  English  nation  :  that  is  then, 
 from  three  hundred  hides  and  from  ten  hides,  one  vessel ;  and 
 from  eight  hides,  a  helmet  and  a  coat  of  mail. 
 
 A.  1009.  In  this  year  were  the  ships  ready  about  which 
 we  before  spake  ;  and  there  were  so  many  of  them  as  never 
 before,  according  as  books  say  unto  us,  had  been  among  the 
 English  nation  in  any  king's  days.  And  they  were  aU 
 brought  together  to  Sandwich,  and  there  they  were  to  lie 
 and  defend  this  land  against  every  foreign  army.  But  still 
 we  had  not  the  good  fortune  nor  the  worthiness,  that  the 
 ship -force  could  be  of  any  use  to  tliis  land,  any  more  than  it 
 oft  before  had  been.  Then  befell  it  at  this  same  time,  or  a 
 little  before,  that  Brihtric,  Edric  the  ealdorman's  brother, 
 accused  [of  treason]  to  the  king  Wulfnoth  the  "  child  "  of  the 
 South- Saxons,  father  of  GodAvin  the  earl.  He  then  went  out, 
 and  enticed  sliips  unto  him,  until  he  had  twenty ;  and  he  then 
 ravaged  every  where  by  the  south  coast,  and  wrought  every 
 kind"  of  evil.  Then  it  was  told  unto  the  ship-forces  that 
 they  might  be  easily  taken,  if  they  would  go  about  it.  Then 
 Brihtric  took  with  him  eighty  ships,  and  thought  that  he 
 should  acquire  great  fame  if  he  could  seize  Wulfnoth  alive 
 *  Of  Canterbury. 
 
400  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  La.d.  1009. 
 
 or  dead.  But  as  they  were  on  their  way  thither,  then  came 
 such  a  wind  against  them  as  no  man  before  remembered,  and 
 the  sliips  it  then  utterly  beat,  and  smashed  to  pieces,  and 
 cast  upon  the  hind ;  and  soon  came  Wulfnoth,  and  burned 
 the  ships.  When  this  was  thus  known  in  the  other  ships 
 where  the  king  was,  how  the  others  had  fared,  then  was  it  as 
 if  it  had  been  all  hopeless  ;  and  the  king  went  his  way  home, 
 and  the  ealdormen  and  the  nobility,  and  thus  lightly  left 
 the  ships ;  and  then  afterwards,  the  people  who  Avere  in  the 
 ships  brought  them  to  London  :  and  they  let  the  whole 
 nation's  toil  thus  lightly  pass  away  ;  and  no  better  was  that 
 victory  on  wliich  the  whole  English  nation  had  fixed  their 
 hopes.  When  this  ship-expedition  had  thus  ended,  then 
 came,  soon  after  Lammas,  the  vast  hostile  army,  which  we 
 have  called  Thurkill's  army,  to  Sandwich  ;  and  they  soon 
 went  their  way  to  Canterbury,  and  the  city  would  soon 
 have  subdued,  if  the  citizens  had  not  first  desired  peace  of 
 them  :  and  all  the  people  of  East-Kent  made  peace  with  the 
 army,  and  gave  them  three  thousand  pounds.  And  then, 
 soon  after  that,  the  army  went  forth  till  they  came  to  the  Isle  of 
 Wight ;  and  thence  every  where  in  Sussex,  and  in  Hampshire, 
 and  also  in  Berkshire,  they  ravaged  and  plundered  as  their 
 wont  is.^  Then  the  king  commanded  the  whole  nation  to  be 
 called  out  ;  so  that  they  should  be  opposed  on  every  side  : 
 but  lo  !  nevertheless,  they  marched  as  they  pleased.  Then, 
 upon  a  certain  occasion,  the  king  had  got  before  them  Avith 
 all  his  forces,  as  they  would  go  to  their  ships  ;  and  all  the 
 people  were  ready  to  attack  them.  But  it  was  then  prevented 
 through  Edric  the  ealdorman,  as  it  ever  is  still*  Then, 
 after  St.  Martin's-mass,  they  went  once  more  into  Kent, 
 and  took  up  their  winter-quarters  on  the  Thames,  and  ob- 
 tained their  food  from  Essex,  and  from  the  shires  which 
 were  there  nearest,  on  both  sides  of  the  Thames.  And  oft 
 they  fought  against  the  city  of  London  :  but  praise  be  to 
 God  that  it  yet  stands  sound,  and  they  there  ever  met 
 with  ill  fare.  And  then,  after  mid-winter,  took  they  their 
 way  upwards  through  Chiltern,  and  so  to  Oxford,  and  burned 
 the  city  ;  and  betook  themselves  then,  on  both  sides  of  tlie 
 
 *  These  expressions  in  the  present  tense  afford  a  strong  proof  that  tlie 
 original  records  of  these  transactions  are  nearly  coeval  with  the  transactions 
 themselves.     Later  MSS.  use  the  past  tense. — Ingram. 
 
A.D.  1010.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  401 
 
 Thames,  towards  their  ships.  Then  were  they  warned  that 
 there  were  forces  gathered  at  London  against  them  :  then 
 went  they  over  at  Staines.  And  thus  they  went  the  whole 
 winter  ;  and  during  Lent  they  were  in  Kent,  and  repaired 
 their  ships. 
 
 A.  1010.  This  year,  after  Easter,  came  the  fore-mentioned 
 army  into  East-Anglia,  and  landed  at  Ipswich,  and  went 
 forthwith  where  they  understood  Ulfkytel  was  with  his 
 forces.  This  was  on  the  day,  called  the  first  of  the  ascension 
 of  our  Lord.  The  East  Angles  soon  fled.  Then  stood  Cam- 
 bridge-shire firmly  against  them.  There  was  slain  Athelstan 
 the  king's  son-in-law,  and  Oswy  and  his  son,  and  Wulfric, 
 Leofwin's  son,  and  Eadwy,  Efy's  brother,  and  many  other  good 
 thanes,  and  numberless  of  the  people  :  the  flight  first  began 
 at  Thurkytel  Myrehead.  And  the  Danes  had  possession  of 
 the  place  of  carnage  :  and  there  were  they  horsed  ;  and 
 afterwards  had  dominion  over  East-Anglia,  and  the  land  three 
 months  ravaged  and  burned  ;  and  they  even  went  into  the 
 wild  fens,  and  they  destroyed  men  and  cattle,  and  burned 
 throughout  tiie  fens  :  and  Thetford  they  burned,  and  Cam- 
 bridge. And  after  that  they  went  southward  again  to  the 
 Thames,  and  the  men  who  were  horsed  rode  towards  the 
 ships  ;  and  after  that,  very  speedily,  they  went  westward 
 into  Oxfordshire,  and  thence  into  Buckinghamshire,  and  so 
 along  the  Ouse  until  they  came  to  Bedford,  and  so  onwards 
 to  Temsford  ;  and  ever  burning  as  they  went.  Then  went 
 they  again  to  their  ships  with  their  booty.  And  when  they 
 went  to  their  ships,  then  ought  the  forces  again  to  have  gone 
 out  against  them,  until  they  should  land  ;  but  then  the  forces 
 went  home  :  and  when  they  were  eastwards,  then  were  the 
 forces  kept  westwards  ;  and  when  they  were  southwards, 
 then  were  our  forces  northwards.  Then  were  aU  the  witan 
 summoned  to  the  king,  and  they  were  then  to  counsel  how 
 this  land  might  be  defended.  But  although  something  might 
 be  then  counselled,  it  did  not  stand  even  one  month  :  at  last 
 there  was  no  chief  who  would  assemble  forces,  but  each 
 fled  as  he  best  might ;  nor,  at  the  last,  would  even  one  shire 
 assist  another.  Then  before  St.  Andrew's  mass-day,  came 
 the  enemy  to  Northampton,  and  they  soon  burned  the  town 
 and  took  there-about  as  much  as  they  themselves  would  ; 
 and  thence  they  went  over  Thames  into  Wessex,  and  so  by 
 
 D  D 
 
402  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.         La.d.  1011, 1012, 
 
 Cannings-marsli,  burning  all  the  way.  When  they  had 
 gone  so  far  as  they  then  would,  then  came  they  at  mid- winter 
 to  their  ships. 
 
 A.  1011.  In  this  year  sent  the  king  and  his  witan  to  the 
 army,  and  desired  peace,  and  promised  them  tribute  and  food, 
 on  condition  that  they  would  cease  from  their  plundering. 
 They  had  then  over-run,  1st,  East-Anglia,  and  2d,  Essex, 
 and  3d,  Middlesex,  and  4th,  Oxfordshire,  and  5th,  Cambridge- 
 shire, and  6th,  Hertfordshire,  and  7th,  Buckinghamshire, 
 and  8th,  Bedfordshire,  and  9th,  half  of  Huntingdonshire, 
 and  10th,  much  of  Northamptonshire ;  and  south  of 
 Thames,  all  Kent,  and  Sussex,  and  Hastings,  and  Surry,  and 
 Berkshire,  and  Hampshire,  and  much  of  Wiltshire.  All 
 these  misfortunes  befel  us  through  unwise  counsel,  that  they 
 were  not  in  time  offered  tribute,  or  fought  against ;  but  when 
 they  had  done  the  most  evil,  then  peace  and  truce  were  made 
 with  them.  And  nevertheless,  for  all  the  truce  and  tribute, 
 they  went  everywhere  in  bands,  and  plundered  our  miserable 
 people,  and  robbed  and  slew  them.  And  then  in  this  year, 
 between  the  Nativity  of  St.  Mary  and  St.  Michael's-mass, 
 they  besieged  Canterbury,  and  got  into  it  through  treachery, 
 because  Elfmar  betrayed  it,  whose  life  the  archbishop  Elphege 
 had  before  saved.  And  there  they  took  the  archbishop 
 Elphege,  and  Elfward  the  king's  steward,  and  the  abbess  Leo- 
 fruna,*  and  bishop  Godwin.f  And  abbat  Elfmar  |  they  let 
 go  away.  And  they  took  there  within  all  the  men  in  orders, 
 and  men  and  women  :  it  is  not  to  be  told  to  any  man  how 
 many  there  were.  And  they  remained  within  the  city 
 afterwards  as  long  as  they  would.  And  when  they  had 
 thoroughly  searched  the  city,  then  went  they  to  their  ships, 
 and  led  tlie  archbishop  with  them. 
 Was  then  captive  erewhile  saw  bliss, 
 
 he  who  erewhile  was  in  that  hapless  city, 
 
 head  of  the  English  race  v»^hence  to  us  came  first 
 
 and  Christendom.  Clmstendom  and  bliss. 
 
 There  might  then  be  seen         'fore  God,  and  'fore  the  world, 
 misery,  where  men  oft 
 
 And  they  kept  the  archbishop  with  them  so  long  as  until  the 
 time  that  they  martyred  him. 
 
 A.   1012.  In  this  year  came  Edric  the  ealdorman,  and  all 
 •  Of  S.  Mildred's,     f  Godvnn  HI.  of  Rochester.     J  Of  St.  Augustine's. 
 
A.D.  1013.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  403 
 
 the  chief  witan,  clergj  and  laity,  of  the  English  people  to 
 London,  before  Easter  ;  Easter-day  was  then  on  the  Ides 
 of  Api-il ;  and  they  were  there  then  so  long  as  until  all 
 the  tribute  was  paid,  after  Easter  ;  that  was  eight  and  forty 
 thousand  pounds.  Then  on  the  Saturday  was  the  army 
 greatly  excited  against  the  bishop,  because  he  would  not  pro- 
 mise them  any  money  :  but  he  forbade  that  any  tiling  should 
 be  given  for  him.  They  had  also  drunk  deeply,  for  wine 
 had  been  brought  there  from  the  south.  Then  took  they  the 
 bishop,  led  him  to  their  hustings  on  the  eve  of  Sunday,  the 
 octaves  of  Easter,  which  was  on  the  13th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 May  ;  and  there  they  then  shamefully  slaughtered  him  : 
 they  cast  upon  him  bones  and  the  horns  of  oxen,  and  then 
 one  of  them  struck  him  with  an  axe-iron  on  the  head,  so  that 
 with  the  blow  he  sank  down  ;  and  his  holy  blood  fell  on  the 
 earth,  and  his  holy  soul  he  sent  forth  to  God's  kingdom. 
 And  on  the  morrow  the  body  was  carried  to  London,  and 
 the  bishops  Ednoth*  and  Elfhun,f  and  the  townsmen,  re- 
 ceived it  with  all  reverence,  and  buried  it  in  St.  Paul's 
 minster  ;  and  there  God  now  manifesteth  the  miraculous 
 powers  of  the  holy  martyr.  When  the  tribute  was  paid,  and 
 oaths  of  peace  were  sworn,  then  the  army  separated  widely, 
 in  like  manner  as  before  it  had  been  gathered  together.  Then 
 became  subject  to  the  king  five  and  forty  ships  of  the  army, 
 and  covenanted  with  liim  that  they  would  defend  this  country, 
 and  that  he  should  feed  and  clothe  them. 
 
 A.  1013.  Li  the  year  after  that  in  Avhich  the  archbishop 
 Elphege  was  martyred,  the  king  appointed  bishop  Living  to 
 be  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Ajid  in  this  same  year, 
 before  the  month  of  August,  came  king  Sweyn  with  his 
 fleet  to  Sandwich,  and  went  then,  very  soon,  about  East- 
 Anglia  into  the  mouth  of  the  Humber,  and  so  upward  along 
 Trent,  until  he  came  to  Gainsborough.  And  then,  soon, 
 Utred  the  earl  and  all  the  North-humbrians  submitted  to 
 him,  and  all  the  people  in  Lindsey,  and  afterwards  the  people 
 in  the  Five  Boroughs,  j:  and  soon  after,  all  the  army  north  of 
 Watling-street ;  and  hostages  were  deHvered  to  him  from 
 every  shire.     After  he  had  learned  that  all  the  people  were 
 
 *  Of  Dorchester.  t  Of  London. 
 
 Ij:  Namely,  Leicester,  Lincoln,  Nottingham,  Stamford,  and  Derby.  See 
 A.  942,  1015. 
 
 dd2 
 
404  THE    ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1013. 
 
 obedient  to  him,  then  bade  he  that  his  army  should  be 
 victualled  and  horsed  ;  and  ho  then  afterwards  went  south- 
 ward with  all  the  forces,  and  committed  the  ships  and  the 
 hostages  to  his  son  Canute.  And  after  he  came  over  WatHng- 
 street,  they  wrought  the  most  evil  that  any  army  could  do. 
 Then  went  he  to  Oxford,  and  the  townsmen  soon  submitted, 
 and  delivered  hostages  ;  and  thence  to  Winchester,  and  they 
 did  the  like.  Then  went  he  thence  eastward  to  London,  and 
 much  of  his  people  was  drowned  in  the  Thames,  because 
 they  kept  not  to  any  bridge.  When  he  came  to  the  city, 
 then  would  not  the  townsmen  submit,  but  held  out  against 
 him  with  all  their  might,  because  king  Ethelred  was  therein, 
 and  Thurkill  with  him.  Then  went  king  Sweyn  thence  to 
 Wallingford,  and  so  over  the  Thames  westward  to  Bath,  and 
 sat  down  there  with  his  forces.  And  Ethelmar  the  ealdor- 
 man  came  thither,  and  the  western  thanes  with  him,  and  they 
 all  submitted  to  Sweyn,  and  delivered  hostages  for  them- 
 selves. And  when  he  had  thus  succeeded,  then  went  he 
 northward  to  his  ships  ;  and  then  all  the  people  held  him  for 
 full  king.  And  after  that  the  townsmen  of  London  sub- 
 mitted, and  delivered  hostages,  because  they  dreaded  lest  he 
 should  utterly  undo  them.  Then  Sweyn  ordered  a  full-tri- 
 bute and  provisions  for  his  army  during  the  winter  ;  and 
 Thurkill  ordered  the  like  for  the  army  which  lay  at  Green- 
 wich :  and  for  all  that,  they  plundered  as  oft  as  they  would. 
 Then  was  this  people  nothing  benefited  either  from  the  south 
 or  from  the  north.  Then  was  king  Ethelred  some  wliile 
 with  the  fleet  wliich  lay  in  the  Thames  ;  and  the  lady*  then 
 departed  over  sea  to  her  brother  Eichard,|  and  Elfsy,  abbat  of 
 Peterborough,  with  her.  And  the  king  sent  bishop  Elf  hun 
 with  the  ethelings,  Edward  and  Alfred,  over  sea,  that  he 
 might  have  charge  of  them.  Then  departed  the  king  from 
 the  fleet  at  mid-winter  into  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  was  there 
 during  that  tide  ;  and  after  that  tide  he  went  over  the  sea  to 
 Richard,  and  was  there  with  him  until  such  time  as  Sweyn 
 was  dead.  And  the  while  that  the  lady  was  with  her  brother 
 beyond  sea,  Elfsy,  abbat  of  Peterborough,  who  was  there  with 
 her,  went  to  the  minster  wliich  is  called  Boneval,  where  St. 
 Florentine's  body  lay.  There  found  he  a  poor  place,  a  poor 
 abbat,  and  poor  monks  j  for  they  had  been  plundered.  Then 
 •  Emma.  f  Duke  of  Normandy. 
 
A.D.  1014.]  THE  iV^^GLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  405 
 
 bought  lie  there  of  the  abbat  and  of  the  monks  St.  Floren- 
 tine's body,  all  except  the  head,  for  five  hundred  pounds  ; 
 and  then  when  he  came  home  again,  then  made  he  an  offer- 
 ing of  it  to  Christ  and  St.  Peter. 
 
 A.  1014.  In  this  year  king  Sweyn  ended  liis  days,  at 
 Candlemas,  on  the  third  before  the  Nones  of  February.  And 
 that  same  year  Alwy  was  consecrated  bishop  of  London,  at 
 York,  on  St.  Juliana's  mass-day.  And  all  the  fleet  then 
 chose  Canute  for  king.  Then  counselled  all  the  witan  who 
 were  in  England,  clergy  and  laity,  that  they  should  send 
 after  king  Ethelred  ;  and  they  declared  that  no  lord  were 
 dearer  to  them  than  their  natural  lord,  if  he  would  rule  them 
 better  than  he  had  before  done.  Then  sent  the  king  his 
 son  Edward  liither  with  his  messengers,  and  ordered  them  to 
 greet  all  his  people  ;  and  said  that  he  would  be  to  them  a 
 loving  lord,  and  amend  all  those  things  which  they  all  ab- 
 horred, and  each  of  those  things  should  be  forgiven  Avhich 
 had  been  done  or  said  to  him,  on  condition  that  they  all,  with 
 one  consent,  would  be  obedient  to  him,  without  deceit.  And 
 they  then  established  full  friendship,  by  word  and  by  pledge, 
 on  either  half,  and  declared  every  Danish  king  an  outlaw 
 from  England  for  ever.  Then,  during  Lent,  king  Ethelred 
 came  home  to  his  own  people  ;  and  he  was  gladly  received 
 by  them  all.  Then,  after  Sweyn  was  dead,  Canute  sat  with 
 his  army  at  Gainsborough  until  Easter  ;  and  it  was  agreed 
 between  him  and  the  people  of  Lindsey  that  they  should  find 
 him  horses,  and  that  afterwards  they  should  all  go  out  to- 
 gether, and  plunder.  Then  came  king  Ethelred  thither,  to 
 Lindsey,  with  his  full  force,  before  they  were  ready  :  and 
 then  they  plundered,  and  burned,  and  slew  all  the  people 
 whom  they  could  reach.  And  Canute  went  away  out  with  his 
 fleet,  and  thus  the  poor  people  were  deceived  through  him, 
 and  then  he  went  southward  until  he  came  to  Sandwich  ; 
 and  there  he  caused  the  hostages  to  be  put  on  shore  who  had 
 been  delivered  to  his  father,  and  cut  off  their  hands,  and 
 ears,  and  noses.  And  besides  all  these  evils,  the  king 
 ordered  the  army  which  lay  at  Greenwich  to  be  paid  twenty- 
 one  thousand  pounds.  And  in  this  year,  on  the  eve  of  St. 
 Michael's  mass,  came  the  great  sea-flood  wide  throughout 
 this  land,  and  ran  so  far  up  as  it  never  before  had  done,  and 
 washed  away  many  towns,  and  a  countless  number  of  people. 
 
406  THE  ANGLO-SAXOX  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1015, 1016. 
 
 A.  1015.  In  this  year  was  the  great  council  at  Oxford  ; 
 and  there  Edric  the  ealdorman  betrayed  Sigeferth  and 
 Morcar,  the  cliief  thanes  in  the  Seven  Boroughs.  He  allured 
 them  into  his  chamber,  and  there  within  they  were  cruelly 
 slain.  And  the  king  then  took  all  their  possessions,  and 
 ordered  Sigeferth's  relict  to  be  taken,  and  to  be  brought  to 
 Malmesbury.  Then,  after  a  little  space,  Edmund  the 
 etheling  went  there  and  took  the  woman,  contrary  to  the 
 king's  will,  and  had  her  for  his  wife.  Then,  before  the 
 Nativity  of  St.  Mary,  the  etheling  went  thence,  from  the 
 west,  north  to  the  Five  Boroughs,  and  soon  took  possession  of 
 all  Sigeferth's  property,  and  Morcar's  ;  and  the  people  all 
 submitted  to  him.  And  then,  during  the  same  time,  came 
 king  Canute  to  Sandwich  ;  and  soon  after  went  about  Kent 
 into  Wessex,  until  he  came  to  the  mouth  of  the  Frome  :  and 
 then  he  ravaged  in  Dorset,  and  in  Wiltshire,  and  in  Somer- 
 set. Then  lay  the  king  sick  at  Corsham.  Then  gathered 
 Edric  the  ealdorman  forces,  and  the  etheling  Edmund  in 
 the  north.  When  they  came  together,  then  would  the 
 ealdorman  betray  the  etheling,  but  he  was  not  able  :  and 
 they  then  parted  without  a  battle  on  that  account,  and  gave 
 way  to  their  foes.  And  Edric  the  ealdorman  then  enticed 
 forty  ships  from  the  king,  and  then  went  over  to  Canute.  And 
 the  men  of  Wessex  submitted,  and  delivered  hostages,  and 
 horsed  the  army  ;  and  then  was  it  there  until  mid-winter. 
 
 A.  1016.  In  this  year  came  Canute  with  his  army,  and 
 Edric  the  ealdorman  with  him,  over  Thames  into  Mercia  at 
 Cricklade.  And  then  they  went  to  Warwicksliire,  during 
 the  midwinter's  tide,  and  ravaged,  and  burned,  and  slew  all 
 that  they  could  come  at.  Then  began  the  etheling  Edmund 
 to  gather  his  forces.  When  the  forces  were  assembled,  then 
 would  it  not  content  them  except  it  so  were  that  the  king 
 were  there  with  them,  and  they  might  have  the  help  of  the 
 citizens  of  London :  then  gave  they  up  the  expedition, 
 and  each  man  went  him  away  home.  Then  after  that  tide, 
 the  forces  were  again  called  out,  so  that  each  man,  who 
 was  able  to  go,  should  come  forth,  under  full  penalties  ; 
 and  they  sent  to  the  king  at  London,  and  prayed  him 
 that  he  would  come  to  meet  the  forces  vnih  such  help  as 
 he  could  gather.  When  they  all  had  come  together,  then 
 it  availed  them  nothinf:^  more  than  it  oft  before  had  done. 
 
it.D.  1016.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CIIRONICLE.  407 
 
 Then  was  it  made  knoM'-n  to  the  king  that  they  would  betray 
 liim  ;  they  who  ought  to  have  been  of  aid  to  liim.  Then 
 left  lie  the  forces  and  returned  to  London.  Then  rode  the 
 etheling  Edmund  into  North-humbria  to  Utred  the  earl, 
 and  every  man  thought  that  they  would  assemble  forces 
 against  king  Canute.  Then  marched  they  into  Staffordshire, 
 and  into  Shropshire,  and  to  Chester  ;  and  they  plundered  on 
 their  part,  and  Canute  on  his  part.  He  went  out  through 
 Buckinghamsliire  into  Bedfordshire,  and  thence  to  Hunting- 
 donshire, and  so  into  Northamptonshire  along  the  fens  to 
 Stamford,  and  then  into  Lincolnshire ;  then  thence  to 
 Nottinghamshire,  and  so  to  North-humbria  towards  York. 
 When  Utred  heard  this,  then  left  he  off  his  plundering,  and 
 hastened  northwards,  and  then  submitted,  from  need,  and  all 
 the  North-humbrians  with  him  ;  and  he  delivered  hostages  : 
 and,  notwithstanding,  they  slew  him,  through  the  counsel  of 
 Edric  the  ealdorman,  and  Thurkytel,  son  of  Nafim,  with 
 him.  And  tlien,  after  that,  king  Canute  appointed  Eric  to  be 
 his  earl  in  North-humbria,  in  like  manner  as  Utred  had 
 been  ;  and  afterwards  went  southward,  by  another  way,  all 
 to  the  west :  and  then  before  Easter,  came  all  the  army  to 
 their  ships.  And  the  etheling  Edmund  went  to  London  to 
 liis  father.  And  then,  after  Easter,  went  king  Canute  with  all 
 his  ships  towards  London.  Then  befell  it  that  king  Ethelred 
 died,  before  the  ships  arrived.  He  ended  his  days  on  St. 
 George's  mass  day,  and  he  held  his  kingdom  with  great  toil 
 and  under  great  difficulties  the  while  that  his  life  lasted. 
 And  then,  after  his  end,  all  the  peers  who  were  in  London, 
 and  the  citizens,  chose  Edmund  to  be  king :  and  he 
 strenuously  defended  his  kingdom  the  while  that  his  time 
 lasted.  Then  came  the  ships  to  Greenwich  at  Rogation  days. 
 And  within  a  little  space  they  went  to  London,  and  they  dug 
 a  great  ditch  on  the  south  side,  and  dragged  their  ships  to 
 the  west  side  of  the  bridge  ;  and  then  afterwards  they  ditched 
 the  city  around,  so  that  no  one  could  go  either  in  or  out :  and 
 they  repeatedly  fought  against  the  city  ;  but  the  citizens 
 strenuously  withstood  them.  Then  had  the  king  Edmund, 
 before  that,  gone  out  ;  and  then  he  over-ran  We.ssex,  and  all 
 the  people  submitted  to  him.  And  soon  after  that  he  fought 
 against  the  army  at  Pen,  near  Gillingham.  And  a  second 
 battle  he  fought,  after  mid-summer,  at  Sherston  ;  and  there 
 
408  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHKONICLE.  [a.d.  1016. 
 
 much  slaughter  was  made  on  either  side,  and  the  armies  of 
 themselves  separated.  In  that  battle  was  Edric  the 
 ealdorman,  and  ^Imer  darling,  helping  the  army  against 
 king  Edmund.  And  then  gathered  he  his  forces  for  the 
 third  time,  and  went  to  London,  all  north  of  Thames,  and  so 
 out  through  Clayhanger ;  and  relieved  the  citizens,  and 
 drove  the  army  in  flight  to  their  ships.  And  then,  two  days 
 after,  the  king  went  over  at  Brentford,  and  there  fought 
 against  the  army,  and  put  them  to  flight :  and  there  many 
 of  the  Enghsh  people  were  drowned,  from  their  own 
 carelessness  ;  they  who  went  before  the  forces,  and  would 
 take  booty.  And  after  that  the  king  went  into  Wessex,  and 
 collected  his  forces.  Then  went  the  army,  soon,  to  London, 
 and  beset  the  city  around,  and  strongly  fought  against 
 it,  as  well  by  water  as  by  land.  But  the  Almighty  God 
 delivered  it. 
 
 The  enemy  went  then,  after  that,  from  London,  with  their 
 ships,  into  the  Orwell,  and  there  went  up,  and  proceeded  into 
 Mercia,  and  destroyed  and  burned  whatsoever  they  over-ran, 
 as  is  their  wont,  and  provided  themselves  with  food :  and 
 they  conducted,  as  well  their  ships  as  their  droves,  into  the 
 Medway.  Then  king  Edmund  assembled,  for  the  fourth 
 time,  all  his  forces,  and  went  over  the  Thames  at  Brentford, 
 and  went  into  Kent ;  and  the  army  fled  before  liim,  with 
 their  horses,  into  Sheppey :  and  the  king  slew  as  many  of 
 them  as  he  could  overtake.  And  Edric  the  ealdorman  went 
 then  to  meet  the  king  at  Aylesford  :  than  which  no  measure 
 could  be  more  ill-advised. 
 
 The  army  then  went  again  up  into  Essex,  and  passed  into 
 Mercia,  and  destroyed  whatever  it  over-ran. 
 
 When  the  king  learned  that  the  army  was  upward,  then 
 assembled  he,  for  the  fifth  time,  all  the  English  nation,  and 
 followed  after  them,  and  overtook  them  in  Essex,  at  the 
 doAvn  which  is  called  Assingdon :  and  there  they  strenuously 
 joined  battle.  Then  did  Edric  the  ealdorman,  as  he  had 
 oft  before  done,  begin  the  flight  first  with  the  Maisevethians, 
 and  so  betrayed  his  royal  lord  and  the  whole  people  of  the 
 English  race.  There  Canute  had  the  victory ;  and  all  the 
 English  nation  fought  against  him.  There  was  slain  bishop 
 Ednoth,*  and  abbat  Wulsy,  and  Elfric  the  ealdorman, 
 *  Of  Dorchester, 
 
A.D.  1017.]  THE  AXGLO-SAXON  CnUONICLE.  409 
 
 and  Godwin  the  ealdorman  of  Lindsey,  and  Ulfkjtel  of 
 East-Anglia,  and  Ethelward,  son  of  Ethelwine*  the  ealdor- 
 man; and  all  the  nobility  of  the  English  race  was  there 
 destroyed. 
 
 Then,  after  this  battle,  went  king  Canute  up  with  his  army 
 into  Gloucestershire,  where  he  learned  that  king  Edmund 
 was. 
 
 Then  advised  Edric  the  ealdorman,  and  the  counsellors  who 
 were  there,  that  the  kings  should  be  mutually  reconciled. 
 And  they  deUvered  hostages  mutually ;  and  the  kings  came 
 together  at  Olney  near  Deerhurst,  and  then  confirmed  their 
 friendship  as  weU  by  pledge  as  by  oath,  and  settled  the  tribute 
 for  the  army.  And  they  then  separated  with  this  recon- 
 cilement :  and  Edmund  obtained  Wessex,  and  Canute  Mercia 
 and  the  northern  district.  The  army  then  went  to  their 
 ships  with  the  things  they  had  taken.  And  the  men  of 
 London  made  a  truce  with  the  army,  and  bought  themselves 
 peace:  and  the  army  brought  their  ships  to  London,  and 
 took  up  their  winter-quarters  therein.  Then,  at  St.  An- 
 di-ew's  mass,  died  king  Edmund;  and  his  body  lies  at 
 Glastonbury,  with  his  grandfather  Edgar.  And  in  the 
 same  year  died  Wulfgar,  abbat  of  Abingdon ;  and  Ethelsy 
 succeeded  to  the  abbacy. 
 
 A.  1017.  In  this  year  king  Canute  obtained  the  whole 
 realm  of  the  English  race,  and  divided  it  into  four  parts: 
 Wessex  to  himself,  and  East-Anglia  to  Thurkill,  and  Mer- 
 cia to  Edi'ic,  and  North-humbria  to  Eric.  And  in  this 
 year  was  Edric  the  ealdorman  slain  in  London,  very  justly, 
 and  Norman,  son  of  Leofwin  the  ealdorman,  and  Ethel- 
 ward,  son  of  Ethelmar  the  great,  and  Britric,  son  of 
 Elphege,  in  Devonshire.  And  king  Canute  banished  Edwy 
 the  etheling,  and  afterwards  commanded  him  to  be  slain,  and 
 Edwy  king  of  the  churls.  And  then,  before  the  Kalends  of 
 August,  the  king  commanded  the  relict  of  king  Ethelred, 
 Richard's  daughter,  to  be  fetched  for  his  wife ;  that  was  Elf- 
 give  in  English,  Emma  in  French. 
 
 A.  1017.  This  year  Canute  was  chosen  king. 
 
 A.  1018.  In  tliis  year  the  tribute  was  delivered  through- 
 out the  whole  English  nation ;  that  was  altogether,  two  and 
 
 *  Called  Ethelsy  in  some  MSS. 
 
410  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.         [a.d.  1019— 1022, 
 
 seventy  thousand  pounds,  besides  that  which  the  townsmen 
 of  London  paid,  which  was  ten  and  a  half  thousand  pounds. 
 And  then  some  of  the  army  went  to  Denmark,  and  forty 
 ships  remained  with  king  Canute.  And  the  Danes  and  the 
 Angles  agreed,  at  Oxford,  to  live  under  Edgar's  law.  And 
 tliis  year  abbat  Ethelsy  died  at  Abingdon,  and  Ethelwine 
 succeeded  him. 
 
 A.  1019.  This  year  king  Canute  went  with  forty  ships  to 
 Denmark,  and  there  abode  all  the  winter. 
 
 A.  1019.  And  this  -winter  died  archbishop  Elfstan  :*  he  was  named 
 Living;  and  he  was  a  very  provident  man,  both  as  to  God  and  as  to  the 
 world. 
 
 A.  1020.  In  this  year  died  archbishop  Living :  and  king 
 Canute  came  again  to  England.  And  then,  at  Easter,  there 
 was  a  great  council  at  Cirencester:  then  was  outlawed 
 Ethelward  the  ealdorman,  and  Edwy,  king  of  the  churls. 
 And  in  this  year  went  the  king  to  Assingdon,  and  arch- 
 bishop Wulstan  [IL],"]"  and  Thurkyl  the  earl,  and  many  bishops 
 and  also  abbats,  and  many  monks  with  them,  and  consecrated 
 the  minster  at  Assingdon.  And  Ethelnoth  the  monk,  who 
 was  dean  at  Christ- Church,  was  in  the  same  year,  on  the 
 Ides  of  November,  consecrated  bishop  at  Christ- Church,  |  by 
 archbishop  Wulfstan. 
 
 A.  1 020.  And  caused  to  be  built  there  a  minster  of  stone  and  lime,  for 
 the  souls  of  the  men  who  there  were  slain,  and  gave  it  to  one  of  his  priests, 
 whose  name  was  Stigand. 
 
 A.  1021.  In  tliis  year,  at  Martin-mass,  king  Canute  out- 
 lawed Thurkyl  the  earl.  And  bishop  Elfgar,§  the  alms- 
 giver,  died  on  Christmas-morn. 
 
 A.  1022.  This  year  king  Canute  went  out  with  his  ships 
 to  the  Isle  of  Wight.  Archbishop  Ethelnoth  went  to  Rome, 
 and  was  there  received  by  Benedict,  the  honourable  pope, 
 with  much  worship  ;  and  he,  with  his  own  hands,  put  his  pall 
 upon  him,  and  very  honourably  consecrated  him  archbishop, 
 and  blessed  him,  on  the  Nones  of  October.  And  the  arch- 
 bishop soon  after,  on  the  self-same  day,  sang  mass  therewith  : 
 and  then  thereafter  was  honourably  entertained  by  the  same 
 pope,  and  also  himself  took  the  pall  from  St,  Peter's  altar; 
 
 *  Of  Canterbury.  f  Of  York. 
 
 J  Canterbury.  §  Of  Elmham. 
 
A.u.  1022,  1023.]         THE  .\lfGLO-SAX0N  CHRONICLE.  4J1 
 
 and  then  afterwards  he  blithely  went  home  to  his  country. 
 And  abbat  Leofwine,  who  had  been  unjustly  driven  out 
 from  Ely,  was  his  companion;  and  he  cleared  himself  of 
 everything  tliat  was  said  against  him,  as  the  pope  instructed 
 him,  in  the  presence  of  the  archbishop,  and  of  all  the  fellow- 
 ship which  was  with  him. 
 
 A.  1022.  And  afterwards  with  the  pall  he  there  performed  mass  as  the 
 pope  instructed  him:  and  he  feasted  after  that  with  the  pope;  and  after- 
 wards went  home  with  a  full  blessing. 
 
 A.  1023.  This  year  king  Canute  came  again  to  England, 
 and  Thurkyl  and  he  were  reconciled ;  and  he  committed  Den- 
 mark and  his  son  to  the  keeping  of  Thurkyl ;  and  the  king 
 took  Thurkyl's  son  with  hiin  to  England.  This  year  died 
 archbishop  Wulfstan  :*  and  Elfric  succeeded  him ;  and 
 archbishop  Ethelnoth  blessed  him  at  Canterbury.  This 
 year  king  Canute,  within  London,  in  St.  Paul's  minster,  gave 
 full  leave  to  archbishop  Ethelnoth  and  Bishop  Brithwine,f 
 and  to  all  the  servants  of  God  who  were  with  them,  that 
 they  might  take  up  from  the  tomb  the  archbishop  St.  El- 
 phege.  And  they  then  did  so,  on  the  sixth  before  the  Ides 
 of  June.  And  the  illustrious  king,  and  the  archbishop  and 
 suffragan  bishops,  and  earls,  and  very  many  clergy,  and  also 
 laity,  carried,  in  a  ship,  his  holy  body  over  the  Thames  to 
 Southwark,  and  there  delivered  the  holy  martyr  to  the  arch- 
 bishop and  his  companions;  and  they  then,  mth  a  worshipful 
 band  and  sprightly  joy,  bore  him  to  Rochester.  Then,  on  the 
 tliird  day,  came  Emma  the  lady,  with  her  royal  child  Harda- 
 Canute :  and  then  they  all,  with  much  state  and  bliss,  and  songs 
 of  praise,  bore  the  holy  archbishop  into  Canterbury;  and  then 
 worshipfully  brought  him  into  Christ's  Church,  on  the  third 
 before  the  Ides  of  June.  Again,  after  that,  on  the  eighth 
 day,  the  seventeenth  before  the  Kalends  of  July,  arch- 
 bishop Ethelnoth,  and  bishop  Elfsy,f  and  bishop  Brith- 
 wine,  and  all  those  who  were  with  them,  deposited  St. 
 Elphege's  holy  body  on  the  north  side  of  Christ's  altar,  to 
 the  glory  of  God,  and  the  honour  of  the  holy  archbishop, 
 and  the  eternal  healtli  of  all  who  there  daily  seek  to  his 
 holy  body  with  a  devout  heart  and  with  all  humility.  God 
 Almighty  have  mercy  on  all  Christian  men,  through  St. 
 Elphege's  holy  merits. 
 
 •  Of  York.  t  Of  Sherborne.  ;  Of  Wmchester. 
 
412  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.       La.d.  1  23-  0?.1. 
 
 A.  1023.  And  he  caused  St.  Elphege's  remains  to  be  borne  from  London 
 to  Canterbury. 
 
 A.  1023.  And  the  same  year  archbishop  Ethelnoth  bore  St.  Elphege's, 
 the  archbishop's,  remains  to  Canterbury-,  from  London. 
 
 A.  1024. 
 
 A.  1025.  This  year  king  Canute  went  to  Denmark,  with 
 his  ships,  to  the  holm  by  the  holy  river.  And  there  came 
 against  him  Ulf  and  Eglaf,  and  a  very  great  army,  as  well  a 
 land-army  as  a  fleet  from  Sweden.  And  there  very  many  men 
 were  destroyed  on  king  Canute's  side,  as  well  of  Danish-men 
 as  of  English :  and  the  Swedes  had  possession  of  the  place 
 of  carnage. 
 
 A.  1026.  This  year  bishop  Elfric*  went  to  Rome,  and 
 received  his  pall  of  Pope  John,  on  the  2d  before  the  Ides  of 
 November. 
 
 A.   1027 
 
 A.  1028.  This  year  king  Canute  went  from  England,  with 
 fifty  ships  of  English  thanes,  to  Norway,  and  drove  king 
 Olave  out  of  the  land,  and  possessed  himself  of  all  that  land. 
 
 A.  1029.  This  year  king  Canute  came  home  again  to  Eng- 
 land. And  so  soon  as  he  came  to  England,  he  gave  to  Christ- 
 Church  at  Canterbury  the  haven  at  Sandwich,  and  all  the 
 dues  that  arise  thereof,  on  either  side  of  the  haven  :  so  that, 
 lo!  when  the  flood  is  all  at  the  highest,  and  all  at  the  fullest, 
 if  a  ship  be  floating  so  nigh  the  land  as  it  nighest  may,  and 
 there  be  a  man  standing  in  the  ship,  and  he  have  a  taper  ax 
 in  his  .... 
 
 A.  1030.  This  year  was  king  Olave  slain  in  Norway  by 
 his  own  people  ;  and  afterwards  was  sainted.  And  in  this 
 year,  before  that,  died  Hacon,  the  doughty  (iarl,  at  sea. 
 
 A.  1030.  This  year  came  king  Olave  again  into  Norway,  and  the  people 
 gathered  against  him,  and  fought  against  him  ;  and  he  was  there  slain. 
 
 A.  1031.  This  year  king  Canute  went  to  Rome.  And  so 
 soon  as  he  came  home  then  went  he  into  Scotland  :  and  the 
 king  of  the  Scots,  Malcolm  [II.],  submitted  to  him,  and  be- 
 came his  man,  but  that  he  held  only  a  little  while,  and  two 
 other  kings,  Macbeth  and  Jehmar.  And  Robert,  earl  of  Nor- 
 mandy, went  to  Jerusalem,  and  there  died  ;  and  William, 
 who  was  afterwards  king  in  England,  succeeded  to  Nor- 
 mandy, though  he  was  a  child. 
 
 •  Of  York. 
 
A.D.  1032-1036.]        THE  AKGLO-SAXON  CHKONICLE.  413 
 
 A.  1032.  In  tliis  year  appeared  the  wild  fire,  such  a3  no 
 man  before  remembered;  and  moreover  on  all  sides  it  did 
 harm,  in  many  places.  And  in  the  same  year  died  Elfsy,* 
 bishop  at  Winchester ;  and  Alwyn,  the  king's  priest,  suc- 
 ceeded thereto. 
 
 A.  1033.  This  year  died  bishop  Leofsy,  and  his  body 
 rests  at  Worcester:  and  Brihtegewas  raised  to  his  see.f  In 
 tliis  year  died  Herewith  bishop  of  Somerset  4  and  he  is 
 buried  at  Glastonbury. 
 
 A.  1034.  This  year  died  bishop  Etheric,§  and  he  lies  at 
 Eamsey.  This  same  year  died  Malcolm  [11.],  king  in  Scotland. 
 
 A.  1035.  This  year  died  king  Canute ;  and  Harold,  his  son, 
 succeeded  to  the  kingdom.  He  departed  at  Shaftesbury,  on 
 the  2d  before  the  Ides  of  November  ;  and  they  bore  him  thence 
 to  Winchester,  and  there  they  buried  him.  And  Elfgive, 
 Emma,  the  lady,  then  sat  there  within  :  and  Harold,  who 
 said  that  he  was  son  of  Canute  and  of  the  other  Elfgive, 
 though  it  was  not  true ;  he  sent  thither,  and  caused  to  be  taken 
 from  her  all  the  best  treasures,  which  she  could  not  withhold, 
 that  king  Canute  had  possessed  ;  and  nevertheless  she  still 
 sat  there  within,  as  long  as  she  could. 
 
 A.  1036.  This  year  Alfred  the  innocent  etheling,  son  of 
 king  Ethelred,  came  in  hither,  and  would  go  to  his  mother, 
 who  sat  at  Winchester ;  but  that  neither  Godwin  the  earl,  nor 
 the  other  men  who  had  much  power,  would  allow  him  be- 
 cause the  cry  was  then  greatly  in  favour  of  Harold,  though 
 that  was  unjust. 
 
 But  Godwin  him  then  let, 
 and  him  in  bonds  set ;        [ed ; 
 and  his  companions  he  dispers- 
 and  some  divers  ways  slew  ; 
 some  they  for  money  sold, 
 some  cruelly  slaughtered, 
 some  did  they  bind, 
 some  did  they  blind, 
 some  did  they  mutilate, 
 some  did  they  scalp  : 
 nor  was  a  bloodier  deed 
 done  in  this  land 
 
 since  the  Danes  came, 
 and  here  accepted  peace. 
 Now  is  our  trust  in 
 the  beloved  God, 
 that  they  are  in  bliss, 
 blithely  with  Christ, 
 The  etheling  still  lived, 
 who  were  without  guilt 
 so  miserably  slain, 
 every  ill  they  him  vowed, 
 until  it  was  decreed 
 that  he  should  be  led 
 
 *  Godmn  and  Dugdale  make  Elfsv  or  Elsinus.  to  be  translated  to  Can- 
 terbury, 1038.  t  Worcester.     '     O^eUs.  §  Of  Dorchester. 
 
414 
 
 THE   ANGLO-SAXON   CHKONICLE.       [a.d.  1036— 1G38. 
 
 to  Ely -bury, 
 
 thus  bound. 
 
 Soon  as  he  came  to  land, 
 
 in  the  sliip  he  was  blinded ; 
 
 and  him  thus  blind 
 
 they  brought  to  the  monks  : 
 
 and  he  there  abode 
 
 the  while  that  he  lived. 
 
 After  that  him  they  buried, 
 
 as  well  was  his  due 
 
 full  worthily, 
 
 as  he  worthy  was, 
 
 at  the  west  end, 
 
 the  steeple  well-nigh, 
 
 in  the  south  aisle. 
 
 His  soul  is  with  Christ. 
 
 A.  1036.  This  year  died  king  Canute  at  Shaftesbury,  and  he  is  buried  at 
 Winchester  in  the  Old-minster  :  and  he  was  king  over  all  England  very 
 nigh  twenty  years.  And  soon  after  his  decease  there  was  a  meeting  of  all 
 the  witan  at  Oxford  ;  and  Leofric  the  earl,  and  almost  all  the  thanes  north 
 of  the  Thames,  and  the  '  lithsmen'  at  London,  chose  Harold  for  chief  of 
 all  England,  him  and  his  brother  Hardecanute  who  was  in  Denmark.  And 
 Godwin  the  earl  and  all  the  chief  men  of  Wessex  withstood  it  as  long  as 
 they  could  ;  but  they  were  unable  to  effect  any  thing  in  opposition  to  it. 
 And  then  it  was  decreed  that  Elfgive,  Hardecanute's  mother,  should  dwell 
 at  Winchester  with  the  king's,  her  son's,  household,  and  hold  all  Wessex  in 
 his  power  ;  and  Godwin  the  earl  was  their  man.  Some  men  said  of 
 Harold  that  he  was  son  of  king  Canute  and  of  Elfgive  daughter  of  Elfelm 
 the  ealdorman,  but  it  seemed  quite  incredible  to  many  men  j  and  he  was 
 nevertheless  full  king  over  all  England. 
 
 A.  1037.  This  year  was  Harold  chosen  king  over  all,  and 
 Hardecanute  forsaken,  because  he  stayed  too  long  in  Den- 
 mark ;  and  then  they  drove  out  his  mother  Elfgive,  the 
 queen,  without  any  kind  of  mercy,  against  the  stormy  winter  : 
 and  she  came  then  to  Bniges  beyond  sea  ;  and  Baldwin  the 
 earl*  there  well  received  her,  and  there  kept  her  the  while 
 she  had  need.  And  before,  in  tliis  year,  died  Eafy  the  noble 
 dean  at  Evesham. 
 
 A.  1037.  This  year  was  driven  out  Elfgive,  king  Canute's  relict ;  she  was 
 king  Hardecanute's  mother  ;  and  she  then  sought  the  protection  of  Bald- 
 win south  of  the  sea,  and  he  gave  her  a  dwelling  in  Bruges,  and  protected 
 and  kept  her,  the  while  that  she  there  was. 
 
 A.  1038.  This  year  died  Ethelnoth  the  good  archbishop,! 
 and  bishop  Ethekic  in  Sussex,  J  who  desired  of  God  that  he 
 would  not  let  him  live,  any  while,  after  liis  beloved  father 
 Ethelnoth  ;  and  accordingly,  within  seven  days  after,  he 
 departed,  and  bishop  Elfric  in  East-Anglia,  §  and  bishop 
 Briteagus  in  Worcestershire  on  the  13th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 January.     And  then  bishoji  Eadsine  succeeded  to  the  arcli- 
 
 •  Of  Flanders.  t  Of  Canterbury.         J  Selsey.        §  Elmham. 
 
A.D.  1038—1041.]        THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  415 
 
 bishopric,   and  Grinketel   to    the  bisliopric  in   Sussex,  and 
 bishop  Living  to  Worcestershire  and  to  Gloucestershire. 
 
 A.  1038.  This  year  died  Ethelnoth,  the  good  archbishop,  on  the  Ka- 
 lends of  November,  and  a  little  after,  Ethehic  bishop  in  Sussex,  and  then 
 before  Christmas,  Briteagus  bishop  in  Worcestershire,  and  soon  after,  Elfric  . 
 bishop  in  East-Anglia. 
 
 A.  1039.  This  year  was  the  gi'eat  wind :  and  bishop 
 Brithmar  died  at  Lichfiekl.  And  the  Welsh  slew  Edwin 
 brother  of  Leofric  the  earl,  and  Thurkil,  and  Elfget,  and 
 very  many  good  men  with  them.  And  this  year  also  came 
 Hardecanute  to  Bruges,  where  his  mother  was. 
 
 A.  1039.  This  year  king  Harold  died  at  Oxford,  on  the  16th  before  the 
 Kalends  of  April,  and  he  was  buried  at  Westminster.  And  he  ruled  Eng- 
 land four  years  and  sixteen  weeks  ;  and  in  liis  days  sixteen  ships  were  re- 
 tained in  pay,  at  the  rate  of  eight  marks  for  each  rower,  in  like  manner  as  had 
 been  before  done  in  the  days  of  king  Canute.  And  in  this  same  year  came 
 king  Hardecanute  to  Sandwich,  seven  days  before  midsummer.  And  he  was 
 soon  acknowledged  as  well  by  English  as  by  Danes  ;  though  his  advisers 
 afterwards  grievously  requited  it,  when  they  decreed  that  seventy-two  ships 
 should  be  retained  in  pay,  at  the  rate  of  eight  marks  for  each  rower.  And 
 in  this  same  year  the  sester  of  wheat  went  up  to  fifty-five  pence,  and  even 
 further. 
 
 A.  1040.  This  year  died  king  Harold.  Then  sent  they 
 after  Hardecanute  to  Bruges  ;  tliinking  that  they  did  well. 
 And  he  then  came  hither  with  sixty  ships  before  midsummer, 
 and  then  imposed  a  very  heavy  tribute,  so  that  it  could  hardly 
 be  levied  ;  that  was  eight  marks  for  each  rower,  and  all  were 
 then  averse  to  him  who  before  had  desired  him  ;  and  more- 
 over he  did  notliing  royal  during  his  whole  reign.  He 
 caused  the  dead  Harold  to  be  taken  up,  and  had  him  cast  into 
 a  fen.     This  year  archbishop  Eadsine  went  to  Rome. 
 
 A.  1040.  This  year  was  the  tribute  paid;  that  was  twenty-one 
 thousand  pounds  and  ninety-nine  poimds.  And  after  that  they  paid  to 
 thirty-two  ships,  eleven  thousand  and  forty-eight  pounds.  And,  in 
 this  same  year,  came  Edward,  son  of  king  Ethelred,  hither  to  land,  from 
 Weal-land  ;  he  was  brother  of  king  Hardecanute  :  they  were  both  sons  of 
 Elfgive  ;  Emma,  who  was  daughter  of  earl  Richard. 
 
 A.  1041 .  This  year  Hardecanute  caused  all  Worcestershire 
 to  be  ravaged,  on  account  of  his  two  household  servants,  who 
 demanded  the  heavy  impost ;  when  the  people  slew  them  in  the 
 town  within  the  minster.  This  year,  soon  after,  came  from 
 beyond  sea  Edward,  his  brother  on  the  mother's  side,  king 
 
416  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.        [a.d.  1041—1043. 
 
 Ethelred's  son,  who  before  for  many  years  had  been  driven 
 from  his  country  ;  and  yet  was  he  sworn  king  :  and  he 
 then  abode  thus  in  his  brother's  family  while  he  lived. 
 And  in  this  year  also  Hardecanute  betrayed  Eadulf  the  earl,* 
 while  under  his  protection  :  and  he  became  then  a  belier  of 
 his  "wed."  And  this  year  bishop  Egelricf  was  ordained  at 
 York,  on  the  3rd  before  the  Ides  of  January. 
 
 A.  1041 .  This  year  died  king  Hardecanute  at  Lambeth,  on  the  6th  before 
 the  Ides  of  June :  and  he  was  king  over  all  England  two  years  wanting  ten 
 days  ;  and  he  is  buried  in  the  Old-minster  at  Winchester  with  king  Canute 
 his  father.  And  his  mother,  for  his  soul,  gave  to  the  New-minster  the 
 head  of  St.  Valentine  the  mart}T.  And  before  he  was  buried,  all  people 
 chose  Edward  for  king  at  London  :  may  he  hold  it  the  while  that  God 
 shall  grant  it  to  him  !  And  all  that  year  was  a  very  heavy  time,  in  many 
 things  and  divers,  as  well  in  respect  to  ill  seasons  as  to  the  fruits  of  the 
 earth.  And  so  much  cattle  perished  in  the  year  as  no  man  before  remem- 
 bered, as  well  through  various  diseases  as  through  tempests.  And  in  this 
 same  time  died  Elsinus  abbat  of  Peterborough  ;  and  then  Amwius  the  monk 
 was  chosen  abbat,  because  he  was  a  very  good  man,  and  of  great  simplicity. 
 
 A.  1042.  This  year  died  king  Hardecanute  as  he  stood  at 
 his  drink,  and  he  suddenly  fell  to  the  earth  with  a  terrible 
 convulsion  :  and  then  they  who  were  there  nigh  took  hold  of 
 liim  ;  and  he  after  that  spake  not  one  word  :  and  he  died  on 
 the  6th  before  the  Ides  of  June.  And  all  people  then  ac- 
 knowledged Edward  for  king,  as  was  his  true  natural  right. 
 
 A.  1043.  This  year  was  Edward  consecrated  king  at  Win- 
 chester, on  the  first  day  of  Easter,  with  much  pomp  ;  and 
 then  was  Easter  on  the  third  before  the  Nones  of  April. 
 Archbishop  Eadsine  consecrated  liim,  and  before  all  the  people 
 well  instructed  liim  ;  and  for  his  own  need,  and  all  the  peo- 
 ple's, well  admonished  liim.  And  Stigand  the  priest  was 
 blessed  bishop  of  the  East-Angles.;]:  And  soon  after,  the 
 king  caused  all  the  lands  which  his  mother  possessed  to  be 
 seized  into  his  hands,  and  took  from  her  all  that  she  pos- 
 sessed in  gold,  and  in  silver,  and  in  things  unspeakable,  be- 
 cause she  had  before  held  it  too  closely  with  him.  And  soon 
 after,  Stigand  was  deposed  from  his  bishopric,  and  all  that 
 he  possessed  was  seized  into  the  king's  hands,  because  he 
 was  nearest  to  his  mother's  counsel,  and  she  went  just  as  he 
 advised  her,  as  people  thought. 
 
 •  Of  Northumbria.  t  Of  Durham.  t  Elmham. 
 
A.D.  1043—1045]        THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  417 
 
 A.  1043.  This  year  was  Eihvard  consecxated  king  at  Winchester  on  the 
 first  day  of  Easter.  And  this  year,  fourteen  days  before  Andrew's-mass, 
 the  kiny  was  advised  to  ride  from  Gloucester,  and  Leofric  the  earl,  and 
 Godmn  the  earl,  and  Sigwarth  [Siward]  the  earl,  with  their  followers,  to 
 Winchester,  unawares  upon  the  lady  [Emma]  ;  and  they  bereaved  her  of 
 all  the  treasures  which  she  possessed,  they  Avere  not  to  be  told,  because 
 before  that  she  had  been  very  hard  with  the  king  her  son  ;  inasmuch  as 
 she  had  done  less  for  him  than  he  would,  before  he  was  king,  and  also 
 since  :  and  they  suffered  her  after  that  to  remain  therein. 
 
 This  year  king  Edward  took  the  daughter  [Edgitha]  of  Godwin  the 
 earl  for  his  -wife.  And  in  this  same  year  died  bishop  Brithwin,  and  he 
 held  the  bishopric  thirty-eight  years,  that  was  the  bishopric  of  Sher- 
 borne, and  Herman  the  king's  priest  succeeded  to  the  bishopric.  And  in 
 tliis  year  Wulfric  was  hallowed  abliat  of  St.  Augustine's  at  Christmas,  on 
 Stephen's  mass-day,  by  leave  of  the  king,  and,  on  account  of  his  great  infir- 
 mity, of  abbat  Elfstan. 
 
 A.  1044.  Tliis  year  arclibisliop  Eadsine*  gave  up  the 
 bishopric  by  reason  of  his  infirmity,  and  he  blessed  thereto 
 Siward  abbat  of  Abingdon,  as  bishop,  by  the  king's  leave 
 and  counsel,  and  Godwin's  the  earl's  :  it  was  known  to  few 
 men  else  before  it  was  done,  because  the  archbishop  thought 
 that  some  other  man  would  obtain  or  buy  it  whom  he  could 
 less  trust  in,  and  be  pleased  with,  if  more  men  should  know 
 of  it.  And  in  this  year  was  a  very  great  famine  over  all 
 England,  and  corn  was  so  dear  as  no  man  before  remem- 
 bered ;  so  that  the  sester  of  wheat  went  up  to  sixty  pence, 
 and  even  further.  And  in  the  same  year  the  king  went  out 
 to  Sandwich  with  thirty-five  ships :  and  Athelstan  the 
 churchwarden  obtained  the  abbacy  at  Abingdon.  And  Sti- 
 gand  re-obtained  his  bishopric.  And  in  the  same  year  king 
 Edward  took  Edgitha,  daughter  of  Godwin  the  earl,  to 
 wife,  ten  days  before  Candlemas. 
 
 A.  1 044.  This  year  died  Living  bishop  in  Devonshire,  and  Leofric  suc- 
 ceeded thereto  :  he  was  the  king's  priest.  And  in  this  same  year  died 
 Elfstan  abbat  of  St.  Augustine's,  on  the  third  before  the  Nones  of  July. 
 And  ill  this  same  year  was  outlawed  Osgod  Clapa. 
 
 A.  1045.  In  tliis  year  died  bishop  Brithwin f  on  the  10th 
 before  the  Kalends  of  May  ;  and  king  Edward  gave  the 
 bishopric  to  Herman  his  priest.  And  in  the  same  sum- 
 mer king  Edward  went  out  with  his  ships  to  Sandwich  ; 
 and  there  so  great  a  force  was  gathered,  that  no  man  had 
 
 *  Of  Canterbury. 
 
 t  Of  Ramsbury,  afterwards  removod  to  Salisbury. 
 E  E 
 
418  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.         [a.d.  1045,  1046. 
 
 seen  a  greater  fleet  in  this  land.  And  in  this  same  year 
 died  bishop  Living*  on  the  13th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 April ;  and  the  king  gave  the  bishopric  to  Leofric  liis 
 priest.  This  year  died  EUward  bishop  of  London,  on  the 
 8th  before  the  Kalends  of  August.  He  was  first  abbat  of 
 Evesham,  and  greatly  advanced  the  minster  whilst  he 
 was  there.  He  went  then  to  Ramsey,  and  there  gave  up 
 his  life.  And  jManni  was  chosen  abbat,!  and  ordained  on 
 the  4th  before  the  Ides  of  August.  And  in  this  year  was 
 driven  out  Gunnilde,  the  noble  w^oman,  king  Canute's  niece  ; 
 and  she,  after  that,  stayed  at  Bruges  a  long  while,  and  after- 
 wards went  to  Denmark. 
 
 A.  1045.  This  year  died  Grimkytel  bishop  in  Sussex,  and  Heca  the 
 king's  priest  succeeded  thereto.  And  in  this  year  died  Ahvyn,  bishop  of 
 Winchester,  on  the  4th  before  the  Kalends  of  September  ;  and  Stigand, 
 bishop  to  the  north,J  succeeded  thereto.  And  in  the  same  year  Sweyn 
 the  earl  went  out  to  Baldwin's  land§  to  Bruges  and  abode  there  all  the 
 winter  ;  and  then  in  svunmer  he  went  out. 
 
 A.  1046.  In  this  year  Sweyn  the  earl  went  into  Wales, 
 and  Griffin  the  Northern  king  ||  went  with  him  ;  and  they 
 delivered  hostages  to  liim.  As  he  was  on  his  way  home- 
 wards, then  commanded  he  to  be  brought  unto  him  the  ab- 
 bess of  Leominster  :  and  he  had  her  as  long  as  he  listed ; 
 and  after  that  he  let  her  go  home.  And  in  this  same  year 
 Osgod  Clapa  was  outlav/ed  before  mid-winter.  And  in  this 
 same  year,  after  Candlemas,  came  the  severe  winter,  with 
 frost  and  with  snow,  and  with  all  kinds  of  tempestuous  wea- 
 ther, so  that  there  was  no  man  then  alive  who  could  remem- 
 ber so  severe  a  ^dnter  as  this  was,  as  well  through  mortaUty 
 of  men  as  murrain  of  cattle  ;  even  birds  and  fishes  perished 
 through  the  great  cold  and  famine. 
 
 A.  1046.  This  year  died  Brithwin,  bishop  in  Wiltshire,  and  Herman 
 was  appointed  to  his  see.  In  that  year  king  Edward  gathered  a  large  ship- 
 force  at  Sandwich,  on  account  of  the  threatening  of  iSIagnus  in  Norway  : 
 but  his  and  Sweyn's  contention  in  Denmark  hindered  his  coming  here, 
 
 A.  1046.  This  year  died  Athelstan,  abbat  of  Abingdon,  and  Spar- 
 hawk,  monk  of  St.  Edmund's-bury,  succeeded  him.  And  in  this  same 
 year  died  bishop  Si  ward,  and  archbishop  Eadsine  again  obtained  the  whole 
 bis!iopric.1[  And  in  this  same  year  Lothen  and  Irling  came  with  twenty- 
 fiv(«  ships  to  Sandwich,  and  there  took  unspeakable  booty,  in  men,  and  in 
 
 *  Of  Crediton.  +  Of  Evesham.  t  OfElmham. 
 
 $  Flanders.  II  Of  North  Wales.       %  Of  Canterbury. 
 
4.D.  1046.  1047  ]         THE  AXGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  419 
 
 gold,  and  in  silver,  so  that  no  man  knew  how  much  it  all  was.  And  they 
 then  went  about  Thanet,  and  would  there  do  the  like  ;  but  the  land's- folk 
 strenuously  withstood  them,  and  denied  them  as  well  landing  as  water  ; 
 and  thence  utterly  put  them  to  flight.  And  they  betook  themselves  then 
 into  Essex,  and  there  they  ravaged,  and  took  men,  and  property,  and  what- 
 soever they  might  find.  And  they  betook  themselves  then  east  to  Bald- 
 wine's  land,  and  there  they  sold  what  they  had  plundered  ;  and  after  that 
 went  their  way  east,  whence  they  before  had  come. 
 
 A.  1046.  In  this  year  was  the  great  synod  at  St.  Remi's  [Rheims]. 
 Thereat  was  Leo  the  pope,  and  the  archbishop  of  Burgundy  [Lyons],  and 
 the  archbishop  of  Besanpon,  and  the  archbishop  of  Treves,  and  the  arch- 
 bishop of  Rheims  ;  and  many  men  besides,  both  clergy  and  laity.  And 
 king  Edward  sent  thither  bishop  Dudoc,*  find  Wulfric  abbat  of  St.  Augus- 
 tine's, and  abbat  Elfwin,+  th.at  they  might  make  known  to  the  king  what 
 should  be  there  resolved  on  for  Christendom.  And  in  this  same  year  king 
 Edward  went  out  to  Sandwich  with  a  great  fleet.  And  Sweyn  the  earl, 
 son  of  God^vin  the  earl,  came  in  to  Bosham  with  seven  ships  ;  and  he 
 obtained  the  king's  protection,  and  he  was  promised  that  he  should  be  held 
 worthy  of  every  thing  which  he  before  possessed.  Then  Harold  the  earl, 
 his  brother,  and  Beorn  the  earl  contended  that  he  should  not  be  held  wor- 
 thy of  any  of  the  things  which  the  king  had  granted  to  them  :  but  a  pro- 
 tection of  four  days  was  appointed  him  to  go  to  his  ships.  Then  befell  it 
 during  this,  that  word  came  to  tlie  king  that  hostile  ships  lay  westward, 
 and  were  ravaging.  Then  went  Godwin  the  earl  west  al^out  with  two  of 
 the  king's  ships ;  the  one  commanded  Harold  the  earl,  and  the  other  Tes- 
 ty his  brother ;  and  forty-two  of  the  people's  ships.  Then  Harold  the  earf 
 was  removed  from  the  king's  ship  Avhich  Harold  the  earl  before  had  com- 
 manded. Then  went  they  west  to  Pevensey,  and  lay  there  weather-bound. 
 Upon  this,  after  two  days,  then  came  Sweyn  the  earl  thither,  and  spoke 
 with  his  father,  and  A\-ith  Beorn  the  earl,  and  begged  of  Beorn  that  he 
 would  go  with  him  to  the  king  at  Sandwich,  and  help  him  to  the  king's 
 friendship  :  and  he  granted  it.  Then  went  they  as  if  they  would  go  to  the 
 king.  Then  whilst  they  were  riding,  then  begged  Sweyn  of  him  that  he 
 would  go  with  him  to  his  ships :  saying  that  his  seamen  would  depart  from 
 Mm  unless  he  should  at  the  soonest  come  thither.  Then  went  they  both 
 where  his  ships  lay.  When  they  came  thither,  then  begged  Sweyn  the 
 earl  of  him  that  he  would  go  with  hun  on  ship-board.  He  strenuously 
 refused,  so  long  as  until  his  seamen  seized  him,  and  threw  him  into  the 
 boat,  and  bound  him,  and  rowed  to  the  ship,  and  put  him  there  aboard. 
 Then  they  hoisted  up  their  sails  and  ran  west  to  Exmouth,  and  had  him 
 with  them  until  they  slew  him  :  and  they  took  the  body  and  buried  it  in  a 
 church.  And  then  his  friends  and  litsmen  came  from  London,  and  took 
 him  up,  and  bore  him  to  Winchester  to  the  Old-minster :  and  he  is  there 
 buried  with  king  Canute  his  uncle.  And  Sweyn  went  then  east  to  Bald- 
 win's land,  and  sat  down  there  all  the  Annter  at  Bruges,  with  his  full  pro- 
 tection. And  in  the  same  year  died  Eadnoth  [IL]  bishop  J  of  the  nort!i; 
 and  Ulf  was  made  bishop. 
 
 A.   1047.  In  this  year  died   bishop   Grinketel ;    he  was 
 
 *  Of  Welis.  t  OfRamscv.  +  Of  Dorchester. 
 
 K  E  2 
 
420  THE  A^'GLO-SAXON  CHROXICLE.  La  d.  1047,  1048. 
 
 bisliop*  in  Sussex,  and  he  lies  in  Clirist- Church,  at  Canter- 
 bury ;  and  king  Edward  gave  the  bishopric  to  Heca  his 
 priest.  And  in  this  same  year  died  bishop  Alwynf  on  the 
 4th  before  the  Kalends  of  September  ;  and  king  Edvfard 
 gave  the  bishopric  to  bisliop  Stigand.  And  Athelstan 
 abbat  of  Abingdon  died  in  the  same  year,  on  the  4th  before 
 the  Kalends  of  April:  then  was  Easter-day  on  the  3rd  before 
 the  Nones  of  April.  And  there  Avas  over  all  England  a  very 
 great  mortality  in  the  same  year. 
 
 A.  1047.  This  year  died  Living  the  eloquent  bishop,  on  the  10th  before 
 the  Kalends  of  April,  and  he  had  three  bishoprics ;  one  in  Devonshire, 
 and  in  Cornwall,  and  in  Worcester.  Then  LeofriciJ:  succeeded  to  Devon- 
 shire and  to  Cornwall,  and  bishop  Aldred  to  Worcester.  And  in  this  year 
 Osgod,  the  master  of  the  horse,  was  outlawed :  and  ^Iagnus§  won  Denmark. 
 
 A.  1047.  In  this  year  there  was  a  great  council  in  London  at  ]\Iid-lent, 
 and  nine  ships  of  lightermen  were  discharged,  and  five  remained  behind. 
 In  this  same  year  came  Swe}Ti  the  earl  into  England.  And  in  this  same 
 year  was  the  great  synod  at  Rome,  and  king  Edward  sent  thither  bishop 
 Heroman  and  bishop  Aldred ;  and  they  came  thither  on  Easter  eve. 
 And  aftern-ards  the  pope  held  a  synod  at  Verceili,  and  bishop  Ulf  came 
 thereto  ;  and  well  nigh  would  they  have  broken  his  staff,  if  he  had  not 
 given  very  great  gifts ;  because  he  knew  not  how  to  do  his  duty  so  well  as 
 he  should.  And  in  this  year  died  archbishop  Eadsine,  on  the  4th  before 
 the  Kalends  of  November. 
 
 A.  1048.  In  this  year  was  a  great  earthquake  wide  through- 
 out England.  In  the  same  year  Sandwich  and  the  Isle  of 
 Wight  were  ravaged,  and  the  chief  men  that  were  there  slain. 
 And  after  that  king  Edward  and  the  earls  went  out  with 
 their  ships.  And  in  the  same  year  bishop  Siward  resigned 
 the  bishopric  on  account  of  his  infirmity,  and  went  to  Abing- 
 don, and  archbishop  Eadsine  again  received  the  bishopric  :  || 
 and  he  [Siward]  died  within  eight  weeks  after,  on  the  10th 
 before  the  Kalends  of  November. 
 
 A.  1048.  This  year  was  the  severe  winter  :  and  this  year  died  Alw}Tn, 
 bishop  of  Winchester,  and  bishop  Stigand  was  raised  to  his  see.  And  be- 
 fore that,  in  the  same  year,  died  Grinketel,  bishop  in  Sussex,  and  Heca 
 the  priest  succeeded  to  the  bishopric.  And  Swe}Ti  also  sent  hither,  beg- 
 ging assistance  against  Magnus,  king  of  Norway  ;  that  fifty  ships  should  be 
 sent  to  his  aid.  But  it  seemed  unadvisable  to  all  people  :  and  it  was  then 
 hindered  by  reason  that  Magnus  had  a  great  ship  force.  And  he  then 
 drove  out  Sweyn,  and  with  much  man-slaying  won  the  land  :  and  the 
 
 *  OfSelsey.  f  Of  Winchester. 
 
 X  Leofric  removed  the  see  to  Exeter. 
 
 II  Of  Cantcrbiu-y. 
 
A,D.  1048]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  421 
 
 Danes  paid  him  much  money  and  acknowledged  him  as  king.     And  that 
 same  year  IMagnus  died. 
 
 A.  1048.  In  this  year  king  Edward  appointed  Robert,  of  London, 
 archbishop  of  Canterbury,  during  Lent.  And  in  the  same  Lent  he  went  to 
 Rome  after  his  pall :  and  the  king  gave  the  bishopric  of  London  to  Spar- 
 hafoc  abbat  of  Abingdon  ;  and  the  king  gave  the  abbacy  of  Abingdon  to 
 bishop  Rodulf,  his  kinsman.  Then  came  the  archbishop  from  Rome  one 
 day  before  St.  Peter's-mass-eve,  and  entered  on  his  arcliiepiscopal  see  at 
 Christ's  Church  on  St.  Peter's  mass-day  ;  and  soon  after  went  to  the  king. 
 Then  came  abbat  Sparhafoc  to  him  Wh  the  kiu'^'s  \mt  and  seal,  in  order 
 that  he  should  consecrate  him  ])ishop  of  London.  Then  the  archbishop 
 refused,  and  said  that  the  pope  had  forbidden  it  him.  Then  went  the  abbat 
 to  the  archbishop  again  for  that  purpose,  and  there  desired  episcopal  ordi- 
 nation ;  and  the  archbishop  constantly  refused  him,  and  said  that  the  pope 
 had  forbidden  it  him.  Then  went  the  abbat  to  London,  and  occupied  the 
 bishopric  which  the  king  before  had  granted  him,  with  his  full  leave,  all  the 
 summer  and  the  harvest.  And  then  came  Eustace*  from  beyond  sea  soon 
 after  the  bishop,  and  went  to  the  king,  and  spoke  with  him  that  which  he  then 
 would,  and  went  then  homeward.  When  he  came  to  Canterbury,  east,  then 
 took  he  refreshment  there,  and  his  men,  and  went  to  Dover.  When  he  was 
 some  mile  or  more  on  this  side  of  Dover,  then  he  put  on  his  breast-plate, 
 and  so  did  all  his  companions,  and  went  to  Dover.  When  they  came 
 thither,  then  would  they  lodge  themselves  where  they  chose.  Then  came 
 one  of  his  men,  and  would  abide  in  the  house  of  a  householder  against  his 
 will,  and  wounded  the  householder  ;  and  the  householder  slew  the  other. 
 Then  I^ustace  got  upon  his  horse,  and  his  companions  upon  theu'S  ;  and 
 they  went  to  the  householder,  and  slew  him  within  his  own  dwelling  ;  and 
 they  went  up  towards  the  town,  and  slew,  as  well  within  as  without, 
 more  than  twenty  men.  And  the  townsmen  slew  nineteen  men  on 
 the  other  side,  and  wounded  they  knew  not  how  many.  And  Eustace 
 escaped  ^\ith  a  few  men,  and  went  again  to  the  king,  and  made  known 
 to  him,  in  part,  how  they  had  fared.  And  the  king  became  very  wroth 
 with  the  townsmen.  And  the  king  sent  off  God\vin  the  earl,  and  bade  him 
 go  into  Kent  in  a  hostile  manner  to  Dover  :  for  Eustace  had  made  it 
 appear  to  the  king,  that  it  had  been  more  the  fault  of  the  townsmen  than 
 his  ;  but  it  was  not  so.  And  the  earl  would  not  consent  to  the  inroad,  be- 
 cause he  was  loath  to  injure  his  o^vn  people.  Then  the  king  sent  after  all 
 his  council,  and  bade  them  come  to  Gloucester,  nigh  the  aftermass  of  St. 
 Mary.  Then  had  the  Welshmen  erected  a  castle  in  Herefordshire  among 
 the  people  of  Sweyn  the  earl,  and  wrou';iht  every  kind  of  harm  and  dis- 
 grace to  the  king's  men  there  about  which  they  could.  Then  came  God- 
 win the  earl,  and  Sweyn  the  earl,  and  Harold  the  earl,  together  at  Bever- 
 stone,  and  many  men  with  them,  in  order  that  they  might  go  to  their  royal 
 lord,  and  to  all  the  peers  who  were  assembled  vrith  him,  in  order  that 
 they  might  have  the  advice  of  the  king  and  his  aid,  and  of  all  this  council, 
 how  they  might  avenge  the  king's  disgrace,  and  the  whole  nation's.  Then 
 were  the  Welshmen  with  the  king  beforehand,  and  accused  the  earls, 
 so  that  they  might  not  come  within  his  eyes'  sight  ;  because  they  said  that 
 they  were  coming  thither  in  order  to  betray  the  king.     Thither  had  come 
 
 *  Earl  of  Boulogne. 
 
422  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1049. 
 
 Sivrard  the  earl  *  and  Leofric  the  earl,+  and  much  people  with  them,  from 
 the  north,  to  the  king  ;  and  it  was  made  known  to  the  earl  Godwin  and  his 
 sons,  that  the  king  and  the  men  who  were  Anth  him,  were  taking  counsel 
 concerning  them  :  and  they  arrayed  themselves  on  the  other  hand  reso- 
 lutely, though  it  were  loathful  to  them  that  they  should  stand  against  their 
 royal  lord.  Then  the  peers  on  either  side  decreed  that  every  kind  of  evil 
 should  cea«e  :  and  the  king  gave  the  peace  of  God  and  his  full  friendship 
 to  either  side.  Then  the  king  and  his  peers  decreed  that  a  council  of  all 
 the  nobles  should  be  held  for  the  second  time  in  London  at  the  harvest 
 equinox  ;  and  the  king  directed  the  army  to  be  called  out,  as  well  south 
 of  the  Thames  as  north,  all  that  was  in  any  way  most  eminent.  Then  de- 
 clared they  Sweyn  the  earl  an  outlaw,  and  summoned  Godwin  the  earl  and 
 Harold  the  earl,  to  the  council,  as  quickly  as  they  could  effect  it.  When 
 they  had  come  thither,  then  were  they  simimoned  into  the  council.  Then 
 required  he  safe  conduct  and  hostages,  so  that  he  might  come,  unbetrayed, 
 into  the  council  and  out  of  the  council.  Then  the  king  demanded  all  the 
 thanes  whom  the  earls  before  had  ;  and  they  granted  them  all  into  his 
 hands.  Then  the  king  sent  again  to  them,  and  commanded  them  that  they 
 should  come  with  twelve  men  to  the  king's  council.  Then  the  earl  again 
 required  safe  conduct  and  hostages,  that  he  might  defend  himself  against 
 each  of  those  things  which  were  laid  to  him.  Then  were  the  hostages  re- 
 fused him  ;  and  he  was  allowed  a  safe  conduct  for  five  nights  to  go  out  of 
 the  land.  And  then  Godwin  the  earl  and  Sweyn  the  earl  went  to 
 Bosham,  and  shoved  out  their  ships,  and  betook  themselves  beyond  sea, 
 and  sought  Baldwin's  protection,  and  abode  there  all  the  winter.  And 
 Harold  the  earl  went  Avest  to  Ireland,  and  was  there  all  the  mnter  within 
 the  king's  protection.  And  soon  after  this  happened,  then  put  away  the 
 king  the  lady  who  had  been  consecrated  his  queen.J  and  caused  to  be  taken 
 from  her  all  which  she  possessed,  in  land,  and  in  gold,  and  in  silver,  and  in 
 all  things,  and  delivered  her  to  his  sister  at  Wherwell.  And  abbat  Spar- 
 hafoc  was  then  driven  out  of  the  bishopric  of  London,  and  William  the  king's 
 priest  was  ordained  thereto.  And  then  Odda  was  appointed  earl  over 
 Devonshire,  and  over  Somerset,  and  over  Dorset,  and  over  the  Welsh. 
 And  Algar,  the  son  of  Leofric  the  earl,  was  appointed  to  the  earldom 
 which  Harold  before  held. 
 
 A.  1049.  In  this  year  the  emperor  gathered  a  countless 
 force  against  Baldwin§  of  Bruges  :  by  reason  that  he  had 
 destroyed  the  palace  at  Nimeguen,  and  also,  that  he  had 
 done  many  other  injuries  to  him  :  the  force  'svas  not  to  be 
 told  which  he  had  gathered.  There  was  Leo  [IX.]  the  pope 
 of  Rome,  and  many  great  men  of  many  nations.  He  sent 
 also  to  king  Edward,  and  begged  the  aid  of  his  ships,  in 
 order  that  he  should  not  suffer  him  to  escape  from  him  by 
 water.  And  he  went  then  to  Sandwich,  and  there  continued 
 lying  with  a  great  fleet,  until  the  emperor  obtained  of  Bald- 
 
 *  Of  Northumbria.  t  Of  IMercia. 
 
 +  Editha.  §  Earl  of  Flanders. 
 
A.D.  1049.J  THE  AJs'GLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  423 
 
 win  all  that  he  would.  Tliither  came  back  again  Sweyii 
 the  earl  to  king  Edward,  and  requested  land  of  him,  from 
 which  he  might  maintain  himself.  But  Harold  his  brother 
 contended,  and  Beorn  the  earl,  that  they  should  not  give 
 up  to  him  any  thing  which  the  king  had  given  to  them. 
 He  came  hither  with  false  pretences  ;  saying  that  he  would 
 be  his  man,  and  begged  of  Beorn  the  earl  that  he  would  aid 
 him  :  but  the  king  refused  him  every  thing.  Then  went 
 Sweyn  to  his  ships  at  Bosham ;  and  Godwin  the  earl  went 
 from  Sandwich  with  forty-two  ships  to  Pevensey,  and  Beorn 
 the  earl  went  forth  with  him  ;  and  then  the  king  gave  leave 
 to  all  the  Mercians  to  go  home  :  and  they  did  so.  Then  was 
 it  made  known  to  the  king,  that  Osgod  lay  at  Ulps  with 
 thirty-nine  ships.  Then  the  king  sent  after  the  ships  which 
 lay  at  the  Nore,  that  he  might  send  after  him.  But 
 Osgod  fetched  his  wife  from  Bruges,  and  went  back  again 
 with  six  ships  ;  and  the  others  landed  in  Essex,  at  Eadulf- 
 ness,  and  there  did  harm,  and  went  again  to  their  ships. 
 Then  lay  Godwin  the  earl  and  Beorn  the  earl  at  Pevensey, 
 with  their  ships.  Then  came  Sweyn  the  earl  with  fraud, 
 and  begged  of  Beorn  the  earl  that  he  would  be  his  companion 
 to  the  king  at  Sandwich  ;  saying  that  he  would  swear  oaths 
 to  him,  and  be  faithful  to  him.  Then  Beorn  concluded  that, 
 on  account  of  their  kindred,  he  would  not  deceive  him.  Then 
 took  he  three  companions  with  him,  and  they  then  rode  to 
 Bosham,  as  if  they  would  go  to  Sandwich,  where  Sweyn's 
 ships  lay.  And  they  soon  bound  him,  and  led  him  on  ship- 
 board ;  and  then  went  to  Dartmouth,  and  there  caused  him  to 
 be  slain  and  deeply  buried.  But  him  his  kinsman  Harold 
 thence  fetched  and  bore  to  Winchester,  and  there  buried  with 
 king  Canute  his  uncle.  And  then  the  king  and  all  the  army 
 declared  Sweyn  an  outlaw.  Eight  ships  he  had  before  he 
 murdered  Beorn  ;  after  that,  all  forsook  him  except  two  : 
 and  then  he  went  to  Bruges,  and  there  abode  with  Baldwin. 
 And  in  this  year  died  Eadnoth,  the  good  bishop,  in  Oxford- 
 shire,* and  Oswy  abbat  of  Thorney,  and  Wulfnoth  abbat  of 
 Westminster  :  and  king  Edward  gave  the  bishopric  to  Ulf 
 his  priest,  and  unworthily  bestowed  it.  And  in  this  same 
 year  king  Edward  discharged  nine  ships  from  pay  ;  and 
 they  went  away,  ships  and  all  ;  and  five  ships  remained  be- 
 *  Dorchester. 
 
424  THE  AJJGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.         [a.d.  1049, 1050. 
 
 hind,  and  the  king  promised  them  twelve  months'  pay.  And 
 in  the  same  year  went  bishop  Heroman*  and  bishop  Aldredf 
 to  Rome,  to  the  pope,  on  the  king's  errand. 
 
 A.  1049.  This  year  Swe}Ti  came  again  to  Denmark,  and  Harold,  uncle  of 
 Magnus,  went  to  Norway  after  I^lainus  was  dead  ;  and  the  Normans 
 acknowledged  him  :  and  he  sent  hither  to  land  concerning  peace.  And 
 Sweyn  also  sent  from  Denmark,  and  begged  of  king  Edward  the  aid  of 
 his  ships.  They  were  to  be  at  least  fifty  ships  :  but  all  people  opposed  it. 
 And  this  year  also  there  was  an  earthquake,  on  the  Kalends  of  JSIay,  in 
 many  places  in  Worcester,  and  in  Wick,  and  in  Derby,  and  elsewhere  ;  and 
 also  "there  was  a  great  mortality  among  men,  and  murrain  among  cattle  : 
 and  moreover,  the  wild-fire  did  much  evil  in  Derbyshire  and  elsev.'here. 
 
 A.  1050.  In  this  year  came  the  bishops  home  from  Rome : 
 and  Sweyn  the  earl  was  inlawed.  And  in  this  same  year 
 died  archbishop  Eadsine,  on  the  fourth  before  the  Kalends  of 
 November ;  and  also,  in  this  same  year,  Alfric  archbishop  of 
 York,  on  the  eleventh  before  the  Kalends  of  February  ;  and 
 liis  body  lies  at  Peterborough.  Then  king  Edward  held 
 a  council  in  London  at  jMid-lent,  and  appointed  Robert 
 archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  abbat  Sparhafoc  to  London; 
 and  gave  to  bishop  Rodulf,  his  kinsman,  the  abbacy  at 
 Abingdon.  And  the  same  year  he  discharged  all  the 
 lightermen  from  pay. 
 
 A.  1050.  Thither  also  came  Sweyn  the  earl,  who  before  had  gone  from 
 this  land  to  Denmark,  and  who  there  had  ruined  himself  with  the  Danes. 
 He  came  thither  with  false  pretences ;  saying  that  he  would  again  be 
 obedient  to  the  king.  And  Beorn  the  earl  promised  him  that  he  would  be 
 of  assistance  to  him.  Then,  after  the  reconciliation  of  the  emperor  and  of 
 Baldwin,  many  of  the  ships  Avent  home,  and  the  king  remained  behind  at 
 Sandwich  Avith  a  few  ships  ;  and  Godwin  the  earl  also  went  with  forty-two 
 ships  from  Sandwich  to  Pevensey,  and  Beorn  the  earl  went  with  him.  Then 
 was  it  made  known  to  the  king  that  Osgod  lay  at  Ulps  Avith  thirty-nine 
 ships  ;  and  the  king  then  sent  after  the  ships  which  before  had  gone  home, 
 that  he  might  send  after  him.  And  Osgod  fetched  his  Avife  from  Bruges, 
 and  they  went  back  again  Avith  six  ships.  And  the  others  landed  in 
 Sussex  J  at  Eadulf-fiess,  and  there  did  harm,  and  went  again  to  their  ships  : 
 and  then  a  strong  wind  came  against  them,  so  that  they  Avere  all  destroyed, 
 except  four,  AA-hose  creAvs  Avere  elain  beyond  sea.  While  GodAA-in  the  earl 
 and  Beorn  the  earl  lay  at  Pevensey,  then  came  Sweyn  the  earl,  and  begged 
 Beorn  the  earl,  Avith  fraud,  Avho  Avas  his  uncle's  son,  that  he  Avould  be  his 
 companion  to  the  king  at  SandA\-ich,  and  better  his  affairs  Avith  him.  He 
 went  then,  on  account  of  the  relationship,  AAith  three  companions,  with 
 him  ;  and  he  led  him  then  toAA'ards  Bosham,  where  his  ships  lay :  and  then 
 they  bound  him,  and  led  him  on  ship-board.     Then  Avent  he  thence  AAnth 
 
 *  Of  Ramsbury.     Heroman  removed  the  see  to  Salisbury. 
 t  Of  Worcester.  X  Essex. 
 
A.D.  1051,  1052.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  425 
 
 him  to  Dartmouth,  and  there  ordered  him  to  he  slain,  and  deeply  buried. 
 Afterwards  lie  was  found,  and  borne  to  V^' inchester,  and  buried  with  king 
 Canule  his  uncle.  A  little  before  that,  the  men  of  Hastings  and  thereabout, 
 fought  two  of  his  ships  Avith  their  ships;  and  slew  all  the  men,  and  brought 
 the  ships  to  Sandwich  to  the  king.  Eight  ships  he  had  before  he  betrayed 
 Beorn  ;  after  that  all  forsook  him  except  two.  In  the  same  year  arrived 
 in  the  Welsh  Axa,  from  Ireland,  thirty-six  ships,  and  thercaljout  did  harm, 
 with  the  help  of  Griffin  the  Welsh  king.  The  people  were  gathered 
 together  against  them  ;  bishop  Aldred  *  Avas  also  there  with  them  ;  but 
 they  had  too  little  power.  And  they  came  unawares  upon  them  at  very 
 early  morn  ;  and  there  they  slew  many  good  men,  and  the  others  escaped 
 with  the  bishop  :  this  was  done  on  the  fourth  before  the  Kalends  of  Au.gust. 
 This  year  died,  in  Oxfordshire,  Oswy  abbat  of  Thomey,  and  Wulfnoth 
 abbat  of  Westminster  ;  and  Ulf  the  priest  was  appointed  as  pastor  to  the 
 bishopric  which  Eadnoth  had  held  ;  but  he  was  after  that  driven  away ; 
 because  he  did  nothing  bishop-like  therein  :  so  that  it  shameth  us  now  to 
 tell  more  about  it.  And  bishop  Siward  died:  he  lieth  at  Abingdon.  And  this 
 year  was  consecrated  the  great  minster  at  Rheims  :  there  was  pope  Leo  [IX.] 
 and  the  emperor ;+  and  there  they  held  a  great  synod  concerning  God's 
 serWce.  St.  Leo  the  pope  presided  at  the  synod :  it  is  difficult  to  have  a 
 knowledge  of  the  bishops  who  came  there,  and  how  manj^  abbats  :  and 
 lience,  from  this  land  were  sent  two — from  St.  Augustine's  and  from 
 Ramsey. 
 
 A.  1051.  In  this  year  came  arclibishop  Eobert  hitlier 
 over  sea  with  his  pall.  And  in  this  same  year  Avere  banished 
 Godwin,  the  earl,  and  all  his  sons  from  England  ;  and  he 
 went  to  Bruges  and  his  wife,  and  his  three  sons,  Sweyn, 
 and  Tosty,  and  Grith  :  and  Harold  and  Leofwine  went  to 
 Ireland,  and  there  dwelt  during  the  winter.  And  in  this 
 same  year  died  the  old  lady,  king  Edward's  mother,  and 
 Hardecanute's,  who  was  called  Emma,  on  the  second  before 
 the  Ides  of  March ;  and  her  body  lies  in  the  Old-minster,  J 
 with  king  Canute. 
 
 A.  1051.  In  this  year  died  Eadsine  archbishop  of  Canterbury  ;  and  the 
 king  gave  to  Robert  the  Frenchman,  who  before  had  been  bishop  of  Lon- 
 don, the  archbishopric.  And  Sparhafoc  abbat  of  Abingdon  succeeded  to 
 the  bishopric  of  London  ;  and  it  was  afterwards  taken  from  him  before  he 
 was  consecrated.     And  bishop  Heroman  and  bishop  Aldred  went  to  Rome. 
 
 A.  1052.  This  year  came  Harold,  the  earl,  from  Ireland, 
 with  his  ships  to  the  mouth  of  the  Severn,  nigh  the  bound- 
 aries of  Somerset  and  Devonshire,  and  there  greatly  ravaged  ; 
 and  the  people  of  the  land  drew  together  against  him,  as 
 well  from  Somerset  as  from  Devonshire  ;  and  he  put  them  to 
 flight,  and  there  slew  more  than  thirty  good  thanes,  besides 
 *  Of  Worcester.  +  Hen.  III.  t  Winchester. 
 
426  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHUONICLE.  [a.d.  1052. 
 
 other  people  :  and  soon  after  that  he  went  about  Penwith- 
 stert.  And  then  king  Edward  caused  forty  vessels  to  be 
 fitted  out.  They  lay  at  Sandwich  many  weeks  ;  they  were 
 to  lie  in  wait  for  Godwin,  the  earl,  who  had  been  at  Bruges 
 during  the  winter  ;  and,  notwithstanding,  he  came  hither  to 
 land  first,  so  that  they  knew  it  not.  And  during  the  time 
 that  he  was  here  in  the  land,  he  enticed  to  him  all  the  men 
 of  Kent,  and  all  the  boatmen  from  Hastings  and  every- 
 where there  by  the  sea-coast,  and  all  the  East-end,  and  Sus- 
 sex, and  Surrey,  and  much  else  in  addition  thereto.  Then  all 
 declared  that  they  with  him  would  die  and  live.  When  the 
 fleet  which  lay  at  Sandwich,  learned  this  concerning  God- 
 win's voyage,  then  set  they  out  after  liim.  And  he  escaped 
 them,  and  concealed  himself  wherever  he  then  could  ;  and 
 the  fleet  went  again  to  Sandwich,  and  so  homeward  to  Lon- 
 don. Then  when  Godwin  learned  that  the  fleet  which  lay 
 at  Sandwich  was  gone  home,  then  went  he  once  more  to  the 
 Isle  of  Wight,  and  lay  thereabout  by  the  sea-coast  so  long  as 
 until  they  came  together,  he  and  his  son  earl  Harold.  And 
 they  did  not  much  harm  after  they  came  together,  except 
 that  they  seized  provisions  :  but  they  enticed  to  them  all  the 
 land-folk  by  the  sea-coast  and  also  up  the  country  ;  and  they 
 went  towards  Sandwich,  and  collected  ever  forth  with  them 
 all  the  boatmen  which  they  met  with,  and  then  came  to 
 Sandwich,  with  an  overflowing  army.  When  king  Edward 
 learned  that,  then  sent  he  up  after  more  help  ;  but  they  came 
 v'ery  late.  And  Godwin  advanced  ever  towards  London 
 with  his  fleet  until  he  came  to  Southwark,  and  there  abode 
 some  time  until  the  flood-tide  came  up.  During  that  time 
 he  also  treated  with  the  townsmen,  that  they  should  do 
 almost  all  that  he  would.  When  he  had  mustered  all 
 his  host,  then  came  the  flood-tide  ;  and  they  then  soon  drew 
 their  anchors,  and  held  their  way  through  the  bridge  by  the 
 south  shore,  and  the  land-force  came  from  above,  and  arrayed 
 themselves  along  the  strand  :  and  they  then  inclined  with 
 the  ships  towards  the  north  shore,  as  if  they  would  hem  the 
 king's  ships  about.  The  king  also  had  a  great  land-force  on 
 his  side,  in  addition  to  his  shipmen  ;  but  it  was  loathful  to 
 almost  all  of  them  that  they  should  fight  against  men  of 
 their  own  race  ;  for  there  w^as  little  else  there  which  was  of 
 much  account  except  Englishmen,  on  either  side  ;  and  more- 
 
A.D.1052.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  427 
 
 over  they  were  unwilling  that  this  land  should  be  still  more 
 exposed  to  outlandish  men,  by  reason  that  they  themselves 
 destroyed  each  other.  Then  decreed  they  that  wise  men 
 should  be  sent  between  them  :  and  they  settled  a  truce  on 
 either  side.  And  Godwin  landed,  and  Harold  his  son,  and 
 from  their  fleet  as  many  as  to  them  seemed  fitting.  Then 
 there  was  a  general  council  :  and  they  gave  his  earldom 
 clean  to  Godwin,  as  full  and  as  free  as  he  before  possessed  it, 
 and  to  his  sons  also  all  that  they  before  possessed,  and  to  his 
 wife  and  his  daughter  as  full  and  as  free  as  they  before  j)os- 
 sessed  it.  And  they  then  established  between  them  full 
 friendship,  and  to  all  the  people  they  promised  good  law. 
 And  then  they  outlawed  all  the  Frenchmen  who  before  had 
 instituted  unjust  law,  and  judged  unjust  judgments,  and 
 counselled  ill  counsel  in  tliis  land  ;  except  so  many  as  they 
 agreed  upon,  whom  the  king  liked  to  have  with  him,  who 
 were  true  to  him  and  to  all  his  people.  And  bishop  Robert,* 
 and  bishop  William,  f  and  bishop  Ulf,t  with  difficulty 
 escaped,  with  the  Frenchmen  who  were  with  them,  and  thus 
 got  over  sea.  And  Godwin,  the  earl,  and  Harold,  and  the 
 queen,  §  sat  down  in  their  possessions.  Sweyn  had  gone 
 before  this  to  Jerusalem  from  Bruges  ;  and  he  died  on  his 
 way  home  at  Constantinople  on  Michael's-mass.  It  was  on 
 the  Monday  after  St.  Mary's-mass  that  Godwin  with  his 
 ships  came  to  Southwark  ;  and  the  morning  after,  on  the 
 Tuesday,  they  were  reconciled,  as  it  here  before  stands. 
 Godwin  then  grew  sick  soon  after  he  landed  ;  and  he  after- 
 wards departed  :  but  he  did  all  too  little  penance  for  the 
 property  of  God  which  he  held  belonging  to  many  holy 
 places.  And  the  same  year  came  the  strong  wind,  on  Tho- 
 mas's-mass -night,  and  did  much  harm  in  many  parts.  More- 
 over Rees,  the  Welsh  king's  ||  brother,  was  slain. 
 
 A.  1052.  This  year  died  Alfric,  archbishop  of  York,  a  very  pious  man, 
 and  wise.  And  in  the  same  year  king  Edward  abolished  the  tribute, 
 which  king  Ethelred  had  before  imposed  :  that  was  in  the  nine-and- 
 thirtieth  year  after  he  had  begun  it.  That  tax  distressed  all  the  English 
 nation  during  so  long  a  time,  as  it  here  above  is  written  ;  that  was  ever  be- 
 fore other  taxes  which  were  variously  paid,  and  Avherewith  the  people  were 
 manifestly  distressed.     In  the  same  year  Eustace  ^  landed  at  Dover  :  he 
 
 *  Of  Canterbury.       t  Of  London.  t  Of  Dorchester. 
 
 §  Editha.  11  Of  South  Wales.  ^  Earl  of  Boulogne. 
 
428  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1052. 
 
 had  king  Edward's  sister  to  Avife.  Then  went  his  men  inconsiderately 
 after  quarters,  and  a  certain  man  of  the  town  they  slew  ;  and  another  man 
 of  the  torni  their  companion  ;  so  that  there  lay  seven  of  his  companions. 
 And  much  harm  was  there  done  on  either  side,  by  horse  and  also  by 
 weapons,  until  the  people  gathered  together  :  and  then  they  fled  away , 
 until  they  came  to  the  king  at  Gloucester  ;  and  he  gave  them  protection. 
 When  Godwin,  the  earl,  understood  that  such  things  should  have  hap- 
 pened in  his  earldom,  then  began  he  to  gather  together  people  over  all  his 
 earldom,*  and  Sweyn,  the  earl,  his  son,  over  his,  and  Harold,  his  other  son, 
 over  his  earldom  ;  and  they  all  drew  together  in  Gloucestershire,  at  Lang- 
 tree,  a  great  force  and  countless,  all  ready  for  battle  against  the  king,  un- 
 less Eustace  were  given  up,  and  his  men  placed  in  their  hands,  and  also 
 the  Frenchmen  who  were  in  the  castle.  This  was  done  seven  days  before 
 the  latter  mass  of  St.  Mar3\  Then  was  king  Edward  sitting  at  Gloucester. 
 Tlien  sent  he  after  Leofric,  the  earl,f  and  north  after  Siward  the  earl,J  and 
 begged  their  forces.  And  then  they  came  to  him  ;  first  with  a  moderate  aid, 
 but  after  they  knew  how  it  was  tliere,  in  the  south,  then  sent  they  north  over 
 all  their  earldoms,  and  caused  to  be  ordered  out  a  large  force  "for  the  help 
 of  their  lord  ;  and  Ralph,  also,  over  his  earldom  :  and  then  came  they  all 
 to  Gloucester  to  help  the  king,  though  it  migiit  be  late.  Then  were  they 
 all  so  united  in  opinion  with  the  king  that  they  would  have  sought  out 
 Godwin's  forces  if  the  king  had  so  willed.  Then  thought  some  of  them 
 that  it  would  be  a  great  folly  that  they  should  join  battle  ;  because  there 
 ■was  nearly  all  that  was  most  noble  in  England  in  the  two  armies,  and  they 
 thought  that  they  should  expose  the  land  to  oiu:  foes,  and  cause  great  de- 
 struction among  ourselves.  Then  counselled  they  that  hostages  should  be 
 given  mutually  ;  and  they  appointed  a  term  at  London,  and  thither  the 
 people  were  ordered  out  over  all  this  north  end,  in  Siward's  earldom,  and 
 in  Leofric's,  and  also  elsewhere  ;  and  Godwin,  the  earl,  and  his  sons  were 
 to  come  there  with  their  defence.  Then  came  they  to  Southwark,  and  a 
 great  multitude  with  them,  from  Wessex  ;  l)ut  his  band  continually  dimin- 
 ished the  longer  he  stayed.  And  they  exacted  pledges  for  the  king  from 
 all  the  thanes  who  were  under  Harold,  the  earf,  liis  son  ;  and  then  they 
 outlawed  Sweyn,  the  earl,  his  other  son.  Then  did  it  not  suit  him  to  come 
 with  a  defence  to  meet  the  king,  and  to  meet  th.e  army  which  was  with  him. 
 Then  went  he  by  night  away  ;  and  the  king  on  the  morrow  held  a  council, 
 and,  together  with  all  the  army,  declared  him  an  outlaw,  him  and  all 
 his  sons.  And  he  went  south  to  Tborney,  and  his  wife,  and  Sweyn  his  son, 
 and  Tosty  and  his  wife,  Baldwin's  relation  of  Bruges,  and  Grith  his  son. 
 And  Harold,  the  earl,  and  Leofwine,  went  to  Bristol  in  the  ship  which 
 Sweyn,  the  earl,  had  before  got  ready  for  himself,  and  provisioned.  And 
 the  king  sent  bishop  Aldred  §  to  London  with  a  force  ;  and  they  were  to 
 overtake  him  ere  he  came  on  ship-board  :  ])ut  they  could  not  or  they  would 
 not.  And  he  went  out  from  Avonmouth,  and  met  Avith  such  heavy  weather 
 that  he  with  difficulty  got  away  ;  and  there  he  sustained  much  damage. 
 Then  went  he  forth  to  Ireland  when  fit  weather  came.     And  (jodwin, 
 
 *  Godwin's  earldom  consisted  of  Wessex,  Sussex,  and  Kent  :  Sweyn's 
 of  Oxford,  Gloucester,  Hereford,  Somerset,  and  Berkshire  :  and  Harold's 
 of  Essex,  E:ist-Anglia,  Huntingdon,  and  Cambridgeshire. 
 
 +  Of  Mercia  J  Of  Northumbria.  §  Of  Worcester. 
 
A.D.  1052.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  429 
 
 and  those  who  were  with  him,  went  from  Thorney  to  Bruges,  to  Baldwin's 
 land,  in  one  ship,  with  as  much  treasure  as  they  might  therein  best  stow  for 
 each  man.  It  would  have  seemed  wondrous  to  every  man  who  was  in 
 England  if  any  one  before  that  had  said  that  it  should  end  thus ;  for  he  had 
 been  erewhile  to  that  degree  exalted,  as  if  he  ruled  the  king  end  all  Eng- 
 land ;  and  his  sons  were  earls  and  the  king's  darlings,  and  his  daughter 
 wedded  and  united  to  the  king  :  she  was  brought  to  Wherwell,  and  they 
 delivered  her  to  the  abbess.  Then,  scon,  came  William,  the  earl,*  from 
 beyond  sea,  with  a  great  band  of  Frenchmen  ;  and  the  king  received 
 him,  and  as  many  of  his  companions  as  it  pleased  him  ;  and  let  him  away 
 a.<:ain.  This  same  year  was  given  to  William,  the  priest,  the  bishopric  of 
 London,  which  before  had  been  given  to  Sparhafoc. 
 
 A.  1052.  This  year  died  Elfgive,  the  lady,  relict  of  king  Ethelred  and 
 of  king  Canute,  on  the  second  before  the  Nones  of  March.  In  the  same 
 year  Griffin,  the  Welsh  kin^r,  jjlundered  in  Herefordshire,  xmtil  he  came 
 very  nigh  to  Leominster  ;  and  they  gathered  against  him,  as  well  the 
 landsmen  as  the  Frenchmen  of  the  castle,  and  there  were  slain  of  the 
 English  very  many  good  men,  and  also  of  the  Frenchmen ;  that  was  on 
 the  same  day,  on  which,  thirteen  years  before,  Eadwine  had  been  slain  by 
 his  companions. 
 
 A.  1052.  In  this  year  died  Elfgive  Emma,  king  Edward's  mother  and 
 king  Hardecanute's.  And  in  this  same  year,  the  king  decreed,  and  his 
 council,  that  ships  should  proceed  to  Sandwich ;  and  they  set  Ralph,  the 
 earl,  and  Odda,  the  earl,t  as  head-men  thereto.  Then  Godwin,  the  earl, 
 went  out  from  Bruges  with  his  ships  to  Ysendyck,  and  left  it  one  day  before 
 Midsummer's-mass  eve,  so  that  he  came  to  Isess,  which  is  south  of  Rom- 
 ney.  Then  came  it  to  the  knowledge  of  the  earls  out  at  Sandwich  ;  and 
 they  then  v>-ent  out  after  the  other  ships,  and  a  land-force  was  ordered  out 
 against  the  ships.  Then  during  this,  Godwin,  the  earl,  was  warned,  and 
 then  he  went  to  Pevensey  ;  and  the  weather  was  very  severe,  so  that 
 the  earls  could  not  learn  what  was  become  of  Godwin,  the  earl.  And  then 
 Godwin,  the  earl,  went  out  again,  until  he  came  once  more  to  Binges  ;  and 
 the  other  ships  returned  again  to  Sandwich.  And  then  it  was  decreed  that 
 the  ships  should  return  once  more  to  London,  and  that  other  earls  and 
 commanders  should  be  appointed  to  the  ships.  Then  was  it  delayed  so 
 long  that  the  ship-force  all  departed,  and  all  of  them  went  home.  When 
 Godwin,  the  carl,  learned  that,  then  drew  he  up  his  sail,  and  his  fleet,  and 
 then  went  west  direct  to  the  Isle  of  W^ight,  and  there  landed  and  ravaged  so 
 .ong  there,  until  the  people  yielded  them  so  much  as  they  laid  on  them. 
 And  then  they  went  westvrard  until  they  came  to  Portland,  and  there  they 
 landed,  and  did  whatsoever  harm  they  were  able  to  do.  Ihen  was  Harold 
 come  out  from  Ireland  with  nine  ships  ;  and  then  landed  at  Porlock,  and 
 there  much  people  was  gathered  against  him  ;  but  he  failed  not  to  procm-e 
 himself  provisions.  He  proceeded  further,  and  slew  there  a  great  number 
 of  the  people,  and  took  of  cattle,  and  of  men,  and  of  projjerty  as  it  suite<l 
 him.  Ke  then  went  eastward  to  his  father  :  and  then  they  both  went  east- 
 ward until  they  came  to  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  there  took  that  which  was 
 yet  remaining  for  them.  And  then  tliey  went  thence  to  Pevensey,  and 
 got  away  thence  as  many  ships  as  were  there  tit  for  service,  and  so  onwards 
 
 *  Of  Normandy.  t  Of  Devon. 
 
430  THE  AXGLO-SAXON  CHEONICLE.  [ad.  1052. 
 
 until  he  came  to  Ness,  and  got  all  the  ships  which  were  in  Romney,  and  in 
 Hythe,  and  in  Folkstone,     And  then  they  went  east  to  Dover,  and  there 
 landed,  and  there  took  ships  and  hostages,  as  many  as  they  would,  and  so 
 went  to  Sandwich  and  did  "  hand  "  the  same  ;  and  everywhere  hostages 
 were  given  them,  and  provisions  wherever  they  desired.     And  then  they 
 went  to  Nortii-mouth,  and  so  toward  London ;  and  some  of  the  ships  went 
 within  Sheppey,  and  there  did  much  harm,  and  went  their  way  to  King's 
 Milton,   and  tliat  they  all  burned,  and    betook   themselves  then  toward 
 London  after  the  earls.     When  they  came  to  London,  there  lay  the  king 
 and  all  the  earls  there  against  them,  with  fifty  ships.     Then  the  earls  sent 
 to  the  king,  and  required  of  him,  that  they  might  be  held  worthy  of  each 
 of  those  things  which  had  been  unjustly  taken  from  them.     Then  the  king, 
 however,  resisted  some  while  ;  so  long  as  until  the  people  who  were  with 
 the  earl  were  much  stirred  against  the  king  and  against  his  people,  so  that 
 the  earl  himself  ^vith  difficulty  stilled  the  people.      Then  bishop  Stigand 
 interposed  with  God's  help,  and  the  wise  men  as  well  within  the  town  as 
 without  ;  and  they  decreed  that  hostages  should  be  set  forth  on  either  side  : 
 and  thus  was  it  done.      When  archbishop  Robert  and  the  Frenchmen 
 learned  that,  they  took  their  horses  and  went,  some  west  to  Pentecost's 
 castle,  some  north  to  Robert's  castle.      And  archbishop  Robert  and  bishop 
 Ulf  went  out  at  East-gate,  and  their  companions,  and  slew  and  otherwise 
 injured  many  young  men,  and  went  their  way  direct  to  Eadulf 's-ness  ;  and 
 be  there  put  himself  in  a  crazy  ship,  and  went  direct  over  sea,  and  left  his 
 pall  and  all  Christendom  here  on  land,  so  as  God  would  have  it,  inasmuch  as 
 he  had  before  obtained  the  dignity  so  as  God  would  not  have  it.    Then  there 
 was  a  great  council  proclaimed  without  London  :  and  all  the  earls  and  the 
 chief  men  who  were  in  this  land  were  at  the  council.     There  Godwnn  bore 
 forth  his  defence,  and  justified  himself,  before  king  Edward  his  lord,  and 
 before  all   people  of  the  land,  that  he  was  guiltless  of  that  which  was 
 laid  against  him,  and  against  Harold  his  son,  and  all  his  children.     And 
 the  king  gave  to  the  earl  and  his  children  his  full  friendship,  and  full  earl- 
 dom, and  all  that  he  before  possessed,  and  to  all  the  men  who  were  with 
 him.     And  the  king  gave  to  the  lady*  all  that  she  before  possessed.    And 
 they  declared  archbishop  Robert  utterly  an  outlaw,  and  all  the  French- 
 men, because  they  had  made  most  of  the  difference  between  Godwin,  the 
 earl,  and  the  king.     And  bishop  Stigand  obtained  the  archbishopric  of 
 Canterbury.     In  this  same  time  AniAvy,  abbat  of  Peterborough,  left  the 
 abbacy,  in  sound  health,  and  gave  it  to  Leofric  the  monk,  by  leave  of  the 
 king  and  of  the  monks  ;  and  abbat  Arnwy  lived  afterwards  eight  years. 
 And  abbat  Leofric  then  (enriched)  the  minster,  so  that  it  was  called  the 
 Golden-borough.     Then  it  waxed  greatly,  in  land,  and  in  gold,  and  in  silver. 
 A.  1052.  And  went  so  to  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  there  took  all  the  ships 
 which  could  be  of  any  service,  and  hostages,  and  betook  himself  so  eastward. 
 And  Harold  had  landed  with  nine  ships  at  Porlock,  and  slew  there  much 
 people,  and  took  cattle,  and  men,  and  property,  and  went  his  Avay  eastward 
 to  his  father,  and  they  both  went  to  Romney,  to  Hythe,  to  Folkstone,  to 
 Dover,  to  Sandwich,  and  ever  they  took  all  the  ships  which  they  found, 
 which  could  be  of  any  service,  and  hostages,  all  as  they  proceeded  ;  and 
 went  then  to  London. 
 
 •  Editha. 
 
A.D  1053, 1054.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CITRONICLE.  431 
 
 A.  1053.  In  this  year  was  the  king  at  Winchester  at 
 Easter,  and  Godwin,  the  earl,  with  him,  and  Harold,  the 
 earl,  his  son,  and  Tosty.  Then,  on  the  second  day  of 
 Easter,  sat  he  with  the  king  at  the  feast :  then  suddenly  sank 
 he  down  by  the  footstool,  deprived  of  speech,  and  of  all  his 
 power,  and  he  was  then  carried  into  the  king's  chamber,  and 
 they  thought  it  would  pass  over  ;  but  it  did  not  so  ;  but  he 
 continued  on,  thus  speechless  and  powerless,  until  the  Thurs- 
 day, and  then  resigned  his  life  :  and  he  lies  there  within  the 
 Old -minster.  And  his  son  Harold  succeeded  to  his  earldom, 
 and  resigned  that  which  he  before  held  ;  and  Elgar  suc- 
 ceeded thereto.  This  same  year  died  Wulfsy,  bishop  of 
 Lichfield,  and  Leofwine,  abbat  of  Coventry  succeeded  to  the 
 bishopric  ;  and  Egelward,  abbat  of  Glastonbury,  died,  and 
 Godwin,  abbat  of  Winchcomb.  Moreover,  the  Welshmen 
 slew  a  great  number  of  the  English  people,  of  the  wardmen, 
 near  Westbury.  In  this  year  there  was  no  archbishop  in 
 this  land  ;  but  bishop  Stigand  held  the  bishopric  of  Canter- 
 bury at  Chrj^tchurch,  and  Kynsey  of  York  ;  and  Leofwine 
 and  Wulfwy  went  over  sea,  and  caused  themselves  to  be  there 
 ordained  bishops  ;  Wulfwy  obtained  the  bishopric  which  Ulf 
 had,*  he  being  yet  living  and  driven  from  it. 
 
 A.  1053.  This  year  was  the  great  wind  on  Thomas's-mass  night,  and 
 also  the  whole  midmnter  there  was  much  wind  ;  and  it  was  decreed  that 
 lieeSjthe  Welsh  king's  brother,  should  be  slain,  because  he  had  done  harm; 
 and  his  head  was  brought  to  Gloucester  on  Twelfth-day  eve.  And  the 
 same  year,  before  All  Hallows-mass,  died  Wulfsy,  bishop  of  Lichfield, 
 and  Godwin,  abbat  of  Winchcomb,  and  Egelward,  abbat  of  Glastonbury, 
 all  wdthin  one  month,  and  Leofwine  succeeded  to  the  bishopric  of  Lich- 
 field, and  bishop  Aldredf  took  the  abbacy  at  Winchcomb,  and  Egel- 
 noth  succeeded  to  the  abbacy  at  Glastonbury.  And  the  same  rear  died 
 Elfric,  Odda's  brother  at  Deorhurst  ;  and  his  body  resteth  at  "Pershore. 
 And  the  same  year  died  Godwin  the  earl  ;  and  he  fell  ill  as  he  sat  with 
 the  king  at  Winchester.  And  Harold  his  son  succeeded  to  the  earldom 
 which  his  father  before  held  ;  and  Elgar,  the  earl,  succeeded  to  the  earl- 
 dom which  Harold  before  held. 
 
 A.  1053.  In  this  year  died  Godwin,  the  earl,  on  the  17th  before  the 
 Kalends  of  IMay,  and  he  is  buried  at  Winchester,  in  the  Old-minstcr  ;  and 
 Harold,  the  earl,  his  son,  succeeded  to  the  earldom,  and  to  all  that  which 
 his  father  had  held  :  and  Elgar,  the  earl,  succeeded  to  the  earldom  which 
 Harold  before  held. 
 
 A.   1054.  This  year  went  Siward  the  earl|  with  a  great 
 army  into  Scotland,  and  made  much  slaughter  of  the  Scots, 
 *  Dorchester.  f  Of  W^orcester.  J  Of  Northumbria. 
 
432  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a. d.  1054,1055. 
 
 and  put  them  to  flight  :  and  the  king  escaped.  Moreover, 
 many  fell  on  his  side,  as  well  Danish-men  as  English,  and  also 
 his  own  son.*  The  same  year  was  consecrated  the  minster 
 at  Evesham,  on  the  6th  before  the  Ides  of  October.  In  the 
 same  year  bishop  Aldredj"  went  south  over  sea  into  Saxony, 
 and  was  there  received  with  much  reverence.  That  same 
 year  died  Osgod  Clapa  suddenly,  even  as  he  lay  on  his 
 bed.  In  this  year  died  Leo  [IX.]  the  holy  pope  of  Rome. 
 And  in  this  year  there  was  so  great  a  murrain  among  cattle, 
 as  no  man  remembered  for  many  years  before.  And  Victor 
 [II.]  was  chosen  pope. 
 
 1 054.  This  year  went  Siward  the  earl  with  a  great  army  into  Scotland, 
 both  with  a  ship-force  and  with  a  land-force,  and  fought  against  the  Scots, 
 and  put  to  flight  king  Macbeth,  and  slew  all  who  were  the  chief  men  in  the 
 land,  and  led  thence  much  booty,  such  as  no  man  before  had  obtained. 
 But  his  son  C&born,  and  his  sister's  son  Siward,  and  some  of  his  house-carls, 
 and  also  of  the  king's,  were  there  slain,  on  the  day  of  the  Seven  Sleepers. 
 The  same  year  went  bishop  Aldred  to  Cologne,  over  sea,  on  the  king's 
 en'and  ;  and  he  was  there  received  with  much  worship  by  the  emperor,J. 
 and  tliere  he  dwelt  well  nigh  a  year  ;  and  either  gave  hiqj  entertainment, 
 both  the  bishop  of  Cologne  and  the  emperor.  And  he  gave  leave  to 
 bishop  LeofAvine§  to  consecrate  the  minster  at  Evesham  on  the  6th  before  the 
 Ides  of  October.  In  this  year  died  Osgod  suddenly  in  his  bed.  And  this 
 year  died  St.  Leo  the  pope  ;  and  Victor  was  chosen  pope  in  his  stead. 
 
 A.  1055.  In  this  year  died  Siward  the  earl  at  York,  and  his 
 body  lies  within  the  minster  at  Galmanho,  ||  which  himself  had 
 before  built,  to  the  glory  of  God  and  of  all  his  saints.  Then, 
 within  a  little  time  after,  was  a  general  council  in  London, 
 and  Elgar  the  earl,  Leofric  the  earl's  son,  was  outlawed 
 without  any  kind  of  guilt ;  and  he  went  tlien  to  Ireland,  and 
 there  procured  himself  a  fleet,  which  was  of  eighteen  ships, 
 besides  his  own  :  and  they  went  then  to  Wales,  to  king 
 Griffin,^  with  that  force  ;  and  he  received  him  into  his  pro- 
 tection. And  then,  v^'ith  the  Ii'ishmen  and  with  Welshmen, 
 they  gathered  a  great  force  :  and  Ralph  the  earl  gathered  a 
 great  force  on  the  other  hand  at  Hereford-port.  And  they 
 sought  them  out  there  :  but  before  there  was  any  spear 
 thrown,  the  English  people  fled  because  they  were  on  horses  ; 
 
 *  Osbom.  +  Of  Worcester. 
 
 ;  Henry  III.  §  Of  Lichfield. 
 
 II  A  Saxon  abl  ev,  merged  afterwards  in  St.  Mary's  at  York. 
 
 «[  Of  North  Wales. 
 
A.D.  1055.]  THE  AXGLO-S.VXON  CHRONICLE.  433 
 
 and  there  great  slaughter  was  made,  about  four  hundred 
 men  or  five  ;  and  thej  made  none  on  the  other  side.  And 
 they  then  betook  themselves  to  the  town,  and  that  they 
 burned  ;  and  the  great  minster  which  Athelstan  the  vene- 
 rable bishop  before  caused  to  be  built,  that  they  plundered 
 and  bereaved  of  relics  and  of  vestments,  and  of  all  things  ; 
 and  slew  the  people,  and  some  they  led  away.  Then  a  force 
 was  gathered  from  well  nigh  throughout  all  England,  and 
 they  came  to  Gloucester,  and  so  went  out,  not  far,  among 
 the  Welsh  ;  and  there  they  lay  some  while  :  and  Harold  the 
 earl  caused  the  ditch  to  be  dug  about  the  port*  the  while. 
 Then,  during  this,  then  spoke  they  concerning  peace ;  and 
 Harold  the  earl,  and  those  who  were  with  him,  came  to 
 Bilsley  :  and  there  peace  and  friendsliip  was  established 
 between  them.  And  then  they  inlawed  Elgar  the  earl, 
 and  gave  him  all  that  before  had  been  taken  from  him  ;  and 
 the  fleet  went  to  Chester,  and  there  awaited  their  pay,  which 
 Elgar  had  promised  them.  The  man-slaying  was  on  the 
 ninth  before  the  Kalends  of  November.  In  the  same  year 
 died  Tremerin  the  Welsh  bishop, f  soon  after  that  ravaging  ; 
 he  was  bishop  Atheistan's  coadjutor  from  the  time  that  he 
 had  become  infirm. 
 
 A.  1055.  In  this  year  died  Siward  the  earl  at  York,  and  he  lies  at 
 Galmanho,  in  the  minster  which  himself  caused  to  be  built,  and  consecrated 
 in  God's  and  Olave's  name.  And  Tosty  succeeded  to  the  earldom  which  he 
 had  held.  And  archbishop  KynseyJ  fetched  his  pall  from  pope  Victor. 
 And  soon  thereafter  was  outlawed  Elgar  the  earl,  son  of  Leofric  the  earl, 
 well-nigh  without  guilt.  But  he  went  to  Ireland  and  to  Wales,  and  pro- 
 cured himself  there  a  great  force,  and  so  went  to  Hereford  :  but  there  came 
 against  him  Ralph  the  earl,  with  a  large  army.  And  with  a  slight  conflict 
 he  put  them  to  flight,  and  much  people  slew  in  tne  flight  :  and  they  went  then 
 into  Hereford-port,  and  that  they  ravaged,  and  burned  the  great  minster 
 which  bishop  Athelstan  had  built,  and  slew  the  priests  within  the  minster, 
 and  many  in  addition  thereto,  and  took  all  the  treasures  therein,  and  carried 
 them  away  with  them.  And  Avhen  they  had  done  the  utmost  evil,  this 
 counsel  was  counselled  :  that  Elgar  the  earl  should  be  inlawed,  and  be 
 given  his  earldom,  and  all  that  had  been  taken  from  him.  This  ravaging 
 happened  on  the  9th  before  the  Kalends  of  November.  In  the  same  year 
 died  Tremerin  the  Welsh  bishop.§  soon  after  that  ravaging  :  and  he  was 
 bishop  Atheistan's  coadjutor  from  the  time  that  he  had  become  infirm. 
 
 A.  1055.  In  this  year  died  Siward  the  earl :  and  then  Avas  sunmioned  a 
 general  council,  seven  days  before  Mid-lent  ;  and  they  outlawed  Elgar  the 
 earl,  because  it  was  cast  upon  him  that  he  was  a  ttaitor  to  the  king  and  to 
 
 •  Hereford.        f  Of  St.  Davids.        +  Of  York.        §  Of  St.  David's. 
 
434  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a. d.  1056. 1057. 
 
 ail  the  people  of  the  land.  And  he  made  a  confession  of  it  before  all  the 
 men  who  were  there  gathered  ;  though  the  word  escaped  him  uninten- 
 tionally. And  the  king  gave  the  earldom  to  Tosty,  son  of  earl  Godwin, 
 which  Siward  the  earl  before  held.  And  Elgar  the  earl  sought  Griffin's 
 protection  in  North-Wales.  And  in  this  year  Griffin  and  Elgar  burned  St. 
 Elthelbert's  minster,  and  all  the  town  of  Hereford. 
 
 A.  1 056.  This  year  bishop  Egelric  gave  up  his  bishopric 
 at  Durham,  and  went  to  St.  Peter's  minster,  Peterborough ;  and 
 his  brother  Egehvine  succeeded  thereto.  This  year  died 
 Athelstan  the  venerable  bishop,  on  the  4th  before  the  Ides 
 of  February,  and  his  body  lies  at  Hereford-port ;  and  Leof- 
 gar  was  appointed  bishop  ;  he  was  the  mass-priest  of  Harold 
 the  earl.  He  wore  his  knapsack  during  his  priesthood 
 until  he  was  a  bishop.  He  forsook  his  chrism  and  his  rood, 
 his  ghostly  weapons,  and  took  to  his  spear  and  his  sword, 
 after  his  bishophood ;  and  so  went  to  the  field  against  Griffin 
 the  Welsh  king :  and  there  was  he  slain,  and  his  priests 
 with  him,  and  Elnoth  the  sheriff  and  many  good  men  with 
 them ;  and  the  others  fled  away.  This  was  eight  days 
 before  midsummer.  It  is  difficult  to  tell  the  distress,  and 
 all  the  marching,  and  the  camping,  and  the  travail  and  de- 
 struction of  men,  and  also  of  horses,  which  all  the  English 
 army  endured,  until  Leofric  the  earl*  came  thither,  and 
 Harold  the  earl,  and  bishop  Aldi"ed,f  and  made  a  reconciha- 
 tion  there  between  them  ;  so  that  Griffin  swore  oaths  that  he 
 would  be  to  king  Edward  a  faithful  and  unbetraying  under- 
 king.  And  bishop  Aldred  succeeded  to  the  bishopric 
 which  Leofgar  had  before  held  eleven  weeks  and  four  days. 
 In  the  same  year  died  ConaJ  the  emperor.  This  year 
 died  Odda  the  earl,§  and  his  body  lies  at  Pershore,  and  he 
 was  ordained  a  monk  before  his  end  ;  a  good  man  he  was 
 and  pure,  and  right  noble.  And  he  died  on  the  2nd  before 
 the  Kalends  of  September. 
 
 A.   1057. 
 Here  came  EdAvard  ethehng 
 to  Angle-land  ; 
 he  was  king  Edward's 
 brother's  son, 
 Edmund  king, 
 who  Ironside  was  called 
 
 for  his  valour. 
 
 This  etheling  Canute  king 
 
 had  sent  away 
 
 to  Unger-land  II 
 
 to  be  betrayed  : 
 
 but  he  there  grew  up 
 
 to  a  good  man, 
 
 *  Of  Mercia.  f  Of  Worcester.  t  Hen.  III. 
 
 V  Of  Devon.  1  Hungarv. 
 
A.D.  1057,1058.]       THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  435 
 
 his  kinsman  Edward 
 
 king  behold. 
 
 Alas  !  that  was  a  rueful  case 
 
 and  harmful 
 
 for  all  this  nation 
 
 that  he  so  soon 
 
 his  life  did  end  [came 
 
 after  that  he  to  Angle-land 
 
 for  the  mishap 
 
 of  this  wretched  nation. 
 
 as  God  him  granted. 
 
 and  him  well  became  ; 
 
 so  that  he  obtained         [wife, 
 
 the  emperor's   kinswoman  to 
 
 and  by  her,  fair 
 
 offspring  he  begot  : 
 
 she  was  Agatha  hight. 
 
 Nor  wist  we 
 
 for  which  cause 
 
 that  done  was, 
 
 that  he  might  not 
 
 In  the  same  year  died  Leofric  the  earl,*  on  the  second  before 
 the  kalends  of  October  ;  he  was  very  wise  for  God  and  also 
 for  the  world,  which  was  a  blessing  to  all  this  nation.  He 
 lies  at  Coventry  ;  and  his  son  Elgar  succeeded  to  his  govern- 
 ment. And  within  the  year  died  Ralph,  the  earlf  on  the 
 12th  before  the  kalends  of  January  ;  and  he  lies  at  Peter- 
 borough. Moreover,  bishop  Heca  died  in  Sussex,  and  Agel- 
 ric  was  raised  to  his  see.it  And  this  year  pope  Victor  died, 
 and  Stephen  [IX.]  was  chosen  pope. 
 
 A.  1057.  In  this  year  Edvard  etheling,  king  Edmund's  son,  came  hither 
 to  land,  and  soon  after  died  :  and  his  body  is  buried  within  St.  Paul's  min- 
 ster at  London.  And  pope  Victor  died,  and  .Stephen  [IX.]  was  chosen 
 pope  :  he  was  abbat  of  Mont-Cassino.  And  Leofric  the  earl  died,  and 
 Elgar  his  son  succeeded  to  the  earldom  which  the  father  before  held. 
 
 A.  1058.  This  year  Elgar,  the  earl,§  was  banished  ;  but 
 he  soon  came  in  again,  with  violence,  through  Griffin's  ||  aid. 
 And  this  year  came  a  fleet  from  Norway  :  it  is  tedious  to 
 tell  how  all  these  matters  went.  In  the  same  year  bishop 
 Aldred^  consecrated  the  minster  at  Gloucester,  which  himself 
 had  raised  to  the  glory  of  God  and  of  St.  Peter  ;  and  so  he 
 went  to  Jerusalem  with  such  splendour  as  none  other  had 
 displayed  before  him,  and  there  devoted  himself  to  God :  and 
 a  worthy  gift  he  also  oiFered  at  our  Lord's  tomb  ;  that  was  a 
 golden  chalice  of  five  marks  of  very  wonderful  work.  In 
 the  same  year  died  Pope  Stephen  [IX.],  and  Benedict 
 [X.]  was  appointed  pope  :  he  sent  a  pall  to  bishop  Stigand. 
 
 *  OfMercia.  +  Of  Hereford. 
 
 t  Selsey.  §  Of  Mercia. 
 
 II  King  of  North  Wales.  %  Of  Worcester. 
 
 F  F  2 
 
436  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.         [a.d.  1058— 10C3. 
 
 Algeric  was  ordained  bishop  of  Sussex,*  and  abbat  Siward 
 of  Rochester. 
 
 A.  1058.  This  year  died  Pope  Stephen,  and  Benedict  was  consecrated 
 pope  :  the  same  sent  hither  to  land  a  pall  to  archbishop  Stigand.  And 
 in  this  year  died  Heca,  bishop  of  Sussex  ;  and  archbishop  Stigand 
 ordained  Algeric,  a  monk  at  Christchm-ch,  bishop  of  Sussex,  and  abbat 
 Siward  bishop  of  Rochester. 
 
 A.  1059.  In  this  year  was  Nicholas  [IL]  chosen  pope, 
 he  had  before  been  bishop  of  the  town  of  Florence  ;  and 
 Benedict  was  di'iven  away,  who  had  there  before  been  pope. 
 And  in  this  year  was  the  steeple  consecrated  at  Peter- 
 borough, on  the  16th  before  the  Kalends  of  November. 
 
 A.  1060.  In  this  year  there  w^as  a  great  earthquake  on 
 the  Translation  of  St.  Martin  :  and  king  Henry  died  in 
 France.  And  Kynsey,  archbishop  of  York,  departed  on  the 
 11th  before  the  Kalends  of  January,  and  he  hes  at  Peter- 
 borough ;  and  bishop  Aldi-ed  succeeded  to  the  bishopric,  and 
 Walter  succeeded  to  the  bishopric  of  Herefordshire  :  and 
 bishop  Dudoc  also  died;  he  was  bishop  in  Somerset ;|  and 
 Giso  the  priest  was  appointed  in  his  stead. 
 
 A.  1061.  This  year  bishop  Aldred  went  to  Rome  after 
 liis  pall,  and  he  received  it  from  Pope  Nicholas.  And  Tosty 
 and  his  wife  also  went  to  Rome  :  and  the  bishop  and  the 
 earl  suffered  much  distress  as  they  came  homeward.  And 
 this  year  died  Godwin,  bishop  of  St.  Martin's  4  and  Wulfric 
 abbat  of  St.  Augustine's,  on  the  14th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 April  [May?].  And  Pope  Nicholas  died,  and  Alexaudw 
 [II.]  was  chosen  pope  ;  he  had  been  bishop  of  Lucca. 
 
 A.  1061.  In  this  year  died  Dudoc,  bishop  of  Somerset,  and  Giso  succeedea. 
 And  in  the  same  year  died  Godwin,  bishop  of  St.  Martin's,  on  the  7th 
 before  the  Ides  of  March.  And  in  the  self-same  year  died  Wulfric,  abbat 
 of  St.  Au!^iistine's,  within  the  Easter  week,  on  the  14th  Ijefore  the 
 Kalends  of  May.  When  word  came  to  the  king  that  abbat  Wulfric  was 
 departed,  then  chose  he  Ethelsy  the  monk  thereto,  from  the  Old-Min- 
 ster, who  then  followed  archbishop  Stigand,  and  was  consecrated  abbat  at 
 Windsor,  on  St.  Augustine's  mass-day. 
 
 A.  1062. 
 
 A.   1063.  In  this  year,  after  midwinter,  Harold,  the  earl, 
 
 went  from  Gloucester  to  Rhyddlan,  which  was  Griffin's,  and 
 
 bui'ned  the  vill,   and  his  ships,    and   all   tlie  stores  wliich 
 
 thereto  belonged,  and  put  him  to  flight.     And  then,  at  Roga- 
 
 *  Selsey.  f  Wells.  +  At  Canterbury. 
 
A.D.  1063— 1065.]         THE   ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  437 
 
 tion-tide,  Harold  went  with  his  ships  from  Bristol  about 
 Wales  ;  and  the  people  made  a  truce  and  delivered  hostages  ; 
 and  To5tj  went  with  a  land-force  against  them  :  and  they 
 subdued  the  land.  But  in  this  same  year,  during  harvest, 
 was  king  Griffin  slain,  on  the  Nones  of  August,  by  his  own 
 men,  by  reason  of  the  war  that  he  warred  with  Harold  the 
 earl.  He  was  king  over  all  the  Welsh  race  :  and  his  head 
 was  brought  to  Harold  the  earl,  and  Harold  brought  it  to  the 
 king,  and  his  ship's  head,  and  the  rigging  therewith.  And 
 king  Edward  committed  the  land  to  his  two  brothers,  Bleth- 
 gent  and  Rigwatle  ;  and  they  swore  oaths,  and  delivered 
 hostages  to  the  king  and  to  the  earl,  that  they  would  be 
 faithful  to  him  in  all  things,  and  be  everywhere  ready  for 
 him,  by  water  and  by  land,  and  make  such  renders  from  the 
 land  as  had  been  done  before  to  any  other  king. 
 
 A.  1063.  This  year  went  Harold  the  earl,  and  his  brother  Tosty  the 
 earl,  as  well  with  a  land-force  as  a  ship-force,  into  Wales,  and  they  sub- 
 dued the  land  ;  and  the  people  delivered  hostages  to  them,  and  submitted  ; 
 and  went  afterwards  and  slew  their  king  Griffin,  and  brought  to  Harold  his 
 head:  and  he  appointed  another  king  thereto. 
 
 A.  1064. 
 
 A.  1065.  In  tliis  year,  before  Lammas,  Harold  the  earl 
 ordered  a  building  to  be  erected  in  Wales  at  Portskeweth, 
 after  he  had  subdued  it  ;  and  there  he  gathered  much  good  ; 
 and  thought  to  have  king  Edward  there  for  the  purpose  of 
 hunting.  But  when  it  was  all  ready,  then  went  Caradoc, 
 Griffin's  son,  with  the  whole  force  which  he  could  procure, 
 and  slew  almost  all  the  people  who  there  had  been  building  ; 
 and  they  took  the  good  which  there  was  prepared.  We  wist 
 not  who  first  devised  this  ill  counsel.  This  was  done  on  St. 
 Bartholomew's  mass-day.  And  soon  after  this,  all  the  thanes 
 in  Yorkshire  and  in  Northumberland  gathered  themselves 
 together,  and  outlawed  their  earl,  Tosty,  and  slew  his  house- 
 hold men,  all  that  they  might  come  at,  as  well  English  as 
 Danish  :  and  they  took  all  his  weapons  at  York,  and  gold, 
 and  silver,  and  all  his  treasures  which  they  might  any  where 
 there  hear  of,  and  sent  after  Morkar,  the  son  of  Elgar  the 
 earl,  and  chose  him  to  be  their  earl :  and  he  went  south  with 
 all  the  shire,  and  with  Nottinghamshire,  and  Derbyshire, 
 and  Lincolnshire,  until  he  came  to  Northampton  :  and  his 
 brother  Ed^vin  came  to  meet  him  with  the  men  who  were 
 
438 
 
 THE    ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE. 
 
 [a.d.  10G5. 
 
 in  his  earldom,  and  also  many  Britons  came  with  him. 
 There  came  Harold,  the  earl,  to  meet  them  ;  and  they  laid 
 an  errand  upon  him  to  king  Edward,  and  also  sent  messen- 
 gers with  him,  and  begged  that  they  might  have  Morkar  for 
 their  earl.  And  the  king  granted  it,  and  sent  Harqld  again 
 to  them  at  Northampton,  on  the  eve  of  St.  Simon's  and 
 St.  Jude's  mass  ;  and  he  made  known  the  same  to  them,  and 
 delivered  a  pledge  thereof  unto  them  :  and  he  there  renewed 
 Canute's  law.  But  the  northern  men  did  much  harm 
 about  Northampton  whilst  he  went  on  their  errand,  inas- 
 much as  they  slew  men  and  burned  houses  and  corn  ;  and 
 took  all  the  cattle  which  they  might  come  at,  that  was  many 
 thousand  :  and  many  hundred  men  they  took  and  led  north 
 with  them  ;  so  that  that  shire,  and  the  other  shires  which 
 there  are  nigh,  were  for  many  years  the  worse.  And  Tosty 
 the  earl,  and  his  wife,  and  all  those  who  would  what  he 
 would,  went  south  over  sea  with  him  to  Baldwin,  the  earl, 
 and  he  received  them  all  ;  and  they  were  all  the  winter 
 there.  And  king  Edward  came  to  Westminster  at  midwin- 
 ter, and  there  caused  to  be  consecrated  the  minster  which  him- 
 self had  built  to  the  glory  of  God  and  of  St.  Peter,  and  of 
 all  God's  saints  ;  and  the  church-hallowing  was  on  Childer- 
 mass-day.  And  he  died  on  Twelfth-day  eve,  and  him  they 
 buried  on  Twelfth-day  eve,  in  the  same  minster,  as  it  here- 
 after sayeth. 
 
 Here  Edward  king, 
 
 of  Angles  lord, 
 
 sent  his  stedfast 
 
 &oul  to  Christ, 
 
 in  God's  protection, 
 
 spirit  holy. 
 
 He  in  the  world  here 
 
 dwelt  awhile 
 
 in  royal  majesty 
 
 mighty  in  council. 
 
 Four-and-twenty, 
 
 lordly  ruler  ! 
 
 of  winters  numbered, 
 
 he  wealth  dispensed  ; 
 
 and  he  a  prosperous  tide, 
 
 ruler  of  heroes, 
 
 distinguished  governed, 
 Welsh  and  Scots, 
 and  Britons  also, 
 son  of  Ethelred, 
 Angles  and  Saxons, 
 chieftains  bold. 
 Where'er  embrace 
 cold  ocean -waves, 
 there  all  to  Edward, 
 noble  king  ! 
 obeyed  faithfully, 
 the  warrior-men. 
 Aye  was  blithe -mind 
 the  harmless  king, 
 tliough  he  long  erst 
 of  land  bereaved, 
 
A.D.  1065,  106G.J         THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE. 
 
 439 
 
 in  exile  dwelt 
 
 wide  o'er  the  earth, 
 
 since  Canute  o'ercame 
 
 the  race  of  Etheh-ed, 
 
 and  Danes  wielded 
 
 the  dear  realm 
 
 of  Angle-land, 
 
 eight-and-twenty 
 
 of  winters  numbered, 
 
 wealth  dispensed. 
 
 After  forth-came, 
 
 in  vestments  lordly, 
 
 king  with  the  chosen  good, 
 
 chaste  and  mild, 
 
 Edward  the  noble  : 
 
 the  realm  he  guarded, 
 
 land  and  people, 
 
 until  suddenly  came 
 
 And  this  year  also  was  Har 
 
 little  quiet  abode  therein, 
 
 realm. 
 
 death  the  bitter, 
 and  so  dear  a  one  seized. 
 This  noble,  from  earth 
 angels  carried, 
 stedfast  soul, 
 into  heaven's  light. 
 And  the  sage  ne'ertheless. 
 the  realm  committed 
 to  a  highly-born  man, 
 Harold's  self, 
 the  noble  earl  ! 
 He  in  all  time 
 obeyed  faithfully 
 his  rightful  lord 
 by  words  and  deeds, 
 nor  aught  neglected 
 which  needful  was 
 to  his  sovereign -king, 
 old  consecrated  king  ;  and  he  with 
 the  while  that   he  wielded  the 
 
 A.  1065.  And  the  man-slayinji:  was  on  St.  Bartholomew's  mass-clay. 
 And  then,  after  Michael's-mass,  all  the  thanes  in  Yorkshire  went  to  York, 
 and  there  slew  all  earl  Tosty's  household  servants  whom  they  might 
 hear  of,  and  took  his  treasm-es  :  and  Tosty  was  then  at  Britford  ^nth  the 
 king.  And  then,  very  soon  thereafter,  Avas  a  great  council  at  Northamp- 
 ton ;  and  then  at  Oxford  on  the  day  of  Simon  and  Jude.  And  there  was 
 Harold  the  earl,  and  would  work  their  reconciliation  if  he  might,  but  he  could 
 not  :  but  all  his  earldom  him  unanimously  forsook  and  outlawed,  and  all 
 who  with  him  lawlessness  upheld,  because  he  robbed  God  first,  and  all 
 those  bereaved  over  whom  he  had  power  of  life  and  of  land.  And  they  then 
 took  to  themselves  Morkar  for  earl  ;  and  Testy  went  then  over  sea,  and  his 
 wife  with  him,  to  Baldwin's  land,  and  they  took  up  their  winter  residence 
 at  St.  Omer's. 
 
 A.  1066.  In  this  year  king  Harold  came  from  York  to 
 Westminster,  at  that  Easter  which  was  after  the  mid-winter 
 in  which  the  king  died  ;  and  Easter  was  then  on  the  day, 
 16th  before  the  Kalends  of  May.  Then  was,  over  all  Eng- 
 land, such  a  token  seen  in  the  heavens,  as  no  man  ever 
 before  saw.  Some  men  said  that  it  was  cometa  the  star, 
 which  some  men  call  the  haired  star  ;  and  it  appeared  first 
 on  the  eve  Litania  Major,  the  8th  before  the  Kalends  of  May, 
 
440  THE  AXGLO-SAXON  CnROXICLE.  [a.d.  1066. 
 
 and  so  shone  all  the  seven  nights.  And  soon  after  CLime  in 
 Tosty  the  earl  from  beyond  sea  into  the  Isle  of  Wight,  with 
 so  great  a  fleet  as  he  might  procure  ;  and  there  they  yielded 
 him  as  well  money  as  food.  And  king  Harold,  his  brother, 
 gathered  so  great  a  ship-force,  and  also  a  land-force,  as  no  king 
 here  in  the  land  had  before  done ;  because  it  was  made  known 
 to  him  that  William  the  bastard  would  come  hither  and  win 
 this  land  ;  all  as  it  afterwards  happened.  And  the  while, 
 came  Tosty  the  earl  into  Humber  with  sixty  ships  ;  and 
 Edwin  the  earl  came  with  a  land-force  and  drove  him  out. 
 And  the  boatmen  forsook  him  ;  and  he  went  to  Scotland 
 with  twelve  vessels.  And  there  met  him  Harold  king  of 
 Norway  with  three  hundred  ships  ;  and  Tosty  submitted  to 
 him  and  became  his  man.  And  they  then  went  both  into 
 Humber,  until  they  came  to  York  ;  and  there  fought  against 
 them  Edwin  the  earl,  and  Morkar  the  earl,  his  brother  : 
 but  the  Northmen  had  the  victory.  Then  was  it  made  kno^vn 
 to  Harold  king  of  the  Angles  that  tiiis  had  thus  happened  : 
 and  this  battle  was  on  tlie  vigil  of  St.  i\Iatthew.  Then  came 
 Harold  our  king  unawares  on  the  Northmen,  and  met  with 
 them  beyond  York,  at  Stanford-bridge,  Avith  a  great  army 
 of  English  people  ;  and  there  during  the  day  was  a  very 
 severe  fight  on  both  sides.  There  was  slain  Harold  the  Fair- 
 haired,  and  Tosty  the  earl ;  and  the  Northmen  who  were  there 
 remaining  were  put  to  flight ;  and  the  English  from  behind 
 hotly  smote  them,  until  they  came,  some,  to  their  ships,  some 
 were  drowned,  and  some  also  burned  ;  and  thus  in  divers 
 ways  they  perished,  so  that  there  were  few  left :  and  the 
 English  had  possession  of  the  place  of  carnage.  The  king 
 then  gave  his  protection  to  Olave,  son  of  the  king  of  the  Nor- 
 wegians, and  to  their  bishop,  and  to  the  earl  of  Orkney,  and 
 to  all  those  who  Avere  left  in  the  ships  :  and  they  then  went 
 up  to  our  king,  and  swore  oaths  that  they  ever  would  observe 
 peace  and  friendship  towards  this  land  ;  and  the  king  let 
 them  go  home  with  twenty-four  ships.  These  two  general 
 battles  were  fought  within  five  days.  Then  came  William 
 earl  of  Normandy  into  Pevensey,  on  the  eve  of  St.  Michael's- 
 mass  :  and  soon  after  they  were  on  their  way,  they  construc- 
 ted a  castle  at  Hasting's-port.  This  was  then  made  known 
 to  king  Harold,  and  he  then  gathered  a  great  force,  and  came 
 to  meet  him  at  the  estuary  of  Appledore ;  and  WilHam  came 
 
A.D.  10G6.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  OPIRONICLE.  441 
 
 against  him  unawares,  before  his  people  were  set  in  order. 
 Bat  the  king  nevertheless  strenuously  fought  against  him 
 witli  those  men  who  would  follow  him  ;  and  there  was  great 
 slaughter  made  on  either  hand.  There  was  slain  kino- 
 Harold,  and  Leofwin  the  earl,  his  brother,  and  Girth  the 
 earl,  his  brothei",  and  many  good  men  ;  and  the  Frenchmen 
 had  possession  of  the  place  of  carnage,  all  as  God  granted 
 them  for  the  people's  sins.  Archbishop  Aldred  and  the 
 townsmen  of  London  would  then  have  child  Edgar  for  king, 
 all  as  was  his  true  natural  right :  and  Edwin  and  Morcar 
 vowed  to  him  that  they  would  fight  together  with  him.  But 
 in  that  degree  that  it  ought  ever  to  have  been  forwarder,  so 
 was  it  from  day  to  day  later  and  worse  ;  so  that  at  the  end 
 all  passed  away.  This  fight  was  done  on  the  day  of  Calix- 
 tus  the  pope.  And  William  the  earl  went  afterwards  again 
 to  Hastings,  and  there  awaited  to  see  whether  the  people 
 would  submit  to  him.  But  when  he  understood  that  they 
 would  not  come  to  him,  he  went  upv/ards  with  all  his  army 
 which  was  left  to  him,  and  that  which  afterwards  had  come 
 from  over  sea  to  him  ;  and  he  plundered  all  that  part  which 
 he  over-ran,  until  he  came  to  Berkhampstead.  And  there 
 came  to  meet  him  archbishop  Aldred,*  and  child  Edgar, 
 and  Edwin  the  earl,  and  Morcar  the  earl,  and  all  the 
 chief  men  of  London  ;  and  then  submitted,  for  need,  when 
 the  most  harm  had  been  done  :  and  it  was  very  unwise  that 
 they  had  not  done  so  before  ;  since  God  would  not  better  it, 
 for  our  sins  :  and  they  delivered  hostages,  and  swore  oaths 
 to  him  ;  and  he  vowed  to  them  that  he  would  be  a  loving 
 lord  to  them  :  and  nevertheless,  during  this,  they  plundered 
 all  that  they  over-ran.  Then,  on  mid-winter's  day,  arch- 
 bishop Aldred  consecrated  him  king  at  Westminster  ;  and  he 
 gave  him  a  pledge  upon  Christ's  book,  and  also  swore,  before 
 he  would  set  the  crown  upon  his  head,  that  he  would  govern 
 this  nation  as  well  as  any  king  before  him  had  at  the  best 
 done,  if  they  would  be  faithful  to  him.  Nevertheless,  he 
 laid  a  tribute  on  the  people,  very  heavy  ;  and  then  went,  du- 
 ring Lent,  over  sea  to  Normandy,  and  took  with  him  arch- 
 bishop Stigand,  and  Aylnoth,  abbat  of  Glastonbury,  and 
 child  Edgar,  and  Edwin  the  earl,  and  ]\Iorkar  the  earl, 
 and  Waltheof  the  earl,  and  many  other  good  men  of  Eng- 
 *  Of  York. 
 
442  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  106C. 
 
 land.  And  bishop  Odo*  and  William  the  earl  remained  here 
 behind,  and  they  built  castles  wide  throughout  the  nation, 
 and  poor  people  distressed  ;  and  ever  after  it  greatly  grew 
 in  evil.     ]\Iay  the  end  be  good  when  God  will  ! 
 
 A.  1066.  This  year  died  king  Edward,  and  Harold  the  earl  succeeded 
 to  the  kingdom,  and  held  it  forty  weeks  and  one  day.  And  tliis  year  came 
 William,  and  won  England.  And  in  this  year  Christ-Church  f  was  burned. 
 And  this  year  appeared  a  comet  on  the  1 4th  before  the  Kalends  of  I\Iay. 
 
 A.  1066. . . .  J  And  then  he  [Tosty]  went  tlience,  and  did  harm  everywhere 
 by  the  sea-coast  where  he  could  land,  as  far  as  Sandwicli.     Then  was  it 
 made  kno^vn  to  king  Harold,  who  was  in  London,  that  Tosty  his  brother 
 was  come  to  Sandwich.     Then  gathered  he  so  great  a  ship-force,  and  also 
 a  land  force,  as  no  king  here  in  the  land  had  before  gathered,  because  it 
 had  been  soothly  said  unto  him,  that  William  the  earl  from  Normandy, 
 king  Edward's  kinsman,  would  come  hither  and  subdue  this  land:  alias 
 it    afterwards  happened.      When  Tosty  learned   that  king  Harold  was 
 on  his  way  to  Sandwich,  then  went  he  from  Sandwdch,  and  took  some  of 
 the  boatmen  mth  him,  some  willingly  and  some  unwillingly ;  and  went 
 then  north  into  Humber,  and  there  ravaged  in  Lindsey,  and  there  slew 
 many  good  men.     When  Edwin  the  earl  and  Morcar  the  earl  understood 
 that,  then  came  they  thither,  and  drove  him  out  of  the  land.     And  he  went 
 then  to  Scotland :  and  the  king  of  Scots  protected  him,  and  assisted  him 
 with  provisions ;   and  he  there  abode  all  the  summer.     Then  came  king 
 Harold  to  Sandmch,  and  there  awaited  his  fleet,  because  it  was  long  before 
 it  could  be  gathered  together.     And  when  his  fleet  was  gathered  together, 
 then  went  he  into  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  there  lay  all  the  summer  and  the 
 harvest ;  and  a  land-force  was  kept  every  where  by  the  sea,  though  in  the 
 end  it  was  of  no  benefit.     When  it  was  the  Nativity  of  St.  Mary,  then  were 
 tlie  men's  provisions  gone,  and  no  man  could  any  longer  keep  them  there. 
 Then  were  the  men  allowed  to  go  home,  and  the  king  rode  up,  and  the 
 ships  were  despatched  to  London ;  and  many  perished  before  they  came 
 thither.     When  the  ships  had  reached  home,  then  came  king  Harold  from 
 Norway,  north  into  Tyne,  and  unawares,  with  a  very  large  ship-force,  and 
 no  small  one;  that  might  be,  or  more.      And  Tosty  the  earl  came  to  him 
 with  all  that  he  had  gotten,  all  as  they  had  before  agreed  ;  and  then  they 
 went  both,  with  all  the  fleet,  along  the  Ouse,  up  towards  York.     Then  was 
 it  made  knowni  to  king  Harold  in  the  south,  as  he  was  come  from  on  ship- 
 board, that  Harold  king  of  Norway  and  Tosty  the  earl  Avere  landed  near 
 York.     Then  went  he  northward,  day  and  night,  as  quickly  as  he  could 
 gather  his  forces.     Then,  before  that  king  Harold  could  come  thither,  then 
 gathered  Edwin  the  earl  and  IMorcar  the  earl  from  their  earldom  as  great  a 
 force  as  they  could  get  together  ;  and  they  fought  against  the  army,  and 
 made  great  slaughter :  and  there  was  much  of  the  English  people  slain, 
 and  drowned,  and  driven  away  in  flight ;  and  the  Northmen  had  possession 
 of  the  place  of  carnage.     And  this  fight  was  on  the  vigil  of  St.  ]\Iattliew 
 the  apostle,  and  it  was  Wednesday.     And  then,  after  the  fight,  Avent  Ha- 
 rold king  of  Norway,  and  Tosty  the  earl,  into  York,  with  as  much  people 
 *  Odo,  bishop  of  Bayeux,  half  brother  of  king  William,  and  William 
 Fitz  Osbert,  created  earl  of  Hereford.  +  Canterbury. 
 
 +  Continued  after  "money  as  food,"  in  page  440. 
 
A.D.  1066.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  443 
 
 as  seemed  meet  to  them.  And  they  delivered  hostages  to  them  from  the 
 city,  and  also  assisted  them  with  provisions ;  and  so  they  went  thence  to 
 their  ships,  and  they  agreed  upon  a  full  peace,  so  that  they  should  all  go 
 with  him  south,  and'  this  land  subdue.  Then,  dui-ing  this,  came  Harold 
 king  of  the  Angles,  with  all  his  forces,  on  the  Sunday,  to  Tadcaster,  and 
 there  drew  up  his  force,  and  went  then  on  Monday  throughout  York ;  and 
 Harold  king  of  Norway,  and  Tosty  the  earl,  and  their  forces,  were  gone 
 from  their  ships  beyond  York  to  Stanford liridge,  because  it  had  been  pro- 
 mised them  for  a  certainty,  that  there,  from  all  the  shire,  hostages  should 
 be  brought  to  meet  them.  Then  came  Harold  king  of  the  English  against 
 them,  unawares,  beyond  the  bridge,  and  they  there  joined  battle,  and  very 
 strenuously,  for  a  long  time  of  the  day,  continued  fighting :  and  there  was 
 Harold  king  of  Norway  and  Tosty  the  earl  slain,  and  numberless  of  the 
 people  vnih  them,  as  well  of  the  Northmen  as  of  the  English :  and  the 
 Northmen  fled  from  the  English.  Then  was  there  one  of  the  Norwegians 
 who  withstood  the  English  jjeople,  so  that  they  might  not  pass  over  the 
 bridge,  nor  obtain  the  victory.  Then  an  Englishman  aimed  at  him  with  a 
 javelin,  but  it  availed  nothing  ;  and  then  came  another  under  the  bridge,  and 
 pierced  him  terribly  inwards  imder  the  coat  of  mail.  Then  came  Harold, 
 king  of  the  English,  over  the  bridge,  and  his  forces  onward  ^vith  him,  and 
 there  made  great  slaughter,  as  well  of  Norwegians  as  of  Flemings.  And 
 the  king's  son,  Edmimd,  Harold  let  go  home  to  Norway,  with  all  the  ships. 
 A.  1 066.  In  this  year  was  consecrated  the  minster  at  Westminster,  on 
 Childer-mass-day.  And  king  Edward  died,  on  the  eve  of  Twelfth-day  ; 
 and  he  was  bmied  on  Twelfth-day,  \vithin  the  newly  consecrated  church  at 
 Westminster.  And  Harold  the  earl  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  England, 
 even  as  the  king  had  granted  it  to  him,  and  men  also  had  chosen  him 
 thereto  ;  and  he  was  crowned  as  king  on  Twelfth-day.  And  that  same  year 
 that  he  became  king,  he  went  out  with  a  fleet  a.ainst  William  ;*  and  the 
 while,  came  Tosty  the  earl  into  Humber  mih  sixty  ships.  Ed^\'in  the  earl 
 came  vnth  a  land- force  and  drove  him  out ;  and  the  boatmen  forsook  him. 
 And  he  went  to  Scotland  with  twelve  vessels ;  and  Harold  the  king  of  Nor- 
 way met  him  with  three  hundred  ships,  and  Tosty  submitted  to  him ;  and 
 they  both  went  into  Humber,  until  they  came  to  York.  And  Morcar  the 
 earl,  and  Edwnn  the  eai-l,  fought  against  them ;  and  the  king  of  the  Norwe- 
 gians had  the  victory.  And  it  was  made  known  to  king  Harold  how  it 
 there  was  done,  and  had  b.appened  ;  and  he  came  there  with  a  great  army 
 of  English  men,  and  met  him  at  Stanfordbridge,  and  slew  him  and  the  earl 
 Tosty,  and  boldly  overcame  all  the  army.  And  the  while,  William  the 
 earl  landed  at  Hastings,  on  St.  Michael's-day :  and  Harold  came  from  the 
 north,  and  fought  against  him  before  all  his  army  had  come  up  :  and  there 
 he  fell,  and  his  two  brothers,  Girth  and  Leofwin ;  and  William  subdued 
 this  land.  And  he  came  to  Westminster,  and  archbishop  Aldred  conse- 
 crated him  king,  and  men  paid  him  tribute,  and  delivered  him  hostages, 
 and  afterwards  bought  their  land.  And  then  was  Leofric  al)bat  of  Peter- 
 borough in  that  same  expedition  ;  and  there  he  sickened,  and  came  home, 
 and  was  dead  soon  thereafter,  on  AU-hallows-mass- night ;  God  be  merciful 
 to  his  soul  !  In  his  day  was  all  bliss  and  all  good  in  Peterborough;  and 
 he  was  dear  to  all  people,  so  that  the  king  gave  to  St.  Peter  and  to  him 
 the  abbacy  at  Bmton,  and  that  of  Coventry,  which  Leofric  the  earl,  who 
 
 *  Earl  of  Normandy. 
 
444  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1067. 
 
 was  .his  uncle,  before  had  made,  and  that  of  Crowland,  and  that  of  Thor- 
 ney.  And  he  conferred  so  much  of  good  upon  tlie  minster  of  Peter- 
 borough, in  g  )ld,  and  in  silver,  and  in  vestments,  and  in  land,  as  never  any 
 other  did  before  him,  nor  any  after  him.  After,  Golden-borough  became 
 a  wretched  borough.  Then  chose  the  monks  for  abbat  Brand  the  provost, 
 by  reason  that  he  was  a  very  good  man,  and  very  wise,  and  sent  him  then 
 to  Edgar  the  etheling,  by  reason  that  the  people  of  the  land  supposed  that 
 he  should  become  king:  and  the  etheling  granted  it  him  then  gladly. 
 When  king  William  heard  say  that,  then  was  he  very  Avroth,  and  said  that 
 tlie  aljbat  liad  despised  him.  Then  went  good  men  ])etween  them,  and 
 reconciled  them^  by  reason  that  the  abbat  was  a  good  man.  Then  gave  he 
 the  king  forty  marks  of  ,?old  for  a  reconciliation ;  and  then  thereafter, 
 lived  he  a  little  while,  but  three  years.  After  that  came  every  tribulation 
 and  every  evil  to  the  minster.     God  have  mercy  on  it ! 
 
 A.  1067.  This  year  the  king  came  back  to  England  on 
 St.  Nicolas's  day,  and  on  the  same  day  Christ's  Church, 
 Canterbury,  was  consumed  by  fire.  Bishop  Wulfwy  also 
 died,  and  lies  buried  at  his  see  of  Dorchester.  Child  Edric 
 and  the  Britons  were  unsettled  this  year,  and  fought  with 
 the  men  of  the  castle  at  Hereford,  to  Yvhom  they  did  much 
 harm.  The  king  this  year  imposed  a  heavy  tax  on  the 
 unfortunate  people  ;  but,  notwithstanding,  he  let  his  men 
 plunder  all  the  country  which  they  passed  through  :  after 
 which  he  marched  to  Devonsliire  and  besieged  Exeter 
 eighteen  days.  Many  of  his  army  were  slain  there  :  but  he 
 had  promised  them  well  and  performed  ill :  the  citizens 
 surrendered  the  city,  because  the  thanes  had  betrayed  them. 
 This  summer  the  child  Edgar,  with  his  mother  Agatha,  his 
 Sisters  Margaret  and  Christina,  Merlesweyne  and  several 
 good  men,  went  to  Scotland  under  the  protection  of  king 
 Malcolm,  who  received  them  all.  Then  it  was  that  king 
 Malcohn  desired  to  have  Margaret  to  wife:  but,  the  child 
 Edgar  and  all  his  men  refused  for  a  long  time  ;  and 
 she  herself  also  was  unwilling,  saying  that  she  would  have 
 neither  him  nor  any  other  person,  if  God  would  allow  her  to 
 serve  him  with  her  carnal  heart,  in  strict  continence,  during 
 this  short  life.  But  the  king  urged  her  brother  until  he  said 
 yes ;  and  indeed  he  did  not  dare  to  refuse,  for  they  were  now 
 in  Malcolm's  kingdom.  So  that  the  marriage  was  now 
 fulfilled,  as  God  had  foreordained,  and  it  could  not  be 
 otherwise,  as  he  says  in  the  Gospel,  that  not  a  sparrow  falls 
 to  the  ground,  without  his  foresliowing.  The  prescient 
 Creator   knew  long   before  what   he  would    do  with   her, 
 
*..D.  1067.,  THE  AJfGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  445 
 
 namely  that  she  should  increase  the  glory  of  God  in  this 
 land,  lead  the  king  out  of  the  wrong  into  the  right  path, 
 bring  him  and  his  people  to  a  better  way,  and  suppress  all 
 the  bad  customs  which  the  nation  formerly  followed.  These 
 things  she  afterwards  accomplished.  The  king  therefore 
 married  her,  though  against  her  will,  and  Avas  pleased  with 
 her  manners,  and  thanked  God  who  had  given  him  such  a 
 wife.  And  being  a  prudent  man  he  turned  himself  to  God 
 and  forsook  all  impurity  of  conduct,  as  St.  Paul,  the  apostle 
 of  the  Gentiles,  says  :  "  Salvabltur  vir"  ^-c.  which  means  in 
 our  language  "  Full  oft  the  unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified 
 and  healed  through  the  believing  wife,  and  so  belike  the  wife 
 through  the  believing  husband."  The  queen  above-named 
 afterwards  did  many  things  in  this  land  to  promote  the  glory 
 of  God,  and  conducted  herself  well  in  her  noble  rank,  as 
 always  was  her  custom.  She  was  sprung  from  a  noble  line 
 of  ancestors,  and  her  father  was  Edv/ard  Etheling,  son  of 
 king  Edmund.  This  Edmund  was  the  son  of  Ethelred,  who 
 v*'as  the  son  of  Edgar,  the  son  of  Edred  ;  and  so  on  in  tliat 
 royal  line.  Her  maternal  kindred  traces  up  to  the  emperor 
 Henry,  who  reigned  at  Rome. 
 
 This  year  Harold's  mother,  Githa,  and  the  wives  of  many 
 good  men  with  her,  went  to  the  Steep  Holmes,  and  there 
 abode  some  time  ;  and  afterwards  went  from  thence  over  sea 
 to  St.  Omer's. 
 
 This  Easter  the  king  came  to  Winchester ;  and  Easter  was 
 then  on  the  tenth  day  before  the  Kalends  of  April.  Soon 
 after  this  the  lady  Matilda  came  to  this  country,  and  arch- 
 bishop Eldred  consecrated  her  queen  at  Westminster  on 
 Whitsunday.  It  Avas  then  told  the  king,  that  the  people  in 
 the  North  had  gathered  together  and  would  oppose  him 
 there.  Upon  this  he  went  to  Nottingham,  and  built  a  castle 
 there,  and  then  advanced  to  York,  where  he  built  two  castles : 
 he  then  did  the  same  at  Lincoln,  and  everpvhere  in  tliose 
 parts.  Then  earl  Cospatric  and  all  the  best  men  went  into 
 Scotland.  During  these  things  one  of  Harold's  sons  came 
 with  a  fleet  from  Ireland  unexpectedly  into  the  mouth  of  the 
 river  Avon,  and  soon  plundered  all  that  neighbourhood. 
 They  went  to  Bristol,  and  would  have  stormed  the  town,  but 
 the  inhabitants  opposed  them  bravely.  Seeing  they  could 
 get  nothing  from  the  town,  they  went  to  their  ships  with  the 
 
446  THE  AlfGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.         [a.d.  1068,  10691 
 
 booty  they  liad  got  by  plundering,  and  went  to  Somersetshire, 
 where  they  went  up  the  country.  Ednoth,  master  of  the 
 horse,  fought  with  them,  but  he  was  slain  there,  and  many 
 good  men  on  both  sides  ;  and  those  who  were  left  departed 
 thence. 
 
 A.  1068.  This  year  king  William  gave  the  earldom  of 
 Northumberland  to  earl  Robert,  and  the  men  of  that  country 
 came  against  him,  and  slew  him  and  900  others  with  him. 
 And  then  Edgar  etheling  marched  with  all  the  Northum- 
 brians to  York,  and  the  townsmen  treated  with  him  ;  on 
 which  king  AVilliam  came  from  the  south  with  all  his  troops, 
 and  sacked  the  town,  and  slew  many  hundred  persons.  He 
 also  profaned  St.  Peter's  minster,  and  all  other  places,  and 
 the  etheling  went  back  to  Scotland. 
 
 After  this  came  Harold's  sons  from  Ireland,  about  ]Mid- 
 summer,  with  sixty-four  ships  and  entered  the  mouth  of  the 
 Taff,  where  they  incautiously  landed.  Earl  Beorn  came 
 upon  them  unawares  with  a  large  army,  and  slew  all  their 
 bravest  men  :  the  others  escaped  to  their  ships,  and  Harold's 
 sons  went  back  again  to  Ireland. 
 
 A.  1069.  This  year  died  Aldred  archbishop  of  York,  and 
 he  lies  buried  in  his  cathedral  church.  He  died  on  the 
 festival  of  Protus  and  Hyacinthus,  having  held  the  see  with 
 much  honour  ten  years,  all  but  fifteen  weeks. 
 
 Soon  after  this,  three  of  the  sons  of  Sweyne  came  from 
 Denmark  with  240  ships,  together  with  earl  Osbern  and 
 earl  Thorkill,  into  the  Humber  ;  where  they  were  met  by 
 child  Edgar  and  earl  Waltheof,  and  Merle- Sweyne,  and 
 earl  Cospatric  with  the  men  of  Northumberland  and  all  the 
 landsmen,  riding  and  marching  joyfully  with  an  immense 
 army  ;  and  so  they  went  to  York,  demolished  the  castle,  and 
 found  there  large  treasures.  They  also  slew  many  hundred 
 Frenchmen,  and  carried  off  many  prisoners  to  their  ships  ; 
 but,  before  the  shipmen  came  thither,  the  Frenchmen  had 
 burned  the  city,  and  plundered  and  burnt  St.  Peter's  minster. 
 When  tlie  king  heard  of  this,  he  went  northward  with  all 
 the  troops  he  could  collect,  and  laid  waste  all  the  shire  ; 
 whilst  the  fleet  lay  all  the  winter  in  the  Humber,  where  the 
 king  could  not  get  at  them.  The  king  was  at  York  on 
 midwinter's  day,  remaining  on  land  all  the  winter,  and  at 
 Easter  he  came  to  Winchester. 
 
A.D.  1070.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  447 
 
 This  year  bishop  Egelric  being  at  Peterborough,  was 
 accused  and  sent  to  Westminster  ;  and  his  brother  bishop 
 Egelwin  was  outlawed.  And  the  same  year  Brand  abbat 
 of  Peterborough  died  on  the  fifth  before  the  Kalends  of 
 December. 
 
 A.  1070.  This  year  Lanfranc  abbat  of  Caen  came  to 
 England,  and  in  a  few  days  he  was  made  archbishop  of 
 Canterbury.     He  was  consecrated  *  at  his  metropolis  on  the 
 
 *  In  the  second  year  after  Lanfranc's  consecration  he  went  to  Rome, 
 pope  Alexander  so  greatly  honoured  him,  that  contrary  to  his  custom  he 
 rose  to  meet  him,  and  gave  him  two  palls  in  token  of  especial  favour  : 
 Lanfranc  received  one  of  them  from  the  altar  after  the  Roman  manner, 
 and  the  pope,  with  his  own  hands,  gave  hiin  the  other,  in  which  he  himself 
 had  been  accustomed  to  perform  mass.  In  the  presence  of  the  pope, 
 Thomas  brought  forwards  a  calumny  touching  the  primacy  of  the  see  of 
 Canterbury,  and  the  subjection  of  certain  bishops.  Lanfranc  briefly  and 
 cleai'ly  states  the  conclusion  to  which  this  affair  was  afterwards  brought  in 
 England,  in  an  epistle  to  the  aforesaid  pope  Alexander.  This  year  a 
 general  council  was  held  at  Winchester,  in  which  he  deposed  Wulfric, 
 abbat  of  the  new  monastery,  and  made  many  regidations  touching  Christian 
 discipline.  A  few  days  afterwards,  he  consecrated  Osbem  at  London  as 
 bishop  of  Exeter,  and  Scotland  at  Canterbury  as  abbat  of  St.  Augustine's. 
 
 In  his  third  year  he  consecrated  Peter  at  Gloucester  as  bishop  of  Lich- 
 field or  Chester.  This  year  also  a  great  council  was  held  at  a  place  called 
 Pennenden  Heath  [near  Maidstone],  in  which  Lanfranc  proved  that  he 
 and  his  church  held  theii"  lands  and  their  rights  by  sea  and  by  land,  as 
 freely  as  the  king  held  his  :  excepting  in  three  cases  :  to  wit,  if  the  highway 
 be  dug  up  ;  if  a  tree  be  cut  so  as  to  fall  upon  it ;  and  if  murder  l)e  com- 
 mitted and  blood  spilt :  when  a  man  is  taken  in  these  misdeeds,  the  fine 
 paid  shall  belong  to  the  king  ;  otherwise  their  vassals  shall  be  free  from 
 regal  exactions. 
 
 In  his  fourth  year  he  consecrated  Patrick  at  London  as  bishop  of  Dublin, 
 in  Ireland,  from  whom  he  received  a  profession  of  obedience,  and  he 
 moreover  gave  him  very  memorable  letters  to  the  kings  of  Ireland. 
 
 In  his  fifth  year  a  general  council  was  held  at  London,  the  proceedings 
 of  which  Lanfranc  committed  to  WTiting,  at  the  request  of  many. 
 
 In  his  sixth  year  he  gave  the  bishopric  of  Rochester  to  Emost,  a  monk 
 of  Christ  church,  whom  he  also  consecrated  at  London.  A  council  was 
 held  at  Winchester  :  and  the  same  year  Emost  departed  this  life. 
 
 In  his  seventh  year,  he  gave  the  bishopric  of  Rochester  to  Gundulph, 
 whom  he  consecrated  at  Canterbiu-y.  This  year  Thomas  archbishop  of 
 York  sent  letters  to  Lanfranc,  requesting  that  he  would  send  two  bishops 
 to  consecrate  a  certain  priest,  who  had  come  to  him  with  letters  from  the 
 Orkneys,  to  the  intent  that  he  might  be  raade  bishop  of  those  islands. 
 Lanfranc  consenting  to  this,  commanded  Wolstan  bishop  of  Worcester, 
 and  Peter  bishop  of  Chester,  to  go  to  York,  and  to  assist  Thomas  in  com- 
 pleting the  ceremony. 
 
 In  his  eighth  year,  a  council  was  held  at  London,  in  which  Lanfranc 
 deposed  Ailnoth  abbat  of  Glastonbury. 
 
448  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  La.d.  1070. 
 
 fourth  before  the  Kalends  of  September,  by  eiglit  bishops 
 his  suffragans ;  the  rest  who  were  absent  signifying 
 through  messengers,  and  by  writing,  why  they  could  not  be 
 
 In  his  eleventh  year,  a  council  was  held  at  Gloucester,  wherein,  by  the 
 king's  order,  and  with  the  consent  of  Lanfranc,  Thomas  archbishop  of 
 York  consecrated  William  to  the  bishopric  of  Dm-ham  ;  and  because  he 
 could  not  be  attended  by  the  Scotch  bishops  his  suffragans,  the  bishops 
 Wolstan,  Osbern,  Giso,  and  Robert  assisted  at  this  ceremony  by  the  com- 
 mand of  Lanfranc.  At  this  time  Lanfranc  sent  letters  rich  in  sacred  lore 
 to  bishop  Donald  in  Ireland. 
 
 In  his  sixteenth  year  Lanfranc  consecrated  Donatus,  his  monk  at 
 Canterbury,  to  the  bishopric  of  Dublin,  by  the  desire  of  the  king,  clergy, 
 and  people  of  Ireland. .  This  year  a  council  was  held  at  Gloucester, 
 wherein  Lanfranc  deposed  Wulstcetel  abbat  of  Groyland.  He  consecrated 
 Robert  to  the  bishopric  of  Chester,  and  William  to  that  of  Elmham,  in 
 one  day,  at  Canterbury.  At  Winchester  also  he  consecrated  ^Maurice  as 
 bishop  of  London,  who  brought  noble  gifts  to  his  mother  church  at  Can- 
 terbmy  a  few  days  afterwards. 
 
 In  the  eighteenth  year  of  Lanfranc's  prelacy,  on  the  death  of  king 
 William  beyond  sea,  he  acknowledged  his  son  William,  as  he  had  done  his 
 father,  and  consecrated  and  croAvned  him  in  St.  Peter's  church,  which  is  in 
 the  western  part  of  London,  The  same  year,  and  at  his  metropolitan  city 
 of  Canterbury,  he  examined  and  consecrated  Godfrey  as  bishop  of 
 Chichester,  Wydo  also  as  abbat  of  St.  Augustine's  and  John  as  bishop  of 
 Wells.  The  next  day  Lanfranc  on  his  own  authority,  and  taking  v/ith  him 
 Odo  bishop  of  Bayeux  the  king's  brother,  who  was  then  at  Canterbury, 
 conducted  the  abbat  Wydo  to  St.  Augustine's  and  commanded  the  brothers 
 of  the  order  to  receive  him  as  their  o^vn  abbat  and  pastor  ;  but  they,  Arith 
 one  accord,  answered  that  they  would  neither  submit  to  him  nor  receive 
 him.  Thus  Lanfranc  came  leading  the  abbat,  and  when  he  found  that  the 
 monks  were  obstinate  in  resistance,  and  that  they  would  not  obey  him,  he 
 commanded  that  all  the  refractory  should  come  out  one  by  one.  When 
 therefore  nearly  all  had  left  the  monastery,  Lanfranc  and  lus  suite  led  in 
 the  abbat  yviih  much  pomp,  placed  him  in  the  chair,  and  delivered  the 
 church  up  to  him.  He  also  seized  the  prior,  Elfrin  by  name,  and  as  many 
 others  as  he  thought  fit,  and  he  put  them  forthwith  into  claustral  imprison- 
 ment at  Canterbury  ;  )3ut  he  sent  those  who  had  the  greatest  influence,  and 
 were  the  authors  of  this  scandal,  to  the  castle  to  be  confined  there.  After 
 he  had  returned  home  hanng  finished  all,  he  was  informed  that  the  monks 
 who  had  left  the  monastery  were  assembled,  near  St.  Mildred's  church. 
 Hereupon  he  sent  to  them,  saying,  that  if  they  would,  they  might  return 
 to  the  church  l)efore  the  ninth  hour,  but  that  if  they  delayed  longer,  they 
 would  not  be  allowed  free  entrance,  but  he  treated  as  renegadoes.  Having 
 heard  this  message  they  doubted  whether  to  retm-n  or  to  remain,  but  at  the 
 hour  of  refection,  when  they  became  hungry,  many  repenting  of  their 
 obstinacy  sent  to  Lanfranc  and  promised  submission.  These  he  treated 
 with  lenity,  and  desired  that  they  should  return  directly  and  confirm  by 
 oath  their  jDrofession  of  obedience  to  the  aforesaid  alDbat.  Thus  they 
 returned  and  swore  faithfulness  and  obedience  to  the  abbat  Wydo,  upon 
 
A.D,  1070  J  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CIIUOXICLE.  449 
 
 there.  This  year  Thomas,  who  had  been  chosen  as  bishop 
 of  York,  came  to  Canterbury,  that  he  might  be  consecrated 
 there   after  the  old  form,  but  when   Lanfranc   craved   the 
 
 the  relics  of  St.  Augustine.  Lanfranc  seized  those  who  remained  behind 
 and  placed  them  in  various  monasteries  of  England,  confining  them  till  he 
 brought  them  to  profess  their  submission.  About  the  same  time,  he  seized 
 one  of  them  named  Alfred,  who  had  attempted  to  flee,  and  confined  him 
 loaded  with  irons  at  Canterbury,  together  with  some  of  his  fellows  :  and  he 
 exercised  upon  them  the  utmost  severity  of  their  order.  But  when  these 
 monks  were  thought  to  be  sufficiently  humbled  and  had  promised  amend- 
 ment, Lanfranc  taking  pity  on  them,  had  them  brought  from  the  several 
 places  whither  he  had  banished  them,  and  reconciled  them  to  their  abbat. 
 
 The  same  year  the  dissensions  were  renewed,  and  the  monks  plotted  the 
 death  of  their  abbat,  but  one  of  them,  named  Columban,  being  taken, 
 Lanfranc  caused  him  to  be  brought  to  him.  As  he  stood  there  before  him, 
 Lanfranc  asked  if  he  desired  to  murder  his  abbat.  And  the  monk  forth- 
 with replied,  "  Yes  !  if  I  could  I  would  certainly  kill  him."  Then  Lan- 
 fr.mc  commanded  that  he  should  be  tied  up  naked  by  the  gates  of  St. 
 Augustine's  and  suffer  flagellation  before  all  the  people,  that  his  cowl 
 should  then  be  torn  off,  and  that  he  should  be  driven  out  of  the  city.  Tliis 
 order  was  executed,  and  thenceforth,  during  Lanfranc's  life,  sedition  was 
 repressed  by  the  dread  of  his  severity. 
 
 In  the  nineteenth  year  of  his  prelacy,  died  the  venerable  archbishop 
 Lanfranc,  and  he  was  buried  at  his  metropolitan  see  of  Canterbury,  of 
 which  he  had  been  possessed  eighteen  years,  nine  months,  and  two  days. 
 His  deeds,  his  buildings,  alms,  and  labours,  are  only  in  part  recounted  in 
 the  writing  which  is  read  on  his  anniversary,  for  they  were  very  numerous. 
 After  his  death  the  monks  of  St.  Augustine's,  openly  rebelling  against  their 
 aforesaid  abbat  Wydo,  stirred  up  the  citizens  of  Canterbury,  who,  with  an 
 armed  force,  attempted  to  slay  him  in  his  house.  But  his  family  made 
 resistance,  and  when  many  had  been  wounded,  and  some  killed  on  both 
 sides,  the  abbat  with  much  difficulty  escaped  imhurt  from  amongst  them, 
 and  fled  for  refuge  to  the  mother  church  of  Canterbury  (Christ's  church.) 
 On  the  report  of  this  disturbance  Walkelin  bishop  of  Winchester,  and 
 Gundolf  bishop  of  Rochester,  suffragans  to  the  see  of  Canterbury,  with 
 some  noblemen  sent  by  the  king,  hastened  to  Canterbury,  that  they  might 
 take  vengeance  on  the  delinquents  ;  and  when  they  had  inquired  into  the 
 causes  of  the  sedition,  and  had  found  the  monks  unable  to  clear  themselves, 
 they  condemned  them  to  suffer  public  punishment  because  they  had  trans- 
 gressed openly.  But  the  prior  and  monks  of  Christ's  clim-ch,  moved  with 
 piety,  pleaded  against  the  sentence,  lest,  if  they  were  to  receive  thtir 
 discipline  before  all  the  people,  they  should  henceforth  be  accounted 
 infamous,  and  so  their  profession  and  office  come  to  be  despised.  Where- 
 fore it  was  granted  on  their  intercession,  that  the  punishment  should  take 
 place  in  the  church,  into  which  the  populace  should  not  be  admitted,  but 
 those  only  who  were  appointed  to  see  it  executed.  And  two  monks  of 
 Christ's  church,  Wydo  and  Norman,  were  called  in,  and  they  inflicted  the 
 punishment  at  the  command  of  the  bishops.  Then  the  rebellious  monks 
 were  dispersed  into  various  monasteries  of  England ;  and  twenty-four  monks 
 
 G   G 
 
450  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  107O, 
 
 confirmation  of  his  subjection  by  oath,  he  refused,  and  said 
 that  he  was  not  obHged  to  give  it.  Then  was  the  archbishop 
 Lanfranc  wi^oth,  and  he  commanded  the  bishops,  who  were 
 there  at  his  behest  to  assist  at  the  ceremony,  and  all  the 
 monks,  to  unrobe  themselves  ;  and  they  did  as  he  desired  : 
 so  this  time  Thomas  returned  home  without  consecration.  It 
 happened  soon  after  this,  that  the  archbishop  Lanfranc  went 
 to  Rome,  and  Thomas  with  him  :  and  when  they  were  come 
 thither,  and  had  said  all  that  they  desired  on  other  subjects, 
 Thomas  began  liis  speech,  saying  how  he  had  come  to 
 Canterbury,  and  how  the  archbishop  had  desired  of  him  an 
 oath  of  obedience,  and  that  he  had  refused  it.  Then  the 
 archbishop  Lanfranc  began  to  make  manifest  with  clear 
 reasoning,  that  he  had  a  right  to  demand  that  which  he 
 required  :  and  he  proved  the  same  with  strong  arguments 
 before  the  Pope  Alexander,  and  before  all  the  council  then 
 assembled :  and  thus  they  departed  home.  After  this, 
 Thomas  came  to  Canterbury,  and  humbly  performed  all  that 
 the  archbishop  required,  and  thereupon  he  received  the 
 blessing.  This  year  earl  Waltheof  made  peace  with  the 
 king.  And  during  Lent  in  the  same  year  the  king  caused  all 
 the  monasteries  in  England  to  be  despoiled  of  their  treasures. 
 The  same  year  king  Sweyn  came  from  Denmark  into  the 
 Humber,  and  the  people  of  those  parts  came  to  meet  him  and 
 made  an  alliance  with  him,  for  they  believed  that  he  would 
 conquer  the  land.  Then  the  Danish  bishop  Christien,  and 
 earl  Osbern,  and  their  Danish  retainers,  came  into  Ely,  and 
 all  the  people  of  the  fens  joined  them,  for  they  believed  that 
 they  should  conquer  the  whole  country.  Now  the  monks  of 
 Peterborough  were  told  that  some  of  their  own  men,  namely, 
 
 of  Christ's  church  were  substituted  in  their  place,  together  with  the  prior, 
 named  Anthony,  who  had  been  sub-prior  at  Christ's  church.  The  townsmen 
 wlio  entered  the  abbat's  hall  in  arms  were  seized,  and  those  who  were  con- 
 victed of  having  struck  him  lost  their  eyes. 
 
 After  the  death  of  Lanfranc  the  see  remained  vacant  four  years,  nine 
 months,  and  nine  days,  during  which  time  it  suffered  much  adversity.  At 
 length,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  1093,  and  on  the  second  before 
 the  Nones  of  March,  the  archbishopric  of  Canterbury  was  given  to  Anselm 
 abbat  of  Bee,  a  good  and  an  upright  man,  of  great  learning,  and  amongst 
 the  most  noted  of  his  time.  He  came  to  Canterbury  on  the  seventh  before 
 the  Kalends  of  October,  his  earlier  arrival  having  been  prevented  by  many 
 sufficient  causes,  and  he  Avas  consecrated  on  the  second  before  the  Nones  of 
 December, 
 
A.D.  1070.J  THE  ANGLO-SAXOJ^  CHRONICLE.  451 
 
 Hereward  and  his  train,  would  pillage  the  monastery,  because 
 they  had  heard  that  the  king  had  given  the  abbacy  to  a 
 French  ubbat  named  Turold,  and  that  he  was  a  very  stern 
 man,  and  that  he  was  come  into  Stamford  with  all  his  French 
 followers.  There  was,  at  that  time,  a  church-warden  named 
 Ywar  ;  who  took  all  that  he  could  by  night,  gospels,  mass- 
 robes,  cassocks,  and  other  garments,  and  such  other  small 
 things  as  he  could  carry  away,  and  he  came  before  day  to  the 
 abbat  Turold,  and  told  him  that  he  sought  his  protection,  and 
 told  how  the  outlaws  were  coming  to  Peterborough,  and  he 
 said  that  he  had  done  this  at  the  desire  of  the  monks.  Then 
 early  in  the  morning  all  the  outlaws  came  with  many  ships, 
 and  they  endeavoured  to  enter  the  monastery,  but  the  monks 
 withstood  them,  so  that  they  were  not  able  to  get  in.  Then 
 they  set  fire  to  it,  and  burned  all  the  monks'  houses,  and  all 
 those  in  the  town,  save  one  :  and  they  broke  in  through  the 
 fire  at  Bolhithe-gate,*  and  the  monks  came  before  them  and 
 desii-ed  peace.  However  they  gave  no  heed  to  them,  but 
 went  into  the  monastery,  and  climbed  up  to  the  holy  crucifix, 
 took  the  crown  from  our  Lord's  head,  which  was  all  of  the 
 purest  gold,  and  the  footstool  of  red  gold  from  under  his 
 feet.  And  they  climbed  up  to  the  steeple,  and  brought  down 
 the  table  f  which  was  hidden  there  ;  it  was  all  of  gold  and 
 silver.  They  also  seized  two  gilt  shrines,  and  nine  of  silver, 
 and  they  carried  off  fifteen  great  crosses  of  gold  and  silver. 
 And  they  took  so  much  gold  and  silver,  and  so  much  treasure 
 in  money,  robes,  and  books,  that  no  man  can  compute  the 
 amount ;  saying  they  did  this  because  of  their  allegiance  to 
 the  monastery  :  and  afterwards  they  betook  themselves  to 
 their  ships  and  went  to  Ely,  where  they  secured  their 
 treasures.  The  Danes  beheved  that  they  should  overcome  the 
 Frenchmen,  and  they  drove  away  all  the  monks,  leaving  only 
 one  named  Leofwin  the  Long,  and  he  lay  sick  in  the  hospital. 
 Then  came  the  abbat  Turold,  and  eight  score  Frenchmen 
 with  him,  all  well  armed  ;  and  when  he  arrived  he  found  all 
 burnt  both  within  and  without,  excepting  the  church  itself ; 
 and  all  the  outlaws  were  then  embarked,  knowing  that  he 
 would  come  thither.  This  happened  on  the  fourth  day  before 
 
 *  BuUdyke  Gate. 
 
 t  Ingram   so  translates  the  -word,  referring  to  a  Gallo-Norman  poem 
 published  by  Sharpe.     Gibson,  Lve,  and  Miss  Gurney  read  "  cope." 
 G  G  2 
 
4o2  THE  A^'GLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1071- 
 
 the  Nones  of  June.  Then  the  two  kings,  William  and  Sweyn, 
 made  peace  with  each  other,  on  which  the  Danes  departed 
 from  Ely,  carrying  with  them  all  the  aforesaid  treasure. 
 When  they  were  come  into  the  midst  of  the  sea,  there  arose 
 a  great  storm,  which  dispersed  all  the  ships  in  which  the 
 treasures  were :  some  were  driven  to  Norway,  some  to 
 Ireland,  and  others  to  Denmark,  and  all  the  spoils  that 
 reached  the  latter  country,  being  the  table  *  and  some  of  the 
 shrines  and  crosses,  and  many  of  the  other  treasures,  they 
 
 brought  to  one  of  the  king's  towns  called ,  and  laid  it  all 
 
 up  in  the  church.  But  one  night,  through  their  carelessness 
 and  drunkenness  the  church  was  burned,  with  all  that  was  in 
 it.  Thus  was  the  monastery  of  Peterborough  burned  and 
 jDillaged.  May  Almighty  God  have  pity  on  it  in  his  great 
 mercy  :  and  thus  the  abbat  Turold  came  to  Peterborough, 
 and  the  monks  returned  thither  and  performed  Christian 
 worship  in  the  church,  which  had  stood  a  full  week  without 
 service  of  any  kind.  When  bishop  Egelricf  heard  this,  he 
 excommunicated  all  the  men  who  had  done  this  evil.  There 
 was  a  great  famine  this  year ;  and  this  summer  the  fleet  from 
 the  Humber  sailed  into  the  Thames,  and  lay  there  two  nights, 
 and  it  afterwards  held  on  its  course  to  Denmark.  And  earl 
 Baldwin  died,  and  his  son  Arnulf  succeeded  him  ;  and  earl 
 William  J  and  the  French  king  should  have  been  his  support : 
 but  earl  Robert  came  and  slew  his  kinsman  Arnulf,  and  the 
 earl ;  put  the  king  to  flight,  and  slew  many  thousands  of  his 
 men. 
 
 A.  1071.  This  year  earl  Edwin  and  earl  Morcar  fled,  and 
 wandered  through  the  woods  and  fields.  Then  earl  Morcar 
 took  ship  and  went  to  Ely  ;  and  earl  Edwin  was  slain 
 treacherously  by  his  own  men  :  and  bishop  Egelwine,§  and 
 vSiward  Barn,  and  many  hundreds  with  them,  came  into  Ely. 
 And  when  king  William  heard  this,  he  called  out  a  fleet  and 
 army  ;  and  he  surrounded  that  land,  and  he  made  a  bridge 
 and  entered  in,  his  fleet  lying  off"  the  coast.  Then  all  the 
 outlaws  surrendered  ;  these  were,  bishop  Egelwine  and  earl 
 Morcar,  and  all  who  were  with  them,  excepting  only 
 Hereward,  and  his  followers  whom  he  led  off  with  great 
 valour.  And  the  king  seized  their  ships,  and  arms,  and  much 
 
 *  Or  cope  :  see  the  Jast  note.  t  Of  Selsey. 
 
 t  Fitz-Osberne.  §  Of  Durham. 
 
A  D.  1071—1074.]        THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  4o3 
 
 treasure  ;  and  he  disposed  of  the  men  as  he  would  ;  and  he 
 sent  bishop  Egelwine  to  Abingdon,  where  he  died  early  in 
 the  winter. 
 
 A.  1072.  This  year  idng  William  led  an  army  and  a  fleet 
 against  Scotland,  and  he  stationed  the  ships  along  the  coast 
 and  crossed  the  Tweed  with  his  army ;  but  he  found  nothing 
 to  reward  his  pf^.i.iS.  And  king  Malcolm  came  and  treated 
 with  king  William,  and  delivered  hostages,  and  became  his 
 liege-man ;  and  king  William  returned  home  with  his  forces. 
 Bishop  Egelric  died  this  year  ;  he  had  been  consecrated  to 
 the  archbishopric  of  York,  of  which  he  was  unjustly 
 deprived,  and  the  see  of  Durham  was  given  to  him  ;  this  he 
 held  as  long  as  he  chose,  and  then  resigned  it  and  went  to 
 the  monastery  of  Peterborough,  and  there  he  spent  twelve 
 years.  Then  after  king  William  had  conquered  England, 
 he  removed  Egelric  from  Peterborough,  and  sent  him  to 
 Westminster,  and  he  died  on  the  Ides  of  October,  and  he  is 
 buried  in  the  abbey,  in  the  aisle  of  St.  Nicholas. 
 
 A.  1073.  This  year  king  William  carried  an  army  of 
 Enghsh  and  French  over  sea,  and  conquered  the  province  of 
 Maine:  and  the  English  did  great  damage,  for  they  destroyed 
 the  vineyards  and  burned  the  towns,  and  they  laid  waste  that 
 province,  the  whole  of  which  submitted  to  William  ;  and 
 they  afterwards  returned  home  to  England. 
 
 A.  1074.  Tliis  year  king  William  went  over  sea  to 
 Normandy ;  and  child  Edgar  came  into  Scotland  from 
 Flanders  on  St.  Grimbald's  mass-day.  King  Malcolm 
 and  Margaret  his  sister  received  him  there  with  much 
 pomp.  Also  Philip,  king  of  France,  sent  him  a  letter 
 inviting  him  to  come,  and  offering  to  give  liim  the  castle 
 of  Montreuil,  as  a  place  to  annoy  his  enemies  from.  After 
 this,  king  Malcolm  and  his  sister  Margaret  gave  great 
 presents  and  much  treasure  to  him  and  his  men,  skins 
 adorned  with  purple,  sable-skin,  grey-skin  and  ermine-skin- 
 pehsses,  mantles,  gold  and  silver  vessels,  and  escorted  them 
 out  of  his  dominions  with  much  ceremony.  But  evil  befell 
 them  at  sea  ;  for  they  had  hardly  left  the  shore,  when  such 
 rough  weather  came  on,  and  the  sea  and  wind  drove  them 
 with  such  force  upon  the  land,  that  their  ships  went  to  pieces 
 and  they  saved  their  lives  with  much  difficulty.  They  lost 
 nearly  all  their  riches  and  some  of  their  men  were  taken  by 
 
454  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.         [a.d.  1074,  1075. 
 
 the  French  :  but  the  boldest  of  them  escaped  back  to  Scot- 
 land, some  on  foot  and  some  mounted  on  wretched  horses. 
 King  Malcolm  advised  Edgar  to  send  to  king  William 
 beyond  the  sea,  and  request  his  friendship.  Edgar  did  so, 
 and  the  king  acceded  to  his  request  and  sent  to  fetch  him. 
 Again,  king  Malcolm  and  his  sister  made  them  handsome 
 presents,  and  escorted  them  with  honour  out  of  their 
 dominions.  The  sheriff  of  York  met  him  at  Durham,  and 
 went  all  the  way  with  him,  ordering  liim  to  be  provided  with 
 meat  and  fodder  at  all  the  castles  which  they  came  to,  until 
 they  reached  the  king  beyond  the  sea.  There  king  William 
 received  him  with  much  pomp,  and  he  remained  at  the  court, 
 enjoying  such  privileges  as  the  king  granted  him. 
 
 A.  1075.  This  year  king  William  gave  the  daughter  of 
 William  Fitz-Osberne  in  marriage  to  earl  Ralph  :  the  said 
 Ralph  was  a  Welchman  on  his  mother's  side,  and  his  father 
 was  an  Englishman  named  Ralph,  and  born  in  Norfolk. 
 Then  the  king  gave  the  earldom  of  Norfolk  and  Suffolk  to 
 his  son,  who  brought  his  wife  to  Norwich,  but 
 
 There  was  that  bride-ale 
 The  source  of  man's  bale. 
 
 For  earl  Roger  and  earl  Waltheof  were  there,  and  bishops 
 and  abbats,  and  they  took  counsel  to  depose  the  king  of 
 England.  And  this  was  soon  reported  to  the  king  then  in 
 Normandy,  and  it  was  told  him  withal  that  earl  Roger  and 
 earl  Ralph  were  the  heads  of  the  conspiracy,  and  that  they 
 had  brought  over  the  Britons  to  their  side,  and  had  sent 
 eastward  to  Denmark  for  a  fleet  to  assist  them.  And  earl 
 Roger  departed  to  his  earldom  in  the  west,  and  gathered  his 
 people  together  in  rebellion  against  the  king,  but  he  was 
 checked  in  his  attempt.  And  earl  Ralph  also  being  in  his 
 earldom  would  have  marched  forth  with  his  people  ;  but  the 
 garrisons  of  the  castles  of  England,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
 the  country  came  against  him,  and  prevented  his  effecting 
 any  thing,  on  which  he  took  ship  at  Norwich  :  and  his  wife 
 remained  in  the  castle,  and  held  "it  till  she  had  obtained  terms, 
 and  then  she  (departed  from  England  with  all  her  adherents. 
 And  after  tliis  the  king  came  to  England,  and  he  took  his 
 kinsman  oarl  Roger  and  put  him  in  prison  ;  and  earl 
 Waltheof  went  over  the  sea  and  betrayed  himself,  but  he 
 
A.D.  1075, 1076.]  THE  AJs^GLO- SAXON  CHRONICLE.  4r>5 
 
 asked  forgiveness  and  offered  a  ransom.  The  king  let  him 
 off  lightly  until  he  came  to  England,  when  he  had  lum 
 seized.  And  soon  afterwards  two  hundred  ships  arrived 
 from  Denmark,  commanded  by  two  chieftains,  Canute  the 
 son  of  Sweyn,  and  earl  Hacco,  but  they  durst  not  risk  a 
 battle  with  king  William,  but  chose  rather  to  go  to  York, 
 where  they  broke  into  St.  Peter's  minster,  and  having  taken 
 thence  much  treasure,  went  away  again.  They  then  crossed 
 over  the  sea  to  Flanders,  but  all  who  had  been  concerned  in 
 the  act  perished,  namely  earl  Hacco  and  many  others  with 
 Mm.  And  the  lady  Edgitha  died  at  Winchester  seven  nights 
 before  Christmas,  and  the  king  caused  her  to  be  brought  to 
 Westminster  with  great  pomp,  and  to  be  laid  by  her  lord 
 king  Edward.  And  the  king  was  at  Westminster  during 
 Christmas,  and  there  all  the  Britons  who  had  been  at  the 
 bridal  feast  at  Norwich  were  brought  to  justice  ;  some  were 
 blinded,  and  others  banished.  Thus  were  the  traitors  to 
 William  subdued. 
 
 1076.  This  year  Sweyn  king  of  Denmark  died,  and  Harold 
 his  son  succeeded  to  the  kingdom.  And  the  king  gave 
 Westminster  to  Vitalis,  who  had  before  been  abbat  of  Bernay.* 
 Earl  Waltheof  was  beheaded  at  Winchester  on  the  mass-day 
 of  St.  Petronilla,!  and  his  body  was  carried  to  Croyland, 
 where  it  now  lies.  And  the  king  went  over  sea  and  led  his 
 army  into  Brittany,  and  besieged  the  castle  of  Dol,  and  the 
 Britons  defended  it  till  the  king  of  France  came  up,  and  then 
 WilKam  depai'ted,  having  lost  both  men  and  horses  and 
 much  treasure. 
 
 *  Or  Bemeges.     A  cell  to  the  abbey  of  Fescamp,  in  Norm.^ndy. 
 
 t  "II.  Kal.  Jun.  or  the  31st  of  May.  This  notice  of  St.  Petronilla, 
 whose  name  and  existence  seem  scarcely  to  have  been  known  to  the  Latin 
 historians,  we  owe  exclusively  to  the  valuable  MS.  c.  T.  b.  iv.  Yet  if  ever 
 female  saint  deserved  to  be  commemorated  as  a  conspicuous  example  of 
 early  piety  and  Christian  zeal,  it  must  be  Petronilla.  She  was  no  less  a 
 person  than  the  daughter  of  St.  Peter  himself;  who,  being  solicited  to 
 marry  a  nobleman  at  Rome  of  the  name  of  Flaccus,  and  on  her  refusal 
 allowed  three  days  to  deliberate,  after  passing  the  whole  time  in  fasting  and 
 praver,  and  receiving  the  sacrament  at  the  hands  of  Nicomedes  the  priest, 
 expired  on  the  third  day  !  This  is  no  Romish  legend  of  modem  gro\vth, 
 for  her  name  appears  in  the  martyrology  of  Bede,  and  in  the  most 
 venerable  records  of  primitive  Christianity." — Ingram.  And  yet,  the 
 reader,  who  shall  receive  even  the  existence  of  Petronilla  in  any  other  light 
 tlian  as  a  fable,  must  possess  a  credulity  which  will  enable  him  to  realize 
 all  the  impostures  with  which  ecclesiiistical  history  abounds. 
 
456  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.       [a.d.  1077—1080. 
 
 1077.  This  year  a  peace  was  made  between  the  king  of 
 France  and  William  king  of  England,  but  it  lasted  onlj  a 
 little  while.  And  this  year,  one  night  before  the  assumption 
 of  St.  Mary,  there  was  a  more  dreadful  fire  in  London  than 
 had  ever  happened  since  the  town  was  built.  And  the  moon 
 was  eclipsed,  three  nights  before  candlemas  :  the  same  year 
 died  Egelwig  abbat  of  Evesham,  on  the  fourteenth  day 
 before  the  Kalends  of  March,  which  was  the  mass-day  of  St. 
 Juliana  ;  and  Walter  became  bishop  in  his  stead.  Bishop 
 Herman  also  died  on  the  tenth  day  before  the  Kalends  of 
 March.  He  was  bishop  in  Berkshire,  Wiltshire,  and  Dorset- 
 shire. Also  in  this  year  king  Malcolm  won  the  mother  of 
 Malslaythe  and  all  his  best  men  and  all  his  treasure  and  his 
 oxen  and  himself  hardly  escaped  ....  There  was  also  this 
 year  a  dry  summer,  and  wild-fire  burned  many  towns,  and 
 many  cities  were  ruined  by  it. 
 
 A.   1078. 
 
 A.  1079.  This  year  king  William's  son  Robert,  fled  from 
 his  father  to  his  uncle  Robert  in  Flanders,  because  his  father 
 would  not  let  him  govern  his  earldom  in  Normandy  ;  Avhich 
 he  himself,  and  with  his  consent  Philip  king  of  France,  had 
 given  to  him.  The  best  men  of  that  land  had  sworn 
 allegiance  to  him  and  taken  him  for  their  lord.  And  the 
 same  year  king  William  fought  against  his  son  Robert 
 without  the  borders  of  Normandy  near  a  castle  called 
 Gerberoy,  and  there  king  William  was  wounded,  and  the 
 liorse  on  which  he  sat  was  killed,  and  he  that  brought  him 
 another  horse,  namely,  Tookie  Wiggodson,  was  killed  with  a 
 dart,  and  his  son  William  was  also  wounded,  and  many 
 men  were  slain,  but  Robert  returned  to  Flanders.  We  will 
 not  say  more  at  present  of  the  harm  that  he  did  to  his 
 father. 
 
 This  year,  between  the  two  festivals  of  St.  Mary,  king 
 Malcolm  invaded  England  with  a  large  army,  and  laid  waste 
 Northumberland  as  far  as  the  Tyne ;  and  he  slew  many  hun- 
 dred men,  and  carried  home  much  money  and  treasure  and 
 many  prisoners. 
 
 A.  1080.  This  year  Walcher  bishop  of  Durham  was  slain 
 at  a  gemot,  and  a  hundred  French  and  Flemings  with  him  : 
 Walcher  himself  was  born  in  Lorraine.  The  Northumbrians 
 perpetrated  this  in  the  month  of  May. 
 
A.D.  1081—1085.]       THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  457 
 
 A.  1081.  This  year  the  king  led  an  army  into  Wales,  and 
 there  he  set  free  many  hundred  persons. 
 
 A.  1082.  This  year  the  king  arrested  bishop  Odo.  And 
 there  was  a  great  famine  this  year. 
 
 A.  1083.  This  year  a  quarrel  arose  in  Glastonbury  be- 
 tween the  abbat  Thurstan  and  his  monks.  It  was  first 
 caused  by  the  abbat's  unwise  conduct,  in  that  he  treated  his 
 monks  ill  in  many  respects,  but  the  monks  were  lovingly- 
 minded  towards  him,  and  begged  him  to  govern  them  in 
 right  and  in  kindness,  and  they  would  be  faithful  and  obe- 
 dient to  him.  But  the  abbat  would  none  of  this,  and 
 wrought  them  evil,  and  threatened  worse.  One  day  the 
 abbat  w^ent  into  the  chapter-house,  and  spoke  against  the 
 monks,  and  would  have  taught  them  amiss;*  and  he  sent 
 for  lapnen,  and  they  came  in  all  armed  upon  the  monks  in 
 the  chapter-house.  Then  the  monks  were  greatly  terrified 
 and  knew  not  what  to  do,  and  some  ran  for  refuge  into  the 
 church  and  locked  the  doors  from  within;  but  the  others 
 followed  them,  and  would  have  dragged  them  forth  when 
 they  durst  not  come  out.  Rueful  things  happened  there  on 
 that  day,  for  the  French  broke  into  the  choir  and  threw 
 darts  towards  the  altar  where  the  monks  ^  were  'collected, 
 and  some  of  their  servants  went  upon  the  upper  floor  f  and 
 shot  down  arrows  towards  the  chancel,  so  that  many  arrows 
 stuck  in  the  crucifix  which  stood  above  the  altar,  and  the 
 wretched  monks  lay  around  the  altar,  and  some  crept  under 
 it,  and  they  called  earnestly  upon  God  and  besought  his 
 mercy,  since  they  could  obtain  no  mercy  at  the  hands  of 
 men.  What  can  we  say,  but  that  they  shot  without  ceasing, 
 and  others  broke  down  the  doors,  and  rushed  in,  and  they 
 slew  some  of  the  monks  and  wounded  many,  so  that  the 
 blood  ran  down  from  the  altar  on  the  steps,  and  from  the 
 steps  to  the  floor  ?  Three  were  smitten  to  death  and  eigh- 
 teen wounded.  And  the  same  year  Matilda  the  wife  of  king 
 William  died  on  the  day  after  the  feast  of  All  Saints.  And 
 the  same  year  after  Christmas  the  king  caused  a  great  and 
 heavy  tax  to  be  raised  throughout  England,  even  seventy- 
 two  pence  upon  every  hide  of  land. 
 
 *  He  wished  to  substitute  the  chant  of  WilJiam  of  Feschamp  for  that 
 called  the  Grej;orian. 
 
 t  Probably  filoii;  the  open  galleries  in  the  upper  story  of  the  choir, 
 commonly  called  the  triforium. 
 
458  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1084,  1085. 
 
 A.  1084.  This  year  Wulfwold  abbat  of  Chertsey  died  on 
 the  13th  day  before  the  Kalends  of  May. 
 
 A.  1085.  This  year  men  said  and  reported  as  certain,  that 
 Canute  king  of  Denmark,  the  son  of  king  Sweyn,  was  coming 
 hither,  and  that  he  designed  to  conquer  this  land,  with  the 
 assistance  of  Robert  earl  of  Flanders,  whose  daughter  he 
 had  married.  When  king  William,  who  was  then  in  Nor- 
 mandy, heard  tliis,  for  England  and  Normandy  were  both 
 his,  he  hastened  liither  with  a  larger  army  of  horse  and  foot, 
 from  France  and  Brittany,  than  had  ever  arrived  in  this 
 land,  so  that  men  wondered  how  the  country  could  feed 
 them  all.  But  the  king  billeted  the  soldiers  upon  his  sub- 
 jects throughout  the  nation,  and  they  provided  for  them, 
 every  man  according  to  the  land  that  he  possessed.  And 
 the  people  suifered  much  distress  this  year:  and  the  king 
 caused  the  country  near  the  sea  to  be  laid  waste,  that  if  his 
 enemies  landed  they  might  the  less  readily  find  any  plunder. 
 Afterwards  when  he  had  received  certain  information  that 
 they  had  been  stopped,*  and  that  they  would  not  be  able  to 
 proceed  in  this  enterprise,  he  let  part  of  liis  forces  return  to 
 their  own  homes,  and  he  kept  part  in  tliis  land  through  the 
 winter.  At  midwinter  the  king  was  at  Gloucester  with  his 
 witan ;  and  he  held  his  court  there  five  days ;  and  afterwards 
 the  archbishop  and  clergy  held  a  synod  during  three  days ; 
 and  Maurice  was  there  chosen  to  the  bishopric  of  London, 
 William  to  that  of  Norfolk,  and  Robert  to  that  of  Cheshire ; 
 they  were  all  clerks  of  the  king.  After  this  the  king  had  a 
 great  consultation,  and  spoke  very  deeply  with  his  witan 
 concerning  this  land,  how  it  was  held  and  what  were  its 
 tenantry.  He  then  sent  his  men  over  all  England,  into 
 every  shire,  and  caused  them  to  ascertain  how  many  hun- 
 dred hides  of  land  it  contained,  and  what  lands  the  king 
 possessed  therein,  what  cattle  there  were  in  the  several 
 counties,  and  how  much  revenue  he  ought  to  receive  yearly 
 from  each.  He  also  caused  them  to  write  down  how  much 
 land  belonged  to  liis  archbishops,  to  his  bishops,  his  abbats, 
 and  his  earls,  and,  that  I  may  be  brief,  what  property  every 
 
 *  Because  there  was  a  mutiny  in  the  Danish  fleet;  which  was  carried 
 to  such  a  height,  that  the  king,  after  his  return  to  Denmark,  was  slain  by 
 his  own  soldiers.  Vide  Antiq.  CeltO'Scand.  p.  228.  See  also  our  Chron- 
 icle, A.D.  1087. — Ingram. 
 
A.D.  1086, 1087.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  459 
 
 inhabitant  of  all  England  possessed  in  land  or  in  cattle,  and 
 how  much  money  this  was  worth.  So  very  narrowly  did  he 
 cause  the  survey  to  be  made,  that  there  was  not  a  single 
 hide  nor  a  rood  of  land,  nor — it  is  shameful  to  relate  that 
 which  he  thought  no  shame  to  do — was  there  an  ox,  or  a 
 cow,  or  a  pig  passed  by,  and  that  was  not  set  down  in  the 
 accounts,*  and  then  all  these  writings  were  brought  to  him. 
 
 A.  1086.  This  year  the  king  wore  his  crown  and  held  his 
 court  at  Winchester  at  Easter,  and  he  so  journeyed  forward 
 that  he  was  at  Westminster  during  Pentecost,  and  there  he 
 dubbed  his  son  Henry  a  knight.  And  afterwards  he  tra- 
 velled about,  so  that  he  came  to  SaUsbury  at  Lammas ;  and 
 his  witan,  and  all  the  land-holders  of  substance  in  England, 
 whose  vassals  soever  they  were,  repaired  to  him  there,  and 
 they  all  submitted  to  him,  and  became  his  men,  and  swore 
 oaths  of  allegiance,  that  they  would  be  faithful  to  him 
 against  all  others.  Thence  he  proceeded  to  the  Isle  of 
 Wight  because  he  was  to  cross  over  to  Normandy;  and 
 this  he  afterwards  did;  but  first,  according  to  his  custom, 
 he  extorted  immense  sums  from  his  subjects,  upon  every 
 pretext  he  could  find,  whether  just  or  otherwise.  Then  he 
 went  over  to  Normandy,  and  king  Edward's  kinsman  Edgar 
 ethehng  left  liim,  because  he  received  no  great  honour  from 
 him  :  may  Almighty  God  give  him  glory  hereafter.  And 
 the  etheling's  sister  Christina  went  into  the  monastery  of 
 Romsey,  and  took  the  holy  veil.  And  the  same  was  a  very 
 heavy  year,  and  very  disastrous  and  sorrowful ;  for  there  was 
 a  pestilence  among  the  cattle,  and  the  corn  and  fruits  were 
 checked;  and  the  weather  was  worse  than  may  easily  be 
 conceived:  so  violent  was  the  thunder  and  Hghtning,  that 
 many  persons  were  killed :  and  things  ever  grew  Avorse  and 
 worse  with  the  people.  May  Almighty  God  mend  them, 
 when  such  is  his  will  ! 
 
 A.  1087.  The  year  1087  after  the  birth  of  Christ  our 
 Saviour,  and  the  one  and  twentieth  of  king  Wilham's  reign, 
 during  which  he  governed  and  disposed  of  the  realm  of  Eng- 
 land even  as  God  permitted  him,  was  a  very  grievous  time 
 of  scarcity  in  this  land.     There  was  also  so  much  illness, 
 
 *  This  is  the  famous  Doomsday  Bonk,  or  Rotulus  Wintoniae,  called  also 
 Liber  Wintoniae.  At  the  end  of  it  is  the  date,  Anno  millesimo  octoc/esimo 
 sexto  ab  incarnalione  Dei,  vigesimo  tero  regni  Willelmi,  S^c. 
 
460  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1087- 
 
 that  almost  every  other  man  was  afliicted  with  the  worst 
 of  evils,  that  is,  a  fever ;  and  this  so  severe,  that  many  died 
 of  it.  And  afterwards,  from  the  badness  of  the  weather 
 which  we  have  mentioned  before,  there  was  so  great  a  famine 
 throughout  England,  that  many  hundreds  died  of  hunger. 
 Oh,  how  disastrous,  how  rueful  were  those  times !  when 
 the  wretched  people  were  brought  to  the  point  of  death  by 
 the  fever,  then  the  cruel  famine  came  on  and  finished  them. 
 Who  would  not  deplore  such  times,  or  who  is  so  hard-hearted 
 that  he  will  not  weep  for  so  much  misery  ?  But  such  things 
 are,  on  account  of  the  sins  of  the  people,  and  because  they 
 vn\\  not  love  God  and  righteousness.  Even  so  was  it  in 
 those  days ;  there  was  little  righteousness  in  this  land 
 amongst  any,  excepting  the  monks  alone,  who  fared  well. 
 The  king  and  the  chief  men  loved  much,  and  over  much, 
 to  amass  gold  and  silver,  and  cared  not  how  sinfully  it  was 
 gotten,  so  that  it  came  into  their  hands.  The  king  sold  out 
 his  lands  as  dear  as  dearest  he  might,  and  then  some  other 
 man  came  and  bid  more  than  the  first  had  given,  and  the 
 king  granted  them  to  him  who  offered  the  larger  sum ;  then 
 came  a  third  and  bid  yet  more,  and  the  king  made  over  the 
 lands  to  him  who  offered  most  of  all ;  and  he  cared  not  how 
 iniquitously  his  sheriffs  extorted  money  from  the  miserable 
 people,  nor  how  many  unlawful  things  they  did.  And  the 
 more  men  spake  of  rightful  laws,  the  more  lawlessly  did 
 they  act.  They  raised  oppressive  taxes,  and  so  many  were 
 their  unjust  deeds,  it  were  hard  to  number  them.  And  the 
 same  year,  before  harvest,  St.  Paul's  holy  minster,  the  resi- 
 dence of  the  bishops  of  London,  was  burnt,  together  with 
 many  other  monastei'ies,  and  the  greater  and  handsomer  part 
 of  the  whole  city.  At  the  same  time  likewise  almost  all  the 
 principal  towns  of  England  were  burnt  down.  Oh,  how  sad 
 and  deplorable  was  this  year,  which  brought  forth  so  many 
 calamities  I 
 
 The  same  year  also,  before  the  assumption  of  St.  Mary, 
 king  William  marched  with  an  army  out  of  Normandy  into 
 France,  and  made  war  upon  his  own  lord  king  Philip,  and 
 slew  a  great  number  of  his  people,  and  burned  the  town  of 
 Mante,  and  all  the  holy  monasteries  in  it,  and  two  holy  men 
 who  served  God  as  anchorites  were  burned  there.  This 
 done  king  William  returned  into  Normandy.     Rueful  deeds 
 
A  p.  1087.]  THE   ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.  461 
 
 he  did,  and  ruefully  he  suiFered.  Wherefore  ruefully  ?  He 
 fell  sick  and  became  grievously  ill.  What  can  I  say  ?  The 
 sharpness  of  death,  that  spareth  neither  rich  nor  poor,  seized 
 upon  him.  He  died  in  Normandy  the  day  after  the  nativity 
 of  St.  Mary,  and  he  was  buried  in  Caen,  at  St.  Stephen's 
 monastery,  which  he  had  built  and  had  richly  endowed. 
 Oh,  how  false,  how  unstable,  is  the  good  of  this  world ! 
 He,  who  had  been  a  powerful  king  and  the  lord  of  many 
 territories,  possessed  not  then,  of  all  his  lands,  more  than  seven 
 feet  of  ground ;  and  he,  who  was  erewhile  adorned  wdth  gold 
 and  with  gems,  lay  then  covered  with  mould.  He  left  three 
 sons :  Kobert  the  eldest  was  earl  of  Normandy  after  him ; 
 the  second,  named  William,  wore  the  crown  of  England  after 
 his  father's  death ;  and  his  third  son  was  Henry,  to  whom  he 
 bequeathed  immense  treasures. 
 
 If  any  would  know  what  manner  of  man  king  William 
 was,  the  glory  that  he  obtained,  and  of  how  many  lands  he 
 was  lord ;  then  will  we  describe  him  as  we  have  known  him, 
 we,  who  have  looked  upon  him,  and  who  once  lived  in  his 
 court.*  This  king  William,  of  whom  we  are  speaking,  was 
 a  very  wise  and  a  great  man,  and  more  honoured  and  more 
 powerful  than  any  of  his  predecessors.  He  was  mild  to 
 those  good  men  who  loved  God,  but  severe  beyond  mea- 
 sure towards  those  who  withstood  his  will.  He  founded  a 
 noble  monastery  on  the  spot  where  God  permitted  him  to 
 conquer  England,  and  he  established  monks  in  it,  and  he 
 made  it  very  rich.  In  his  days  the  great  monastery  at  Can- 
 terbury was  built,  and  many  others  also  throughout  Eng- 
 land; moreover  this  land  was  filled  with  monks  who  lived 
 after  the  rule  of  St.  Benedict;  and  such  was  the  state  of 
 religion  in  his  days  that  all  that  would,  might  observe  that 
 which  was  prescribed  by  their  respective  orders.  King 
 William  was  also  held  in  much  reverence :  he  wore  his 
 crown  three  times  every  year  when  he  was  in  England :  at 
 Easter  he  wore  it  at  Winchester,  at  Pentecost  at  Westmin- 
 ster, and  at  Christmas  at  Gloucester.  And  at  these  times, 
 all  the  men  of  England  were  with  him,  archbishops,  bishops, 
 abbats,  and  earls,  thanes,  and  knights.  So  also,  was  he  a  very 
 stern  and  a  wrathful  man,  so  that  none  durst  do  anythino- 
 
 *  From  this  we  learn  that  this  part  of  the  Chronicle  was  ^vritten  by  a 
 contemporary  and  eye-witness  of  the  facts  which  he  relates. 
 
462  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.IOC?. 
 
 against  his  will,  and  he  kept  in  prison  those  earls  who  acted 
 against  his  pleasure.  He  removed  bishops  from  their  sees, 
 and  abbats  from  their  offices,  and  he  imprisoned  thanes,  and 
 at  length  he  spared  not  his  own  brother  Odo.  This  Odo 
 was  a  very  powerful  bishop  in  Normandv,  his  see  was  that 
 of  Bayeux,  and  he  was  foremost  to  serve  the  king.  He 
 had  an  earldom  in  England,  and  when  William  was  in 
 Normandy  he  was  the  first  man  in  this  country,  and  him 
 did  he  cast  into  prison.  Amongst  other  tilings  the  good 
 order  that  William  established  is  not  to  be  forgotten ;  it 
 was  such  that  any  man,  who  was  himself  aught,  might  tra- 
 vel over  the  kingdom  with  a  bosom-full  of  gold  unmolested ; 
 and  no  man  durst  kill  another,  however  great  the  injury  he 
 might  have  received  from  him.  He  reigned  over  England, 
 and  being  sharp-sighted  to  his  own  interest,  he  surveyed  the 
 kingdom  so  thoroughly  that  there  was  not  a  single  liide  of 
 land  throughout  the  whole,  of  which  he  knew  not  the  pos- 
 sessor, and  how  much  it  was  worth,  and  this  he  afterwards 
 entered  in  his  register.*  The  land  of  the  Britons  f  was 
 under  his  sway,  and  he  built  castles  therein ;  moreover  he 
 had  full  dominion  over  the  Isle  of  Man  (Anglesey) :  Scot- 
 land also  was  subject  to  him  from  his  great  strength;  the 
 land  of  Normandy  was  his  by  inheritance,  and  he  possessed 
 the  earldom  of  Maine ;  and  had  he  lived  two  years  longer 
 he  would  have  subdued  Ireland  by  his  prowess,  and  that 
 mthout  a  battle.  Truly  there  was  much  trouble  in  these 
 times,  and  very  great  distress ;  he  caused  castles  to  be  built, 
 and  oppressed  the  poor.  The  king  was  also  of  great  stern- 
 ness, and  he  took  from  his  subjects  many  marks  of  gold,  and 
 many  hundred  pounds  of  silver,  and  this,  either  with  or 
 without  right,  and  with  little  need.  He  was  given  to 
 avarice,  and  greedily  loved  gain.  He  made  large  forests 
 for  the  deer,  and  enacted  laws  therewith,  so  that  whoever 
 killed  a  hart  or  a  hind  should  be  blinded.  As  he  forbade 
 kilUng  the  deer,  so  also  the  boars;  and  he  loved  the  tall 
 stags  as  if  he  were  their  father.     He  also  appointed  con- 
 
 *  This  18  certainly  an  evident  allusion  to  the  compilation  of  Doomsday 
 Book  already  described,  a.d.  1085,  as  Gibson  observes;  and  it  is  equally 
 cl<ar  to  me,  that  the  conposition  of  this  part  of  the  Chronicle  is  by  a 
 <li(Terent  hand. — Ingram, 
 
 T  Wales. 
 
AD.  1087.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  463 
 
 cerning  the  hares,  that  they  should  go  free.  The  rich  com- 
 plained and  the  poor  murmured,  but  he  was  so  sturdy  that 
 he  recked  nought  of  them ;  they  must  will  all  that  the  king 
 willed,  if  they  would  live;  or  would  keep  their  lands;  or 
 would  hold  their  possessions;  or  would  be  maintained  in 
 their  rights.  Alas !  that  any  man  should  so  exalt  himself, 
 and  carry  himself  in  his  pride  over  all  !  May  Almighty 
 God  show  mercy  to  his  soul,  and  grant  him  the  forgive- 
 ness of  his  sins !  We  have  written  concerning  him  these 
 things,  both  good  and  bad,  that  virtuous  men  might  follow 
 after  the  good,  and  wholly  avoid  the  evil,  and  might  go  in 
 the  way  that  leadeth  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
 
 We  may  write  of  many  events  which  happened  during  tliis 
 year.  In  Denmark,  the  Danes  who  were  formerly  accounted 
 the  most  loyal  of  people,  turned  to  the  greatest  possible  per- 
 fidy and  treachery,  for  they  chose  king  Canute,  and  submit- 
 ted to  him,  and  swore  oaths  of  allegiance,  and  afterwards 
 they  shamefully  murdered  him  in  a  church.*  It  also  came 
 to  pass  in  Spain,  that  the  heathen  men  went  forth,  and  made 
 war  upon  the  Christians,  and  brought  great  part  of  the 
 country  into  subjection  to  themselves.  But  the  Cliristian 
 king,  whose  name  was  Alphonso,  sent  to  all  countries  and 
 begged  assistance.  And  allies  flocked  to  him  from  every 
 Christian  land,  and  they  went  forth,  and  slew  or  drove  away 
 all  the  heathens,  and  they  won  their  land  again  by  the  help 
 of  God.  The  same  year  also  many  great  men  died  in  this 
 land  :  Stigand  bishop  of  Chichester,  and  the  abbat  of  St. 
 Augustine's,  and  the  abbats  of  Bath  and  of  Pershore,  and  the 
 lord  of  them  all  William  king  of  England,  concerning  whom 
 we  have  spoken  above. 
 
 After  his  death,  his  son  William,  of  the  same  name  with 
 his  father,  took  to  himself  the  government,  and  was  conse- 
 crated king  in  Westminster  by  archbishop  Lanfranc  three 
 days  before  Michaelmas  :  and  all  the  men  of  England  acknow- 
 ledged him,  and  swore  oaths  of  allegiance  to  him.  This 
 done,  the  king  went  to  Winchester  and  examined  tlie 
 treasury,  and  the  hoards  which  his  father  had  amassed  ;  gold 
 and  silver,  vessels  of  plate,  palls,  gems,  and  many  other  valu- 
 
 *  A  church  at  Odensee,  dedicated  to  St.  Alban,  whose  relics  had  been 
 brought  from  England  by  this  Canute. 
 
464  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  La.d.  1088. 
 
 ables  that  are  hard  to  be  numbered.  The  king  did  as  his 
 father  before  he  died  commanded  him  ;  he  distributed  trea- 
 sures amongst  all  the  monasteries  of  England,  for  the  sake 
 of  his  father's  soul :  to  some  he  gave  ten  marks  of  gold,  and 
 to  others  six,  and  sixty  pennies  to  every  country  church,  and 
 a  hundred  pounds  of  money  was  sent  into  every  county  to 
 be  divided  among  the  poor  for  his  soul's  sake.  And  before 
 he  died  he  had  also  desired  that  all  who  had  been  imprisoned 
 during  his  reign  should  be  released.  And  the  king  was  at 
 London  during  midwinter. 
 
 A.  1088.  This  year  the  land  was  much  disturbed,  and 
 filled  with  treason,  so  that  the  principal  Frenchmen  here 
 would  have  betrayed  their  lord  the  king,  and  have  had  his 
 brother  Robert  instead,  who  was  earl  of  Normandy.  Bishop 
 Odo  was  the  cliief  man  in  the  conspiracy,  together  \vitli 
 bishop  Gosfrith,  and  William  bishop  of  Durham.  The  king 
 esteemed  the  bishop  so  highly,  that  the  affairs  of  all  England 
 were  directed  after  his  counsel,  and  according  to  his  pleasure, 
 but  the  bishop  purposed  to  do  by  him  as  Judas  Iscariot  did 
 by  our  Lord.  And  earl  Roger  was  concerned  in  this  con- 
 spiracy, and  many  others  with  him,  all  Frenchmen.  This 
 plot  was  concerted  during  Lent ;  and  as  soon  as  Easter  came 
 they  marched  forth,  and  plundered,  and  burned,  and  laid 
 waste  the  lands  of  the  crown  ;  and  they  ruined  the  estates  of 
 those  who  remained  firm  in  their  allegiance.  And  each  of 
 the  head  conspirators  went  to  his  own  castle,  and  manned 
 and  victualled  it,  as  best  he  might.  Bishop  Gosfrith  and 
 Robert  the  peace-breaker  went  to  Bristol,  and  having  plun- 
 dered the  town,  they  brought  the  spoils  into  the  castle  ;  and 
 afterwards  they  sallied  forth  and  plundered  Bath,  and  all  the 
 surrounding  country,  and  they  laid  waste  all  the  lordship 
 of  Berkeley.  And  the  chief  men  of  Hereford  and  all  that 
 county,  and  the  men  of  Shropshire,  with  many  from  Wales, 
 entered  Worcestershire,  and  went  on  plundering  and  burning, 
 till  they  approached  the  county  town,  and  they  were  resolved 
 to  burn  this  also,  and  to  plunder  the  cathedral,  and  to  seize 
 the  king's  castle  for  themselves.  The  worthy  bishop  Wul- 
 stan  seeing  tliis,  was  much  distressed  in  mind,  because  the 
 castle  was  committed  to  his  keeping.  Nevertheless  his  re- 
 tainers, few  as  they  were,  marched  out,  and  through  the 
 mercy  of  God,  and  the  good  desert  of  the  bishop,  they  slew 
 
A.D.  1088.J  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  465 
 
 or  took  captive  five  hundred  men,  and  put  all  the  rest  to 
 flight.  The  bishop  of  Durham  did  as  much  harm  as  he 
 could  in  all  the  northern  parts  :  one  of  the  conspirators 
 named  Roger,  threw  liimself  into  Norwich  castle,  and  spread 
 devastation  throughout  that  country  :  Hugo  also  was  in  no 
 respect  less  formidable  to  Leicestershire  and  Northampton. 
 Bishop  Odo,  with  whom  these  commotions  originated,  de- 
 parted to  his  earldom  of  Kent,  wliich  he  ravaged,  and  he 
 wholly  laid  waste  the  lands  of  the  king  and  the  archbishop, 
 and  brought  all  the  plunder  into  his  castle  at  Rochester. 
 "When  the  king  had  heard  all  this,  and  with  what  treason 
 they  were  acting  towards  him,  he  was  greatly  disturbed  in 
 mind  ;  and  he  sent  for  the  English,  and  laid  his  necessities 
 before  them,  and  entreated  their  assistance.  He  promised 
 them  better  laws  than  had  ever  been  in  this  land,  and  forbade 
 all  unjust  taxes,  and  guaranteed  to  his  subjects  their  woods 
 and  hunting.  But  these  concessions  were  soon  done  away. 
 Howbeit  the  English  came  to  the  aid  of  their  lord  the  king, 
 and  they  then  marched  towards  Rochester,  desiring  to  seize 
 bishop  Odo,  for  they  thought  that  if  they  had  him  who  was 
 the  head  of  the  conspiracy  in  their  power,  they  might  with 
 greater  ease  subdue  the  others.  Then  they  came  to  Tun- 
 bridge  castle,  in  which  were  the  knights  of  bishop  Odo  and 
 many  others,  who  resolved  to  hold  out  against  William.  But 
 the  English  came  on,  and  stormed  the  castle,  and  the  garrison 
 capitulated.  They  then  proceeded  towards  Rochester  be- 
 lieving that  the  bishop  was  there  :  but  the  king  was  told 
 that  he  was  departed  to  his  castle  at  Pevensey,  and  the  king 
 and  his  troops  went  after  him,  and  he  besieged  that  castle 
 full  six  weeks  with  a  very  large  army. 
 
 In  the  meantime  Robert  earl  of  Normandy,  the  king's 
 brother,  gathered  together  a  great  multitude,  and  thought 
 that  he  should  win  England  with  the  aid  of  the  disaffected  of 
 this  countiy.  And  he  sent  some  of  his  troops  to  this  land, 
 intending  to  follow  them  himself.  But  the  English  who 
 guarded  the  sea  attacked  these  men,  and  slew  and  drowned 
 more  than  any  one  can  number.  At  length  provisions  be- 
 came scarce  in  the  castle,  on  which  the  insurgents  prayed  for 
 a  truce  and  surrendered  the  place  to  the  king,  and  the  bishop 
 took  an  oath  that  he  would  depart  from  England,  and  never 
 return  unless  the  king  sent  for  him,  and  that  he  would  also 
 
 H  H 
 
466  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1089, 1090. 
 
 give  up  Rocliester  castle.  After  this  the  bishop  proceeded 
 thither  that  he  might  deliver  up  that  fortress,  and  the  king 
 sent  his  men  with  him.  but  then  the  soldiers  who  were  in  the 
 castle  arose,  and  seized  the  bishop,  and  the  king's  men,  whom 
 tliey  put  into  confinement.  There  were  very  good  knights 
 in  this  castle  :  Eustace  the  younger,  the  three  sons  of  earl 
 Roger,  and  all  the  best  born  of  this  land,  and  of  Normandy. 
 When  the  king  knew  this,  he  set  forth  with  all  the  troops 
 then  with  him,  and  he  sent  over  all  England  and  commanded 
 that  every  man  of  mark,  French  or  English,  from  town  and 
 from  country,  should  come  and  join  liim.  Many  were  those 
 who  flocked  to  him,  and  he  marched  to  Rochester  and  be- 
 sieged the  castle  till  the  garrison  capitulated.  Bishop  Odo 
 and  those  who  were  with  him  departed  over  sea,  and  thus  the 
 bishop  lost  the  station  he  held  in  this  land.  The  king  after- 
 wards sent  an  army  to  Durham,  and  besieged  the  castle,  and 
 the  bishop  capitulated,  and  surrendered  it,  and  he  gave  up 
 his  bishopric  and  went  to  Normandy.  Many  Frenchmen 
 also  left  their  lands,  and  went  over  sea,  and  the  king  gave 
 their  estates  to  those  who  had  held  fast  to  him. 
 
 A.  1089.  This  year  the  venerable  father  and  patron  of 
 monks,  archbishop  Lanfranc,  departed  this  life,  but  we  trust 
 that  he  has  entered  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  There 
 was  also  a  great  earthquake  throughout  England  on  the  3rd 
 day  before  the  Ides  of  August.*  And  it  was  a  very  late 
 year  both  as  to  the  corn,  and  fruits  of  all  kind,  so  that  many 
 men  reaped  their  corn  about  IMartinmas,  and  even  later. 
 
 A.  1090.  Things  being  in  the  state  we  have  described, 
 as  regarding  the  king,  his  brother,  and  liis  people,  William 
 considered  how  he  might  take  the  surest  vengeance  on  his 
 brother  Robert,  harass  him  most,  and  win  Normandy  from 
 him.  To  this  end,  he  gained  the  castle  and  port  of  St.  Valery 
 by  stratagem  or  bribery,  and  also  Albemarle  castle,  and  he 
 placed  liis  knights  in  them,  and  they  did  much  harm,  ravag- 
 ing and  burning  the  country.  After  this  he  got  possession 
 of  more  castles  in  that  land,  and  in  these  also  he  stationed  his 
 knights.  When  Robert  earl  of  Normandy  found  that  his 
 sworn  liege-men  revolted  and  gave  up  their  castles  to  liis 
 great  injury,  he  sent  to  his  lord  Pliilip  king  of  France,  who 
 
 ♦  The  11th  of  August. 
 
A.0.  1091.J  THE   ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  4G7 
 
 came  into  Normandy  with  a  large  army ;  and  the  king  and 
 the  earl  with  an  innumerable  force  besieged  a  castle  defended 
 by  the  king  of  England's  soldiers  :  but  king  William  of  Eng- 
 land sent  to  Philip  king  of  France,  and  he,  for  love  of  Wil- 
 liam or  for  his  great  bribes,  deserted  his  vassal  earl  Robert 
 and  his  land,  and  returned  to  France,  leaving  things  as  they 
 were.  During  all  these  transactions,  England  was  greatly 
 oppressed  by  unlawful  taxes,  and  many  other  grievances. 
 
 A.  1091.  This  year  king  William  held  his  court  at  Westmin- 
 ster at  Christmas,  and  the  following  Candlemas  he  departed 
 from  England  to  Normandy,  bent  on  liis  brother's  ruin  :  but 
 whilst  he  was  in  that  country,  peace  was  made  between  them, 
 on  condition  that  the  earl  should  give  up  Feschamp,  the  earldom 
 of  Eu,  and  Cherbourg,  to  William,  and  withal  that  the  king's 
 men  should  be  unmolested  in  those  castles  of  which  they  had 
 possessed  themselves  in  the  earl's  despite.  And  the  king,  on 
 his  side,  promised  to  reduce  to  their  obedience  the  many 
 castles  conquered  by  their  father,  which  had  since  revolted 
 from  the  earl,  and  also  to  establish  him  in  the  possession  of 
 all  their  father's  territories  abroad,  excepting  those  places 
 which  the  earl  had  then  given  up  to  the  king.  Moreover  all 
 who  had  lost  their  lands  in  England  on  account  of  the  earl 
 were  to  regain  them  by  this  treaty,  and  the  earl  also  was  to 
 receive  certain  estates  in  England  then  specified.  It  was 
 also  agreed  that  if  the  earl  died  leaving  no  legitimate  son  the 
 king  should  be  heir  of  all  Normandy,  and  in  hke  manner  if 
 the  king  died,  that  the  earl  should  be  heir  of  all  England. 
 Twelve  of  the  chief  men  on  the  part  of  the  king,  and  twelve 
 on  that  of  the  earl,  guaranteed  this  treaty  by  oath  ;  yet  it  was 
 observed  but  a  short  time.  During  this  peace  Edgar  etheling 
 was  dispossessed  of  those  lands  which  the  earl  had  granted  him, 
 and  he  departed  and  went  from  Normandy  into  Scotland,  to 
 the  king  his  brother-in-law,  and  his  sister.  Whilst  king  Wil- 
 liam Avas  out  of  England,  Malcolm  king  of  Scotland  invaded 
 this  country,  and  ravaged  great  part  of  it,  till  the  good  men  to 
 whom  the  keeping  of  the  land  was  entrusted,  sent  their  troops 
 against  him  and  drove  him  back.  When  king  William  heard 
 this  in  Normandy,  he  hastened  to  return,  and  he  came  to  Eng- 
 land and  his  brother  earl  Robert  with  him.  And  they  called 
 out  a  fleet  and  army,  but  almost  all  the  ships  were  lost,  a  few 
 days  before  Michaelmas,  ere  they  readied  Scotland.  And 
 H  H  2 
 
468  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1092, 1093. 
 
 the  king  and  his  brother  proceeded  with  the  army  :  and 
 when  king  Malcolm  heard  that  they  sought  to  attack  him,  he 
 marched  with  his  array  out  of  Scotland  into  Lothian  in 
 England,  and  remained  there.  And  when  king  William 
 approached,  earl  Robert  and  Edgar  etheling  mediated  a 
 peace  between  the  kings,  on  condition  that  king  Malcolm 
 should  repair  to  our  king,  and  become  his  vassal,  and  in  all 
 the  like  subjection  as  to  his  father  before  him  ;  and  this  he 
 confirmed  by  oath.  And  king  William  promised  him  all  the 
 lands  and  possessions  that  he  held  under  his  father.  By  this 
 peace  Edgar  etheling  was  reconciled  to  the  king.  And  the 
 kings  separated  in  great  friendship,  but  this  lasted  during  a 
 short  time  only.  Earl  Robert  abode  here  with  the  king  till 
 Christmas  drew  near,  and  in  this  time  he  found  little  good 
 faith  as  to  the  fulfilment  of  the  treaty,  and  two  days  before 
 the  feast  he  took  ship  from  the  Isle  of  Wight  and  sailed  to 
 Normandy,  and  Edgar  etheling  with  him. 
 
 A.  1092.  This  year  king  William  went  northward  to 
 Carlisle  with  a  large  army,  and  he  repaired  the  city,  and 
 built  the  castle.  And  he  drove  out  Dolfin,  who  had  before 
 governed  that  country ;  and  having  placed  a  garrison  in  the 
 castle,  he  returned  into  the  south,  and  sent  a  great  number 
 of  rustic  Englishmen  thither,  with  their  wives  and  cattle, 
 that  they  might  settle  there  and  cultivate  the  land. 
 
 A.  1093.  This  year,  in  Lent,  king  William  was  very  sick 
 at  Gloucester,  insomuch  that  he  was  universally  reported  to 
 be  dead :  and  he  made  many  good  promises  in  his  illness ; 
 that  he  would  lead  his  future  life  in  righteousness — that  the 
 churches  of  God  he  would  guard  and  free — and  never  more 
 sell  them  for  money — and  tbat  he  would  have  all  just  laws 
 in  his  kingdom.  And  he  gave  the  archbishopric  of  Canter- 
 bury, which  he  had  hitherto  kept  in  his  own  hands,  to 
 Anselm,  who  was  before  this  abbat  of  Bee,  and  the  bishopric 
 of  Lincoln  to  his  chancellor  Robert ;  and  he  granted  lands  to 
 many  monasteries,  but  afterwards,  when  recovered,  he  took 
 them  back,  and  he  neglected  all  the  good  laws  that  he  had 
 promised  us.  After  this  the  king  of  Scotland  sent  desiring 
 that  the  stipulated  conditions  might  be  performed;  and  king 
 William  summoned  him  to  Gloucester,  and  sent  hostages  to 
 him  in  Scotland,  and  afterwards  Edgar  etheling  and  others 
 met  him,  and  brought  him  with  mucii  honour  to  the  court. 
 
A.D.  1093,  1094.]  THE  ANCiLO-SAXOX  CIir?ONICLE.  46P 
 
 But  when  he  came  there,  he  could  neitl.er  obtain  a  confer- 
 ence with  our  king  nor  the  performance  of  the  conditions 
 formerly  promised  him,  and  therefore  they  departed  in  great 
 enmity:  and  king  Malcolm  returned  home  to  Scotland,  and 
 as  soon  as  he  came  thither,  he  assembled  his  troops  and 
 invaded  England,  ravaging  the  country  with  more  fury  than 
 behoved  him :  and  Robert,  earl  of  Northumberland,  with  his 
 men,  lay  in  wait  for  him,  and  slew  him  unawares.  He  was 
 killed  by  Morael  of  Bambrough,  the  earl's  steward,  and  king 
 Malcolm's  own  godfather:*  his  son  Edward,  who,  had  he 
 lived,  would  have  been  king  after  his  father,  was  killed  with 
 him.  When  the  good  queen  Margaret  heard  that  her  most 
 beloved  lord,  and  her  son,  were  thus  cut  off,  she  was  grieved 
 in  spirit  unto  death,  and  she  went  with  her  priest  into  the 
 church,  and  ha\-ing  gone  through  all  befitting  rites,  she 
 prayed  of  God  that  she  might  give  up  the  ghost.  And  then 
 the  Scots  chose  I  Dufenal,  the  brother  of  Malcolm,  for  their 
 king,  and  drove  out  all  the  English  who  had  been  with  king 
 Malcolm.  When  Duncan,  the  son  of  king  Malcohn,  heard 
 all  this,  for  he  was  in  king  William's  court,  and  had  re- 
 mained here  from  the  time  that  his  father  gave  him  as  an 
 hostage  to  our  king's  father,  he  came  to  the  king,  and  did 
 such  homage  as  the  king  required ;  and  thus,  with  his  con- 
 sent, he  departed  for  Scotland,  with  the  aid  that  he  could 
 muster,  both  English  and  French,  and  he  deprived  his  kin?- 
 man  Dufenal  of  the  throne,  and  was  received  as  king.  But 
 then  some  of  the  Scotch  again  gathered  themselves  together, 
 and  slew  nearly  all  his  men,  and  he  himself  escaped  with 
 few  others.  They  were  afterwards  reconc^iled  on  this  con- 
 dition, tliat  Duncan  should  never  more  bring  English  or 
 Frenchmen  into  that  country. 
 
 A.   1094.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  William  held  his 
 
 *  Inoram  translates  the  original  "  godsib"  baptismal  friend,  and  adds 
 the  following  note,  "  literally  a  gossip ;  but  such  are  the  changes  which 
 v.-ords  undergo  in  their  meaning  as  well  as  in  their  form,  that  a  title  of 
 honour,  formerly  implying  a  siaritual  relationship  in  God,  is  now  applied 
 oniy  to  those  whose  conversiition  resembles  the  conlemptible  tittle-tattle  of 
 a  christening: — Gibson  translates  it  a  '  susceptor,"  i.  c.  an  undertaker." 
 
 +  "  From  this  expression  it  is  evident,  that  though  preference  wa» 
 naturally  and  properly  given  to  hereditary  claims,  the  monarchy  of  Scot- 
 land, as  well  as  of  Eiiglar.d,  was  iu  principle  elective.  The  doi.tnr)e  of 
 hereditar)',  of  divine,  of  indefeasible  right,  is  of  modern  gro^vth."— Ingram. 
 
470  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CIIRONICLE.  [ad-  1094 
 
 court  at  Gloucester ;  and  there  came  messengers  to  him  out 
 of  Normandy,  from  his  brother  Robert,  and  they  said  that 
 his  brother  renounced  all  peace  and  compact  if  the  king 
 would  not  perform  all  that  tiiey  had  stipulated  in  the  treaty ; 
 moreover  they  called  him  perjured  and  faithless  unless  he 
 would  perform  the  conditions,  or  would  go  to  the  place 
 where  the  treaty  had  been  concluded  and  sworn  to,  and 
 there  clear  himself.  Then  at  Candlemas  the  king  went  to 
 Hastings,  and  whilst  he  waited  there  for  a  fair  wind,  he 
 caused  the  monastery  on  the  field  of  battle*  to  be  conse- 
 crated ;  and  he  took  the  staff  from  Herbert  Losange,  f  bishop 
 of  Thetford. — After  this,  in  the  middle  of  Lent,  he  went 
 over  sea  to  Normandy.  When  he  came  thither  he  and  his 
 brother,  earl  Robert,  agreed  that  they  would  meet  in  peace, 
 and  they  did  so,  to  the  end  that  they  might  be  reconciled. 
 But  afterwards,  when  they  met,  attended  by  the  same  men 
 who  had  brought  about  the  treaty,  and  had  sworn  to  see  it 
 executed,  these  charged  all  the  breach  of  faith  upon  the 
 king ;  he  would  not  allow  this,  neither  would  he  observe  the 
 treaty,  on  which  they  separated  in  great  enmity.  And  the 
 king  then  seized  the  castle  of  Bures,  and  took  the  earl's  men 
 who  were  in  it,  and  he  sent  some  of  them  over  to  this  coun- 
 try. And  on  the  other  hand  the  earl,  with  the  assistance  of 
 the  king  of  France,  took  the  castle  of  Argences,  in  which  he 
 seized  Roger  the  Poitou  and  seven  hundred  of  the  king's 
 soldiers ;  and  he  afterwards  took  the  castle  of  Hulme ;  and 
 frequently  did  each  burn  the  towns  and  take  captive  the 
 people  of  his  rival.  Then  the  king  sent  hither  and  ordered 
 out  20,000  Englishmen  to  aid  him  in  Normandy,  but  when 
 they  reached  the  sea  they  were  desired  to  return,  and  to  give 
 to  the  king's  treasury  the  money  that  they  had  received; 
 this  was  half  a  pound  for  each  man,  and  they  did  so.  And 
 in  Normandy,  after  this,  the  earl,  with  the  king  of  France, 
 and  all  the  troops  that  they  could  collect,  marched  towards 
 Eu,  where  king  William  then  was,  purposing  to  besiege  him 
 therein,  and  thus  they  proceeded  until  they  came  to  Lune- 
 
 •  Battle  Abbey. 
 
 t  Commonly  called  Herbert  de  Losinga.  His  letters  are  of  much  his- 
 torical interest :  they  were  supposed  to  be  lost,  until  they  were  recently 
 discovered  by  Robert  Anstruther  in  the  Brussels  library,  and  published 
 8vo,  Bruxellis,  apud  Vandale,  et  Londini  apud  D.  Nutt. 
 
A.D.    Oi)5.1  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  471 
 
 ville,  and  there  tlie  king  of  France  turned  off  through 
 treachery,  and  on  this  the  whole  army  dispersed.  In  the 
 meantime  king  Wilham  sent  for  his  brother  Henry,  who 
 was  in  the  castle  of  Damfront,  and  because  he  could  not  pass 
 through  Normandy  in  security,  he  sent  ships  for  him,  with 
 Hugo,  earl  of  Chester.  And  when  they  should  have  made 
 for  Eu,  where  the  king  was,  they  directed  their  course  in- 
 stead to  England,  and  landed  at  Hampton*  on  the  eve  of 
 All  Saints'  day;  and  they  then  remained  in  this  country, 
 and  were  in  London  at  Christmas. 
 
 The  same  year  also  the  Welsh  gathered  themselves  to- 
 gether, and  made  war  upon  the  French  in  Wales,  or  in  the 
 neighbouring  parts,  where  they  had  been  before  deprived  of 
 their  lands,  and  they  stormed  many  fortresses  and  castles, 
 and  slew  the  men,  and  afterwards  their  numbers  increased 
 so  much,  that  they  divided  themselves  into  many  bodies ; 
 Hugo,  earl  of  Shropshire,  fought  with  one  division  and  put 
 it  to  flight,  but  nevertheless  the  others  abstained  not,  during 
 the  whole  year,  from  committing  every  outrage  in  their 
 power.  This  year  also  the  Scots  conspired  against  their 
 king  Duncan,  and  slew  him,  and  they  afterwards  took  his 
 uncle  Dufenal  a  second  time  for  their  king ;  through  whose 
 instructions  and  instigation  Duncan  had  been  betrayed  to 
 his  death. 
 
 A.  1095.  This  year  king  William  was  at  Whitsand  during 
 the  first  four  days  of  Christmas,  and  after  the  fourth  day  he 
 set  sail  and  landed  at  Dover.  And  the  king's  brother  Henry 
 remained  in  this  country  till  Lent,  and  then  he  went  over 
 sea  to  Normandy,  with  much  treasure  to  be  employed  in  the 
 king's  service  against  their  brother,  earl  Robert  :  and  he 
 gained  ground  upon  the  earl  continually,  and  did  much  damage 
 to  his  lands  and  subjects.  Then  at  Easter  the  king  held  his 
 court  at  Winchester,  and  Robert  earl  of  Northumberland 
 would  not  repair  thither  ;  therefore  the  king's  anger  was 
 greatly  stirred  up  against  him,  and  he  sent  to  him,  and 
 sternly  commanded  that  if  he  would  remain  in  peace  he 
 should  come  to  his  court  at  Pentecost.  This  year  Easter 
 fell  on  the  8th  before  the  Kalends  of  April,  and  after  Easter, 
 
 *  Now  called  Southampton,  to  distinguish  it  from  Northampton ;  but 
 the  common  people,  in  both  neighbourhoods,  generally  say  "  Hampton"  to 
 thia  dav. — Ingram. 
 
472  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1095. 
 
 on  the  night  of  the  feast  of  St.  Ambrose,  the  2nd  before  the 
 Nones  of  April,  there  was  seen  all  over  the  country  a  great 
 multitude  of  stars  falling  from  heaven  during  nearly  the  whole 
 of  the  night,  not  one  or  two  at  a  time,  but  so  thickly  that  no 
 man  might  number  them.  After  this,  at  Pentecost,  the  king 
 was  at  Windsor,  and  all  his  witan  with  liim,  excepting  the 
 earl  of  Northumberland,  for  the  king  would  neither  give 
 hostages  nor  pledge  his  troth  that  he  should  come  and  go  in 
 security.  On  this  the  king  called  out  an  army,  and  marched 
 against  the  earl  into  Northumberland,  and  as  soon  as  he 
 came  thither  he  seized  almost  all  the  chief  men  of  the  earl's 
 court  in  a  certain  fortress,  and  he  put  them  in  confinement. 
 And  he  besieged  Tinmouth  castle  until  he  took  it,  and  there 
 he  seized  the  earl's  brother,  and  all  who  were  with  him  ; 
 thence  he  proceeded  to  Bambrough,  and  there  he  besieged 
 the  earl ;  and  when  the  king  found  that  he  could  not  reduce 
 him,  he  caused  a  castle  +o  be  built  over  against  Bambrough, 
 and  called  it  in  his  speech,  Malveisin,  which  is  in  English, 
 "the  evil  neighbour,"  and  he  garrisoned  it  strongly,  and 
 afterwards  he  departed  southward.  Then  one  night,  soon 
 after  the  king's  return  into  the  south,  the  earl  went  out  of 
 Bambrough  towards  Tinmouth :  but  those  in  the  new  castle, 
 being  aware  of  his  design,  pursued  and  attacked  liim,  and 
 they  wounded  him,  and  afterwards  took  him  prisoner,  and  some 
 of  his  followers  were  slain,  and  some  taken  alive.  In  the 
 meantime  the  king  was  told  that  the  Welsh  had  stormed  a 
 certain  castle  in  Wales,  called  Montgomery,  and  had  slain 
 earl  Hugo's  men  who  defended  it ;  on  this  he  commanded 
 another  army  to  be  called  out  in  haste,  and  after  Michaelmas 
 he  proceeded  into  Wales.  He  divided  his  forces,  and  his 
 troops  made  their  way  through  all  parts  of  the  country,  and 
 met  at  Snow  don,  on  All  Saints'  day.  But  the  Welsh  ever 
 fled  before  him  to  the  mountains  and  moors,  so  that  no  man 
 could  get  near  them,  and  the  king  at  length  returned  home- 
 wards, because  he  could  do  no  more  there  that  winter.  V/hen 
 the  king  came  back,  he  commanded  his  people  to  take  Robert 
 earl  of  Northumberland,  and  lead  him  to  Bambrough,  and  to 
 put  out  both  his  eyes,  unless  the  besieged  would  surrender 
 the  castle,  which  was  defended  by  his  wife,  and  his  steward 
 Morel,  who  was  also  his  kinsman.  On  this,  the  castle  was 
 given  up.  and  Morel  was  received  at  W^ilUam's  court ;  and 
 
A.D.  1090.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  473 
 
 through  him  many  were  discovered,  both  clergy  ana  laiiy, 
 who  had  aided  this  rebellion  with  their  counsel.  Then  the 
 king  ordered  some  of  them  to  be  imprisoned  before  Christ- 
 mas, and  he  straightly  commanded  throughout  the  kingdom, 
 that  all  who  held  lands  of  him  should  be  at  his  court,  on 
 that  festival,  as  they  would  retain  his  protection.  And  the 
 king  had  earl  Robert  brought  to  Windsor,  and  confined  there 
 in  the  castle.  Tins  year  also,  a  little  before  Easter,  the 
 pope's  legate  came  to  England ;  this  was  Walter,  bishop  of 
 Albano,  a  man  of  a  very  virtuous  life,  and  at  Pentecost  he 
 presented  archbishop  Anselm  with  his  pall  from  pope  Urban, 
 and  he  received  it  at  his  metropolitan  city  of  Canterbury. 
 And  bishop  Walter  remained  hv^re  great  part  of  this  year, 
 and  on  his  return  the  Romescot,*  which  had  not  been  paid  for 
 many  years  before,  was  sent  with  him.  This  year  also  the 
 weather  was  very  unseasonable,  so  that  the  fruits  of  the 
 earth  were  much  injured  over  all  the  country. 
 
 A.  1096.  This  year  king  William  held  his  Christmas 
 court  at  Windsor;  and  William  bishop  of  Durham  died 
 there  on  New  Year's  day.  And  the  king  and  all  his  witan 
 were  at  Salisbury  on  the  octaves  of  the  Epiphany.  There 
 Geoffry  Bainard  accused  William  of  Eu,  the  king's  relation, 
 saying  that  he  had  been  concerned  in  the  conspiracy  against 
 the  king,  and  for  this  cause  he  fought  with  him  and  over- 
 came him  in  single  combat,  and  after  he  was  vanquished  the 
 king  commanded  that  liis  eyes  should  be  put  out ;  and  the 
 king  also  caused  his  steward  named  William,  who  was  his 
 aunt's  son,  to  be  hanged  on  the  gallows.  Then  also  Eoda 
 earl  of  Champagne,  the  king's  uncle,  and  many  others,  were 
 deprived  of  their  lands,  and  some  were  brought  to  London, 
 and  there  executed.  At  Easter,  this  year,  there  was  a  very 
 great  stir  in  this  country  and  in  many  others  also,  through 
 Urban,  who  was  called  pope,  though  he  was  not  in  posses- 
 sion of  the  see  of  Rome ;  and  an  innumerable  multitude  of 
 men,  with  their  wives  and  children,  departed  to  go  and  con- 
 quer the  heathen  nations.  The  king  and  his  brother,  earl 
 Robert,  were  reconciled  in  consequence  of  this  expedition,  so 
 that  the  king  went  over  sea,  and  received  from  the  earl  all 
 Normandy  for  a  sum  of  money,  according  to  contract.  And 
 thereupon  the  earl  departed,  and  with  him  went  the  earls  of 
 *  Commonly  called  Peter's  pence. 
 
474  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1097. 
 
 Flanders  and  of  Boulogne,  and  many  other  headmen.*  And 
 earl  Robert  and  those  who  accompanied  him  abode  in  ApuKa 
 that  winter.  But  of  those  who  went  by  Hungary,  many  thou- 
 sands perished  miserably  there,  or  on  the  road,  and  many,  rueful 
 and  hunger-bitten,  toiled  homewards  against  winter.  These 
 were  very  hard  times  to  all  the  English,  as  well  because  of 
 the  manifold  taxes,  as  of  the  very  grievous  famine  which  sorely 
 afflicted  the  land.  This  year  also  the  nobles  who  had  charge 
 of  ttiis  country  frequently  sent  forth  armies  into  Wales,  and 
 thus  they  greatly  oppressed  many,  and  for  no  purpose,  but 
 with  much  loss  of  men  and  of  money. 
 
 A.  1097.  This  year  king  William  was  in  Normandy  at 
 Christmas,  and  before  Easter  he  sailed  for  this  land,  intend- 
 ing to  hold  Ids  court  at  Winchester,  but  he  was  kept  at  sea 
 by  bad  weather  till  Easter  eve ;  and  Arundel  was  the  first 
 place  to  which  he  came,  therefore  he  held  his  court  at  Wind- 
 sor. After  this,  he  marched  into  Wales  with  a  large  army, 
 and  his  troops  penetrated  far  into  the  country  by  means  of 
 some  Welshmen  who  had  come  over  to  him,  and  were  his  guides. 
 And  William  remained  there  from  Midsummer  till  near  Au- 
 gust, to  his  great  loss  of  men  and  horses  and  many  other  things. 
 
 When  the  Welsh  had  revolted  from  the  king,  they  chose 
 several  leaders  from  among  themselves,  one  of  these  was 
 named  Cadwgan,  he  was  the  most  powerful  of  them  all,  and 
 was  the  son  of  king  Griffin's  brother.  The  king,  seeing 
 that  he  could  not  effect  his  purpose,  returned  into  England, 
 and  he  forthwith  caused  castles  to  be  built  on  the  marches. 
 Then  at  Michaelmas,  on  the  4th  before  the  Nones  of  Octo- 
 ber, an  uncommon  star  appeared  shining  in  the  evening,  and 
 soon  going  down  :  it  was  seen  in  the  south-west,  and  the 
 light  which  streamed  from  it  seemed  very  long,  shining  to- 
 wards the  south-east ;  and  it  appeared  after  this  manner 
 nearly  all  the  week.  Many  allowed  that  it  was  a  comet. 
 Soon  after  this,  Anselm  archbishop  of  Canterbury  obtained 
 permission  from  the  king,  though  against  his  inclination,  to 
 leave  this  country  and  go  over  sea,  because  it  seemed  to  him 
 that  in  this  nation  little  was  done  according  to  right,  or  after 
 his  desires.     And  at  Martinmas  the  king  went  over  sea  to 
 
 *  "  Headmen  or  chiefs."  The  term  is  still  retained  with  a  slight  varia- 
 tion in  the  north  of  Europe,  as  '  the  hetman  PlatofF,  of  celebrated  memory.* 
 — Lngram. 
 
A.D.  1097—1099.]         THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  475 
 
 Normandy ;  but  whilst  he  waited  for  a  fair  wind,  his  train 
 did  as  much  injury  in  the  county  in  which  they  were  de- 
 tained, as  any  prince's  retinue,  or  even  an  army  could  have 
 committed  in  a  peaceable  land. 
 
 This  year  was  in  all  respects  a  very  heavy  time,  and  the 
 weather  was  singularly  bad  at  the  seasons  when  men  should 
 till  their  lands  and  gather  in  the  harvest;  and  the  people 
 had  nevertheless  no  respite  from  unjust  taxes.  Many  shires, 
 moreover,  which  are  bound  to  duty  in  works  at  London, 
 were  greatly  oppressed  in  making  the  wall  around  the  tower, 
 in  repairing  the  bridge  which  had  been  almost  washed  away, 
 and  in  building  the  king's  hall  at  Westminster.  These 
 hardships  fell  upon  many.  This  year  also,  at  Michaelmas, 
 Edgar  etheling,  with  the  king's  aid,  led  an  army  into  Scot- 
 land, and  won  that  country  by  hard  fighting,  and  drove  out 
 the  king  Dufnal,  and  established  his  kinsman  Edgar  the 
 son  of  king  Malcohn  and  queen  Margaret,  as  king  in  fealty 
 to  William,  and  then  he  returned  into  England. 
 
 A.  1098.  This  year  king  William  was  in  Normandy  at 
 Christmas ;  and  Walkelin  bishop  of  Winchester,  and  Bald- 
 win abbat  of  St.  Edmund's,  both  died  during  this  festival. 
 This  year  also  died  Turold  abbat  of  Peterborough.  More- 
 over in  the  summer  of  this  year  a  spring  of  blood  burst  out 
 at  Finchamstead,  in  Berkshire,  according  to  the  declaration 
 of  many  men  of  credit,  who  said  that  they  had  seen  it.  And 
 earl  Hugo  was  slain  in  Anglesey  by  foreign  pirates ;  his 
 brother  Robert  succeeded  him,  having  obtained  this  of  the 
 king.  Before  Michaelmas-day  the  heaven  appeared  as  it 
 were  on  fire,  almost  all  the  night.  This  was  a  year  of  much 
 distress,  caused  by  the  manifold  oppressive  taxes ;  nearly  all 
 the  crops  in  the  marsh  lands  failed  also  from  the  great  rains, 
 which  ceased  not  the  whole  year. 
 
 A.  1099.  This  year  king  William  was  in  Normandy  at 
 Christmas  ;  and  at  Easter  he  came  hither  ;  and  at  Pentecost 
 he  held  his  court  for  the  first  time  in  the  new  building  at 
 Westminster,  and  there  he  gave  the  bishopric  of  Durham  to 
 his  chaplain  Eanulf,  who  had  long  been  the  chief  manager 
 and  director  of  all  the  king's  councils  held  in  England.  And 
 soon  afterwards  William  went  over  sea,  and  drove  earl  Elias 
 from  Maine,  and  brought  that  province  into  subjection  ;  and 
 at  Michaelmas  he  returned  to  this  land.     This  year  also,  on 
 
476  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1100. 
 
 &.,.  Martin's  day,  there  was  so  very  high  a  tide,  and  the 
 damage  was  so  great  in  consequence,  that  men  remembered 
 not  the  like  to  have  ever  happened  before,  and  the  same  day 
 was  the  first  of  the  new  moon.  And  Osmond  bishop  of  Salis- 
 bury died  during  Advent. 
 
 A.  1100.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  William  held  his 
 court  in  Gloucester  ;  ■  and  at  Easter  in  Winchester  ;  and  at 
 Pentecost  in  Westminster.  And  at  Pentecost  blood  was 
 observed  gushing  from  the  earth,  at  a  certain  town  of 
 Berkshire,  even  as  many  asserted  who  declared  that  they 
 had  seen  it.  And  after  this,  on  the  morning  after  Lammas-day, 
 king  William  was  shot  with  an  arrow  by  his  own  men,  as  he 
 was  hunting,  and  he  was  carried  to  Winchester  and  buried 
 there.*  This  was  in  the  thirteenth  year  from  his  accession. 
 He  was  very  powerful,  and  stern  over  his  lands  arid  subjects, 
 and  towards  all  his  neighbours,  and  much  to  be  dreaded,  and 
 through  the  counsels  of  evil  men  which  were  always  pleasing 
 to  him,  and  through  his  own  avarice,  he  was  ever  vexing  the 
 people  with  armies  and  with  cruel  taxes  ;  for  in  his  days  all 
 justice  sank,  and  all  unrighteousness  arose,  in  the  sight  of 
 God  and  the  world.  He  trampled  on  the  church  of  God, 
 and  as  to  the  bishoprics  and  abbacies,  the  incumbents  of 
 which  died  in  his  reign,  he  either  sold  them  outright,  or 
 kept  them  in  his  own  hands,  and  set  them  out  to  renters ;  for 
 he  desired  to  be  the  heir  of  every  one,  churchman  or  layman, 
 so  that  the  day  on  which  he  was  killed  he  had  in  his  own 
 hands  the  archbishopric  of  Canterbury,  the  bishoprics  of 
 Winchester  and  Salisbury,  and  eleven  abbacies,  all  let  out  to 
 farm,  and  in  fine,  however  long  I  may  delay  mention  of  it,'\ 
 all  that  was  abominable  to  God  and  oppressive  to  men  was 
 common  in  this  island  in  William's  time  :  and  therefore  he 
 was  hated  by  almost  all  his  people,  and  abhorred  by  God  as 
 his  end  showeth,  in  that  he  died  in  the  midst  of  his 
 unrighteousness,  without  repentance  or  any  reparation  made 
 for  his  evil  deeds.  He  was  slain  on  a  Thursday,  and  buried 
 the  next  morning  :  and  after  he  was  buned,  the  witan  who 
 wer  J  then  near  at  hand,  chose  his  brother  Henry  as  king, 
 
 •  His  monument  is  still  to  be  seen  there,  a  plain  gravestone  of  black 
 marble,  of  the  common  shape  called  "  dos  d'ane,"  such  as  are  now 
 frequently  seen,  though  of  inferior  materials,  in  the  church-yards  of  villages, 
 and  are  only  one  remove  from  the  grassy  sod. — Ingram. 
 
 t  Ingram  renders  this,  "  though  I  may  be  tedious." 
 
4.D.  1100,  1101.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHEONICLE.  477 
 
 and  lie  forthwith  gave  the  bishopric  of  Winchester  to  William 
 Giffard,  and  then  went  to  London ;  and  on  the  Sunday 
 following  he  made  a  promise  to  God  and  all  the  people, 
 before  the  altar  at  Westminster,  that  he  would  abolish  the 
 injustice  which  prevailed  in  his  brother's  time,  and  that  he 
 would  observe  the  most  equitable  of  the  laws  established  in 
 the  days  of  any  of  the  kings  before  him ;  and  after  this 
 Maurice  bishop  of  London  consecrated  him  as  king,  and  all 
 the  men  of  this  land  submitted  to  him,  and  swore  oaths  and 
 became  his  liege-men.  And  soon  afterwards,  the  king,  by 
 the  advice  of  those  about  him,  caused  Ranulf  bishop  of 
 Durham  to  be  taken  and  brought  into  the  Tower  of  London, 
 and  confined  there.  Then  before  IVIichaelmas  Anselm 
 archbishop  of  Canterbury  came  to  this  land  ;  king  Henry 
 having  sent  for  him  by  the  advice  of  his  wdtan,  because  he  had 
 left  the  country  on  account  of  the  injustice  done  him  by  king 
 William.  And  soon  afterwards  the  king  took  for  his  wife 
 Maud  the  daughter  of  Malcolm  king  of  Scotland  and  of  the 
 good  queen  Margaret  king  Edward's  kinswoman,  of  the  true 
 royal  line  of  England  ;  and  on  Martinmas  day  she  was  given 
 to  him  with  great  pomp  at  Westminster,  and  archbishop 
 Anselm  wedded  her  to  Henry,  and  afterwards  consecrated 
 her  as  queen.  And  soon  after  this  Thomas  archbishop  of 
 York  died.  This  year  also,  in  the  autumn,  earl  Robert  came 
 home  into  Normandy,  and  Robert  earl  of  Flanders  and 
 Eustace  earl  of  Boulogne  also  returned  from  Jerusalem,  and 
 on  earl  Robert's  arrival  in  Normandy  he  was  joyfully 
 received  by  all  the  people,  excepting  those  in  the  castles 
 which  were  garrisoned  with  king  Henry's  men,  and  against 
 these  he  had  many  contests  and  struggles. 
 
 A.  IIOL  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  held  his 
 court  at  Westminster,  and  at  Easter  at  Winchester.  And 
 soon  afterwards  the  chief  men  of  this  land  entered  into  a 
 league  against  the  king,  both  from  their  own  great  treachery, 
 and  through  Robert  earl  of  Normandy  who  had  hostile 
 designs  upon  this  land.  And  then  the  king  sent  out  ships  to 
 annoy  and  hinder  his  brother ;  but  some  of  them  failed  at 
 time  of  need,  and  deserted  from  the  king,  and  submitted  to 
 earl  Robert.  At  Midsummer  the  king  posted  himself  with 
 all  his  troops  at  Pevensey  to  oppose  his  brother,  and  he 
 waited  for  him  there.     And  in  the  meantime  earl  Robert 
 
478  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.         [a.d.  1101,  1102. 
 
 landed  at  Portsmouth  twelve  nights  before  Lammas,  and  the 
 king  marched  against  him  with  all  his  forces  ;  but  the  chief 
 men  interfered  and  made  peace  between  them,  on  condition 
 that  the  king  should  give  up  all  those  places  in  Normandy 
 which  he  then  detained  from  his  brother  by  force  of  arms  ; 
 and  that  all  who  had  lost  their  lands  in  England  on  the  earl's 
 account  should  have  them  again,  and  that  earl  Eustace 
 should  also  have  his  father's  estates  in  this  country,  and  that 
 earl  Robert  should  receive  yearly  3000  marks  of  silver  from 
 England ;  and  it  was  stipulated  by  tliis  treaty  that  whichever 
 of  the  brothers  outlived  the  other,  he  should  inherit  all 
 England  together  with  Normandy,  unless  the  deceased  left 
 legitimate  issue.  And  twelve  men  of  the  highest  rank  on 
 either  side  confirmed  this  treaty  by  oath :  and  the  earl 
 afterwards  remained  here  till  after  JVIichaelmas ;  and  his  men 
 did  much  harm  wherever  they  went,  whilst  the  earl  stayed  in 
 this  land.  This  year  also,  at  Candlemas,  bishop  Ranulf 
 escaped  by  night  from  the  Tower  of  London,  in  which  he 
 was  confined,  and  went  to  Normandy.  It  was  at  his  sugges- 
 tion chiefly,  that  earl  Robert  was  incited  to  invade  this 
 land. 
 
 A.  1102.  This  year  king  Henry  was  at  Westminster 
 during  the  feast  of  the  Nativity,  and  at  Easter  he  was  at 
 Winchester.  And  soon  afterwards  a  difference  arose  between 
 the  king  and  Robert  of  Belesme,  who  held  the  earldom  of 
 Shrewsbury  in  this  country,  which  his  father  earl  Roger  had 
 enjoyed  before  him,  and  who  had  other  great  possessions 
 both  here  and  abroad  ;  and  the  king  went  and  besieged 
 Ai'undel  Castle,  and  when  he  found  that  he  should  not  be 
 able  to  take  it  speedily,  he  caused  castles  to  be  built  before 
 it,  and  garrisoned  with  his  men  ;  and  then  he  led  all 
 his  troops  to  Bridgenorth,  and  remained  there  till  he  had 
 reduced  the  castle,  and  deprived  earl  Robert  of  his  lands, 
 and  he  took  from  him  all  that  he  possessed  in  England ;  so 
 the  earl  departed  over  sea,  and  the  king's  soldiers  were 
 disbanded  and  returned  home.  On  the  Michaelmas  following 
 the  king  was  at  Westminster,  with  all  the  head  men  of  this 
 land,  both  clergy  and  laity  ;  and  archbishop  Anselm  held  a 
 synod,  at  which  many  decrees  were  made  touching  the 
 Christian  religion  ;  and  many  abbats,  both  French  and 
 English,  lost  their  staffs  and  their  abbacies,  because  they 
 
AD.  1102-1104.]        THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  479 
 
 had  obtained  them  unlawfully,  or  had  lived  unrigliteously 
 therein.  And  the  same  year,  in  Pentecost  week,  there  came 
 robbers,  some  from  Auvergne,  some  from  France,  and  some 
 from  Flanders,  and  they  brake  into  the  monastery  of  Peter- 
 borough, and  carried  oiF  much  treasure  of  gold  and  silver  ; 
 crosses,  chalices,  and  candlesticks. 
 
 A.  1103.  This  year  king  Henry  was  at  Westminster  at 
 Christmas.  And  soon  afterwards  the  bishop  William  Giffard 
 departed  from  this  land,  because  he  would  not  against  riglit 
 receive  consecration  from  Gerard  archbishop  of  York.  And 
 at  Easter  the  king  held  his  court  at  Winchester  ;  and  after- 
 wards, Anselm  archbishop  of  Canterbury  journeyed  to  Rome, 
 as  he  and  the  king  had  agreed.  This  year  also  earl  Pobert 
 of  Normandy  came  to  this  land,  to  speak  with  the  king,  and 
 before  he  departed  hence  he  gave  up  the  3000  marks  which 
 king  Henry  should  have  paid  him  yearly  according  to  the 
 treaty.  This  year  blood  was  seen  gushing  out  of  the  earth 
 at  Hampstead,*  in  Berkshire.  This  was  a  year  of  much 
 distress  from  the  manifold  taxes,  and  also  from  a  mortality 
 among  the  cattle,  and  from  the  failure  of  the  crops,  both  of 
 the  corn  and  all  fruits  of  trees.  In  the  morning  also  of  St. 
 Lawrence's  day,  the  wind  did  so  much  damage  to  all  the 
 fruit  of  this  land,  that  no  man  remembered  the  like  to  have 
 ever  happened  before.  The  same  year  died  Matthias  abbat 
 of  Peterborough,  who  had  not  lived  more  than  one  year  after 
 he  was  made  abbat.  After  Michaelmas,  on  the  12th  before  the 
 Kalends  of  November,  he  was  received  in  procession  as  abbat, 
 and  the  same  day  the  year  following  he  died  at  Gloucester, 
 and  there  he  was  buried. 
 
 A.  1104.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  held  his 
 court  at  Westminster,  at  Easter  at  Winchester,  at  Pentecost 
 again  at  Westminster.  This  year  the  first  day  of  Pentecost 
 was  on  the  Nones  of  June,  and  on  the  Tuesday  after,  at  mid- 
 day, there  appeared  four  circles  of  a  white  colour  round  the 
 sun,  one  under  the  other  as  if  they  had  been  painted.  All 
 who  saw  it  wondered,  because  they  never  remembered  such 
 before.  An  alhance  was  afterwards  formed  between  Robert 
 earl  of  Normandy  and  Robert  of  Belesme,']'  whom  king 
 Henry  had  deprived  of  his  estates,  and  di'iven  out  of  Eng- 
 
 *  Ftnchanistead.  f  Hence  the  English  name  Bellamy. 
 
480  THE    ANGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.         [A.d.  1104-1106. 
 
 land,  and  from  this,  the  king  of  England  and  the  earl  of 
 Normandy  became  at  variance.  And  the  king  sent  his 
 people  over  sea  into  Normandy,  and  the  head  men  of  that 
 country  received  them,  and  admitted  them  into  their  castles 
 in  treachery  to  their  lord  the  earl,  and  they  greatly  annoyed 
 the  earl  by  plundering  and  burning  his  territories.  This 
 year  also,  William  earl  of  Moreton  (Mortaigne)  departed  to 
 Normandy,  and  being  there,  he  took  arms  against  the  king, 
 on  which  the  king  confiscated  all  his  possessions  and  estates 
 in  this  country.  It  is  not  easy  to  describe  the  misery  of  this 
 land,  which  it  suffered  at  this  time  through  the  various  and 
 manifold  oppressions  and  taxes  that  never  ceased  or  slack-, 
 ened  :  moreover  wherever  the  king  went  his  train  fell  to 
 plundering  his  wretched  people,  and  withal  there  was  much 
 burning  and  manslaughter.  By  all  this  was  the  anger  of 
 God  provoked,  and  this  unhappy  nation  harassed. 
 
 A.  1105.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  held  his 
 court  at  Windsor,  and  the  following  Lent  he  went  over  sea 
 to  Normandy  against  his  brother  earl  Robert.  And  whilst 
 he  remained  there  he  won  Caen  and  Bayeux  from  his  brother, 
 and  almost  all  the  castles  and  chief  men  of  that  land  became 
 subject  to  him  ;  and  in  the  autumn  he  came  again  to  this 
 country.  And  all  that  he  had  conquered  in  Normandy  re- 
 mained to  him  afterwards  in  peace  and  subjection,  excepting 
 those  places  which  lay  in  the  neighbourhood  of  William  earl 
 of  Moreton,*  and  which  he  harassed  continually  as  much  as 
 harass  he  might,  in  revenge  for  the  loss  of  his  estates  in 
 England.  Then  before  Christmas  Robert  de  Belesme  came 
 hither  to  the  king.  This  was  a  year  of  great  distress  from 
 the  failure  of  the  fruits,  and  from  the  manifold  taxes  which 
 never  ceased,  either  before  the  king  went  abroad,  while  he 
 was  there,  or  again  after  his  return. 
 
 A.  1106.  This  year  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  was  at 
 Westminster,  and  there  he  held  his  court,  and  during  this 
 festival  Robert  de  Belesme  departed  from  the  king  in  enmity, 
 and  left  this  country  for  Normandy.  After  this,  and  befon; 
 Lent,  the  king  was  at  Northampton,  and  his  brother  earl 
 Robert  of  Normandy  came  to  him  there  ;  and  because  the 
 
 •  "  De  Moritonio"  is  the  Latin  title ;  the  town  of  Mortaigne  in  Nor- 
 mandy is  the  place  from  which  it  is  taken. 
 
A.».  1106.-1  THE  A^S'GLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  4S1 
 
 king  would  not  give  up  that  whicli  he  had  won  from  the  earl 
 in  Noi-mandj,  they  separated  in  enmity,  and  the  earl  soon 
 went  again  over  sea.  In  the  first  week  of  Lent,  on  the 
 evening  of  Friday,  the  14th  before  the  Kalends  of  March,  a 
 strange  star  appeared,  and  it  was  seen  a  while  every  evening 
 for  a  long  time  afterwards.  Tliis  star  appeared  in  the  south- 
 west, it  seemed  small  and  dim,  but  the  light  that  stood  from 
 it  was  very  bright,  and  like  an  exceedingly  long  beam  shining 
 to  the  north-east  ;  and  one  evening  it  seemed  as  if  a  beam 
 from  over  against  the  star  darted  directly  into  it.  Some 
 persons  said  that  they  observed  more  unknown  stars  at  this 
 time,  but  we  do  not  vn:ite  this  as  a  certainty  because  we  saw 
 them  not  ourselves.  One  night,  the  morrow  being  the  day 
 of  our  Lord's  supper,  that  is,  the  Thursday  before  Easter, 
 two  moons  appeared  before  day  in  the  heavens,  the  one  in 
 the  east  and  the  other  in  the  west,  both  full  ;  and  the  same 
 day  was  the  14th  of  the  moon.  At  Easter  the  king  was  at 
 Bath,  and  at  Pentecost  at  Salisbury,  because  he  would  not 
 hold  his  court  over  sea  during  his  absence  from  this  country. 
 After  this  before  August,  the  king  went  into  Normandy,  and 
 almost  all  the  inhabitants  bowed  to  his  will,  excepting  Robert 
 de  Belesme,  and  the  earl  of  Mortaigne,  and  a  few  other 
 chiefs  who  yet  held  with  the  earl  of  Normandy  :  the  king 
 therefore  came  with  an  army,  and  besieged  a  castle  of  the 
 earl  of  Mortaigne  called  Tinchebrai.  Whilst  the  king  was 
 besieging  this  castle,  Robert  earl  of  Normandy  and  his  army 
 came  upon  him  on  Michaelmas  eve,  and  with  him  were 
 Robert  de  Belesme  and  William  earl  of  Mortaigne,  and  all 
 who  wished  well  to  their  cause,  but  strength  and  victory 
 were  with  the  king.  The  earl  of  Normandy  was  taken, 
 together  Avith  the  earl  of  Mortaigne  and  Robert  de  Stutte- 
 ville ;  and  they  were  afterwards  sent  to  England,  and  kept 
 in  confinement ;  Robert  de  Belesme  was  put  to  flight,  and 
 William  Crispin  was  taken,  with  many  others  ;  Edgar  etliel- 
 ing  who  had  gone  over  from  the  king  to  the  earl  a  short 
 time  before,  was  also  taken  ;  but  the  king  afterwards  let  him 
 depart  unhurt.  After  this,  the  king  subdued  the  whole  of 
 Normandy,  and  brought  it  under  his  own  will  and  power. 
 This  year  also  there  was  a  very  terrible  and  sinful  war 
 between  the  emperor  of  Saxony  and  liis  son,  during  which 
 the  father  died,  and  the  son  succeeded  to  the  empire. 
 
 u 
 
482  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.        [a.d.  1107— lioa 
 
 A.  1107.  This  year  king  Henry  was  in  Nonnandy  at 
 Christmas  and  reduced  that  land,  and  having  settled  the 
 government,  he  came  to  Enghand  the  following  Lent ;  and  he 
 held  his  court  at  Windsor  at  Easter,  and  at  Pentecost  he  held 
 it  at  Westminster.  And  in  the  beginning  of  August  he  was 
 again  at  Westminster,  and  there  he  gave  away  bishoprics 
 and  abbacies,  disposing  of  such  as  were  without  elders  and 
 pastors,  both  in  England  and  Normandy ;  the  number  of 
 these  was  so  great  that  no  man  remembered  that  so  many 
 were  ever  before  given  away  at  one  time.  And  amongst 
 others  who  then  received  abbacies,  Ernulf  prior  of  Canter- 
 bury obtained  that  of  Peterborough.  This  was  about  the 
 seventh  year  of  king  Henry's  reign,  and  the  one  and  fortieth 
 year  that  the  French  ruled  in  this  land.  Many  said  that 
 they  saw  various  tokens  in  the  moon  this  year,  and  his  *  light 
 waxing  and  waning  contrary  to  nature.  This  year  died 
 Maurice  bishop  of  London,  and  Eobert  abbat  of  St.  Ed- 
 mund's Bury,  and  Richard  abbat  of  Ely.  This  year  also 
 Edgar  king  of  Scotland  died  on  the  Ides  of  January,  and  his 
 brother  Alexander  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  with  king 
 Henry's  consent. 
 
 A.  1108.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  was  at 
 Westminster  ;  and  at  Easter  at  Winchester  ;  and  at  Pente- 
 cost again  at  Westminster.  After  this,  before  August,  he 
 went  into  Normandy.  And  Philip  king  of  France  dying  on 
 the  Nones  of  August,  his  son  Louis  succeeded  him,  and  there 
 were  afterwards  many  battles  between  the  kings  of  France 
 and  of  England,  whilst  Henry  remained  in  Normandy.  Tliis 
 year  also  Gerard  archbishop  of  York  died  before  Pentecost, 
 and  Thomas  was  afterwards  appointed  as  his  successor. 
 
 A.  1109.  Tills  year  king  Henry  was  in  Normandy  both  at 
 Christmas  and  at  Easter  ;  and  before  Pentecost  he  came 
 hither  and  held  his  court  at  Westminster,  at  which  place  the 
 stipulations  were  ratified,  and  the  oaths  sworn,  relative  to 
 the  marriage  of  his  daughter  with  the  emperor.  There  was 
 much  thunder  this  year,  and  that  very  terrible.  And  An- 
 selm  archbishop  of  Canterbury  died  on  the  11th  before  the 
 Kalends  of  April,  and  the  first  day  of  Easter  was  on  the 
 greater  Litany. 
 
 *  The  moon  is  of  the  masculine  gender,  and  the  sun  feminine,  in 
 Anglo-Saxon,  as  in  Arabic.     See  a.d.  1110. 
 
A.i».  1110. 1111.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  483 
 
 A.  1110.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  held  liis 
 court  at  Westminster  ;  and  at  Easter  he  was  at  Marlbo- 
 rough ;  and  at  Pentecost  he  held  his  court  for  the  first  time 
 in  the  New  Windsor.  This  year,  before  Lent,  the  king  sent 
 his  daughter  with  manifold  treasures  over  sea,  and  gave  her 
 to  the  emperor.  On  the  fifth  night  of  the  month  of  May  the 
 moon  appeared  shining  brightly  in  the  evening,  and  after- 
 wards his  light  waned  by  little  and  little,  and  early  in  the 
 night  he  was  so  wholly  gone  that  neither  light,  nor  circle, 
 nor  any  thing  at  all  of  him  was  to  be  seen,  and  thus  it  con- 
 tinued tin  near  day,  and  then  he  appeared  shining  full  and 
 bright ;  he  was  a  fortnight  old  the  same  day  :  the  sky  was 
 very  clear  all  the  night,  and  the  stars  shone  very  brightly  all 
 over  the  heavens,  and  the  fruit  trees  were  greatly  injured  by 
 that  night's  frost.  After  this,  in  the  month  of  June,  there 
 appeared  a  star  in  the  north-east,  and  its  light  stood  before  it 
 to  the  south-west,  and  it  was  seen  thus  for  many  nights,  and 
 ever  as  the  night  advanced  it  mounted  upwards  and  was 
 seen  going  off  to  the  north-west.  This  year  Philip  de  Brause,* 
 and  WiUiam  Mallet,  and  William  Baynard,  were  deprived  of 
 their  lands.  This  year  also  died  earl  Elias,  who  held  Maine 
 in  fee-tail f  of  king  Henry;  but  on  his  death  the  earl  of  An- 
 jou  took  possession  of  that  province,  and  kept  it  against  the 
 king's  will.  This  was  a  year  of  much  distress  from  the 
 taxes  which  the  king  raised  for  liis  daughter's  dow^ry,  and 
 from  the  bad  weather  by  which  the  crops  were  greatly  in- 
 jured, and  nearly  all  the  fruit  on  the  trees  destroyed  through- 
 out the  country. — This  year  men  first  began  to  work  at  the 
 new  monastery  of  Chertsey. 
 
 A.  1111.  This  year  king  Henry  wore  not  his  crown  at 
 Christmas,  nor  at  Easter,  nor  at  Pentecost.  And  in  August 
 he  was  called  over  sea  to  Normandy,  by  the  hostility  of  cer- 
 tain of  his  enemies  on  the  marches  of  France,  and  principally 
 by  that  of  the  earl  of  Anjou,  who  held  Maine  against  him  : 
 and  after  his  arrival  many  were  the  intrigues  and  great  the 
 
 *  This  is  the  term  used  by  Miss  Gumey.  Dr.  Ingram  renders  it 
 Braiose  ;  the  Anglo-Saxon  is  Brause  ;  the  Latin,  Braiosa.  Is  not  the 
 modem  name  Bracy  derived  from  this  root  ? 
 
 +  That  is,  the  territory  was  not  a  fee-simple,  but  subject  to  taillage,  or 
 taxation ;  and  that  particular  species  is  probably  here  intended,  which  is 
 called  in  old  French  "  en  queuage,"  an  expression  not  verj'  different  from 
 that  in  the  text  above. — Ingram. 
 
 11  2 
 
484  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.        [a.d.  1112-1114. 
 
 burning  and  plundering  carried  on  bv  either  party  against 
 the  other. — This  year  Robert  earl  of  Flanders  died  and  his 
 son  Baldwin  succeeded  him.  The  winter  was  very  long  this 
 year,  a  heavy  and  a  severe  time,  by  which  the  fruits  of  the 
 earth  were  much  injured  ;  and  there  was  the  greatest  pesti- 
 lence among  the  cattle  ever  remembered. 
 
 A.  1112.  All  this  year  king  Henry  remained  in  Nor- 
 mandy, on  account  of  the  war  in  which  he  was  engaged  with 
 France,  and  with  the  earl  of  Anjou,  who  held  Maine  against 
 him.  And  whilst  he  was  there  he  deprived  the  earl  of  Ev- 
 reux  and  William  Crispin  of  their  lands,  and  drove  them  out 
 of  Normandy  :  and  he  restored  to  Philip  de  Brause  the  es- 
 tates which  had  been  taken  from  him,  and  he  caused  Robert 
 de  Belesme  to  be  seized  and  put  into  prison.  This  was  a 
 very  good  year  as  to  the  crops,  the  trees  and  fields  being  very 
 fruitful  ;  but  it  was  a  very  heavy  and  a  sorrowful  time,  by 
 reason  of  a  dreadful  pestilence  among  men. 
 
 A.  1113.  This  year  king  Henry  was  in  Normandy  at 
 Christmas,  at  Easter,  and  at  Pentecost.  And  in  the  summer 
 he  sent  hither  Robert  de  Belesme,  to  be  confined  in  Wareham 
 3astle,  and  he  liimself  came  to  this  land  soon  afterwards. 
 
 A.  1114.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  held  his 
 iourt  at  Windsor,  and  he  held  no  court  again  this  year. 
 And  at  Midsummer  he  entered  Wales  Avith  an  army,  and  the 
 Welsh  came  and  treated  with  the  king,  and  he  caused  castles 
 to  be  built  in  that  country.  And  in  September  he  went  over 
 sea  to  Normandy.  In  the  end  of  May,  this  year,  a  strange 
 star  with  a  long  light  was  seen  shining  for  many  nights. 
 Thli^  year  also  there  was  so  great  an  ebb  of  the  tide  every 
 where  in  one  day,  as  no  man  remembered  before,  so  that 
 men  went  through  the  Thames  both  riding  and  walking,  east 
 of  London  bridge.  This  year  there  were  very  high  winds  in 
 the  month  of  October,  and  more  especially  on  the  night  of 
 the  octaves  of  St.  Martin,  as  was  apparent  in  all  woods  and 
 towns.  This  year  also  the  king  gave  the  archbishopric  of 
 Canterbury  to  Ralph  bishop  of  Rochester  ;  and  Thomas  [II.J 
 archbishop  of  York  died,  and  the  king's  chaplain  Thurstan 
 succeeded  him.  At  this  time  the  king  went  towards  the  sea, 
 and  he  would  have  gone  over  but  he  was  detained  by  the 
 weather.  In  the  meanwhile  he  sent  his  writ  to  Ernulf  ab- 
 bat  of  Peterborough,  desiring  him  to  come  to  him  with  speed, 
 
A.D.  1114—1116.]         THE  AIsGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  485 
 
 for  that  he  would  speak  with  liim  on  something  of  import- 
 ance. On  Ernulf  s  arrival,  the  king  and  the  archbishops 
 and  bishops,  and  the  English  nobility  who  attended  the  king, 
 forced  him  to  accept  the  bishopric  of  Rochester  ;  he  with- 
 stood them  long,  but  his  resistance  availed  nothing.  And 
 the  king  commanded  the  archbishop  to  take  him  to  Canter- 
 bury, and  to  consecrate  him  as  bishop  whether  he  would  or 
 not.  This  was  done  in  the  town  called  Burne*  on  the  17th 
 before  the  Kalends  of  October.  When  the  monks  of  Peter- 
 borough heard  this,  they  were  so  sorry  as  never  before,  be- 
 cause Ernulf  Avas  a  very  good  and  a  mild  man,  and  did  much 
 good  within  the  monastery  and  out  of  it  whilst  he  remained 
 there.  May  Almighty  God  be  ever  with  him !  Soon  after- 
 wards, at  the  request  of  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the 
 king  gave  that  abbacy  to  a  monk  of  Sieyes  named  John. 
 And  soon  after  this  the  king  and  the  archbishop  sent  him  to 
 Rome  for  the  archbishop's  pall,  and  with  him  a  monk  named 
 Warner,  and  the  archdeacon  John  the  archbishop's  nephew, 
 and  they  sped  well  on  their  journey.  This  was  done  on  the 
 11th  before  the  Kalends  of  October,  at  the  town  called  Ruge- 
 nor  (Rowner,  near  Gosport),  and  the  same  day  the  king  took 
 ship  at  Portsmouth. 
 
 A.  1115.  This  year,  during  Christmas,  king  Henry  was 
 in  Normandy,  and  whilst  he  was  there  he  caused  all  the 
 chief  men  of  Normandy  to  do  homage  and  swear  oaths  of 
 allegiance  to  his  son  William,  whom  he  had  by  his  queen; 
 and  afterwards  in  the  month  of  July  he  returned  hither. 
 Tliis  year  the  winter  was  so  severe  with  snow  and  with 
 frost,  that  no  man  then  living  remembered  a  harder:  and 
 it  occasioned  much  disease  among  the  cattle.  This  year 
 pope  Paschal  sent  hither  a  pall  to  archbishop  Ralph,  and 
 he  received  it  with  much  pomp  at  his  see  of  Canterbury. 
 Anselm  an  abbat  of  Rome,  the  nephew  of  archbishop  An- 
 selm,  and  John  abbat  of  Peterborough,  brought  the  pall 
 from  Rome. 
 
 A.  1116.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  was  at 
 St.  Alban's,  and  there  he  caused  the  monastery  to  be  con- 
 secrated; and  at  Easter  he  was  at  Wudiham.|     This  year 
 
 *  "  East  Bourne,  in  Sussex,  where  the  king  was  waiting  for  a  fair  wind 
 to  carry  him  over  sea." — IngIvAM,     "  Sittingbum." — Miss  Gur^ey. 
 +  Odiham. 
 
486  THE  A^'GLO-SAXO^'  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1117. 
 
 also,  the  winter  being  severe  and  long,  it  "was  a  very  heavy 
 time  for  the  cattle  and  all  things.  And  soon  after  Easter 
 the  king  went  over  sea,  and  much  treachery  was  practised, 
 and  there  was  plundering  and  taking  of  castles  between 
 France  and  Normandy.  The  chief  cause  of  enmity  was 
 that  king  Henry  aided  his  nephew  earl  Theobald  de  Blois, 
 who  was  then  at  war  with  his  lord  Louis  king  of  France. 
 This  was  a  very  calamitous  year,  the  crops  being  spoiled  by 
 the  heavy  rains,  which  came  on  just  before  August  and 
 lasted  till  Candlemas.  Mast  also  was  so  scarce  this  year 
 that  none  was  to  be  heard  of  in  all  this  land,  or  in  Wales : 
 moreover  this  land  and  nation  were  many  times  sorely  op- 
 pressed by  the  taxes  which  the  king  raised  both  within  the 
 towns  and  out  of  them.  This  year  also  the  whole  of  the 
 monastery  of  Peterborough  was  burnt,  with  all  the  houses, 
 excepting  the  chapter-house  and  the  dormitory :  and  the 
 greater  pai*t  of  the  town  was  burnt  also.  All  this  happened 
 on  a  Friday,  being  the  2nd  day  before  the  Xones  of  August. 
 
 A.  1117.  All  this  year  king  Henry  abode  in  Normandy, 
 because  of  the  war  with  the  king  of  France  and  his  other 
 neighbours:  then  in  the  summer  the  king  of  France,  and 
 the  earl  of  Flanders  with  him,  entered  Xormandy  with  an 
 army  and  remained  in  the  country  one  night,  and  went  away 
 again  in  the  morning  without  fighting.  And  Normandy  was 
 greatly  oppressed  by  taxes  and  by  the  levies  of  troops  that 
 king  Henry  raised  to  oppose  them.  This  nation  also  was 
 sorely  aggrieved  in  like  manner,  to  wit,  by  the  manifold 
 taxes.  This  year  also  there  was  a  violent  storm  of  thunder 
 and  lightning,  rain  and  hail,  on  the  night  before  the  Kalends 
 of  December ;  and  on  the  3rd  night  before  the  Ides  of  Decem- 
 ber the  moon  appeared  for  a  long  time  as  it  were  bloody,  and 
 then  it  was  darkened.  Also,  on  the  night  of  the  17th  before 
 the  Kalends  of  January  the  heaven  appeared  very  red,  as  if 
 it  were  burning.  And  on  the  octave  of  St.  John  the  Evan- 
 gelist's day  there  was  a  great  earthquake  in  Lombardy,  by 
 which  many  monasteries,  towers,  and  houses  were  thrown 
 down,  and  the  inhabitants  suffered  greatly.  This  was  a  very 
 bad  year  for  the  corn,  through  the  rains  which  ceased  scarcely 
 at  all.  And  Gilbert  abbat  of  Westminster  died  on  the  8th 
 before  the  Ides  of  December,  and  Farit*  abbat  of  Abingdon 
 
 *  Faricius  is  the  Latin  name.     Is  he  the  same  who  wrote  the  life  of 
 
A  D.  1118,  1119.1  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CIIKONICLE.  487 
 
 died  on  the  Ttli  before  the  Kalends  of  March.  And  in  the 
 same  year 
 
 A.  1118.  All  this  Year  king  Henry  was  in  Normandy, 
 being  at  war  with  the  king  of  France,  and  with  the  earl  of 
 Anjou,  and  with  the  eaii  of  Flanders.  And  the  earl  of 
 Flanders  was  wounded  in  Normandy,  on  which  he  returned 
 to  Flanders.  The  king  was  greatly  impoverished  by  this 
 war,  and  lost  much  money  and  land,  and  he  was  most 
 harassed  by  his  own  men,  who  continually  revolted  and  be- 
 trayed him,  and  went  over  to  liis  enemies,  and  treacherously 
 gave  up  their  castles  in  the  king's  despite.  England  paid 
 dearly  for  all  this  by  the  manifold  taxes  which  ceased  not  all 
 this  year.  This  year,  one  evening  in  Epiphany  week,  there 
 was  dreadful  lightning  which  caused  many  deaths.  And 
 queen  Matilda  died  at  Westminster  on  the  Kalends  of  May, 
 and  was  buried  there.  And  Robert  earl  of  Mellent  died 
 also  this  year.  This  year  also,  on  St.  Thomas's  day,  there 
 was  so  exceedingly  high  a  wind  that  none  who  then  lived 
 remembered  a  greater,  and  tliis  might  be  seen  everyw^here 
 from  the  state  of  the  houses  and  of  the  trees.  Pope  Paschal 
 also  died  tliis  year,  and  John  of  Gaeta,  whose  other  name 
 was  Gelasius,  succeeded  to  the  popedom. 
 
 A.  1119.  All  this  year  king  Henry  remained  in  Normandy, 
 and  was  greatly  perplexed  by  the  war  with  the  king  of  France, 
 and  by  the  treachery  of  his  own  men,  who  were  continually 
 revolting  from  him,  till  at  length  the  two  kings  with  their 
 forces  met  in  Normandy.  The  king  of  France  Avas  there  put 
 to  flight  and  all  his  best  men  taken,  and  many  of  king 
 Henry's  vassals  who  with  the  garrisons  of  their  castles  had 
 been  against  him,  now  submitted,  and  were  reconciled  to 
 him,  and  some  of  the  castles  he  took  by  force.  This  year, 
 William  the  son  of  king  Henry  and  of  queen  IMatilda  went 
 to  Normandy  to  his  father,  and  the  daughter  of  tlie  earl  of 
 Anjou  was  there  given  and  wedded  to  him.  On  Michaelmas 
 eve  there  was  a  great  earthquake  in  some  parts  of  this  land ; 
 and  it  was  felt  most  in  Gloucestershire  and  Worcestershire. 
 The  same  year  pope  Gelasius  died  on  this  side  of  the  moun- 
 tains, and  he  was  buried  at  Cluny  ;  and  the  archbishop  of 
 Vienne   was   chosen   pope,    his   name   was    Calixtus.      He 
 
 bishop  Aldhelm,  published  in  the  end  of  mv  edition  of  Aldhelm's  -works  ? 
 [Aldhelmi  Opera,  Oxon.  Lond.  et  Cant.  1845.] 
 
488  THE  A2;GL0-SAX0N  CHRONICLE.        U-d   1119—1121. 
 
 afterwards  came  to  Rlieims,  in  France,  on  the  feast  of  St. 
 Luke  the  evangelis.t,  and  held  a  council  there.  And 
 Thurstan  archbishop  of  York  journeyed  thither,  and  because 
 he  received  consecration  from  the  pope,  against  right,  and  to 
 the  prejudice  of  the  see  of  Canterbury,  and  against  the 
 king's  will,  Henry  wholly  forbade  his  return  to  England  ; 
 and  being  thus  deprived  of  liis  archbishopric,  he  proceeded 
 with  the  pope  towards  Rome.  This  year  also  BaldAvin  earl 
 of  Flanders  died  of  the  wound  which  he  had  received  in 
 Normandy,  and  was  succeeded  by  Charles  the  son  of  his 
 aunt  and  of  St.  Canute,  king  of  Denmark. 
 
 A.  1 120.  This  year  peace  was  made  between  the  kings  of 
 England  and  of  France,  and  after  this  all  king  Henry's  own 
 men  in  Normandy  made  their  peace  with  him ;  also  the  earls 
 of  Flanders  and  of  Ponthieu.  Then  the  king  ordered  and 
 disposed  of  his  castles  and  land  in  Normandy  after  his  own 
 will ;  and  so,  before  Advent,  he  returned  to  England.  And 
 the  king's  two  sons  William  and  Richard  were  drowned  in 
 the  passage,  together  with  Richard  earl  of  Chester,  and 
 Ottuel  liis  brother  ;  and  very  many  of  the  king's  court, 
 stewards,  and  chamberlains,  and  butlers,  and  other  men  in 
 office,  and  an  innumerable  multitude  of  all  ranks,  were  also 
 lost.  The  manner  of  their  death  was  a  twofold  grief  to  their 
 friends,  first  because  they  lost  their  lives  so  suddenly,  and 
 next  that  few  of  their  bodies  were  ever  found.  And  this 
 year  that  remarkable  light  twice  came  upon  our  Lord's 
 sepulchre  at  Jerusalem,  once  at  Easter,  and  again  on  the 
 Assumption  of  St.  Mary,  according  to  the  report  of  men  of 
 credit,  who  came  from  thence.  And  Thurstan  archbishop  of 
 York  was  reconciled  to  the  king  through  the  pope,  and  he 
 came  to  this  land,  and  was  put  in  possession  of  his  arch- 
 bishopric, though  much  against  the  will  of  the  archbishop  of 
 Canterbury. 
 
 A.  1121.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  was  at 
 Bramton,  and  before  Candlemas  Athelis  was  given  liim  to 
 wife  at  Windsor,  and  afterwards  consecrated  queen ;  she  was 
 the  daughter  of  the  duke  of  Louvain.  And  the  moon  was 
 eclipsed  on  the  night  before  the  Nones  of  April,  being  the 
 fourteenth  day  of  the  moon.  And  the  king  was  at  Berkley 
 at  Easter,  and  the  Pentecost  following  he  held  a  great  court 
 at  Westminster,  and  in  the  summer  he  entered  Wales  with 
 
A.D.  1121—1123.]        THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  489 
 
 an  army,  and  the  Welsh  came  to  meet  him,  and  made  a 
 treaty  with  him  on  his  own  terms.  This  year  the  earl  of 
 Anjou  returned  from  Jerusalem  to  his  own  land,  and  after 
 this  he  sent  hither  to  fetch  away  his  daughter  who  had  been 
 married  to  the  king's  son  William.  And  on  the  night  of 
 Christmas  eve  there  was  a  very  high  wind  throughout  this 
 land,  as  might  be  seen  plainly  in  its  effects. 
 
 A.  1122.  This  year  king  Henry  was  at  Norwich  at 
 Christmas,  and  at  Easter  he  was  at  Northampton.  And  the 
 town  of  Gloucester  was  burned  the  Lent  before,  for  while 
 the  monks  were  singing  mass,  the  deacon  having  begun  the 
 gospel  '^  PrcBteriens  Jesus,^'  the  fire  fell  on  the  top  of  the 
 steeple,*  and  burned  the  whole  monastery,  and  all  the  treasures 
 in  it,  excepting  a  few  books  and  three  vestments  :  this  hap- 
 pened on  the  eighth  before  the  Ides  of  March.  And  there 
 was  a  very  high  wind  on  the  Tuesday  after  Palm  Sunday, 
 the  eleventh  before  the  Kalends  of  April :  after  this  many 
 strange  tokens  were  noticed  throughout  England,  and  many 
 ghosts  were  seen  and  heard.  And  on  the  night  of  the  eighth 
 before  the  Kalends  of  August,  there  was  a  great  earthquake 
 throughout  Somersetshire  and  Gloucestershire.  Again  on 
 the  sixth  before  the  Ides  of  September,  St.  Mary's  day, 
 there  was  a  very  high  wind,  which  continued  from  nine  in 
 the  morning  till  dark  night.  The  same  year  Ralph  arch- 
 bishop of  Canterbury  died  on  the  thirteenth  before  the 
 Kalends  of  November.  After  this  many  shipmen  were  at 
 sea,  and  on  the  water,  and  said  that  they  saw  a  fire  in  the 
 north-east,  large  and  broad,  near  the  earth,  and  that  it  grew 
 in  height  unto  the  welkin,  and  the  welkin  divided  into  four 
 parts  and  fought  against  it,  as  it  would  have  quenched  it ; 
 nevertheless  the  fire  flamed  up  to  heaven.  They  observed 
 this  fire  at  day-break,  and  it  lasted  until  it  was  light  every 
 where :  this  was  on  the  seventh  before  the  Ides  of  December. 
 
 A.  1123.  This  year  king  Henry  was  at  Dunstable  at 
 Christmas,  and  the  messengers  from  the  earl  of  Anjou  came 
 to  him  there,  and  he  proceeded  thence  to  Woodstock,  and  his 
 
 *  By  steeple  we  are  here  to  understand  not  a  spire,  but  a  tower  ;  spires 
 not  being  then  invented.  I  believe  '  spear '  is  the  Avord  in  Saxon  to  express 
 what  we  mean  by  a  spire  ;  '  stepel,'  or  '  steopel,'  signifying  only  a  steep, 
 lofty,  or  perpendicular  structvu-e ;  and  our  old  antiquarians  very  properly 
 make  a  distinction  between  a  spire-steeple  and  a  tower-steeple." — Ingram. 
 
490  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1123. 
 
 bishops  and  all  his  court  with  him.  Now  it  fell  out  on  a 
 Wednesday,  being  the  fourth  before  the  Ides  of  January, 
 that  the  king  rode  in  his  deer-park,  and  Roger  bishop  of 
 Salisbury  was  on  one  side  of  him,  and  Robert  Bloet  bishop 
 of  Lincoln  on  the  other  ;  and  they  rode  there  talking.  Then 
 the  bishop  of  Lincoln  sank  down,  and  said  to  the  king, 
 "  My  lord  king  !  I  am  dying,"  and  the  king  alighted  from  his 
 horse,  and  took  him  between  his  arms,  and  bade  them  bear 
 him  to  liis  inn,  and  he  soon  lay  there  dead  ;  and  they  took 
 his  body  with  much  pomp  to  Lincoln,  and  Robert  bishop  of 
 Chester,*  who  was  called  Pecceth,  buried  him  before  St. 
 Mary's  altar.  Soon  after  this  the  king  sent  his  writs  over 
 all  England,  and  desired  his  bishops,  his  abbats,  and  his 
 thanes,  that  they  should  all  come  to  the  meeting  of  his  witan 
 at  Gloucester,  on  Candlemas-day,  and  they  obeyed ;  and 
 when  they  were  there  assembled  the  king  bade  them  choose 
 to  themselves  whomsoever  they  would  as  archbishop  of 
 Canterbury,  and  that  he  would  confirm  their  choice.  Then 
 the  bishops  spake  among  themselves,  and  said  that  they 
 would  never  more  have  a  man  of  any  monastic  order  as 
 archbishop  over  them.  And  they  all  -wdth  one  accord  went 
 to  the  king,  and  entreated  that  they  might  choose  one  of  the 
 clergy  for  their  archbishop,  and  to  this  the  king  consented. 
 All  this  had  been  set  on  foot  by  the  bishop  of  Salisbury,  and 
 by  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  before  he  died,  for  they  never  loved 
 the  rule  of  monks,  but  were  ever  against  monks  and  their 
 rule.  And  the  prior  and  monks  of  Canterbury  and  all 
 others  of  the  monastic  order  who  were  there,  resisted  this 
 proceeding  two  full  days,  but  in  vain,  for  the  bishop  of 
 Salisbury  "f  was  very  powerful,  and  swayed  all  England,  and 
 he  was  against  them  with  all  his  might.  Then  they  chose  a 
 clerk  named  William  of  Curboil,  he  was  a  canon  of  a 
 monastery  called  Chiche  ;  |  and  they  brought  liim  before  the 
 Idng,  who  gave  him  the  archbishopric,  and  he  was  received 
 
 *  Or  Lichfield.  Peter,  the  bishop  of  that  see  in  1075  removed  it  to 
 Chester,  where  it  remained  for  a  short  period.  Hence  the  bishops  are 
 frequently  styled  bishops  of  Chester.  The  present  bishopric  of  Chester 
 was  not  founded  till  1541. 
 
 t  Roger,  bishop  of  Salisbury,  was  Lord  Chief  Justice,  Lord  Chancellor, 
 and  Lord  Treasurer. 
 
 t  "  St.  Osythe,  in  Essex  ;  a  priory  rebuilt  a.  1118,  for  canons  of  the 
 Augustine  order,  of  which  there  are  considerable  remains." — Ingram. 
 
A.  D.  1123.]  THE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.  491 
 
 by  all  the  bishops  ;  but  the  monks  and  earls,  and  almost  all 
 the  thanes  who  were  there,  would  not  acknowledge  him. 
 At  tliis  same  time  the  messengers  of  the  earl  departed  from 
 the  king  dissatisfied,  nothing  regarding  his  gifts.  At  this 
 time  also  a  legate  arrived  from  Rome  ;  his  name  was  Henry, 
 and  he  was  abbat  of  the  monastery  of  St.  John  of  Angelo. 
 He  came  for  the  Romescot :  and  told  the  king  that  a  clerk 
 had  no  right  to  be  set  over  monks,  and  that  therefore  they 
 had  formerly  chosen  the  archbishop  in  the  chapter,  as  was 
 befitting  ;  but,  for  love  of  the  bishop  of  Salisbury,  the  king 
 would  not  undo  his  act.  Soon  afterwards,  the  archbishop 
 went  to  Canterbury,  and  was  received,  though  unwillingly, 
 and  he  was  forthwith  consecrated  there  by  the  bishop  of 
 London,  and  Ernulf  bishop  of  Rochester,  and  William 
 Giffard  bishop  of  Winchester,  and  Bernard  bishop  of  Wales 
 (St.  David's),  and  Roger  bishop  of  Salisbury.  Then  early 
 in  Lent  the  archbishop  journeyed  to  Rome  for  his  pall,  and 
 Bernard  bishop  of  Wales,  and  Sefred  abbat  of  Glastonbury, 
 and  Anselm  abbat  of  St.  Edmund's,  and  Jolin  archdeacon  of 
 Canterbury,  and  Giffard  who  was  the  king's  court-chaplain, 
 went  with  him.  Thurstan  archbishop  of  York  went  to  Rome 
 at  the  same  time  by  order  of  the  pope,  and  he  arrived  three 
 days  before  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  was  received 
 mth  much  honour.  Then  came  the  archbishop  of  Canter- 
 bury, and  it  was  a  full  week  before  he  could  obtain  an 
 audience  of  the  pope,  because  the  pope  had  been  given  to 
 understand  that  he  had  received  the  archbishopric  in  opposi- 
 tion to  the  monks  of  the  monastery,  and  against  right  ;  but 
 that  which  overcometh  all  the  world,  namely  gold  and 
 silver,*  overcame  Rome  also,  and  the  pope  relented  and  gave 
 
 *  "  How  fortunate  for  the  "\vTiter  that  the  pope  and  his  cardinals  did  not 
 understand  Saxon  !  The  boldness  of  this  remark  might  otherwise  have 
 procured  him  the  distinguished  honour  of  an  excommunication.  Matthew 
 Paris  has  a  similar  remark,  but  less  openly  expressed,  respecting  the 
 venality  of  the  Roman  see  :  '  qucB  nulli  deese  consuevit,  dummodo  albi 
 aliquid  vel  rubei  intercedat.  An.  1  ]  03.'  Dr.  Ingram  might  have  quoted 
 an  equally  elegant  compliment  paid  to  the  cardinals,  ^^  quorum  nares 
 odor  lucri  quastvs  caut-a  infcecavit,"'  by  Alan  of  Tewkesbury,  if  the  ortho- 
 dox editor  of  the  Bnissels  edition  of  Vita  Sancti  Thomte  had  not  carefully 
 expunged  the  passage  :  I  have  only  done  justice  to  historical  accuracy  by 
 restoring  the  offensive  words  in  "  Vita  Sancti  Thomce,  vol.  i.  p.  359,  edit. 
 Oxon.  et  Lond.^ " 
 
492  TnE    ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE.        [a.d.  1123,  1124. 
 
 liim  his  pall,  and  the  archbishop  swore  obedience  in  all  things 
 that  he  should  impose,  on  the  heads  of  St.  Peter  and  St. 
 Paul,  and  the  pope  then  sent  him  home  with  his  blessing. 
 Whilst  the  archbishop  was  abroad,  the  king  gave  the 
 bishopric  of  Bath  to  the  queen's  chancellor,  named  Grodfrej ; 
 he  was  of  Louvain  :  this  was  done  at  AYoodstock  on  the 
 Annunciation  of  St.  Mary.  Soon  afterwards  the  king  went 
 to  Winchester,  where  he  remained  during  the  festival  of 
 Easter  ;  and  while  there  he  gave  the  bishopric  of  Lincoln  to 
 a  clerk  named  Alexander,  who  was  a  nephew  of  the  bishop 
 of  Salisbmy,  and  he  did  this  all  for  love  of  that  bishop. 
 Then  the  king  proceeded  to  Portsmouth,  and  stayed  there  over 
 Pentecost  week  ;  and  as  soon  as  he  had  a  fair  wind  he  sailed 
 for  Normandy,  having  committed  all  England  to  the  care 
 and  administration  of  Roger  bishop  of  Salisbury.  The  king 
 was  in  Normandy  all  this  year,  and  a  great  war  broke  out 
 between  him  and  his  thanes,  for  earl  Waleram  of  Mellent, 
 and  Amalric,  and  Hugh  of  Montfort,  and  William  of  Romare, 
 and  many  others  revolted  from  him  and  held  their  castles 
 against  him  ;  and  the  king  on  his  part  opposed  them  with 
 \dgour,  and  the  same  year  he  won  from  Waleram  his  castle 
 of  Pont-Audemer,  and  from  Hugh  that  of  Montfort,  and 
 after  this  liis  affairs  continued  to  prosper  more  and  more.  The 
 same  year,  before  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  came  to  his  see, 
 nearly  the  whole  town  of  Lincoln  was  burnt,  with  a  great 
 number  of  persons,  both  men  and  women,  and  so  much  harm 
 was  done  that  no  man  could  tell  another  how  great,  the 
 damage  was.  This  happened  on  the  fourteenth  before  the 
 Kalends  of  June. 
 
 A.  1124.  All  this  year  king  Henry  was  in  Normandy, 
 being  detained  there  by  his  great  wars  -with  Louis  king  of 
 France,  and  the  earl  of  Anjou,  and  with  his  own  subjects 
 most  of  all.  Then  it  befell  on  the  day  of  the  annunciation  of 
 .  St.  Mary,  that  Waleram  earl  of  Mellent  was  going  from  one 
 of  his  castles  called  Beaumont,  to  another,  Watteville,  and 
 Amalric  the  steward  of  the  king  of  France,  and  Hugh  the 
 son  of  Gervais,  and  Hugh  of  Montfort,  and  many  other  good 
 knights  went  with  him.  Then  the  king's  knights  from  all 
 the  neighbouring  castles  came  against  them,  and  fought  with 
 them,  and  put  them  to  flight,  and  they  took  the  earl  Waleram, 
 and  Hugh  the  son  of  Gervais,  and  Hugh  of  Montfort,  and 
 
A.T,.1124.J      THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  493 
 
 five  and  twenty  other  knights,  and  brought  them  to  the  king ; 
 and  the  king  caused  earl  Waleram  and  Hugh  the  son  of 
 G-ervais  to  be  confined  in  the  castle  of  Rouen,  and  he  sent 
 Hugh  of  Montfort  to  England,  and  caused  him  to  be  put  in 
 strong  bonds  in  that  of  Gloucester,  and  as  many  of  the  others 
 a.s  he  thought  fit  he  sent  north  and  south  to  his  castles  for 
 confinement.  Then  the  king  went  on,  and  won  all  earl 
 Waleram's  castles  in  Normandy,  and  all  the  others  which  his 
 enemies  held  against  him.  All  this  was  on  account  of  the 
 son  of  Robert  earl  of  Normandy  named  William.  The  same 
 William  had  married  the  younger  daughter  of  Fulk  earl  of 
 Anjou,  and  for  this  cause  the  king  of  France,  and  all  the 
 earls  and  great  men  held  with  him,  and  said  that  the  king 
 did  wi'ongfully  keep  his  brother  Robert  in  confinement,  and 
 that  he  had  unjustly  driven  his  son  William  out  of  Nor- 
 mandy. This  year  there  was  much  unseasonable  weather 
 which  injured  the  corn  and  all  fruits  in  England,  so  that, 
 between  Christmas  and  Candlemas,  one  acre's  seed  of  wheat, 
 that  is,  two  seedlips,  sold  for  six  shillings,  and  one  of  barley, 
 that  is,  three  seedlips,  for  six  shillings,  and  one  acre's  seed  of 
 oats,  being  four  seedlips,  for  four  shillings.  It  was  thus, 
 because  corn  was  scarce,  and  the  penny*  was  so  bad,  that 
 the  man  who  had  a  pound  at  the  market,  could  hardly,  for 
 any  thing,  pass  twelve  of  these  pennies.  The  same  year,  the 
 holy  bishop  of  Rochester  Ernulf,  who  had  been  abbat  of 
 Peterborough,  died  on  the  Ides  of  March.  After  this  died 
 Alexander  king  of  Scotland,  on  the  9th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 May,  and  his  brother  David,  then  earl  of  Northamptonshire, 
 succeeded  him,  and  held  at  the  same  time  both  the  kingdom 
 of  Scotland  and  the  English  earldom.  And  the  pope  of 
 Rome  called  Calixtus  died  on  the  19th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 January,  and  Honorius  succeeded  to  the  popedom.  The 
 same  year,  after  St.  Andrew's  day,  and  before  Christmas, 
 Ralph  Basset,  and  the  king's  thanes  held  a  witenagemot  at 
 Huncothoe,  in  Leicestershire,  and  there  they  hanged  more 
 thieves  than  had  ever  before  been  executed  within  so  short 
 a  time,  being  in  all  four  and  forty  men  :  and  they  deprived 
 six  men  of  their  eyes  and  certain  other  members. |     Many 
 
 *  The  pennies  were  of  silver  at  tliis  time. 
 
 ■\'  "  Of  here  aegon  and  of  here  stanes." — Original  text. 
 
494  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHKONICLE.  [a.d.  1125. 
 
 men  of  truth  said  tliat  several  of  tliem  suffered  with  great 
 injustice,  but  our  Lord  God  Ahnightj,  who  seeth  and 
 knoweth  all  hidden  things,  seeth  that  the  miserable  people  is 
 oppressed  with  all  unrighteousness  ;  first  men  are  bereaved 
 of  their  property,  and  then  they  are  slain.  Full  heavy  a 
 year  was  this  ;  he  who  had  any  property  was  bereaved  of  it 
 by  heavy  taxes  and  assessments,  and  he  who  had  none, 
 starved  -^vith  hunger. 
 
 A.  1125.  Before  Christmas,  this  year,  king  Henry  sent 
 from  Normandy  to  England,  and  commanded  that  all  the 
 mint-men  of  England  should  be  deprived  of  their  limbs, 
 namely  of  their  right  hands  and  of  certain  other  members. 
 And  this  because  a  man  might  have  a  pound,  and  yet  not  be 
 able  to  spend  one  penny  at  a  market.  And  Roger  bishop  of 
 Salisbury  sent  over  all  England,  and  desired  all  of  them  to 
 come  to  Winchester  at  Christmas  ;  and  when  they  came 
 thither  his  men  took  them  one  by  one,  and  cut  off  theii'  right 
 hands.  All  this  was  done  witliin  the  twelve  days,  and  with 
 much  justice,  because  they  had  ruined  this  land  with  the  great 
 quantity  of  bad  metal  which  they  all  bought.  This  year  the 
 pope  of  Rome  sent  John  of  Crema,  a  cardinal,  to  this  land.  He 
 first  came  to  the  king  in  Normandy,  and  the  king  received  him 
 with  much  honour,  and  commended  him  to  William  archbishop 
 of  Canterbury,  who  conducted  him  to  Canterbury ;  and  he  was 
 there  received  with  much  pomp,  and  a  great  procession,  and 
 he  sang  the  liigh  mass  at  Christ's  altar  on  Easter  day ;  and  then 
 he  journeyed  over  all  England,  to  all  the  bishoprics  and 
 abbacies,  and  he  was  honourably  received  every  where,  and 
 all  gave  him  great  and  handsome  gifts  ;  and  in  September 
 he  held  his  council  in  London  full  three  days,  (beginning)  on 
 the  Nativity  of  St.  Alary,  with  the  archbishops,  bishops,  and 
 abbats,  and  the  clergy  and  laity,  and  he  sanctioned  the  laws 
 which  archbishop  Anselm  had  made,  and  he  enacted  many 
 others,  though  they  remained  in  force  but  a  little  while. 
 Thence  he  went  over  sea  soon  after  Michaelmas,  and  so  to 
 Rome.  William  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  Thurstan 
 archbishop  of  York,  and  Alexander  bishop  of  Lincoln,  and 
 John  bishop  of  Lothian  (Glasgow),  and  Geoffrey  abbat  of 
 St.  Alban's  accompanied  him,  and  were  received  with  great 
 honour  by  the  pope  Honorius,  and  they  remained  there  the 
 xvhole  winter.     The  same  year  there  was  so  great  a  flood  on 
 
A.D.  1026,  1027.]  THE  AJfGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  495 
 
 St.  Lawrence's  day,  that  many  towns  were  deluged,  and  men 
 drowned,  the  bridges  were  broken  up,  and  the  corn  fields  and 
 meadows  spoiled ;  and  there  was  famine  and  disease  upon 
 men  and  cattle  ;  and  it  was  so  bad  a  season  for  all  fruits  as 
 had  not  been  for  many  years  before.  The  same  year  John 
 abbat  of  Peterborough  died  on  the  2nd  before  the  Ides  of 
 October. 
 
 A.  1126.  This  year  king  Henry  was  in  Normandy  till 
 after  harvest  ;  and  he  came  to  this  land  between  the  nativity 
 of  St.  Mary,  and  Michaelmas,  accompanied  by  the  queen, 
 and  by  his  daughter  whom  he  had  before  given  in  marriage 
 to  the  emperor  Henry  of  Lorrain.  He  brought  with  him 
 the  earl  Waleram,  and  Hugh  the  son  of  Gervais,  and  he 
 imprisoned  the  earl  at  Bridge-north,  and  he  afterwards  sent 
 him  to  Wallingford,  and  he  sent  Hugh  to  Windsor,  and 
 caused  liim  to  be  kept  in  strong  bonds.  And  after  Michael- 
 mas David  king  of  Scotland  came  hither,  and  king  Henry 
 received  him  with  much  honour,  and  he  abode  through  the 
 year  in  this  land.  The  same  year  the  king  caused  his 
 brother  Robert  to  be  taken  from  Roger  bishop  of  Salisbury, 
 and  delivered  to  his  son  Robert  earl  of  Gloucester,  and  he 
 caused  him  to  be  removed  to  Bristol,  and  put  into  the  castle. 
 All  this  was  done  tlirough  the  advice  of  his  daughter,  and  of 
 her  uncle  David  king  of  Scotland. 
 
 A.  1127.  This  year,  at  Christmas,  king  Henry  held  his 
 court  at  Windsor,  and  David,  king  of  Scotland,  was  there, 
 and  all  the  head  men  of  England,  both  clergy  and  laity. 
 And  the  king  caused  the  archbishops,  bishops,  abbats,  earls, 
 and  all  the  thanes  who  were  present,  to  swear  to  place  Eng- 
 land and  Normandy,  after  his  death,  in  the  hands  of  his 
 daughter  the  princess,  who  had  been  the  wife  of  the  emperor 
 of  Saxony.  And  then  he  sent  her  to  Normandy,  accom- 
 panied by  her  brother  Robert,  earl  of  Gloucester,  and  by 
 Brian,  the  son  of  the  earl  Alan  Fergan ;  and  he  caused  her 
 to  be  wedded  to  the  son  of  the  earl  of  Anjou,  named 
 Geoffrey  Martell.  Howbeit  this  displeased  all  the  French 
 and  the  English,  but  the  king  did  it  to  have  the  alliance*  of 
 
 *  Miss  Gumey  renders  this  "  to  obtain  peace  from,"  following  Gibson, 
 who  turns  '  sibbe'  into  Latin  by  pacem,  which  Ingram  justly  disapproves 
 of,  on  the  ground  that  the  powerful  Henry  would  hardly  fear  so  small  a 
 potentate  as  the  earl  of  Anjou. 
 
496  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1127. 
 
 the  earl  of  Anjou  and  airi  agrainst  his  nephew  William.  The 
 same  year  Charles,  earl  of  Flanders,  was  slain  in  Lent  by  his 
 own  men,  as  he  lay  before  the  altar  in  a  church,  and  prayed 
 to  God  during  mass.  And  the  king  of  France  brought 
 William,  the  son  of  the  earl  of  Normandy,  and  gave  him  the 
 earldom,  and  the  men  of  Flanders  received  liim.  The  same 
 William  had  before  taken  to  wife  the  daughter  of  the  earl  of 
 Anjou,  but  they  were  afterwards  divorced  because  of  their 
 nearness  of  kin,  and  this  through  the  interference  of  Henry, 
 king  of  England;  he  afterwards  married  the  sister  of  the 
 king  of  France,  and  on  this  account  the  king  gave  him  the 
 earldom  of  Flanders.  The  same  year  Henry  gave  the  abbacy 
 of  Peterborough  to  an  abbat  named  Henry  of  Poitou,  who 
 was  in  possession  of  the  abbacy  of  St.  Jean  d'Angeli ;  and 
 all  the  archbishops  and  bishops  said  that  this  grant  was 
 against  right,  and  that  he  could  not  have  in  liand  two  ab- 
 bacies. But  the  same  Henry  made  the  king  believe  that  he 
 had  given  up  his  abbey  on  account  of  the  great  disquietude 
 of  the  land,  and  that  he  had  done  so  by  the  order  and  with 
 the  leave  of  the  pope  of  Rome,  and  of  the  abbat  of  Cluny, 
 and  because  he  was  legate  for  collecting  the  Rome-scot. 
 Nevertheless  it  was  not  so,  but  he  wished  to  keep  both 
 abbeys  in  his  own  hands,  and  he  did  hold  them  as  long  as  it 
 was  the  mil  of  God.  In  his  clerical  state  he  Avas  bishop  of 
 Soissons,  afterwards  he  was  a  monk  at  Cluny,  then  prior  of 
 the  same  monastery,  and  next  he  was  prior  of  Sevigny; 
 after  this,  being  related  to  the  king  of  England  and  to  the 
 earl  of  Poitou,  the  earl  gave  him  the  abbey  of  St.  Jean 
 d'Angeli.  ^Afterwards,  by  his  great  craft,  he  obtained  the 
 archbishopric  of  Besan^on,  and  kept  possession  of  it  three 
 day;  and  then  lost  he  it  right  worthily,  in  that  he  had 
 gotten  it  with  all  injustice.  He  then  obtained  the  bishopric 
 of  Saintes,  which  was  five  miles  from  his  own  abbey,  and  he 
 kept  this  for  nearly  a  week,  but  here  again  the  abbat  of 
 Clugny  displaced  liim,  as  he  had  before  removed  him  from 
 Besan9on.  Now  he  bethought  himself,  that  if  he  could  be 
 sheltered  in  England,  he  might  have  all  his  will,  on  which 
 he  besought  the  king,  and  said  to  him  that  he  was  an  old 
 man,  and  completely  broken,  and  that  he  could  not  endure 
 the  wrongs  and  oppressions  of  that  land,  and  he  asked  the 
 king  himself,  and  through  all  his  friends,  by  name  for  the 
 
A.D.  1128.1  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  497 
 
 abbacy  of  Peterborough.  And  the  king  granted  it  to  him, 
 forasmuch  as  he  was  his  kinsman,  and  in  that  he  had  been 
 one  of  the  first  to  swear  oaths,  and  to  bear  witness,  when  the 
 son  of  the  earl  of  Normandj  and  the  daughter  of  the  earl  of 
 Anjou  were  divorced  on  the  plea  of  kindred.  Thus  vex- 
 atiouslj  was  the  abbacy  of  Peterborough  given  away  at  Lon- 
 don, between  Christmas  and  Candlemas;  and  so  Henry 
 went  with  the  king  to  Winchester,  and  thence  he  came  to 
 Peterborough,  and  there  he  lived  even  as  a  drone  in  a  hive  j 
 as  the  drone  eateth  and  draggeth  forward  to  himself  all  that 
 is  brought  near,  even  so  did  he ;  and  thus  he  sent  over  sea 
 all  that  he  could  take  from  religious  or  from  secular,  both 
 within  and  without ;  he  did  there  no  good,  nor  did  he  leave 
 any  there.  Let  no  man  think  lightly  of  the  marvel  that  we 
 are  about  to  relate  as  a  truth,  for  it  was  full  well  known 
 over  all  the  country.  It  is  this;  that  as  soon  as  he  came 
 there,  *  it  was  on  the  Sunday,  when  men  sing  "  Exurge 
 quare  0  Domine;^^  several  persons  saw  and  heard  many 
 hunters  hunting. — These  hunters  were  black,  and  large,  and 
 loathly,  and  their  hounds  were  all  black,  with  wide  eyes,  and 
 ugly,  and  they  rode  on  black  horses  and  on  black  bucks. 
 This  was  seen  in  the  very  deer-park  of  the  town  of  Peter- 
 borough, and  in  all  the  woods  from  the  same  town  to  Stam- 
 ford; and  the  monks  heard  the  blasts  of  the  horns  which 
 they  blew  in  the  night.  Men  of  truth  kept  in  the  night 
 their  watch  on  them,  and  said  that  there  might  well  be  about 
 twenty  or  thirty  horn-blowers.  This  was  seen  and  heard 
 from  the  time  that  the  abbat  came  thither,  all  that  Lent, 
 until  Easter.  Such  was  his  entrance,  of  his  exit  we  can  say 
 nothing  yet :  God  knoweth  it. 
 
 A.  1128.  All  this  year  king  Henry  was  in  Normandy,  on 
 account  of  the  war  between  liim  and  his  nephew  the  earl  of 
 Flanders ;  but  the  earl  was  wounded  in  battle  by  a  servant, 
 and  being  so  wounded  he  went  to  the  monastery  of  St.  Ber- 
 tin,  and  forthwith  he  was  made  a  monk,  and  lived  five  days 
 after,  and  then  died,  and  was  buried  there :  God  rest  his 
 soul !      He  was  buried  on  the  6th  before  the  Kalends  of 
 
 *  *  Thaer'  in  the  original,  not  '  thiiler.'  Dr.  Ingram  remarks,  that  this 
 is  the  first  instance  of  the  negligent  use  of  the  word  '  there'  for  "  thither.' 
 But  use  is  second  nature,  and  in  conversation  at  least,  the  former  of  these 
 words  has  entirely  superseded  the  lattex. 
 
 K   K 
 
498  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1129. 
 
 August.  The  same  year  died  Randulpli  Passeflambard 
 bishop  of  Durham,  and  he  was  buried  there  on  the  Nones 
 of  September.  And  this  year  the  aforesaid  abbat  Henry 
 went  home  to  his  own  monastery  in  Poitou,  with  the  king's 
 leave.  He  had  given  the  king  to  understand  that  he  would 
 wholly  quit  that  monastery,  and  that  country,  and  abide 
 with  him  in  England,  and  at  his  monastery  at  Peterborough. 
 But  so  it  was  not,  for  he  spake  thus  guilefully,  wishing  to 
 remain  there  a  twelvemonth  or  more,  and  then  to  return 
 again.  May  Almighty  Grod  have  mercy  upon  this  "s\Tetched 
 place  !  The  same  year  Hugh  of  the  Temple  came  from 
 Jerusalem  to  the  king  in  Normandy,  and  the  king  received 
 him  with  much  honour,  and  gave  him  much  treasure  in  gold 
 and  silver,  and  afterwards  he  sent  him  to  England,  and 
 there  he  was  well  received  by  all  good  men,  and  all  gave 
 him  treasures ;  and  in  Scotland  also :  and  they  sent  in  all  a 
 great  sum  of  gold  and  silver  by  him  to  Jerusalem.  And  he 
 invited  the  people  out  to  Jerusalem,  and  there  went  with 
 him  and  after  him  so  great  a  number,  as  never  before  since 
 the  first  expedition  in  the  days  of  pope  Urban.  Yet  this 
 availed  little :  he  said  that  there  was  a  furious  war  between 
 the  Christians  and  the  heathens,  and  when  they  came  there 
 it  was  nothing  but  leasing.  Thus  were  all  these  people 
 miserably  betrayed. 
 
 A.  1129.  This  year  the  king  sent  to  England  after  earl 
 Waleram,  and  after  Hugh  the  son  of  Gervase;  and  there 
 they  gave  him  hostages,  and  Hugh  went  home  to  France 
 his  own  country,  and  Waleram  remained  with  the  king,  and 
 the  king  gave  him  all  his  lands,  excepting  his  castle  alone. 
 Then  the  king  came  to  England  in  harvest,  and  the  earl 
 came  with  him,  and  they  were  as  great  friends  as  they  had 
 been  enemies  before.  Then  soon,  by  the  king's  counsel  and 
 consent,  William  archbishop  of  Canterbury  sent  over  all 
 England,  and  commanded  the  bishops,  and  abbats,  and  arch- 
 deacons, and  all  the  priors,  monks,  and  canons  of  all  the 
 cells  of  England,  and  all  who  had  the  charge  and  oversight 
 of  the  Christian  religion,  that  they  should  come  to  London 
 at  Michaelmas,  to  hold  conference  upon  all  God's  rights. 
 When  they  came  thither,  the  meeting  began  on  the  Monday 
 and  lasted  till  the  Friday,  and  it  came  out  that  it  was  all 
 concerning  the  wives  of  archdeacons  and  priests,  that  they 
 
A.D.1130.J        THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  499 
 
 should  part  with  tliem  by  St.  Andrew's  day;  and  tliat  lie 
 who  would  not  do  this,  should  forego  his  church,  his  house, 
 and  his  home,  and  never  be  permitted  again  to  claim  them. 
 This  was  ordered  by  William  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and 
 all  the  bishops  of  England :  and  the  king  gave  them  leave  to 
 depart,  and  so  they  went  home,  and  these  decrees  were  in  no 
 respect  observed,  for  all  kept  their  wives,  by  the  king's  per- 
 mission, even  as  before.  The  same  year  William  Giffard 
 bishop  of  Winchester  died,  and  was  buried  there  on  the  8th 
 before  the  Kalends  of  February ;  and  after  Michaelmas  the 
 king  gave  the  bishopric  to  his  nephew  Henry  abbat  of  Glas- 
 tonbury, and  he  was  consecrated  by  William  archbishop  of 
 Canterbury  on  the  fifteenth  before  the  Kalends  of  December. 
 The  same  year  died  j)ope  Honorius,  and  before  he  was  well 
 dead,  two  popes  were  chosen.  The  one  was  named  Peter, 
 he  was  a  monk  of  Clugny,  and  descended  from  the  greatest 
 men  of  Rome,  and  the  Romans  and  the  duke  of  Sicily  held 
 with  him;  the  other  was  named  Gregory,  he  was  a  clerk, 
 and  he  was  driven  from  Rome  by  the  other  pope  and  his 
 kinsmen,  and  he  was  acknowledged  by  the  emperor  of  Sax- 
 ony, by  the  king  of  France,  by  Henry  king  of  England,  and 
 by  all  on  this  side  of  the  mountains.  There  was  now  so  great 
 a  division  in  Christendom,  that  the  like  had  never  been 
 before.  May  Christ  appoint  good  counsel  for  his  miserable 
 people !  The  same  year  there  was  a  great  earthquake  on 
 St.  Nicholas's  night,  a  little  before  day. 
 
 A.  1130.  This  year  the  monastery  of  Canterbury  w^as 
 consecrated  by  archbishop  William,  on  the  4th  before  the 
 Nones  of  May.  The  following  bishops  were  there :  John  of 
 Rochester,  Gilbert  Universal  of  London,  Henry  of  Win- 
 chester, Alexander  of  Lincoln,  Roger  of  Salisbury,  Simon 
 of  AVorcester,  Roger  of  Coventry,  Godfrey  of  Bath,  Ever- 
 ard  of  Norwich,  Sigefrid  of  Chichester,  Bernard  of  St, 
 David's,  Owen  of  Evreux,  in  Normandy,  and  John  of  Sie- 
 zes.  On  the  fourth  day  after  this,  king  Henry  was  at  Ro- 
 chester, and  nearly  the  whole  town  was  burnt  down;  and 
 archbishop  William  and  the  aforesaid  bishops  consecrated 
 St.  Andrew's  monastery.  And  king  Henry  went  over  sea 
 to  Normandy  during  harvest.  The  same  year  Henry  abbat 
 of  Angeli  came  to  Peterborough  after  Easter,  and  said  that 
 he   had  wholly  given  up  that  monastery.     After  him,  the 
 
 K   K    2 
 
500  THE  AJs^GLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1131. 
 
 abbat  of  Clugny  named  Peter  came  to  England  witli  the 
 king's  leave,  and  he  was  received  with  much  honour  wher- 
 ever he  went ;  he  came  to  Peterborough,  and  there  the  abbat 
 Henry  promised  that  he  would  obtain  for  him  the  monastery 
 of  Peterborough,  and  that  it  should  be  annexed  to  Clugny ; 
 but  as  it  is  said  in  the  proverb : 
 
 «  The  hedge  still  stands 
 That  parts  the  lands." 
 
 May  Almighty  God  frustrate  evil  counsels  !  And  soon 
 afterwards  the  abbat  of  Clugny  went  home  to  his  own 
 country.  This  year  was  Angus  slain  by  the  Scottish  army, 
 and  a  great  number  of  persons  with  him.  There  was  God's 
 right  wrought  upon  liim,  for  that  he  was  all  forsworn. 
 
 A.  1131.  This  year,  on  a  moonlight  night*  after  Clmst- 
 mas,  during  the  first  sleep,  the  northern  half  of  the  heaven 
 was,  as  it  were,  a  burning  fire ;  so  that  all  who  saw  it  were 
 more  afearedf  than  ever  they  were  before;  this  happened  on 
 the  3rd  before  the  Ides  of  January.  The  same  year  there 
 was  so  great  a  pestilence  amongst  animals  over  all  England, 
 as  had  not  been  in  the  memory  of  man ;  it  chiefly  fell  on 
 cattle  and  on  swine,  so  that  in  the  town  where  ten  or  twelve 
 ploughs  had  been  going,  not  one  remained,  and  the  man,  who 
 had  possessed  two  or  three  hundred  swine,  had  not  one  left 
 him.  After  this  the  hens  died ;  and  flesh-meat  became 
 scarce,  and  cheese  and  butter.  God  mend  the  state  of 
 things  when  such  is  his  will !  And  king  Henry  came  home 
 to  England  before  harvest,  after  the  feast  of  St.  Peter  ad  vin- 
 aula.  The  same  year  before  Easter  the  abbat  Henry  went 
 from  Peterborough  over  sea  to  Normandy,  and  there  he 
 spoke  with  the  king,  and  told  him  that  the  abbat  of  Clugny 
 had  commanded  him  to  come  over,  and  resign  to  him  the 
 abbey  of  Angely ;  and  that  then,  with  his  leave,  he  would 
 return  home  :  and  so  he  went  to  his  own  monastery  and 
 abode  there  till  Midsummer-day.  And  on  the  day  after  the 
 feast  of  St.  John,  the  monks  chose  an  abbat  from  among 
 tliemselves,  and  brought  him  into  the  church  in  procession ; 
 they  sang  Te  Deum  laudamus,  rang  the  bells,  and  set  him 
 on  the  abbat's  seat,  and  did  all  obedience  to  him,  even  as 
 
 ♦  "  Luna  splendente." — Gibs.     "  Monday  night." — Ingram. 
 t  The  original  Anglo-Saxon  has  it  so, '  oiFaerd.' 
 
A.D.  1131-1135]        THE  ANGLO-SAXON  OHEONICLE.  501 
 
 they  would  to  their  abbat ;  and  the  earl  and  all  the  chief 
 men  and  the  monks  drove  the  other  abbat  Henry  out  of  the 
 monastery,  and  well  they  might,  for  in  five  and  twenty  years 
 they  had  never  known  a  good  day.  All  his  great  craftiness 
 failed  liim  here,  and  now  it  behoved  him  to  creep  into  any 
 corner,  and  to  consider  if  perchance  there  yet  remained  some 
 slippery  device,  by  which  he  might  once  more  betray  Christ 
 and  all  Christian  people.  Then  went  he  to  Clugny,  and 
 there  they  kept  him,  so  that  he  could  go  neither  east  nor 
 west  ;  the  abbat  of  Clugny  saying  that  they  had  lost  St. 
 John's  minster  through  him,  and  his  great  sottishness  ; 
 wherefore  seeing  he  could  give  no  better  compensation,  he 
 promised  and  swore  on  the  holy  relics,  that  if  he  might  pro- 
 ceed to  England  he  would  obtain  for  them  the  monastery  of 
 Peterborough,  and  would  establish  there  a  prior  of  Clugny, 
 a  churchwarden,  a  treasurer,  and  a  keeper  of  the  robes,  and 
 that  he  would  make  over  to  them  all  things  both  within  and 
 without  the  monastery.  Thus  he  went  into  France  and 
 abode  there  all  the  year.  May  Christ  provide  for  the 
 wretched  monks  of  Peterborough,  and  for  that  miserable 
 place,  for  now  do  they  stand  in  need  of  the  help  of  Christ 
 and  of  all  Christian  people. 
 
 A.  1132.  This  year  king  Henry  returned  to  this  land: 
 then  the  abbat  Henry  came,  and  accused  the  monks  of  Peter- 
 borough to  the  king,  because  he  desired  to  subject  that  mon- 
 astery to  Clugny ;  so  that  the  king  was  well  nigh  beguiled, 
 and  sent  for  the  monks ;  but  by  God's  mercy,  and  through 
 the  bishops  of  Salisbury  and  Lincoln,  and  the  other  great 
 men  who  were  there,  he  found  out  that  the  abbat  dealt 
 treacherously.  When  he  could  do  no  more,  he  wished 
 that  his  nephew  might  be  abbat  of  Peterborough,  but  this 
 was  not  the  will  of  Christ.  It  was  not  very  long  after 
 this  that  the  king  sent  for  him,  and  made  him  give  up  the 
 abbey  of  Peterborough,  and  depart  out  of  the  country,  and 
 the  king  granted  the  abbacy  to  a  prior  of  St.  Neot's  named 
 Martin,  and  he  came  to  the  monastery,  right  worshipfully 
 attended,  on  St.  Peter's  day. 
 
 A.  1135.  This  year,  at  Lammas,  king  Henry  went  over 
 sea  :  and  on  the  second  day,  as  he  lay  asleep  in  the  ship,  the 
 day  was  darkened  universally,  and  the  sun  became  as  if  it 
 were  a  moon  three  nights  old,  Avith  the  stars  sliining  round  it 
 
502  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  Ia.d.  1137. 
 
 at  mid-day.  Men  greatly  marvelled,  and  great  fear  fell  on 
 them,  and  they  said  that  some  great  event  should  follow  there- 
 after— and  so  it  was,  for  the  same  year  the  king  died  in  Nor- 
 mandy, on  the  day  after  the  feast  of  St.  Andrew.  Soon  did 
 this  land  fall  into  trouble,  for  every  man  greatly  began  to  rob 
 his  neighbour  as  he  might.  Then  king  Henry's  sons  and 
 Ids  friends  took  his  body,  and  brought  it  to  England,  and 
 buried  it  at  Reading.  He  was  a  good  man,  and  great  was 
 the  awe  of  him ;  no  man  durst  ill  treat  another  in  his  time  : 
 he  made  peace  for  men  and  deer.  Whoso  bare  his  burden 
 of  gold  and  silver,  no  man  durst  say  to  him  ought  but  good. 
 In  the  meantime  his  nephew  Stephen  de  Blois  had  arrived  in 
 England,  and  he  came  to  London,  and  the  inhabitants  re- 
 ceived him,  and  sent  for  the  archbishop,  William  Corboil, 
 who  consecrated  him  king  on  midwinter-day.  In  this  king's 
 time  was  all  discord,  and  evil-doing,  and  robbery  ;  for  the 
 powerful  men  who  had  kept  aloof,  soon  rose  up  against  him ; 
 the  first  was  Baldwin  de  Redvers,  and  he  held  Exeter  against 
 the  king,  and  Stephen  besieged  him,  and  afterwards  Baldwin 
 made  terms  with  him.  Then  the  others  took  their  castles, 
 and  held  them  against  the  king,  and  David,  king  of  Scotland, 
 betook  him  to  Wessington  [Derbyshire],  but  notwithstanding 
 his  array,  messengers  passed  between  them,  and  they  came 
 together,  and  made  an  agreement,  though  it  availed  little. 
 
 A.  1137.  This  year  king  Stephen  went  over  sea  to  Nor- 
 mandy, and  he  was  received  there  because  it  was  expected 
 that  he  would  be  altogether  like  his  uncle,  and  because  he 
 had  gotten  possession  of  his  treasure,  but  tliis  he  distributed 
 and  scattered  foolishly.  King  Henry  had  gathered  together 
 much  gold  and  silver,  yet  did  he  no  good  for  his  soul's 
 sake  with  the  same.  When  king  Stephen  came  to  Eng- 
 land, he  held  an  assembly  at  Oxford ;  and  there  he 
 seized  Roger  bishop  of  Salisbury,  and  Alexander  bishop  of 
 Lincoln,  and  Roger  the  chancellor,  his  nephew,  and  he  kept 
 them  all  in  prison  till  they  gave  up  their  castles.  When  the 
 traitors  perceived  that  he  Avas  a  mild  man,  and  a  soft,  and  a 
 good,  and  that  he  did  not  enforce  justice,  they  did  all  wonder. 
 They  had  done  homage  to  him,  and  sworn  oaths,  but  they  no 
 faith  kept;  all  became  forsworn,  and  broke  their  allegi- 
 ance, for  every  rich  man  built  his  castles,  and  defended  them 
 against  him,  and  they  filled  the  land  full  of  castles.     They 
 
A.D.  1137.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  503 
 
 greatly  oppressed  the  wretclied  people  by  making  them  work 
 at  these  castles,  and  when  the  castles  were  finished  they  filled 
 them  with  devils  and  evil  men.  Then  they  took  those  whom 
 they  suspected  to  have  any  goods,  by  night  and  by  day,  seizing 
 both  men  and  women,  and  they  put  them  in  prison  for  their  gold 
 and  silver,  and  tortured  them  with  pains  unspeakable,  for  never 
 were  any  martyrs  tormented  as  these  were.  They  hung  some 
 up  by  their  feet,  and  smoked  them  with  foul  smoke ;  some  by 
 their  thumbs,  or  by  the  head,  and  they  hung  burning  things  on 
 their  feet.  They  put  a  knotted  string  about  their  heads,  and 
 twdsted  it  till  it  went  into  the  brain.  They  put  them  into  dun- 
 geons wherein  were  adders  and  snakes  and  toads,  and  thus  wore 
 them  out.  Some  they  put  into  a  crucet-house,  that  is,  into 
 a  chest  that  was  short  and  narrow,  and  not  deep,  and  they 
 put  sharp  stones  in  it,  and  crushed  the  man  therein  so  that 
 they  broke  all  his  limbs.  There  were  hateful  and  grim 
 tilings  called  Sachenteges  in  many  of  the  castles,  and  which 
 two  or  three  men  had  enough  to  do  to  carry.  The  Sachen- 
 tege  was  made  thus :  it  was  fastened  to  a  beam,  having  a 
 sharp  iron  to  go  round  a  man's  throat  and  neck,  so  that  he 
 might  no  ways  sit,  nor  lie,  nor  sleep,  but  that  he  must  bear 
 all  the  iron.  Many  thousands  they  exhausted  with  hunger. 
 I  cannot  and  I  may  not  tell  of  all  the  wounds,  and  all  the 
 tortures  that  they  inflicted  upon  the  wretched  men  of  this 
 land ;  and  this  state  of  things  lasted  the  nineteen  years  that 
 Stephen  was  king,  and  ever  grew  worse  and  worse.  They  were 
 continually  levying  an  exaction  from  the  towns,  which  they 
 called  Tenserie,*  and  when  the  miserable  inhabitants  had  no 
 more  to  give,  then  plundered  they,  and  burnt  all  the  towns, 
 so  that  well  mightest  thou  walk  a  whole  day's  journey  nor 
 ever  shouldest  thou  find  a  man  seated  in  a  town,  or  its  lands 
 tiUed. 
 
 Then  was  corn  dear,  and  flesh,  and  cheese,  and  butter,  for 
 there  was  none  in  the  land — wretched  men  starved  with 
 hunger — some  lived  on  alms  who  had  been  erewhile  rich : 
 some  fled  the  country — never  was  there  more  misery,  and 
 never  acted  heathens  worse  than  these.  At  length  they 
 spared  neither  church  nor  churchyard,  but  they  took  all  that 
 was  valuable  therein,  and  then  burned  the  church  and  all  to- 
 gether. Neither  did  they  spare  the  lands  of  bishops,  nor  of 
 *  A  payment  to  the  superior  lord  for  protection. 
 
504  THE  ANGLO-SAXOX  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.1137. 
 
 abbats,  nor  of  priests ;  but  they  robbed  the  monks  and  the 
 clergy,  and  every  man  plundered  his  neighbour  as  much  as 
 he  could.  K  two  or  three  men  came  riding  to  a  town,  all 
 the  township  fled  before  them,  and  thought  that  they  were 
 robbers.  The  bishops  and  clergy  were  ever  cursing  them, 
 but  this  to  them  was  nothing,  for  they  were  all  accursed,  and 
 forsworn,  and  reprobate.  The  earth  bare  no  corn,  you 
 might  as  well  have  tilled  the  sea,  for  the  land  was  all  ruined 
 by  such  deeds,  and  it  was  said  openly  that  Christ  and  his 
 saints  slept.  These  things,  and  more  than  we  can  say, 
 did  we  suffer  during  nineteen  years  because  of  our  sins. 
 Through  all  this  evil  time  the  abbat  Martin  held  his  abbacy 
 for  twenty  years  and  a  half  and  eight  days,  with  many  difli- 
 culties:  and  he  provided  the  monks  and  guests  with  all 
 necessaries,  and  kept  up  much  alms  in  the  house ;  and  withal 
 he  wrought  upon  the  church,  and  annexed  thereto  lands  and 
 rents,  and  enriched  it  greatly,  and  furnished  it  with  robes : 
 and  he  brought  the  monks  into  the  new  monastery  on  St. 
 Peter's  day  with  much  pomp.  This  was  in  the  year  1140 
 of  our  Lord's  incarnation,  the  twenty-third  year  after  the 
 fire.  And  he  went  to  Rome  and  was  well  received  there  by 
 pope  Eugenius,  from  whom  he  obtained  sundry  privileges,  to 
 wit,  one  for  all  the  abbey  lands,  and  another  for  the  lands 
 that  adjoin  the  monastery,  and  had  he  lived  longer  he  meant 
 to  have  done  as  much  for  the  treasurer's  house.  And  he  re- 
 gained certain  lands  that  powerful  men  possessed  by  force ; 
 he  won  Cotingham  and  Easton  from  William  Malduit,  who 
 held  Rockingham  castle,  and  from  Hugh  of  Walteville  he 
 won  Hirtlingbery,  and  Stanwick,  and  sixty  shillings  yearly 
 out  of  Oldwinkle.  And  he  increased  the  number  of  monks, 
 and  planted  a  vineyard,  and  made  many  works,  and  im- 
 proved the  town  ;  and  he  was  a  good  monk  and  a  good  man, 
 and  therefore  God  and  good  men  loved  him.  Now  will  ^ve 
 relate  some  part  of  what  befell  in  king  Stephen's  time.  In 
 his  reign  the  Jews  of  NorAAdch  bought  a  Christian  cliild 
 before  Easter,  and  tortured  him  with  all  the  torments  where- 
 with our  Lord  was  tortured,  and  they  crucified  him  on  Good 
 Friday  for  the  love  of  our  Lord,  and  afterwards  buried  him. 
 They  believed  that  this  would  be  kept  secret,  but  our  Lord 
 made  manifest  that  he  was  a  holy  martyr,  and  the  monks  took 
 him  and  buried  him  honourably  in  the  monastery,  and  he 
 
A.D.  1138,  1140.]  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHKOXICLE.  505 
 
 performed  manifold  and  wonderful  miracles  through  the 
 power  of  our  Lord,  and  he  is  called  St.  William. 
 
 A.  1138.  This  year  David  king  of  Scotland  entered  this 
 land  with  an  immense  army  resolving  to  conquer  it,  and 
 William  earl  of  Albemarle,  to  whose  charge  the  king  had 
 committed  York,  and  other  trusty  men,  came  against  him 
 with  few  troops,  and  fought  with  him,  and  they  put  the  king 
 to  flight  at  the  Standard,  and  slew  a  great  part  of  his 
 followers. 
 
 A.  1140.  This  year  Stephen  attempted  to  take  Robert 
 earl  of  Gloucester  the  son  of  king  Henry,  but  failed,  for 
 Robert  was  aware  of  his  purpose.  After  this,  in  Lent,  the 
 sun  and  the  day  were  darkened  about  noon,  when  men  eat, 
 so  that  they  lighted  candles  to  eat  by.  This  was  on  the  13th 
 before  the  Kalends  of  April,  and  the  people  were  greatly  as- 
 tonished. After  this  William  archbishop  of  Canterbury 
 died,  and  the  king  made  Theobald,  abbat  of  Bee,  archbishop. 
 Then  there  arose  a  very  great  war  between  the  king  and 
 Randolph  earl  of  Chester,  not  because  the  king  did  not  give 
 him  all  that  he  could  ask,  even  as  he  did  to  all  others,  but 
 that  the  more  he  gave  them,  the  worse  they  always  carried 
 themselves  to  liim.  The  earl  held  Lincoln  against  the  king, 
 and  seized  all  that  belonged  to  the  king  there,  and  the  king 
 went  thither,  and  besieged  him  and  liis  brother  William  de 
 Romare  in  the  castle  :  and  the  earl  stole  out  and  went  for 
 Robert  earl  of  Gloucester,  and  brought  him  thither  with  a 
 large  army  ;  and  they  fought  furiously  against  their  lord  on 
 Candlemas-day,  and  they  took  him  captive,  for  his  men  be- 
 trayed him  and  fled,  and  they  led  him  to  Bristol,  and  there 
 they  put  him  into  prison  and  close  confinement.  Now  was 
 all  England  more  disturbed  than  before,  and  all  evil  was  in 
 the  land.  After  this,  king  Henry's  daughter,  who  had  been 
 empress  of  Germany,  and  was  now  countess  of  Anjou,  ar- 
 rived, and  she  came  to  London,  and  the  citizens  would  hav<e 
 seized  her,  but  she  fled  with  much  loss.  Then  Henry  bishop 
 of  Winchester,  king  Stephen's  brother,  spake  with  earl 
 Robert  and  with  the  empress,  and  swore  them  oaths  that  he 
 never  more  would  hold  with  the  king  his  brother,  and  he 
 cursed  all  those  that  did  hold  with  him,  and  he  said  that  he 
 would  give  up  Winchester  to  them,  and  he  made  them  come 
 thither.     But  when  they  were  in  that  place  Stephen's  queen 
 
506  THE  ANGLO-SAXON  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  1140. 
 
 brought  up  her  strength  and  besieged  them,  till  there  was  so 
 great  a  limine  in  the  town,  thej  could  endure  it  no  longer. 
 Then  stole  they  out  and  fled,  and  the  besiegers  were  aware 
 of  them,  and  followed  them,  and  they  took  Robert  earl  of 
 Gloucester  and  led  him  to  Rochester,  and  imprisoned  him 
 there  :  and  the  empress  fled  into  a  monastery.     Then  wise 
 men,  friends  of  the  king  and  of  the  earl,  interfered  between 
 them,  and  they  settled  that  the  king  should  be  let  out  of  pri- 
 son for  the  earl,  and  the  earl  for  the  king  ;   and  this  was 
 done.     After  this  the  king  and  earl  Randolph  were  recon- 
 ciled at   Stamford,   and  they  took  oaths  and  pledged  their 
 troth,  that  neither  would  betray  the  other  :  but  this  promise 
 was  set  at  nought,  for  the  king  afterwards  seized  the  earl  in 
 Northampton  through  wicked  counsel,  and  put  him  in  prison, 
 but  he  set  him  free  soon  after,  through  worse,  on  condition 
 that  he  should  swear  on  the  cross,  and  find  hostages  that  he 
 would  give  up  all  liis  castles.     Some  he  did  deliver  up,  and 
 others  not ;  and  he  did  worse  than  he  should  have  done  in 
 this  country.     Now  was  England   much  divided,  some  held 
 with  the  king  and  some  with  the  empress,  for  when  the  king 
 was  in  prison  the  earls  and  the  great  men  thought  that  he 
 would  never  more  come  out,  and  they  treated  with  the  em- 
 press, and  brought  her  to  Oxford,  and  gave  her  the  town. 
 When  the  king  was  out  of  prison  he  heard  this,  and  he  took 
 his  army  and  besieged  her  in  the  tower,  and  they  let  her 
 down  from  the  tower  by  night  with  ropes,  and  she  stole 
 away,  and  she  fled  :  and  she  went  on  foot  to  Wallingford. 
 After  this  she  went  over  sea,  and  all  the  Normans  turned 
 from  the  king  to  the  earl  of  Anjou,  some  willingly,  and  some 
 against  their  v/ill ;  for  he  besieged  them  till  they  gave  up 
 their  castles,  and  they  had  no  help  from  the  king.     Then  the 
 king's  son  Eustace  went  to  France,  and  took  to  wife  the  sis- 
 ter of  the  king  of  France  :    he  thought  to  obtain  Normandy 
 through  this  marriage,  but  little  he  sped,  and  that  of  right, 
 for  he  was  an  evil  man,  and  did  more  harm  than  good  wher- 
 ever he  went :  he  spoiled  the  lands,  and  laid  thereon  heavy 
 taxes  :  he  brought  his  wife  to  England,  and  put  her  into  the 
 
 castle  of ;  *  she  was  a  good  woman  but  she  had  little 
 
 bliss  with  him,  and  it  was  not  the  will  of  Christ  that  he 
 
 *  "The  MS.  is  here  deficient ;  but   .  .  .  .  b  fur  *b}Tig'  is  discernible." 
 • — Inguam. 
 
A.D.  1140,1154.]         THE    AXGLO-SAXON   CHRONICLE.  507 
 
 should  bear  rule  long,  and  he  died,  and  his  mother  also. 
 And  the  earl  of  Anjou  died,  and  his  son  Henry  succeeded 
 him  ;  and  the  queen  of  France  was  divorced  from  the  kingr, 
 and  she  went  to  the  young  earl  Henry  and  he  took  her  to 
 wife,  and  received  all  Poitou  with  her.  Then  he  came  into 
 England  with  a  great  army  and  won  castles  ;  and  the  king 
 marched  against  him  with  a  much  larger  army,  howbeit  they 
 did  not  fight,  but  the  archbishop  and  wise  men  Avent  between 
 them  and  made  a  treaty  on  these  terms  :  that  the  king  should 
 be  lord  and  king  while  he  lived,  and  that  Henry  should  be 
 king  after  his  death,  and  that  he  should  consider  him  as  his 
 father,  and  the  king  him  as  his  son,  and  that  peace  and  con- 
 cord should  be  between  them,  and  in  all  England,  The  king, 
 and  the  earl,  and  the  bishop,  and  the  earls,  and  all  the  great 
 men  swore  to  observe  these  and  the  other  conditions  that 
 were  then  made.  The  earl  w^as  received  with  much  honour 
 at  Winchester  and  at  London,  and  all  did  homage  to  him,  and 
 ewore  to  keep  the  peace,  and  it  soon  became  a  very  good 
 i:eace,  such  as  never  was  in  this  land.  Then  the  king  Avas 
 more  powerful  here  than  ever  he  was  ;  and  tlie  earl  went 
 over  sea,  and  all  the  people  loved  him,  because  he  did  good 
 justice,  and  made  peace. 
 
 A.  1154.  This  year  king  Stephen  died,  and  he  Avas  buried 
 Avith  his  wife  and  his  son  at  Faversham  ;  they  had  built  that 
 monastery.  When  the  king  died  the  earl  Avas  beyond  sea, 
 and  no  man  durst  do  other  than  good  for  very  dread  of  him. 
 When  he  came  to  England  he  was  received  Avith  much  hon- 
 our, and  was  consecrated  king  at  London  on  the  Sunday  be- 
 fore Christmas,  and  he  held  a  great  court  there  :  and  on  the 
 same  day  that  Martin  abbat  of  Peterborough  should  have 
 gone  thither  he  sickened,  and  he  died  on  the  4th  before  the 
 Nones  of  January.  And  that  day  the  monks  chose  another 
 abbat  from  among  themselves.  He  is  named  William  de 
 Walteville,  a  good  clerk,  and  a  good  man,  and  well  beloved 
 of  the  king  and  of  all  good  people  :  and  they  buried  the 
 abbat  honourably  in  the  church,  and  soon  afterAvards  the 
 abbat  elect  and  the  monks  went  to  the  king  at  Oxford,  and 
 the  king  gave  him  the  abbacy,  and  he  dej^arted  soon  after- 
 Avards to  Peterborough,  AA'here  he  remained  Avith  the  abbat 
 before  he  came  home.     And  the  king  Avas  received  at  Peter- 
 
508  THE  A2nGL0-SAX0N  chronicle.  [a.d.  1154. 
 
 borough  with  great  respect,  and  in  full  procession  ;  so  he 
 was  also  at  Ramsey,  at  Thornej,  and  at  ....  and  Spalding, 
 and  .  .  . .* 
 
 *  The  MS.  is  defective.  Ramsey  and  Thomey  are  elicited  from  some 
 faint  traces  in  the  Laud  MS.  which  seem  to  have  escaped  the  penetration 
 of  Gibson.  The  last  paragraph,  if  Gibson's  reading  be  correct,  appears  to 
 relate  to  some  building  which  the  abbat  and  monks  of  Peterborough  had 
 begun  about  this  time.  See  Gunton's  History  of  Peterborough  Minster, 
 and  Cont.  Hug.  Candid,  ap.  Sparke,  pp.  92,  93. 
 
 RNI>   OF   ANGLO-SAXON    CHRONICLE. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Aaron,  martjT,  15. 
 
 Abercurnig  (Abercom)  monastery,  20,  224. 
 
 Abon,  ealdorman,  324. 
 
 Aoca,  bishop  of  Hexham,  129,  196,  274,  276, 
 
 292,  293,  333,  335. 
 Acha,  sister  to  king  Edwin,  118. 
 Acley,  synod  of,  342. 
 
 Adamnan,  abbat  of  lona,  252—266,  287, 288. 
 Adamnan,  monk  of  Coldingham,  220. 
 Ad  Barrs,  174,  184. 
 Adda,  abbat  of  Gateshead,  144. 
 Addi,  earl,  241. 
 
 Adgefrin,  Northumberland,  a  royal  seat,  97. 
 Adrian,  emperor  of  Rome,  307. 
 Adrian,  legate,  in  England,  328. 
 Adrian,  pope,  341,  342. 
 Adrian,  abbat-     See  Hadrian. 
 Mdaxi,  king  of  the  Scots,  61. 
 ^lla,  king  of  the  South  Saxons,  68,  310. 
 iElla,  usui-per  of  Northumbria,  351. 
 ^sc,  king  of  Kent,  310. 
 iEtherius,  bishop  of  Lyons,  35,  36,  40,  53 
 .(Etius,  groans  of  the  Britons  to  him,  22,  33. 
 Agelric,  bishop  of  Selsey,  435. 
 Agilbert,  bishop,  120, 155, 156,  ICO,  165,  271, 
 
 320,  325. 
 Aidan,  bishop  of  Lindisfarne,  112—117,  132 
 
 —137,  153,  160,  161,  320. 
 Albinus,  abbat  of  St.  Augustine's,  xxxviii, 
 
 2,  276. 
 Alban  (St.)  12—15,  307. 
 Alban's  (St.)  monastery,  485. 
 Alcluith,  a  British  city,  7, 19,  20. 
 Alcred,  king  of  Northumbria,  300,  339. 
 Alcuin.     See  Albinus. 
 Aldbert,  bishop  of  Dunwich,  292. 
 Aldhelm,  bishop  of  Sherborne,  267,  333. 
 Aldred,  bishop,  420,  425,  428,  431,  434,  436, 
 
 446. 
 Aldulf,  abp.  of  York,  382,  383,  390,  396. 
 Aldwich,  bishop  of  Sidnacester,  300. 
 Aldwin,  abbat  of  Pearteneu,  127. 
 Aldwin,  bishop  of  Lichfield,  293. 
 Aldwulf,  bp.  of  Rochester,  291, 292,  334,  3.35. 
 Aldwulf,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  93,  212. 
 Alexander,  bishop  of  Lincoln,  492. 
 Alexander,  king  of  Scotland,  482,  493. 
 Alfric,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  391—398. 
 Alfric,  ealdorman,  389. 
 Alfred,  king  of  England,  349—366. 
 Alfrid,  king  of  Deira,  144,  154,  164,  224,  263, 
 
 266,  274,  329,  332. 
 Alfun,  bishop  of  Dunwich,  34'i, 
 Alfwold,  bishop  of  Sherborne,  387. 
 
 Alfwold,  king  of  Northumbria,  340,  341. 
 
 Alhmund,  bishop  of  Hexham,  339,  340. 
 
 Alia,  king  of  Northumbria,  312 — 314. 
 
 AUectus,  usurps  authority  in  Britain,  11, 12. 
 
 Alric  killed,  344. 
 
 Alwy,  bishop  of  London,  405. 
 
 Alwyn,  bishop  of  Winchester,  413,  418,  420. 
 
 Ambrosius  Aurelius,  26. 
 
 Androgens,  commander  of  Trinovantum,  8. 
 
 Anlaf  Curran,  379. 
 
 Anlaf,  king  of  Northumbria,  376—378 
 
 Anlaf,  son  of  Sihtric,  378. 
 
 Anna,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  119,  138, 
 
 139,  320. 
 Anselm,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  450,  4C8, 
 
 47.3,  474,  477—479,  482. 
 Anselm,  abbat  of  Bury  St.  Edmund's,  485. 
 Anwind,  a  Danish  king,  355. 
 Arculf,  a  French  bishop,  203. 
 Arianism  spreads  in  Britain,  16. 
 Aries,  the  principal  see  of  Gaul,  36, 40. 44, 53. 
 Asclepiodotus,    captain    of    the    pretorian 
 
 bands,  11. 
 Asser,  bishop  of  Sherborne,  368. 
 Athelard,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  342—345. 
 Athelred,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  352,  359. 
 Athelstan,  bishop  of  Hereford,  434. 
 Athelstan,  king  of  Kent,  347,  348. 
 Athelstan,  kiiig  of  Mercia,  374—377. 
 At  the  Wall,  a  regal  village,  144, 146. 
 Attila,  king  of  the  Huns,  22,  308. 
 Athulf,  bishop,  383. 
 Augustine,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  34 — 
 
 74,  314,  31.5. 
 Augustine's  abbey,  60,  73. 
 
 Baccancelde  fBeckenham)  council,  331. 
 Badwin,  bishop  of  North  Elmham,  183. 
 Bagsac,  a  Danish  king,  killed,  353. 
 Baldred,  king  of  Kent,  346. 
 Baldulf,  bishop  of  Whitherne,  342. 
 Baldwin  V.  earl  of  Flanders,  422,  438. 
 Baldwin  VI.  earl  of  Flanders,  452.     . 
 Baldwin  VII.  earl  of  Flanders,  484-488. 
 Bambrough  (Bebba),  a  royal  city,  112, 134, 
 
 312,  472. 
 Bancornburg  (Bangor-Iscoedl,  70,  71. 
 Barking  monastery,  184—189. 
 Barton  monastery,  174. 
 Bassianus,  son  of  Severus,  11,  307. 
 Bass,  mass-priest,  326. 
 Bassus,  a  soldier  of  king  Edwin,  107. 
 Battle  Abbey  founded,  461,  470. 
 Beardney  iBeardeneu)  monastery,  126. 
 
510 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Bede  (Venerable),  his  life,  vi — xxiii ;  Eccle- 
 siastical History,  xxiii — xxx ;  his  other 
 ■works,  297 ;  death,  xxi,  300,  335. 
 
 Bega,  abbess,  215. 
 
 Benedict  Biscop,  abbat,  vii— ix,  202, 270,297. 
 
 Benedict  (St.)  310,  311,  461. 
 
 Beonna,  abbat  of  Peterborough,  340. 
 
 Beom,  earl,  419,  423—425. 
 
 Beornmod,  bishop  of  Rochester,  344. 
 
 fieort,  ealdorraan,  329,  332. 
 
 Bernard,  bishop  of  St.  David's,  491. 
 
 Bernred.  king  of  Mercia,  300,  338. 
 
 Bernnlf,  king  of  Mercia,  346. 
 
 Bertgils,  or  Boniface,  bishop  of  Dunwich, 
 14.3,  183. 
 
 Bertha,  queen,  37,  38,  41,  11. 
 
 Berthun,  abbat  of  Beverley,  237- 
 
 Berthwald,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  73, 
 246.  292,  297,  331,  334,  335. 
 
 Bethwegen,  monk,  233. 
 
 Berthwulf,  king  of  Mercia,  defeated,  348. 
 
 Bertric,  king  of  Wessex,  341,  344 
 
 Beverley  monastery,  237. 
 
 Bieda  arrives  iu  Britain,  311. 
 
 Birinus,  bishop,  119,  318—320. 
 
 Bisi,  bishop  of  Dunwich,  183. 
 
 Blecca,  governor  of  Lincoln,  100,  318. 
 
 Bledla,  king  of  the  Huns,  22. 
 
 Boisii,  abbat,  225,  226,  248. 
 
 Boniface,  pope,  15,  80,  81,  85,  88,  90. 
 
 Bosa,  bishop  of  York,  192,  193,  276,  329, 
 330. 
 
 Bosanham  monastery,  194. 
 
 Bosel,  bishop  of  Worcester,  214. 
 
 Bothelm,  a  monk  at  Hexham,  111. 
 
 Bregowin,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  338,  339. 
 
 Bridius,  king  of  the  Picts,  114. 
 
 Brie  monastery,  121. 
 
 Brihtege,  bishop  of  Worcester,  413,  414. 
 
 Brinstan,  bishop  of  Winchester,  375. 
 
 Britain,  its  geography  described,  4,  303 ; 
 under  the  Romans.  7—18 ;  304—308. 
 
 Brithmar,  bishop  of  Lichfield,  415. 
 
 Brithwin,  bishop  of  Sherborne,  411,  417,  418. 
 
 Britnoth,  abbat  of  Ely,  381. 
 
 Briudun  monastery,  292. 
 
 Brocmail,  72,  74,  315. 
 
 Burhred,  king  of  Mercia,  349—354. 
 
 Bm-ton  Abbey,  443. 
 
 Cadwalla,  king  of  the  West  Britons,  10  >, 
 
 109,  318. 
 Ciedmon  the  poet,  217. 
 Cffidwalla,  king  of  Wessex,  191,  198,  244— 
 
 246,  329,  330. 
 Caerleon-upon-Usk,  a  Roman  citv,  15 
 Cae.«ai's,  Julius,  invasion,  7 — 9,  304. 
 Campodonum,  98. 
 Canterbury  cathedral,  60,  499. 
 Canute,  king  of  England,  404—415. 
 Canute,  king  of  Denmark,  458.  403. 
 Canute,  prince  of  Denmark,  455. 
 Carlegion  (Chester),  71. 
 Carausius,  a  British  general,  11,  12. 
 Cassibellaun,  a  British  king,  8. 
 
 Cassibellaun's  town  ^St.  Alban's?),  9. 
 Cataract  (Catterick),  98,  108,  132. 
 Cearl,  king  of  the  Merciaas,  97. 
 Ceawlin  or  Celin,  kmg  of  Wessex,  76,  312 
 
 —314. 
 Cedd,  bishop  of  the  East  Saxons,  3,  144  - 
 
 149,  155,  160,  165. 
 Celin,  priest,  148. 
 Cenbert,  father  of  Caedvvalla,  325. 
 Ceolfrid,  abbat  of  Wearmouth,  202, 277. 290 
 Ceol,  king  of  Wessex,  314. 
 Ceollach,  bishop  of  Repton,  145,  152- 
 Ceolnoth,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  3i7,  352. 
 Ceolred,  king  of  Mercia,  268,  333 
 Ceolwulf,  bishop  of  Lindsey,  342,  343 
 Ceolwulf,  king  of  Northumbria,  xvii,  1.  292, 
 
 293,  300,  334,  335,  338. 
 Ceolwulf,  king  of  Wessex,  311,  315 
 Ceowulf,  king  of  Mercia,  345,  346. 
 Cerdic,  king  of  Wessex,  311. 
 Chad,  bishop  of  Lichfield,  3,  149,  153.  165. 
 
 173,  174—178,  325. 
 Chalk-hythe  synod,  341. 
 Charles,  earl  of  Tlanders,  488,  496. 
 Charles  (the  Fat),  358,  359 
 Chelles  monastery,  121,  212. 
 Chertsey  monastery,  184,  483. 
 Chester  bishopric,  490. 
 Chiche  (St.  Osythe)  monastery,  490. 
 Cissa,  king  of  the  South  Saxons  310. 
 Claudius  invades  Britain,  9,  305. 
 Cloveshoo  synod,  336,  346. 
 Cnobheresburg  or  Cnobher's  town,  139 
 Coenred,  or   Kenred,  king  of  Mercia,  259, 
 
 268,  289,  332,  333. 
 Coifi,  94—96. 
 
 Coinwalch.     See  Kenwalk. 
 Colburga,  abbess  of  Berkeley,  345. 
 Coldingham  monastery,  204,  220,  329. 
 Colman,  bp.  of  Lindisfarne,  154 — 163,  179. 
 Coluraba,  abbat  of  lona,  113,  114,  159,  248, 
 
 31.3. 
 Columbanus,  abbat,  75. 
 Constantine,  emperor,  12,  16,  58. 
 Constantino,  usurper,  18. 
 Constantiu.s,  count,  defeats  Constantine,  18 
 Constantius,  emperor,  12,  16. 
 Conwulf,  or  Cynewulf,  bishop  of  Lindisfarne. 
 
 30'J,  33.5,  340,  341. 
 Crida,  king  of  Mercia,  314. 
 Cuichelm,  bishop  of  Rochester,  192. 
 Cuichelm,    king  of   the  West   Saxons,  84. 
 
 315—319. 
 Cunebert,  or  Cynebert,  bishop  of  Sidnacester, 
 
 3,  193,  293. 
 Cutha,  313,  314. 
 Cuthbald,  abbat,  274,  327,  323. 
 Cuthbert,  bishop  of  Lindisfarne  and  Hex- 
 ham, 3,  225—23.5,  239 
 Cuthbert,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  300,  336,  333. 
 Cuthred,  king,  319.  320,  325. 
 Cuthred,  king  of  Kent,  34.5. 
 Cuthred,  king  of  Wessex,  300,  3.3.5,  336. 
 Cuthwine  defeats  the  Britons,  314. 
 Cyneberga,  daughter  of  king  Penda,  144,  3.33. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 511 
 
 Cynebil,  priest,  149. 
 
 Cynegils,  king  of  Wessex,  119,  315—319. 
 
 Cynemund,  priest,  134 
 
 Cyneward,  bisliop  of  Wells,  384,  385. 
 
 Cynewulf,  king  of  Wessex,  300,  336—341. 
 
 Cynric,  king  of  Wessex,  311,  312. 
 
 Cynwise,  queen  of  Mercia,  151. 
 
 Dacre  monastery,  234. 
 
 Dagan,  bishop,  75. 
 
 Dagobert,  king,  107. 
 
 Dalreudins,  7. 
 
 Damian,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  143. 
 
 Danes  arrive  in  England,  341. 
 
 Daniel,  bishop  of  Winchester,  2,  200,  267, 
 
 292,  333-336. 
 David,  king  of  Scotland,  493,  495,  502,  505. 
 Dearm-ach  (now  Derry),  114. 
 Deda,  abbat,  100. 
 Degsastan,  61,  315. 
 
 Denewulf,  bishop  of  Winchester,  368. 
 Denisesbum,  or  Denis's-brook,  109. 
 Deusdedit,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  80,  81,  143, 
 
 165,  170,  321—325. 
 Dicull,  priest,  142,  194. 
 Dinood,  abbat,  70. 
 Diocletian,  emperor,  10,  11,  16. 
 Diuma,  bishop  of  Repton,  144, 145  152. 
 Dommoc  (Dunwich),  99. 
 Doomsday  book  compiled,  459. 
 Dorchester  (Dorcic)  bishopric,  119. 
 Dudoc,  bishop  of  Wells,  419,  436. 
 Dunchad,  abbat  of  Zona,  290. 
 Dunstan  (St.),  abp.  of  Canterbury,  374,  378 
 
 —389. 
 
 Eadbald,  king  of  Kent,  79,  81,  83,  86,  89, 
 
 107,  121,  316—319. 
 Eadbert,  bishop  of  Lindisfame,  153. 
 Eadbert,  bishop  of  Selsey,  195,  268. 
 Eadbert,  king  of  Kent,  334,  336. 
 Eadbert,  k.  of  Northumbria,  300, 335-338, 339. 
 Eadbert  Pren,  king  of  Kent,  342,  343. 
 Eadbert,  a  Mercian  general,  153. 
 Eadburga,  married  to  Bertric,  341. 
 Eadfrid,  son  of  king  Edwin,  97,  106, 
 Eadhed,  bishop  of  Sidnacester,  165, 192, 329. 
 Eadnoth,  bishop  of  Dorchester,  419,  423. 
 Eadsine,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  414 — 424. 
 Eafa,  a  Mercian  general,  153. 
 Eafy,  high-steward,  murdered,  396. 
 Ealhard,  bishop  of  Dorchester,  365. 
 Ealstan,  bishop  of  Sherborne,  346,  348,  351. 
 Eanbald  I.,  archbishop  of  York,  340,  343. 
 Eanbald  II.,  archbishop  of  York,  34.3,  344. 
 Eanbert,  bishop  of  Hexham,  345. 
 Eanfled,  daughter  of  king  Edwin,  84,  107, 
 
 133,  152,  154,  224,  269,  317,  318. 
 Eanfrid,  son  of  Ethelfrid,  108  ;  king  of  Ber- 
 
 nicia,  109,  317,  318. 
 Eanwulf,  earl  of  Somerton,  348. 
 Eappa,  priest,  194,  196,  324,  325. 
 Earconbert,  king  of  Kent,  121,  170,  319,  325. 
 Earcongota,  daughter  of  king  Earconbert, 
 
 122.  319. 
 
 Earconwald,  bishop  of  London,  184. 
 Eardulf,  king  of  Northumbria,  343,  34-?. 
 Easter  controversy,  104,  112,  115, 153-161, 
 
 262,  271,  277,  289. 
 Eata,  bishop  of  Lindisfame,  161,  192,  22.5, 
 
 226,  229,  237,  329. 
 Ebb,  the  Frisian,  slain,  365. 
 Ebba,  queen,  194. 
 Ebba,  abbess  of  Coldingham,  204. 
 Ecci,  bishop  of  Dunwich,  183. 
 Ecgric,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  138. 
 Edbert,  bishop  of  Lindisfame,  231 — 233. 
 Eddi,  173. 
 
 Edgar,  king  of  Mercia,  380—386. 
 Edgar,  etheling,  441—446,  453—481. 
 Edgar,  king  of  Scotland,  475,  -^82. 
 Edgils,  monk  of  Coldingham,  223. 
 Edgitha,  Edward's  queen,  417. 
 Edmund,  St.  king  of  East  Anglia,  3.52. 
 Edmund,  the  son  of  Edgar,  384. 
 Edmund  Ironside,  406—409. 
 Ednoth,  bishop  of  Dorchester,  403,  408. 
 Edred,  king,  379,  380,  384. 
 Edric,  king  of  Kent,  225. 
 Edric,  ealdorman  of  Mercia,  399,  406,  409. 
 Edward  (the  elder),  king,  366—375. 
 Edward  (the  martyr),  368—388. 
 Edward  (the  confessor),  404,  405,  415 — 442. 
 Edward,  son  of  Edmund,  dies,  434  435. 
 Edwin,  abbat  of  Abingdon,  389. 
 Edwin,  etheling,  drowned,  375. 
 Edwin,  king  of  Northumbria,  76,  82,  108, 
 
 152,  31-5,  317,  318. 
 Edwy,  etheling,  banished  by  Canute,  409. 
 Edwy,  king  of  Wessex,  360. 
 Egbald,  abbat  of  Peterborough,  330. 
 Egbert,  king  of  Kent,  170,  183,  325,  326. 
 Egbert,  king  of  Wessex,  344-347. 
 Egbert,  bishop  of  York,  299,  300,  335,  Z39. 
 Egbert,  abbat  of  lona,  163,  164,  178  247— 
 
 249,  289,  291,  333,  334. 
 Egbert,  priest,  115. 
 Egbert  II.  bishop  of  Lindisfame,  345. 
 Egelric,  bp.  of  Durham,  416,  434,  447,  453. 
 Egelwine,  bishop  of  Durham,  434,  453. 
 Egfert,  king  of  Mercia,  341,  342. 
 Egfrid,  king  of  Northumbria,  vii,  180,  192, 
 
 204,  209,  223,  225,  326—330. 
 Elafius,  a  British  chief,  32,  33. 
 Eleutherius,  bishop  of  Rome,  10,  307. 
 Eleutherius,  bishop  of  Winchester,  120, 191, 
 
 326. 
 Elfgar,  bishop  of  Elmham,  410. 
 Elfhun,  bishop  of  London,  403,  404. 
 Elfleda,  daughter  of  k.  Oswy,  144,  151,  224. 
 Elfric,  archbishop  of  York,  411,  412,  424. 
 Elfric,  uncle  to  Osric  I.,  108. 
 Elfric,  bishop  of  Elmham,  414. 
 Elfric,  ealdoi-man,  389,  390,  397. 
 Elfrida,  Edgar's  queen,  384. 
 Elfstan,  bishop  of  London,  383,  390. 
 Elfstan,  bishop  of  Wiltshire,  388. 
 Elfsy,  abbat  of  Peterborough,  383, 
 Elfsy,  bishop  of  Winchester,  411,  413. 
 Elfward,  bishop  of  London,  418. 
 
512 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Elfwin,  brother  to  king  Egfrid,  209,  329. 
 
 Elfwina,  queen  of  Mercia,  371. 
 
 Elgar,  earl  of  Mercia,  431-435. 
 
 EUa,  kins;  of  the  South  Saxons,  76. 
 
 Elmetewood,  98. 
 
 Elmund,  king  of  Kent,  341. 
 
 Elphege,  bishop  of  Winchester,  375,  379. 
 
 Elphege  II.,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  389, 
 
 391,  398—403. 
 Elstan,  bishop  of  London,  366. 
 Elswitha,  Alfred's  queen,  3C7. 
 Ely  monastery,  205,  326,381. 
 Emma  Elgiva,   396,  404,  409,  414,  417,  429. 
 Eolla,  bishop  of  Selser,  268. 
 Eorpwald,  k.  of  East  Anglia,  98,  99, 137,  318 
 Erconwald,  the  patrician,  142. 
 Eric,  king  of  Northumbria,  379. 
 Eric,  earl  of  Northumbria,  407,  409. 
 Ermenred,  sou  of  Eadbald,  319. 
 Ernost,  bishop  of  Rochester,  447. 
 Ernulf,  bishop  of  Rochester,  485,  493. 
 Escwin,  king  of  Wessex,  326,  328. 
 Escwy,  bishop  of  Dorchester,  390. 
 Eeius,  abbat,  3. 
 
 Ethelard,  king  of  Wessex,  300,  334,  335. 
 Ethelbald,  king  of  Mercia,  300,  333—338. 
 Ethelbald,  king  of  Wessex,  348,  350. 
 Ethelberga,  daughter  of  king  Ethelbert,  83, 
 
 88,  97,  107,  318. 
 Ethelberga,  daughter  of  k.  Anna,  121,  122. 
 Ethelberga,  abbess  of  Barking,  187. 
 Ethelbert,  archbishop  of  York,  339.  340. 
 Ethelbert,  bishop  of  Whitherne,  340,  344. 
 Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent,  36—40,  58,  60,  68, 
 
 72-77,  83,  312—316. 
 Ethelbert  II.  king  of  Kent,  336,  338. 
 Ethelbert,  king  of  East  Anglia,  342. 
 Ethelbert,  k.  of  Kent,  Essex,  &c.  350,  351. 
 Ethelburga,  Ina's  queen,  334. 
 Etheldrid,  queen,  175. 
 Etheldrida,  daughter  of  king  Annti,  204,  326, 
 
 329,  381. 
 Etheldrith,  Q7. 
 
 Ethelfled,  lady  of  Mercia,  368-374. 
 Ethelfrid,  king  of  Northumbria,  61,  71,  91 
 
 —93,  108,  314—317. 
 Ethelgar,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  384,  388,  389. 
 Ethelhere,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  148, 151. 
 Ethelhilda,  abbess,  127. 
 Ethelhun,  son  of  king  Edwin,  97. 
 Ethelhun,  monk,  163. 
 Ethelnoth,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  410,  414. 
 Ethelrcd,  k.  of  Mercia,  192,  209,  321—333. 
 Kthelred,  son  of  Moll,  339—342. 
 Ethelred  [Ethered],  k.  of  Wessex,  351-3J4. 
 Ethelred,  king  of  England,  387  -  407. 
 Ethelric,  king  of  Northumbria,  314. 
 Ethelric,  bishop  of  Selsey,  414. 
 Ethelswith,  queen  of  Mercia,  359. 
 Ethelwalch,  king  of  the  South  Saxons,  193, 
 
 1P5,  198,  325. 
 Ethelwald,  king  of  Deira.  148. 
 Ethelwald,  prince,  366,  367. 
 Ethelwald,  bp.  of  Lindisfarne,  292,  300,  3.35. 
 Ethelwald.  bishop  of  Lichfield,  347. 
 
 Ethelwald,  abbat,  82,  235. 
 Ethehvard,  k.  of  Wessex,  300,  334,  33-5. 
 Ethehverd,  high-steward,  slain.  395. 
 Ethelwin,  bp.  of  Sidnacester,  127,  163, 192. 
 Ethelwold,  bishop  of  Winchester,  357,  381, 
 
 384,  386,  389. 
 Ethelwulf,  king  of  Wessex,  347—3.50. 
 Ethered,  ealdorman  of  Mercia,  2ZQ,  362,  369. 
 Etheric,  bishop  of  Dorchester,  413. 
 Eumer,  84. 
 Eustace  II.,  earl  of  Boulogne,  421,  466. 
 
 Fara's  monasteiT,  121. 
 
 Fame,  isle  of,  135. 
 
 Felix,  bi-shop  of  Dunwich,  99,  138,  143,  319. 
 
 Finan,  bishop  of  Lindisfarne,  136,  144,  153, 
 
 154,  160. 
 Fingale  synod,  341. 
 Forthhere,  84,  268,  292,  333,  335. 
 Frithbert,  bishop  of  Hexham.  300,  339. 
 Frithstan,  bishop  of  Winchester,  368,  375. 
 Frithwald,  bishop  of  Whitherne,  300,  339. 
 Fullan,  abbat,  142. 
 Fursey,  abbat,  138—142. 
 
 Gebmund,  bishop  of  Rochester,  192, 247, 331. 
 
 Gerard,  archbishop  of  York,  482. 
 
 Germanus,  bishop,  26 — 34,  41. 
 
 Gervii,  143,  204. 
 
 Gessoriacum  (Boulogne),  4. 
 
 Geta,  son  of  Severus,  11,  307. 
 
 Gewissse  (West  Saxons),  78,  118,  198. 
 
 Gildas,  the  historian,  34. 
 
 Giso,  bishop  of  Wells,  436. 
 
 Glastonbury  minster,  330,  457. 
 
 Gobban,  priest,  142. 
 
 Godfrey,  bishop  of  Bath,  492. 
 
 Godmundingham  (Goodmauham),  96. 
 
 Godwin,  earl,  413—431. 
 
 Godwin  III.  bishop  of  Rochester,  402. 
 
 Gosfrith,  bishop,  464. 
 
 Gothrun,  a  Danish  king,  3.55,  356,  359. 
 
 Gratian,  emperor,  16,  17,  308. 
 
 Gratian,  tyrant,  18. 
 
 Gregory  I   pope,  2,  34—68,  314. 
 
 Griffin,  Welsh  king,  418-437. 
 
 Grinketel,  bishop  of  Selsey,  415,  419. 
 
 Gundulph,  bishop  of  Rochester,  447 
 
 Gannilde  banished,  418. 
 
 Gathfrid,  abbat  of  Lindisfarne,  236. 
 
 Guthfi-ith,  king  of  Northumbria,  375. 
 
 Hackness,  a  cell  to  Whitby,  215. 
 Hadrian,  abbat  of  St.  Augustine's,  2,  170— 
 
 172,  275,  391. 
 Hadulac,  bishop  of  Elmham,  292. 
 Hagulstad  (Hexham),  110,  111. 
 Halfdene,  a  Danish  king,  353—355,  368. 
 Hardecanute,  411—416. 
 Harold  Harfager  killed,  440. 
 Harold  I.  king  of  England,  413—415. 
 Harold  II.  421—443. 
 Hasten  invades  England,  360—362. 
 Heahmund,  bishop  of  Sherborne,  354. 
 Heandred,  bishop  of  Hexham,  344. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 513 
 
 Heathfield  (Hatfield),  106,  201,  329. 
 
 Heavenfield,  or  Havenfeltli.  110. 
 
 Heca,  bishop  of  Selsej,  418— 4-'0,  4.35. 
 
 Hedda,  bishop  119,  191,  267,  328,  332. 
 
 Heiu,  abbess,  212. 
 
 Hengist,  a  Saxon  chieftain,  24,  77, 143,  309, 
 
 310. 
 Henry  de  Blois,  bp.  of  Winchester,  499,  505. 
 Heniy  I.  45.0,  461,  471,  476—502. 
 Herbert  Losange,  bi-^hop  of  Thetford,  470. 
 Herebald,  abbat,  242. 
 Herebert,  priest,  230. 
 Herel'rith,  bishop  of  Selsey,  347. 
 Hereward  plunders  Peterborough,  4.51,  452 
 Herman,  bp.  of  Sherborne,  417, 424,  425, 426. 
 Hertford  synod,  181. 
 
 Heruteu  (Hartlepool)  monastery,  151,  212. 
 Hewalds,  missionaries,  250. 
 Higbald,  bishop  of  Lindisfame,  341,  345. 
 Higbert,  bishop  of  Dorchester,  ,341. 
 Hilda,  abbess,  151,  155,  211,  329 
 Hildelith,  abbess  of  Barking,  188. 
 Hingwar  and  Hubba,  352. 
 Honoriu?,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  99 — 
 
 104,  318,  320. 
 Honorius,  emperor,  17,  18. 
 Honorius,  pope,  15,  lul— 103,  318. 
 Horsa,  a  Saxon  chieftain,  24,  309. 
 Howel,  king  of  North  Wales,  274. 
 Howel,  king  of  West  Wales  (Cornwall),  375. 
 Huetbei't,  abbat  of  Wearmouth,  xiv,  xviii, 
 
 299. 
 
 Ida,  king  of  Northumbria,  312. 
 
 Iffa,  97, 107. 
 
 Immin,  a  Mercian  general,  153. 
 
 Ina,  king  of  Wessex,  330—344. 
 
 Ingethlingum  (Gilling),  132,  152. 
 
 Ingild,  brother  of  Ina,  333. 
 
 Ingwald,  bishop  of  London,  292. 
 
 lona  monastery,  113-11.5,  313. 
 
 Ireland  described,  6,  7. 
 
 Irminric,  77. 
 
 Ithaniar,  bishop  of  Rochester,  131,  322,324. 
 
 James,  deacon,  100,  108,  154,  172. 
 
 Jarrow  monastery,  viii. 
 
 Jaruman,  bishop  of  Repton,  153,  169,  174, 
 
 322,  324. 
 John,  abbat  of  St.  Martin's,  202. 
 John  IV.,  pope,  104,  105. 
 John  (St.i,  of  Beverley,  x,  xi,  237—244, 330, 
 
 334. 
 Julius,  martyr,  15. 
 Justus,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  54,  72—74,  78— 
 
 83,  100,  102,  315. 
 
 Kenebert,  bishop  of  Winchester,  344. 
 Kenred,  king  of  Mercia.     See  Coenred. 
 Kentwin,  king  of  Wessex,  328,  329 
 Kenulf,  king  of  Mercia,  343,  345. 
 Kenulf,  bishop  of  Winchester,  383,  390,  398. 
 Kenwalk,  k.  of  Wessex,  119,  120,  319— 3i:6. 
 Kineward,  bi.shop  of  Winchester,  336. 
 Kyueburg,  sister  of  WaU'here,  3-:l— 324. 
 
 Kyneswith,  sister  of  Wulf  here,  321—324. 
 Kynsey,  abp.  of  York,  431—436. 
 
 Lambert,  abp  of  Canterbury,  339—342. 
 Lanfranc,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  447—450,  4C6. 
 Lastingham  monastery,  3,  149. 
 Laurentius,  abp.  of  Canterbuiy,  40,  74,  75, 
 
 78—80,  316,  317. 
 Leofgar,  bishop  of  Hereford,  434. 
 Leofric,  bishop  of  Devon,  417. 
 Leofric,  earl,  417—435. 
 Leofric,  bishop  of  Exeter,  420. 
 Leofsy,  bishop  of  Worcester,  413. 
 Leofwine,  bishop  of  Lichtield,  432. 
 Leo  III.,  pope,  344,  345. 
 Lilla,  84. 
 
 Lindisfame  monastery,  3,  112. 
 Lindsey  province,  99,  126. 
 Living,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  403,  410. 
 Living,  bishop  of  Worcester  and  Gloucester, 
 
 41.5,  417—420. 
 Loidis  (Leeds)  a  regal  seat,  98,  152. 
 Lothen  and  Irling  arrive,  418- 
 Lothere,  king  of  Kent,  183,  224,  330. 
 Lucius,  king  of  the  Britons,  10,  307. 
 Ludecan,  king  of  Mercia,  346. 
 Luidhard,  bishop,  37,  3S,  41. 
 Lupus,  bishop,  26,  27. 
 
 Marcus  Antoninus,  emperor,  10. 
 Margaret,  daughter  of  Edward,  444,  469. 
 Malcolm  III.,  king  of  Scotland,  444,  453. 
 
 467—469 
 Maserfeld,  123. 
 Ma.jc-i  riest,  his  duti  s,  xii. 
 jMaid,  daughter  of  Malcolm,  477. 
 Maurice,  bishop  of  London,  448,  477,  482. 
 Maximian,  emperor,  11,  308. 
 Maximus,  usurper,  17. 
 Mellitus,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  54,  55,  72- 
 
 7-%  78—80,  31.5—317. 
 Melrose  monastery,  254. 
 Merewith,  bishop'of  Somerset,  413. 
 Milred,  bishop  of  Worcester,  339. 
 Moll  Ethelwald,  king  of  Northumbria,  338. 
 Morcar,  earl  of  Northumbria,  437—452. 
 Mull,  brother  of  Casdwalla,  329-331. 
 
 Naitan,  king  of  the  Picts,  277. 
 Natan-leod,  a  British  king.  17. 
 Nero,  emperor  of  Rome,  10,  11,  306. 
 Ninias,  bishop,  converts  the  Picts,  113,  313. 
 Northumbria  divided  into  two  parts,  Deira 
 
 and  Bernicia,  108. 
 Nothelm,  abp.   of  Canterbury,  2,  36,   300, 
 
 335,  336. 
 
 Octa,  77. 
 
 Odda,  earl  of  Devon,  422,  429. 
 
 Odo,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  380,  381. 
 
 Odo,  bishop  of  Bayeux,  457,  462—466. 
 
 Oeng,  king  of  the  Picts,  300. 
 
 Otfa,  son  of  king  Sigliere,  268,  33". 
 
 Ott'a,  king  of  Mercia,  33S— 342,  344. 
 
 Oisc,  77. 
 
 Oiscings,  or  ^scingas,  77,  99. 
 
 L  L 
 
514 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Ola^e,  king  of  Norway,  invades  England, 
 
 390,  391,  412. 
 Orcades  (Orkney  Islands),  3,  9. 
 Orric,  77. 
 
 Osbern,  bishop  of  Exeter,  447. 
 Osbert,  king  of  Northumbria,  351. 
 Osfrid,  97,  106. 
 Oskytel,  a  Danish  king,  355. 
 Oskjtel,  abT).  of  York,  384. 
 Oslac,  ealdorman,  383—386. 
 Osred,  king  of  Northumbria,  266,  289,  333. 
 Osred  II.,  king  of  Northumbria,  341,  342. 
 Osric  I.,  king  of  Deira,  108,  109,  318. 
 O.sric  II.,  king  of  Northumbria,  292,  333, 334. 
 Ostritha,  queen  of  Mercia,  126,  209,  332. 
 Oswald,  abp.  of  York,  383,  389. 
 Oswald,  king  of  Northumbria,  76,  97,  107, 
 
 109—113,  117,  119,  123-131,    196—198, 
 
 318,  319,  368. 
 Oswin,  king  of  Deira,  131,  132,  319,  320. 
 Oswin,  prince,  300,  339. 
 Oswy  (Oswiu),  king  of  Northumbria,  131 — 
 
 133,  144—180,  319,  326. 
 Oswy,  king  of  Northumbria,  76. 
 Oswulph,  king  of  Northumbria,  300,  338. 
 Oundle  monastery,  269,  274. 
 Owini,  monk,  175. 
 
 Palladius,  his  mission  to  Ireland,  22,  308. 
 
 Pallium  or  pall,  described,  44. 
 
 Paulinus,  abp,  of  York,  54,  83—85,  93,  97, 
 
 110—102,  107,  108,  131,  315—319. 
 Paul's  (St.)  Cathedral  burnt,  381,  460. 
 Peada,  ealdorman,  320. 
 Peada,  king  of  Mercia,  143,  152,  320,  321. 
 Pearteneu,  or  Parteney,  cell,  100,  127 
 Pechthelm,  bishop  of  Whithenie,  267,  293. 
 Pegnaleth  monastery,  162. 
 Penda,  king  of  Mercia,  106,  107,  144,  150— 
 
 153,  317—320. 
 Pelagius,  17,  308 ;   his  tenets  condemned, 
 
 26—34,  105. 
 Peter,  bishop  of  Lichfield,  447. 
 Peterborough  monastery,  184,  320—328, 340, 
 
 352,  382,  430,  444,  452,  497,  500. 
 Petronilla  (St.),  455. 
 Petwine,  bishop  of  Whiterne,  339. 
 Picts,  their  origin,  5,  6. 
 Plegmund,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  xxxix,  361, 
 
 374. 
 Port  arrives  in  England,  311. 
 Putta,  bishop  of  Rochester,  173,  192. 
 
 Quenbcrga,  Edwin's  queen,  97. 
 
 Ralph,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  484,  489. 
 
 Ranulf,  bp.  of  Durham,  475,  477,  478, 498. 
 
 Rathmelsigi  monastery,  1C3. 
 
 Reculver  monastery,  24  ',  326. 
 
 Redbridge  monasterT,  199 
 
 Redwald,  king  of  East  Anglia,  91—93,  98, 
 
 99,  317. 
 Rees,  the  Welshman,  427. 
 Reginald,  king  of  Northumb,  ;a,  374,  376. 
 Regnhere  killed,  93. 
 
 Rendlesham,  or  Rendil's  mansion,  148. 
 Reuda,  leader  of  the  Scots,  7. 
 Rheims,  syiiod  at,  419. 
 Rhofescester  (Rochester),  73. 
 Richbert,  99. 
 
 Ripon  monastery,  155,  271. 
 Ricula,  Ethelbert's  sister,  72. 
 Robert,  abp.  of  Canterburv,  421,  424,  425. 
 Robert  Bloet,  bishop  of  Lincoln,  468,  490. 
 Robert,  bishop  of  Lichfield,  490. 
 Robert  de  Belesme,  475,  478 — '184. 
 Robert  de  Limesey,  bishop  of  Lichfield,  448. 
 Robert  II.,  earl  of  Flanders,  474,  477 — 484. 
 Robert  II.,  earl  of  Northumbria,  471 — 473. 
 Robert,  son  of  William  I.,  456,  464—495. 
 Roger,  bishop  of  Salisbury,  490,  494. 
 Romans,  their  invasion,  7 ;  and  final  depar- 
 ture from  Britain,  18 
 Romanus,  bishop  of  Rochester,  107,  316. 
 Romanus,  priest,  154. 
 Romescot,  473. 
 
 Rome  taken  by  the  Goths,  18. 
 Rufinianus,  abbat,  54 
 Rutubi  Portus  (Richborough),  4. 
 
 Saba,  77. 
 
 Sabert,  k.  of  the  East  Saxons,  72,  76,  77, 315. 
 
 Saxon  Chronicle,  its  compilers,  xxx — xliy, 
 
 303. 
 Saxons  settle  in  Britain,  23—25. 
 Scots  &  Picts  ravage  the  Britons,  19—25,  30. 
 Scots,  the  ancient  Irish,  5,  6. 
 Sebbi,  king  of  the  East  Saxons,  169,  184, 
 
 189,  324. 
 Segenius,  abbat  of  lona,  116. 
 Selred,  king  of  Essex,  slain,  336. 
 Selsey  monaster)-,  195-198,  268. 
 Sethrid,  daughter  of  Anna,  121. 
 Severus,  bishop  of  Treves,  32. 
 Severus,  emperor,  10,  11,  307  ;  his  wall,  18, 
 
 20,21. 
 Sexberga,  eldest  daughter  of  king  Anna, 
 
 121   205  319  326. 
 Sexwulf,  bishop  of  Lichfield,  183,  192,  193, 
 
 321—328,  333. 
 Sideman,  bishop  of  Crediton,  387. 
 Sigebert,  king  of  Wessex,  336,  337. 
 Sigebert,  k.  of  the  East  Angles,  99, 137—139. 
 Sigebert  (the  good), k  of  the  East  Saxons,  145. 
 Sigfrid,  bishop  of  Selsey,  300. 
 Sighard,  son  of  king  Sebbi,  191,  324. 
 Sighere,  king  of  the  East  Saxons,  169,  184. 
 Sihtric,  king  of  Northumbria,  375. 
 Siric,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  344. 
 Siric  or  Sigic,  abp.  of  Canterburj-,  389,  391. 
 Siward,  nbp.  of  Canterbury,  417,  420,  425. 
 Siward,  bishop  of  Rochester,  436. 
 Siward,  earl,  417,  428,  431—434. 
 Sparhafoc,  bishop  of  London,  421,  424. 
 Stephen,  king,  502—507. 
 Stigand,  bishop  of  Elmham,  416,  417;  trans. 
 
 to  Winchester,  418,  420  ;  to  Canterbury, 
 
 430,  431. 
 Slulf,  lord  of  Isle  of  Wight,  311.  312. 
 Suebhard,  king  of  Kent,  247,  331. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 515 
 
 Suefi-ed,  king  o(  the  East  Saxons,  191. 
 
 Suidbert,  abbat,  234. 
 
 Suidhelm,  king  of  the  East  Saxons,  148. 
 
 SwejTi,  earl,  418—428. 
 
 Swevn,  king  of  Denmark,  invades  England, 
 
 391,  397,  403—405. 
 SwejTi  III.  k.  of  Denmark,  invades  England, 
 
 450—455. 
 Swidbert,  bishop  of  Frisland,  252. 
 Swithulf,  bishop  of  Rochester,  365. 
 Swithun,  bishop  of  Winchester,  351. 
 
 Tatwine,  abp.  of  Canterburj',  292,  299,  300, 
 
 335. 
 Theobald,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  505. 
 Theodbald,  61. 
 
 Theologild,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  347. 
 Theodore,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  2,  73,  153, 
 
 171—174,  180—183,  200—202,   246,  27J, 
 
 324—330. 
 Theodosius,  emperor,  17;  the  Younger,  21, 
 
 308. 
 Thomas,  bishop  of  Dunwich,  143. 
 Thomas,  abp.  of  York,  447,  477,  482,  484. 
 Thored,  Gunner's  son,  384,  390. 
 Thridred,  abbat,  235. 
 Thridw-ulf,  abbat,  98. 
 Thurkill,  400,  404,  411 
 Thurkytel,  a  Danish  earl,  371. 
 Thurkytel,  son  of  Nafan,  407. 
 Tilbert,  bishop  of  Hexham,  340. 
 Thurstan,  abp.  of  York,  4S4,  488,  491. 
 Tidfrith,  bishop  of  Dunwich,  344. 
 Tiovulfingacestir  (Southwell),  100. 
 Tobias,  bp.  of  Rochester,  xxxviii,  247,  291, 
 
 .331,  334. 
 Tonsure,  ecclesiastical,  160,  171. 
 Tosty,  son  of  Godwin,  425—443. 
 Tremerin,  bishop  of  St.  David's,  433. 
 Trinovantum  (London  ?),  8 
 Trumhere,  bp.  of  Repton,  145, 152, 153,  177. 
 Trumwine,  bishop  of  the  Picts,  193,  224, 329. 
 Tuda,  bp.  of  Lindisfarne,  161, 162,  322—325 
 Tumbert,  bishop  of  Hexham,  193,  229,  329. 
 Tunnacester  monastery,  210. 
 Twyford  synod,  228. 
 Tytilus,  99. 
 
 Ulf,  bishop  of  Dorchester,  423,  425. 
 
 Ulfkytel,  earl  of  East  Anglia,  397,  401 
 
 Utred,  earl  of  Northumbria,  403,  407. 
 
 Utta,  priest,  133,  134,  144. 
 
 Uuffa,  99. 
 
 Uuffings,  or  Uffingas,  99. 
 
 Valens,  emperor,  16 
 Valentinian,  emperor,  23,  33,  308. 
 Vergilius,  bishop  of  Aries,  36,  53. 
 Verulam  (St.  Albans),  15 
 Vespasian,  emperor,  9,  306. 
 Vitalian,  pope,  letter  to  Oswy,  166. 
 Vortigern,  king,  23,  77,  309. 
 Vortimer,  24. 
 
 Wakher,  bishop  of  Durham,  456. 
 Waldhere,  bishop  of  London,  190. 
 Waleram,  earl  of  Mellent,  492 — 498. 
 Walkelin,  bishop  of  Winchester,  475. 
 Walstod,  bishop  of  Hereford,  292. 
 Waltheof,  earl  of  Northumbria,  446,  450, 
 
 454,  455. 
 Watton  monastery,  239. 
 Wearmouth  monastery,  viii,  202, 277. 
 Werburh,  Ceolred's  queen,  341. 
 Westminster  Abbey,  438. 
 Whitby  monastery,  151,  155,  213. 
 Whitgar,  lord  of  Isle  of  Wight,  311,  312. 
 Whitherne  bishopric,  114,  313. 
 Wiccii,  68,  194,  214. 
 Wictbert,  monk,  249. 
 Wictred,  king  of  Kent,  225,  291. 
 Wigbert,  bishop  of  Sherborne,  345. 
 Wighard,  bishop-elect,  166,  170,  326. 
 Wight,  Isle  of,  9,  3(9,  311,  325,  365,  396. 
 Wigthun,  bishop  of  Winchester,  347. 
 Wilfares  dun,  or  Wilfar's  Hill,  132. 
 Wilfrid,  abp.  of  York,  129,  154—159,  104— 
 
 166,  173,  174,  192—196,  214,  231,  238,  269 
 
 276   322 333. 
 
 Wilfrid'lL,  abp.  of  York,  244,  293,  330. 
 Wilfrid,  bishop  of  Worcester,  293,  300,  336. 
 Wilbrord,  bp.  of  the  Fresons,  129,  249—253. 
 William,  bishop  of  Durham,  448,  464. 
 William,  bishop  of  Elmham,  448. 
 William  Curboil,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  490, 
 
 498,  505. 
 William,  earl  of  Moreton,  375. 
 William,  earl  of  Normandy,  480. 
 William  Giffard,  bishop  of  Winchester,  477, 
 
 479,  491,  499. 
 William  I.  (the  Conqueror),  412,  440 — 463. 
 William,  prince,  son  of  Henry  1. 485, 487, 488. 
 William  Rufus,  448,  463—476. 
 Winchester  cathedral,  120,  319. 
 Winfrid,  bishop  of  Lichfield,  153,  179,  183. 
 Wini,  bishop,  120,  1G5,  322. 
 Withlaf,  king  of  Mercia,  346,  347. 
 Withred,  king  of  Kent,  247,  331-334. 
 Wulfgar,  abbat  of  Abingdon,  389,  409. 
 Wulfgar,  bishop  of  Wiltshire,  318. 
 Wulf  helm,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  375. 
 Wulfhere,  king  of  Mercia,  120, 153, 169,  174, 
 
 321—328. 
 Wulfnoth,  child,  399,  400. 
 Wulfred,  abp.  of  Canterbury,  345—347. 
 Wulfric,  abbat  of  St.  Augustine's,  417. 
 Wulfstan,  abp.  of  York,  378—380. 
 Wulfstan,  deacon,  dies,  381. 
 Wulfsy,  bishop  of  Lichfield,  431. 
 Wulfwy,  bishop  of  Dorchester,  431,  44-1-. 
 Wulstan,  bishop  of  London,  394. 
 Wulstan,  bishop  of  Worcester,  464. 
 Wulstan  II.,  abp.  of  York,  410. 
 Wuscfrea,  97,  107. 
 
 York  minster. 
 
 317. 
 
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