Notwithstanding the former vision, king Edwin deferred time yer he
would receiue the Christian faith, in somuch that Pauline vpon a daie
came vnto him as he sat musing what he were best to doo, and laid his
hand vpon his head, asking him if he knew that signe. Whereat when the
king would haue fallen downe at his féet, he lifted him vp, and as it
were in familiar wise thus said vnto him: "Behold, by the assistance
of Gods fauour thou hast escaped the hands of thine enimies, whome
thou stoodst in feare of: behold through his bountious liberalitie,
thou hast obteined the kingdome which thou diddest desire, remember
then that thou delaie no time to performe the third thing that
thou diddest promise, in receiuing his faith, and kéeping his
commandements, which deliuering thée from worldlie aduersities, hath
thus aduanced thée to the honor of a king: and if from henceforth thou
wilt obey his will, which by my mouth hée setteth and preacheth to
thée and others, he will deliuer thée from euerlasting torments, and
make thée partaker with him in his celestiall kingdome." It is to be
thought that the vision which the king had in times past receiued, was
in spirit reuealed vnto Pauline, wherevpon without delaie of time, he
put him in remembrance of it in maner as aboue is mentioned.
The king hauing heard his words, answered, that he would and ought to
receiue the faith which he taught, but first he would conferre with
his nobles, and if they would agrée to doo the like, then would they
be baptised altogither at one time. Pauline satisfied herewith,
[Sidenote: Edwin consulteth with his nobles.]
Edwin did as he had promised, calling togither the wisest men of his
realme, and of them asked the question what they thought of this
diuinitie, which was preached vnto them by Pauline, vnto whome
[Sidenote: The answere of an heathen bishop.]
his chiefe bishop named Coifi, incontinentlie made this answer; that
Suerlie the religion which they had hitherto followed was nothing
worth. "For saith he, there is none of thy people that hath more
reuerentlie woorshipped our gods than I haue doone, and yet be there
manie that haue receiued far greater benefits at thy hands than I haue
doone: and therefore if our gods were of anie power, then would they
rather helpe me to high honor and dignitie than others. Therefore if
it maie be found that this new religion is better & more auailable
than our old, let vs with spéed imbrace the same."
Finallie, when other of the kings councell & men of high authoritie
gaue their consents, that this doctrine which Pauline taught ought to
be receiued, if therein appeered more certeintie of saluation than
could be found in the other: at length the king gaue licence to
[Sidenote: Pauline licenced to preach the gospell.]
Pauline openlie to preach the gospell, and renouncing his worshipping
of false gods, professed the Christian faith. And when he demanded of
his bishop Coifi who should first deface the altars of their idols,
and the tabernacles wherewith they were compassed about? He answered,
that himselfe would doo it. "For what is more méet (saith he) than
that I, which thorough foolishnesse haue worshipped them, should now
for example sake destroie the same, thorough wisedome giuen me from
the true and liuing God?" And streightwaies throwing awaie the
superstition of vanitie, required armour and weapon of the king, with
a stoned horsse, vpon the which he being mounted, rode foorth to
destroie the idols.
This was a strange sight to the people: for it was not lawfull for the
bishop of their law to put on armour, or to ride on anie beast, except
it were a mare. He hauing therefore a swoord gird to him, tooke a
speare in his hand, and riding on the kings horsse, went to the place
where the idols stood. The common people that beheld him had thought
he had béene starke mad, and out of his wits: but he without longer
deliberation, incontinentlie vpon his comming to the temple, began
to deface the same, and in contempt threw his speare against it, &
reioising greatlie in the knowledge of the worshipping of the true
God, commanded his companie to destroie & burne downe the same
temple with all the altars. This place where the idols were sometime
worshipped was not farre from Yorke, towards the east part of the
riuer of Derwent, and is called Gotmundin Gaham, where the foresaid
bishop by the inspiration of God defaced and destroied those altars,
which he himselfe had hallowed.
[Sidenote: King Edwin with his people receive the christian faith.
_Beda. lib. 2. cap. 14_. 627.]
King Edwin therefore with all the nobilitie, and a great number of
his people, receiued the faith and were baptised, in the yéere of our
Lord 627, in the tenth yéere of his reigne, and about the 178 yéere
after the first comming of the Englishmen into this land. He was
baptised at Yorke on Easter daie (which fell that yéere the day before
the Ides of Aprill) in the church of S. Peter the apostle, which he
had caused to be erected and built vp of timber vpon the sudden for
that purpose, and afterwards began the foundation of the same church
in stone-woorke of a larger compasse, comprehending within it that
oratorie which he had first caused to be built: but before he could
finish the woorke, he was slaine (as after shall be shewed) leauing
it to be performed of his successor Oswald.
Pauline continued from thencefoorth during the kings life, which
was six yéeres after, in preaching the gospell in that prouince,
conuerting an innumerable number of people to the faith of Christ,
among whom were Osfride and Eadfride the two sonnes of Edwin, whom he
begot in time of his banishment of his wife Quinburga, the daughter
of Cearlus king of Mercia. Also afterwards he begot children on his
second wife Ethelburga, that is to say, a sonne called Edilhimus,
[Sidenote: Ediltrudis.]
and a daughter named Ediltrudis, and another sonne called Bustfrea, of
the which the two first died in their cradels, and were buried in the
church at Yorke. To be briefe: by the kings assistance & fauour shewed
vnto Pauline in the woorke of the Lord, great multitudes of people
dailie receiued the faith, and were baptised of Pauline in manie
places, but speciallie in the riuer of Gleuie within the prouince of
Bernicia, and also in Swale in the prouince of Deira: for as yet in
the beginning thus of the church in those countries, no temples or
fonts could be builded or erected in so short a time.
Of such great zeale was Edwin (as it is reported) towards the setting
[Sidenote: This chanced in the yéere 632, as _Matt. West._ saith.]
foorth of Gods truth, that he persuaded Carpwald the sonne of Redwald
king of the Eastangles to abandon the superstitious worshipping of
idols, and to receiue the faith of Christ with all his whole prouince.
[Sidenote: Redwald king of Eastangles baptised.]
His father Redwald was baptised in Kent long before this time, but in
vaine: for returning home, through counsell of his wife and other
wicked persons, he was seduced, and being turned from the sincere
puritie of faith, his last dooings were woorse than his first, so
[Sidenote: Redwald would serve God and the diuell.]
that according to the maner of the old Samaritans, he would séeme
both to serue the true God and his false gods, (whom before time he
had serued) and in one selfe church had at one time both the
sacraments of Christ ministred at one altar, and sacrifice made vnto
diuels at another.
But Carpwald within a while after he had receiued the faith, was
slaine by one of his owne countrimen that was an ethnike, called
Richbert, and then after his death, that prouince for the tearme
[Sidenote: Sibert or Sigibert.]
of thrée yeeres was wrapped eftsoones in errour, till Sibert or
Sigibert, the brother of Carpwald, a most christian prince, and verie
well learned, obteined the rule of that kingdome, who whilest he liued
a banished man in France during his brothers life time, was baptised
there, and became a christian: and when he came to be king, he caused
all his prouince to be partaker of the same fountaine of life, wherein
he had beene dipped himselfe.
Vnto this godlie purpose also, a bishop of the parties of Burgoigne
named Felix was a great furtherer, who comming ouer vnto the
archbishop of Canturburie Honorius that was successor vnto Iustus, and
declaring vnto him his earnest desire, was sent by the same archbishop
to preach the woord of life vnto the Eastangles, which he did with
such good successe, that he conuerted the whole countrie to the faith
of Iesus Christ, and placed the sée of his bishoprike at Dunwich,
[Sidenote: A bishop ordained at Dunwhich. _Beda lib 1. cap. 16._]
ending the course of his life there in peace after he had continued in
that his bishoplike office the space of 17 yéeres. Moreouer Pauline,
after that he had conuerted the Northumbers, preached the woord of God
vnto them of Lindsey, which is a part of Lincolnshire: and first he
persuaded one Blecca the gouernour of the citie of Lincolne to
[Sidenote: This chanced in the yéere 628, as _Matth. West_ saith.]
turne vnto Christ, togither with all his familie. In that citie he
also builded a church of stone woorke. Thus Pauline trauelled in the
woorke of the Lord, the same being greatlie furthered by the helpe of
Edwin, in whose presence he baptised a great number of people in the
riuer of Trent, néere to a towne, which in the old English toong was
called _Tio vulfingacester_. This Pauline had with him a deacon named
Iames, the which shewed himselfe verie diligent in the ministerie, and
profited greatlie therein.
But now to returne to king Edwin, who was a prince verelie of woorthie
fame, and for the politike ordering of his countries and obseruing of
iustice, deserued highlie to be commended: for in his time all robbers
by the high waie were so banished out of his dominions, that a woman
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
with hir new borne child alone, without other companie, might haue
trauelled from sea to sea, and not haue incountred with anie creature
that durst once haue offered hir iniurie. He was also verie carefull
for the aduancement of the commoditie & common wealth of his people,
[Sidenote:_ Math. West. Beda lib 2. cap. 16_]
insomuch that where there were any swéet and cleare water-springs, he
caused postes to be set vp, and iron dishes to be fastened thereto
with chaines, that waifaring men might haue the same readie at hand
to drinke with: and there was none so hardie as to touch the same but
for that vse. He vsed wheresoeuer he went within the cities or
elsewhere abroad, to haue a banner borne before him, in token of
iustice to be ministred by his roiall authoritie.
In the meane season, pope Honorius the fift, hearing that the
Northumbers had receiued the faith (as before is mentioned) at the
preaching of Pauline, sent vnto the said Pauline the pall, confirming
him archbishop in the sée of Yorke. He sent also letters of
[Sidenote: _Beda lib 2. cap. 17_.]
exhortation vnto king Edwin, to kindle him the more with fatherlie
aduise to continue and procéed in the waie of vnderstanding, into
the which he was entered. At the same time also, bicause Iustus the
archbishop of Canturburie was dead, and one Honorius elected to that
sée, pope Honorius sent to the said elect archbishop of Canturburie
[Sidenote: A decrée concerning the archbishops of Canturburie and Yorke]
his pall, with letters, wherein was conteined a decrée by him
made, that when either the archbishop of Canturburie or Yorke chanced
to depart this life, he that suruiued should haue authoritie to
ordeine another in place of him that was deceassed, that they should
not néed to wearie themselues with going to Rome, being so farre
distant from them. The copie of which letter is registred in the
ecclesiasticall historie of Beda, bearing date the third Ides of Iune,
[Sidenote: 633.]
in the yéere of our Lord 633. The same pope sent letters also
to the Scotish people, exhorting them to celebrate the feast of
[Sidenote: The feast of Easter]
Easter in such due time as other churches of the christian world
[Sidenote: The heresie of the Pelagians]
obserued. And also bicause the heresie of the Pelagians began to
renew againe amongst them (as he was informed) he admonished them to
beware thereof, and by all meanes to auoid it. For he knew that to the
office of a pastor it is necessarilie incident, not onelie to exhort,
teach, and shew his sheepe the waies to a christian life, but also
stronglie to withstand all such vniust meanes, as might hinder their
procéeding in the truth of religion. For as poison is vnto the bodie,
that is heresie vnto veritie. And as the bodie by poison is disabled
from all naturall faculties, and vtterlie extinguished, vnlesse by
present meanes the force thereof be vanquished: so truth and veritie
by errors and heresies is manie times choked and recouereth, but neuer
strangled.
But now that the kingdome of Northumberland flourished (as before is
partlie touched) in happie state vnder the prosperous reigne of Edwin,
at length, after he had gouerned it the space of 17 yeeres,
[Sidenote: Cadwallin, or Cadwallo king of Britaine.]
Cadwalline, or Cadwallo, king of Britaine, who succeeded Cadwane, as
Gal. Mon. saith, rebelled against him. For so it commeth to passe,
that nothing can be so sure confirmed by mans power, but the same
by the like power may be againe destroied. Penda king of Mercia
[Sidenote: Penda king of Mercia.]
enuieng the prosperous procéedings of Edwin, procured Cadwallo to
mooue this rebellion against Edwin: and ioining his power with
Cadwallo, they inuaded the countrie of Northumberland iointlie
togither. Edwin heereof aduertised, gathered his people, & came to
incounter them, so that both armies met at a place called Hatfield,
[Sidenote: King Edwin slaine. _Matth. West._]
where was fought a verie sore and bloudie battell. But in the end
Edwin was slaine with one of his sonnes named Osfride, and his armie
beaten downe and dispersed. Also there was slaine on Edwins part,
Eodbald king of Orkenie. Moreouer there was an other of Edwins sonnes
named Eadfride constreined of necessitie to giue himselfe into the
hands of Penda, and was after by him cruellie put to death, contrarie
to his promised faith in king Oswalds daies that succéeded Edwin.
Thus did king Edwin end his life in that battell, fought at Hatfield
aforesaid, on the fourth ides of October, in the yere of our Lord 633,
he being then about the age of 47 yéeres and vpwards.
* * * * *
_The crueltie of Penda and Cadwallo after their victorie, the Britains
make no account of religion, Archbishop Pauline with queen Ethelburga
flie out of Northumberland into Kent, honorable personages accompanie
him thither, Romanus bishop of Rochester drowned, Pauline vndertaketh
the charge of that see; Osrilie is king of Deira, and Eaufride king of
Bernicia, both kings become apostatas, and fall fr[=o] christianitie
to paganisme, then are both slaine within lesse than a yeeres space;
Oswald is created king of Northumberland, his chiefs practise in feats
of armes, Cadwallo king of Britaine hath him in contempt, Oswalds
superstitious deuotion and intercession to God against his enimies;
both kings ioine battell; Cadwallo is slaine, Penda king of Mercia his
notable vertues linked with foule vices, he maketh warre on whome he
will without exception._