BAPTISM
Edwin, about two years after his accession, resolved to take another
wife, and he decided upon sending an embassy to the King of Kent to
ascertain whether a proposal for a princess of his family would be
favourably entertained. Sivel was selected for this delicate mission,
and he proceeded to Canterbury in 619, where he was cordially received
by King Eadbald, and by his old master, Archbishop Laurentius. He found
that a number of changes had taken place in the years that had elapsed
since he and his friends left Kent.
Two years after the boys set out for their homes, Gregory sent a pall
to Augustine and a reinforcement of monks, including Mellitus, Justus,
Rufinianus, and Paulinus, with vestments and ornaments for the church.
A letter was also sent by the Holy Father to Augustine, exhorting him
not to glory overmuch in his miracles. They were becoming a little too
numerous. This was in 601, and in the following year poor old Peter,
having been sent on an embassy to France, was drowned in landing at
Amfleet (Ambleteuse). Gregory died in 605, and near the same time
Augustine had an interview with the Welsh Bishops in Gloucestershire.
It was ostensibly on the subject of the correct way of calculating
Easter, but it was really intended to force the native church into
obedience to Rome. The overbearing Italian expected the British clergy
to submit their judgment to his. He lost his temper, performed one of
his miracles, cursed the British clergy, and kept seated when they
appeared--all which proceedings worked irretrievable mischief. In 604
he ordained Mellitus Bishop of London, where Ethelbert's nephew Sebert,
King of Essex, was willing to receive him. At the same time Justus was
made Bishop of Rochester. In the next year Augustine died, and was
succeeded as Archbishop of Canterbury by good old Laurentius. Ten years
afterwards Ethelbert died, after a reign of nearly sixty years. Besides
adopting Christianity, he introduced a code of laws after the Roman
model, which was written in English, and confirmed by the Witena-gemót
of Kent.
Then there was a panic among the cowardly monks. The new King Eadbald
refused to become a Christian, and the consequence was that the people
returned to the faith of their fathers. The monks declared that, as a
sign of divine anger, he was troubled with frequent fits of madness
and possessed of an evil spirit. Sebert of Essex also died, and was
succeeded by profane sons. They refused baptism, but wanted to eat the
sacramental bread, and told Mellitus that if he would not give it to
them he must leave London. These events were looked upon as alarming by
the monks of Canterbury. They resolved to desert their posts and run
away. Mellitus and Justus actually fled into France. Laurentius was
about to follow, but ventured first to try a miracle. He had not been
accustomed to resort to such practices, like Augustine, but he seems
to have thought that a great occasion justified the means. He went to
Eadbald, took off his shirt, and exposed some marks of recent stripes
on his back. The King was astonished, and asked who had dared to treat
so great a man with such indignity. Laurentius gravely replied that St.
Peter had come down from heaven and scourged him for his intention of
leaving England. Strange to relate, King Eadbald believed the story,
abjured the religion of his fathers, and was baptized. Henceforward he
promoted the affairs of the Church to the utmost of his power, and the
fugitives ventured to return.
Sivel gathered these particulars during his stay at Canterbury,
regretting the proceedings of Laurentius. The King's sister was still
very young, indeed the dates point to her having been a grand-daughter
of Ethelbert. The monks also induced Eadbald to say that it was not
lawful for a Christian virgin to marry a Pagan king. He, however, gave
Sivel to understand that arrangements might be made which would remove
this difficulty, if there was a similar proposal when the Princess
Ethelburga was a little older. During the progress of the negotiations,
Sivel had been busily engaged in procuring a copy of Ethelbert's
laws, and other documents likely to be useful to King Edwin in his
administration. As soon as he was ready, he took a friendly leave of
Eadbald, and visited Archbishop Laurentius to bid him farewell. Sivel
had been grieved to hear of the miracle, and frankly said as much.
"The Prior used to resort to those practices," he said, "but you never
did." Laurentius replied, "My son, these matters are too high for you.
Extreme measures are sometimes needed for the safety of God's Church."
The old man was ill at ease. He had been the instructor of Oswith and
Sivel, Coelred and Porlor on the Caelian Hill, and they loved him.
"Alas!" said Sivel, "you used to tell us that God is truth." Laurentius
bowed his head in shame. Sivel said, "My dear old master!" and put his
hand affectionately on the Archbishop's shoulder. "Will you take my
blessing?" asked the old man. "Thankfully," cried his former pupil, as
he threw himself on his knees. It was a sad leave-taking. A month had
not passed before Laurentius was no more. He was succeeded by Mellitus,
who suffered a good deal from the gout. It carried him off in April
624, and Justus became Archbishop.
Sivel returned to York with an account of the results of his mission,
and was occupied for the next five years in assisting and advising
Edwin concerning administrative measures of various kinds. In 624 Edwin
again sent his trusted minister to Canterbury to ask for the hand of
Ethelburga. He was instructed to assure Eadbald that the Princess
and all her attendants would have leave to follow their faith and
to worship after the customs of Christians. He was even to hold out
hopes that, if Edwin was convinced that Christianity was more holy and
worthy of God than the religion of his fathers, he might embrace the
new belief. This time no objection was made. Eadbald promised that
the Princess Ethelburga should be sent to Edwin. But Sivel found that
Paulinus, the very man who played the trick at Sleaford, which was
exposed by Forthere, was to accompany the bride. Paulinus was ordained
a bishop by Justus before starting, on 21st July 625. He is described
as having been a tall man with a stooping gait, black hair, a meagre
visage, and nose slender and aquiline. James the Deacon was also to
accompany Ethelburga, a zealous and devoted missionary, untainted
with personal cowardice or timidity, and not addicted to tricks. When
Paulinus deserted his post in the hour of danger, James remained and
braved the storm. By the advice of Justus, the Pope Boniface IV. wrote
a letter to King Edwin urging him to become a Christian, accompanied by
a present of a shirt with one gold ornament, and a garment of Ancyra.
Ethelburga received a silver looking-glass and a gilt ivory comb as
papal gifts.
Sivel took his leave of Eadbald and rode with all speed to Aldby to
announce the success of his mission. It was considered right that, as
Paulinus was coming as bishop, the King should be informed by Forthere
of the trick that had been played upon him by that holy person at
Sleaford. Ethelburga came by sea, and was met by Coelred with a fleet
of armed vessels to escort her up the Humber and the Ouse. The King was
at York, where they were married, and then went to Aldby. The Kentish
Princess was handsome, with a serious expression, and was very silent.
She was surnamed "Tate." She received the admonitions and orders of
Paulinus with great humility, but at the same time she was devoted to
her husband.
After about a year had passed away since the marriage, the arrival
of an embassy from Wessex was announced to Edwin. To the general
surprise, the envoy was no less a person than Eumer, the truculent
thegn who, with Cuichelm, acted such a treacherous part at the battle
of Bampton. Edwin ordered him to be treated with hospitality, and
announced his intention of receiving him in audience on the following
day. He supposed that Eumer came to give some plausible explanation
of his master's conduct, and to offer amends. The King took his seat
in the great hall at Aldby, with his thegns on either side of him,
unarmed except with the _seax_, or long knife, worn at the girdle on
the right side. Eumer was introduced, made a low obeisance, advanced
up the hall, and came close to the King. He put his hand into his
breast as if to draw out something to present. Suddenly a long dagger
was flashing over his head and descending like lightning. But devoted
love is ever vigilant, and even quicker than lightning. Lilla had flung
himself between the King's breast and the dagger. The stroke descended
with tremendous force, passed right through Lilla, and slightly wounded
Edwin. In another instant the assassin had turned and plunged his
dagger into the body of Forthere, who was rushing forward. The vile
wretch was then cut down, and almost hacked to pieces.
Lilla and Forthere were dead, the two brave and most loyal paladins.
Never did king have truer and more faithful servants, never were
there more constant and unchanging friends. Bitter rage was mingled
with the intense grief of the Deirans, from the King downwards. Lost
in their prime, and in an instant! Such sorrow as is felt by men who
have shared every hope and every joy, almost every thought, with the
lost ones cannot be described. After the first agony was passed,
Coelred and Porlor saw most vividly the stalwart little Oswith ready
to wrestle with them on the green at Hemingborough, and the brave boy
Forthere sinking exhausted from running and swimming, in the court at
Stillingfleet. Then the whole array of gallant deeds and warm-hearted
thoughts of their beloved comrades came one after the other to their
minds and overwhelmed them with grief. Next followed a stupor, replaced
by more sad reminiscences. The grief of Bergliot was heart-breaking,
and Sivel could not be separated from the body of his beloved Forthere.
Godric too had lost one who had been to him more than a brother, and
Bassus was inconsolable, and went about with a settled sternness on his
handsome features.
[Illustration: Lilla Saves the King's Life]
They buried the fearless son of Guthlaf, the bright boy Oswith, the
unrivalled warrior Lilla, in the old Roman fort at Hemingborough. In
after ages a beautiful church with a tall spire shooting up into the
sky was raised on the spot--a fitting monument to Oswith the fearless,
chief of the Hemingas. Sivel and Godric found a last resting-place
for the body of their beloved Forthere in the tumulus of Vidfinn at
Bilbrough.
On the same day, it was Easter Sunday, the Queen gave birth to a
daughter, who was named Eanflaed. Edwin consented that she should be
baptized at Whitsuntide. Twelve women and children of the Deiran family
were baptized at the same time. Braga had long felt remorse that she
had not complied with the wishes of her beloved Hereric. She joyfully
received the rite with her two daughters Hereswith and Hilda. It also
gave Bergliot some consolation to be baptized with her two little sons.
The wife of Osric came to the font with the young Atheling Oswin, and
Nanna with the son and heir, named Edwin, she had borne to Godric. By
the desire of Godric, Nanna was christened by the name of Mary, to
which her husband added the word "Audr," to denote her rare gifts. The
wife and child of a son of old Saebald made up the twelve.
"Now for vengeance!" said Bassus, with a stern inexorable look, as he
stood before the King. "Now for justice," said Edwin, looking equally
full of righteous anger. A carefully-selected force was assembled, well
armed and supplied by the care of Coelred and Porlor, Sivel and Godric.
It was in four divisions, one commanded by each of the paladins, while
Bassus attended the King's person. Rapid marches were made across
Mercia, where every assistance was offered, and when the Northumbrians
crossed the Wessex frontier they began to devastate, destroying
buildings and crops, and beating down all resistance. They had nearly
reached Sarum when a messenger arrived from Cynegils entreating an
interview. Soon the King of Wessex arrived. He solemnly swore that
he was innocent. He declared that if Cuichelm had not escaped and
concealed himself, he should have been given up. He assured Edwin that
he had arrested at least thirty of Cuichelm's thegns and advisers.
They were handed over to Bassus and hanged before the sun went down.
He paid the full amount of "were-gild" for the murdered thegns. What
more was desired of him? Edwin was appeased. He believed Cynegils to be
innocent. The King of Wessex then fully acknowledged the overlordship
of Edwin, who returned to York the most powerful sovereign that ever
reigned over Britain. He had been Bretwalda since the death of Redwald
in 624 over all the other English kingdoms except Kent.
Edwin had long been pondering deeply over the religion of his people,
and the question of introducing Christianity. Personally he had ceased
to believe in the gods of his ancestors. He also felt that the old
religion was fast losing its hold on the people, while some abiding
faith was necessary for their happiness and well-being. He conceived
that the belief in Woden and the Asyniars had suffered a severe wrench
when it was transplanted from its native land to a new country. It was
like an uprooted tree that had been replanted and failed to thrive.
It was fast withering. So he turned to Christianity. Since the death
of Hereric, Porlor was the friend who was most competent to explain
its tenets, which he did to the best of his abilities. He advised the
baptism of Edwin and the active propagation of the new religion on very
much the same grounds that had recommended such a measure to the King.
Porlor concluded one long conversation by saying, "Alca, thy sister,
was the wisest being this world will ever see. She also pondered over
this question--this solemn question--for years. Her last words were,
'Hereric, my sweet cousin, bring me into the fold of Christ.'" Edwin
was deeply moved, but he only said, "My own mind is made up. But I
think of my people, not of myself."
One day he was meditating deeply, after Porlor had left him, when
Paulinus entered and came towards him with an air of mystery. He
put his right hand on the King's head and said, in a solemn voice,
"Dost thou know that sign?" The effect was very different from what
he anticipated. Edwin sprang to his feet with a look of scorn and
contempt, and waved him away. He said, "Here you will always be treated
with hospitality and respect as a servant of the Queen. But when I
am baptized, it shall be by an honest man, not by a trickster. Go!"
Paulinus slunk off, seeing that his miracle had failed to work.
Edwin resolved to assemble the Witan, and to submit the question to
the great and wise men of the kingdom. The assembly met in the large
hall of the Aldwark at York. Coelred was selected to explain to them
the tenets of the Christian faith, which he did as nearly as he could
in the words of the beloved Hereric when he addressed Ethelbert and his
nobles at Thanet. Edwin then asked the notables what they thought of
the new religion. Coifi had the assurance to speak first. He said that
the old belief had no virtue in it, for that no one had more diligently
applied himself to the worship of the gods than he had, but they
neither inspired him nor would they make his spells work. "Many are
more preferred than I, yet, if the gods were good for anything, they
would rather favour me, who have been more careful to serve them. Let
us receive the new religion without any delay."
Then Saebald, chief of the Billingas, now a very old man, rose and
addressed Edwin. He said, "The present life of man, O King, seems to
me, in comparison with that which is unknown to us, like to the swift
flight of a sparrow through the room wherein you sit at supper in
winter, with your commanders and ministers, and a good fire in the
midst, whilst the storms of rain and snow prevail abroad. The sparrow,
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 something
more certain, it seems justly to deserve to be followed." The other
thegns and councillors spoke, generally to the same effect. Osric,
however, manfully maintained that the people should not abandon the
religion of their ancestors.
Coifi again stood up and advised that the temples and altars they
had consecrated without reaping any benefit from them should be set
on fire. "I, who worshipped through ignorance, will first profane
the temples, as an example to others, with the King's permission."
Edwin contemptuously, and perhaps thoughtlessly, gave permission,
for the buffoonery of the recreant priest would cause pain to many
conscientious men. Then Coifi mounted a stallion and set out to
destroy the idols. The people thought he was distracted. As soon as he
reached the sacred enclosure at Godmundham, he profaned it by hurling
a spear into it, and then ordered the venerable images and altars to
be destroyed. Coifi was a bad priest of Woden, and was not likely to
be a good Christian. He had no faith. His name appears to be Celtic,
and as the priesthood was, as a rule, looked upon as hereditary, it
is probable that he was some stray lad who had been adopted by the
"Godi" or priest. His guardian, seeing his natural talent as a gleeman,
allowed him to pass the first half of his life in that capacity, and
Ethelric, for some secret service, promoted him to the priesthood. His
final performance in a priestly capacity was that of a buffoon. He was
equally dissatisfied with his new religion, and died a year afterwards.
Osric was much incensed at the desecration of the venerable images
which had been brought by his ancestors from the Continent when they
first settled in England. Coelred and Porlor also thought that the
conduct of Coifi was contemptible, and that the things highly valued by
their fathers, if their use had ceased, should have been put away with
becoming reverence.
King Edwin, with the full consent of the Witan, had now determined
to undergo the rite of baptism. He began to build a timber structure
near the north-eastern angle of the walls of York, which was to serve
as a baptistery. When it was nearly completed he sent for Sivel, and
entrusted him with a mission. "You remember," said the King, "the
story of my early life, how I was befriended in Gwynedd by a Christian
priest named Urien, and that his son was my playmate. This son was to
be brought up for the priesthood. They were true and honest people.
My Sivel, I want my playmate to come here and to baptize me." He then
explained some topographical details bearing on Urien's country. "It is
a difficult, perhaps a dangerous, mission, but I entrust it to you in
full confidence that it will succeed in your hands. I and my friends
shall be baptized by an honest man, not by a trickster."
Sivel set out alone. His quiet manner, his coolness, and his great
experience made him a most skilful diplomatist. He easily made his way
to Gwynedd and found his man, the British priest Rhunn ap Urien, who
readily consented to return with him. Two months had not elapsed before
King Edwin greeted the simple British priest who had once been his
playmate, and lodged him comfortably in the Aldwark. On Easter Sunday
of the year 627 King Edwin was baptized, in the wooden baptistery at
York, by the British priest Rhunn ap Urien; and with the King his two
sons, most of his thegns, and a vast number of common people also
received baptism. But Osric the Atheling refused the rite. The baptism
was an epoch in the life and reign of Edwin the Great.