Gregory the great was a punster, as appears from an anecdote related of
him, and which gave the first impulse to his exertions to promulgate
Christianity in this country. It was sometime before he was advanced to
St. Peter's chair, and when he was only a deacon in the church, that he
saw some handsome youths for sale in the open market: struck with their
appearance, he inquired whence they were, and was answered they were
_Angli (English.)_ "They are rightly called," said he, "for they seem
Angeli," (of or belonging to angels,) and asking what province they were
of among the Angli; he was told of _Deira_ (part of the kingdom of
Northumbria.) Ah, exclaimed he, _De ira Dei sunt liberandi_. Learning
farther that their king was named _Alle_, he said how fitly may he sing
_Alle_lujahs to God, who possesseth such subjects. From that time he
seriously endeavoured to bring about the conversion of the English
nation, and a few years afterwards, being Pope, he happily effected it
by the travels and labours of St. Augustine, who was the first
Archbishop of Canterbury.
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