When he was slain, his arms with the hands and his head were cut off

by the insatiable rage of his conqueror, and fixed on a stake. The

dead trunk indeed, as I have mentioned, being laid to rest in the

calm bosom of the earth, turned to its native dust; but the arms and

hands, through the power of God, remain, according to the testimony

of an author of veracity, without corruption. These being placed by

his brother Oswy in a shrine, at the city of Bebbanburg,[67] so the

Angles call it, and shown for a miracle, bear testimony to the fact.

Whether they remain at that place at the present day, I venture not

rashly to affirm, because I waver in my opinion. If other historians

have precipitately recorded any matter, let them be accountable:

I hold common report at a cheaper rate, and affirm nothing but

what is deserving of entire credit. The head was then buried by his

before-mentioned brother at Lindisfarne; but it is said now to be

preserved at Durham in the arms of the blessed Cuthbert.[68] When

Ostritha, the wife of Ethelred, king of the Mercians, daughter of

king Oswy, through regard to her uncle, was anxious to take the bones

of the trunk to her monastery of Bardney, which is in the country of

the Mercians not far from the city of Lincoln, the monks refused her

request at first; denying repose even to the bones of that man when

dead whom they had hated whilst living, because he had obtained their

country by right of arms. But at midnight being taught, by a miraculous

light from heaven shining on the relics, to abate their haughty pride,

they became converts to reason, and even entreated as a favour, what

before they had rejected. Virtues from on high became resident in this

place: every sick person who implored this most excellent martyr’s

assistance, immediately received it. The withering turf grew greener

from his blood, and recovered a horse:[69] and some of it being hung up

against a post, the devouring flames fled from it in their turn. Some

dust, moistened from his relics, was equally efficacious in restoring

a lunatic to his proper senses. The washings of the stake which had

imbibed the blood fresh streaming from his head, restored health to

one despairing of recovery. For a long time this monastery, possessing

so great a treasure, flourished in the sanctity of its members and the

abundance of its friends, more especially after king Ethelred received

the tonsure there, where also his tomb is seen even to the present day.

After many years indeed, when the barbarians infested these parts, the

bones of the most holy Oswald were removed to Gloucester. This place,

at that period inhabited by monks, but at the present time by canons,

contains but few inmates. Oswald, therefore, was the man who yielded

the first fruits of holiness to his nation; since no Angle before him,

to my knowledge, was celebrated for miracles. For after a life spent in

sanctity, in liberally giving alms, in frequent watchings and prayer,

and lastly, through zeal for the church of God, in waging war with an

heathen, he poured out his spirit, according to his wishes, before he

could behold, what was his greatest object of apprehension, the decline

of Christianity. Nor indeed shall he be denied the praise of the

martyrs, who, first aspiring after a holy life, and next opposing his

body to a glorious death, certainly trod in their steps: in a manner he

deserves higher commendation, since they barely consecrated themselves

to God; but Oswald not only himself, but all the Northumbrians with him.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 655-670.] OSWY. EGFRID.]

On his removal from this world, Oswy his brother assumed the dominion

over the Bernicians, as did Oswin, the son of Osric, whom I have before

mentioned, over the Deirans. After meeting temperately at first on

the subject of the division of the provinces, under a doubtful truce,

they each retired peaceably to their territories; but not long after,

by means of persons who delighted in sowing the seeds of discord, the

peace, of which they had so often made a mockery by ambiguous treaties,

was finally broken, and vanished into air. Horrid crime! that there

should be men who could envy these kings their friendly intimacy,

nor abstain from using their utmost efforts to precipitate them into

battle. Here then fortune, who had before so frequently caressed Oswin

with her blandishments, now wounded him with her scorpion-sting.

For thinking it prudent to abstain from fighting, on account of the

smallness of his force, he had secretly withdrawn to a country-seat,

where he was immediately betrayed by his own people, and killed by

Oswy. He was a man admirably calculated to gain the favour of his

subjects by his pecuniary liberality; and, as they relate, demonstrated

his care for his soul by his fervent devotion. Oswy, thus sovereign of

the entire kingdom, did every thing to wipe out this foul stain, and to

increase his dignity, extenuating the enormity of that atrocious deed

by the rectitude of his future conduct. Indeed the first and highest

point of his glory is, that he nobly avenged his brother and his uncle,

and gave to perdition Penda king of the Mercians, that destroyer of

his neighbours, and fomenter of hostility. From this period he either

governed the Mercians, as well as almost all the Angles, himself,

or was supreme over those who did. Turning from this time altogether

to offices of piety, that he might be truly grateful for the favours

of God perpetually flowing down upon him, he proceeded to raise up

and animate, with all his power, the infancy of the Christian faith,

which of late was fainting through his brother’s death. This faith,

brought shortly after to maturity by the learning of the Scots, but

wavering in many ecclesiastical observances, was now settled on

canonical foundations:[70] first by Agilbert and Wilfrid, and next by

archbishop Theodore: for whose arrival in Britain, although Egbert,

king of Kent, as far as his province is concerned, takes much from his

glory, the chief thanks are due to Oswy.[71] Moreover he built numerous

habitations for the servants of God, and so left not his country

destitute of this advantage also. The principal of these monasteries,

at that time for females, but now for males, was situate about thirty

miles north of York, and was anciently called Streaneshalch, but

latterly Whitby. Begun by Hilda, a woman of singular piety, it was

augmented with large revenues by Elfled, daughter of this king, who

succeeded her in the government of it; in which place also she buried

her father with all due solemnity, after he had reigned twenty-eight

years. This monastery, like all others of the same order, was destroyed

in the times of the Danish invasion, which will be related hereafter,

and bereaved of the bodies of many saints. For the bones of St. Aidan

the bishop, of Ceolfrid the abbat, and of that truly holy virgin Hilda,

together with those of many others, were, as I have related in the book

which I lately published on the Antiquity of the Church of Glastonbury,

at that time removed to Glastonbury; and those of other saints to

different places. Now the monastery, under another name, and somewhat

restored as circumstances permitted, hardly presents a vestige of its

former opulence.

To Oswy, who had two sons, the elder who was illegitimate being

rejected, succeeded the younger, Egfrid, legitimately born, more valued

on account of the good qualities of his most pious wife Etheldrida,

than for his own; yet he was certainly to be commended for two

things which I have read in the history of the Angles, his allowing

his wife to dedicate herself to God, and his promoting the blessed

Cuthbert to a bishopric, whose tears at the same time burst out with

pious assent.[72] But my mind shudders at the bare recollection of

his outrage against the holy Wilfrid, when, loathing his virtues, he

deprived the country of this shining character. Overbearing towards

the suppliant, a malady incident to tyrants, he overwhelmed the Irish,

a race of men harmless in genuine simplicity and guiltless of every

crime, with incredible slaughter. On the other hand, inactive towards

the rebellious, and not following up the triumphs of his father,

he lost the dominion of the Mercians, and moreover, defeated in

battle by Ethelred the son of Penda, their king, he lost his brother

also. Perhaps these last circumstances may be truly attributed to

the unsteadiness of youth, but his conduct towards Wilfrid, to the

instigation of his wife,[73] and of the bishops; more especially as

Bede, a man who knew not how to flatter, calls him, in his book of

the Lives of his Abbats, the most pious man, the most beloved by God.

At length, in the fifteenth year of his reign, as he was leading

an expedition against the Picts, and eagerly pursuing them as they

purposely retired to some secluded mountains, he perished with almost

all his forces; the few who escaped by flight carried home news of

the event; and yet the divine Cuthbert, from his knowledge of future

events, had both attempted to keep him back, when departing, and at the

very moment of his death, enlightened by heavenly influence, declared,

though at a distance, that he was slain.

While a more than common report every where noised the death of Egfrid,

an intimation of it, “borne on the wings of haste,” reached the ears of

his brother Alfrid. Though the elder brother, he had been deemed, by

the nobility, unworthy of the government, from his illegitimacy, as I

have observed, and had retired to Ireland, either through compulsion or

indignation. In this place, safe from the persecution of his brother,

he had, from his ample leisure, become deeply versed in literature, and

had enriched his mind with every kind of learning. On which account the

very persons who had formerly banished him, esteeming him the better

qualified to manage the reins of government, now sent for him of their

own accord. Fate rendered efficacious their entreaties; neither did he

disappoint their expectations. For during the space of nineteen years,

he presided over the kingdom in the utmost tranquillity and joy; doing

nothing that even greedy calumny itself could justly carp at, except

the persecution of that great man Wilfrid. However he held not the

same extent of territory as his father and brother, because the Picts,

proudly profiting by their recent victory, and attacking the Angles,

who were become indolent through a lengthened peace, had curtailed his

boundaries on the north.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 685-730.] OSRED.--CEOLWULF.]

He had for successor his son, Osred, a boy of eight years old; who

disgracing the throne for eleven years, and spending an ignominious

life in the seduction of nuns, was ultimately taken off by the

hostility of his relations. Yet he poured out to them a draught

from the same cup; for Kenred after reigning two, and Osric eleven

years, left only this to be recorded of them; that they expiated by

a violent death, the blood of their master, whom they supposed they

had rightfully slain. Osric indeed deserved a happier end, for, as a

heathen[74] says, he was more dignified than other shades, because,

while yet living he had adopted Ceolwulf, Kenred’s brother, as his

successor. Then Ceolwulf ascended the giddy height of empire, seventh

in descent from Ida: a man competent in other respects, and withal

possessed of a depth of literature, acquired by good abilities and

indefatigable attention. Bede vouches for the truth of my assertion,

who, at the very juncture when Britain most abounded with scholars,

offered his History of the Angles, for correction, to this prince more

especially; making choice of his authority, to confirm by his high

station what had been well written; and of his learning, to rectify by

his talents what might be carelessly expressed.

In the fourth year of his reign, Bede, the historian, after having

written many books for the holy church, entered the heavenly kingdom,

for which he had so long languished, in the year of our Lord’s

incarnation 734; of his age the fifty-ninth. A man whom it is easier

to admire than worthily to extol: who, though born in a remote corner

of the world, was able to dazzle the whole earth with the brilliancy

of his learning. For even Britain, which by some is called another

world, since, surrounded by the ocean, it was not thoroughly known

by many geographers, possesses, in its remotest region, bordering

on Scotland, the place of his birth and education. This region,

formerly exhaling the grateful odour of monasteries, or glittering

with a multitude of cities built by the Romans, now desolate through

the ancient devastations of the Danes, or those more recent of the

Normans,[75] presents but little to allure the mind. Here is the river

Wear, of considerable breadth and rapid tide; which running into the

sea, receives the vessels, borne by gentle gales, on the calm bosom

of its haven. Both its banks[76] have been made conspicuous by one

Benedict,[77] who there built churches and monasteries; one dedicated

to Peter, and the other to Paul, united in the bond of brotherly love

and of monastic rule. The industry and forbearance of this man, any

one will admire who reads the book which Bede composed concerning his

life and those of the succeeding abbats: his industry, in bringing

over a multitude of books, and being the first person who introduced

in England constructors of stone edifices, as well as makers of glass

windows; in which pursuits he spent almost his whole life abroad:

the love of his country and his taste for elegance beguiling his

painful labours, in the earnest desire of conveying something to his

countrymen out of the common way; for very rarely before the time of

Benedict were buildings of stone[78] seen in Britain, nor did the

solar ray cast its light through the transparent glass. Again, his

forbearance: for when in possession of the monastery of St. Augustine

at Canterbury, he cheerfully resigned it to Adrian, when he arrived,

not as fearing the severity of St. Theodore the archbishop, but bowing

to his authority. And farther, while long absent abroad, he endured not

only with temper, but, I may say, with magnanimity, the substitution of

another abbat, without his knowledge, by the monks of Wearmouth; and

on his return, admitted him to equal honour with himself, in rank and

power. Moreover, when stricken so severely with the palsy that he could

move none of his limbs, he appointed a third abbat, because the other,

of whom we have spoken, was not less affected by the same disease. And

when the disorder, increasing, was just about to seize his vitals, he

bade adieu to his companion, who was brought into his presence, with

an inclination of the head only; nor was he better able to return the

salutation, for he was hastening to a still nearer exit, and actually

died before Benedict.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 690.] CEOLFRID.]

Ceolfrid succeeded, under whom the affairs of the monastery flourished

beyond measure. When, through extreme old age, life ceased to be

desirable, he purposed going to Rome, that he might pour out, as he

hoped, his aged soul an offering to the apostles his masters. But

failing of the object of his desires, he paid the debt of nature at the

city of Langres. The relics of his bones were in after time conveyed

to his monastery; and at the period of the Danish devastation, with

those of St. Hilda, were taken to Glastonbury.[79] The merits of these

abbats, sufficiently eminent in themselves, their celebrated pupil,

Bede, crowns with superior splendour. It is written indeed, “A wise son

is the glory of his father:” for one of them made him a monk, the other

educated him. And since Bede himself has given some slight notices of

these facts, comprising his whole life in a kind of summary, it may be

allowed to turn to his words, which the reader will recognize, lest any

variation of the style should affect the relation. At the end then of

the Ecclesiastical History of the English[80] this man, as praiseworthy

in other respects as in this, that he withheld nothing from posterity,

though it might be only a trifling knowledge of himself, says thus:

“I, Bede, the servant of Christ, and priest of the monastery of the

holy apostles Peter and Paul, which is at Wearmouth, have, by God’s

assistance, arranged these materials for the history of Britain. I was

born within the possessions of this monastery, and at seven years of

age, was committed, by the care of my relations, to the most reverend

abbat Benedict, to be educated, and, after, to Ceolfrid; passing

the remainder of my life from that period in residence at the said

monastery, I have given up my whole attention to the study of the

Scriptures, and amid the observance of my regular discipline and my

daily duty of singing in the church, have ever delighted to learn,

to teach, or to write. In the nineteenth year of my life, I took

deacon’s, in the thirtieth, priest’s orders; both, at the instance of

abbat Ceolfrid, by the ministry of the most reverend bishop John:[81]

from which time of receiving the priesthood till the fifty-ninth year

of my age, I have been employed for the benefit of myself or of my

friends, in making these extracts from the works of the venerable

fathers, or in making additions, according to the form of their

sense or interpretation.” Then enumerating thirty-six volumes which

he published in seventy-eight books, he proceeds, “And I pray most

earnestly, O merciful Jesus, that thou wouldst grant me, to whom thou

hast already given the knowledge of thyself, finally to come to thee,

the fountain of all wisdom, and to appear for ever in thy presence.

Moreover I humbly entreat all persons, whether readers or hearers,

whom this history of our nation shall reach, that they be mindful to

intercede with the divine clemency for my infirmities both of mind

and of body, and that, in their several provinces, they make me this

grateful return; that I, who have diligently laboured to record, of

every province, or of more exalted places, what appeared worthy of

preservation or agreeable to the inhabitants, may receive, from all,

the benefit of their pious intercessions.”

Here my abilities fail, here my eloquence falls short: ignorant which

to praise most, the number of his writings, or the gravity of his

style. No doubt he had imbibed a large portion of heavenly wisdom,

to be able to compose so many volumes within the limits of so short

a life. Nay, they even report, that he went to Rome for the purpose

either of personally asserting that his writings were consistent with

the doctrines of the church; or of correcting them by apostolical

authority, should they be found repugnant thereto. That he went to Rome

I do not however affirm for fact: but I have no doubt in declaring that

he was invited thither, as the following epistle will certify; as well

as that the see of Rome so highly esteemed him as greatly to desire his

presence.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 701.] SERGIUS’S EPISTLE.]

“_Sergius the bishop, servant of the servants of God, to Ceolfrid the

holy abbat sendeth greeting_:--

“With what words, and in what manner, can we declare the kindness

and unspeakable providence of our God, and return fit thanks for his

boundless benefits, who leads us, when placed in darkness, and the

shadow of death, to the light of knowledge?” And below, “Know, that

we received the favour of the offering which your devout piety hath

sent by the present bearer, with the same joy and goodwill with which

it was transmitted. We assent to the timely and becoming prayers of

your laudable anxiety with deepest regard, and entreat of your pious

goodness, so acceptable to God, that, since there have occurred certain

points of ecclesiastical discipline, not to be promulgated without

farther examination, which have made it necessary for us to confer with

a person skilled in literature, as becomes an assistant of God’s holy

universal motherchurch, you would not delay paying ready obedience

to this, our admonition; but would send without loss of time, to our

lowly presence, at the church of the chief apostles, my lords Peter

and Paul, your friends and protectors, that religious servant of God,

Bede, the venerable priest of your monastery; whom, God willing, you

may expect to return in safety, when the necessary discussion of

the above-mentioned points shall be, by God’s assistance, solemnly

completed: for whatever may be added to the church at large, by his

assistance, will, we trust, be profitable to the things committed to

your immediate care.”

So extensive was his fame then, that even the majesty of Rome itself

solicited his assistance in solving abstruse questions, nor did Gallic

conceit ever find in this Angle any thing justly to blame. All the

western world yielded the palm to his faith and authority; for indeed

he was of sound faith, and of artless, yet pleasing eloquence: in all

elucidations of the holy scriptures, discussing those points from which

the reader might imbibe the love of God, and of his neighbour, rather

than those which might charm by their wit, or polish a rugged style.

Moreover the irrefragable truth of that sentence, which the majesty

of divine wisdom proclaimed to the world forbids any one to doubt the

sanctity of his life, “Wisdom will not enter the malevolent soul, nor

dwell in the person of the sinful;” which indeed is said not of earthly

wisdom, which is infused promiscuously into the hearts of men, and in

which, even the wicked, who continue their crimes until their last day,

seem often to excel, according to the divine expression, “The sons of

this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light;”

but it rather describes that wisdom which needs not the assistance

of learning, and which dismisses from its cogitations those things

which are void of understanding, that is to say, of the understanding

of acting and speaking properly. Hence Seneca in his book, “De

Causis,”[82] appositely relates that Cato, defining the duty of an

orator, said, “An orator is a good man, skilled in speaking.” This

ecclesiastical orator, then, used to purify his knowledge, that so he

might, as far as possible, unveil the meaning of mystic writings. How

indeed could that man be enslaved to vice who gave his whole soul and

spirit to elucidate the scriptures? For, as he confesses in his third

book on Samuel, if his expositions were productive of no advantage to

his readers, yet were they of considerable importance to himself,

inasmuch as, while fully intent upon them, he escaped the vanity and

empty imaginations of the times. Purified from vice, therefore, he

entered within the inner veil, divulging in pure diction the sentiments

of his mind.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 735.] DEATH OF BEDE.]

But the unspotted sanctity and holy purity of his heart were chiefly

conspicuous on the approach of death. Although for seven weeks

successively, from the indisposition of his stomach, he nauseated all

food, and was troubled with such a difficulty of breathing that his

disorder confined him to his bed, yet he by no means abandoned his

literary avocations. During whole days he endeavoured to mitigate

the pressure of his disorder and to lose the recollection of it by

constant lectures to his pupils, and by examining and solving abstruse

questions, in addition to his usual task of psalmody. Moreover the

gospel of St. John, which from its difficulty exercises the talents of

its readers even to the present day, was translated by him into the

English language, and accommodated to those who did not understand

Latin. Occasionally, also, would he admonish his disciples, saying,

“Learn, my children, while I am with you, for I know not how long I

shall continue; and although my Maker should very shortly take me

hence, and my spirit should return to him that sent and granted it to

come into this life, yet have I lived long, God hath rightly appointed

my portion of days, I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ.”

Often too when the balance was poised between hope and fear, he would

remark “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living

God.[83] I have not passed my life among you in such manner as to be

ashamed to live, neither do I fear to die, because we have a kind

Master;” thus borrowing the expression of St. Ambrose when dying.

Happy man! who could speak with so quiet a conscience as neither being

ashamed to live, nor afraid to die; on the one hand not fearing the

judgment of men, on the other waiting with composure the hidden will of

God. Often, when urged by extremity of pain, he comforted himself with

these remarks, “The furnace tries the gold, and the fire of temptation

the just man: the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be

compared to the future glory which shall be revealed in us.”[84] Tears

and a difficulty of breathing accompanied his words. At night, when

there were none to be instructed or to note down his remarks, he passed

the whole season in giving thanks and singing psalms, fulfilling the

saying of that very wise man,[85] “that he was never less alone than

when alone.” If at any time a short and disturbed sleep stole upon his

eye-lids, he immediately shook it off, and showed that his affections

were always intent on God, by exclaiming “Lift me up, O Lord, that the

proud calumniate me not. Do with thy servant according to thy mercy.”

These and similar expressions which his shattered memory suggested,

flowed spontaneously from his lips whenever the pain of his agonizing

disorder became mitigated. But on the Tuesday before our Lord’s

ascension his disease rapidly increased, and there appeared a small

swelling in his feet, the sure and certain indication of approaching

death. Then the congregation being called together, he was anointed and

received the sacrament. Kissing them all, and requesting from each that

they would bear him in remembrance, he gave a small present, which he

had privately reserved, to some with whom he had been in closer bonds

of friendship. On Ascension day, when his soul, tired of the frail

occupation of the body, panted to be free, lying down on a hair-cloth

near the oratory, where he used to pray, with sense unimpaired and

joyful countenance, he invited the grace of the Holy Spirit, saying, “O

King of glory, Lord of virtue, who ascendedst this day triumphant into

the heavens, leave us not destitute, but send upon us the promise of

the Father, the Spirit of truth.” This prayer ended, he breathed his

last, and immediately the senses of all were pervaded by an odour such

as neither cinnamon nor balm could give, but coming, as it were, from

paradise, and fraught with all the joyous exhalations of spring. At

that time he was buried in the same monastery, but at present, report

asserts that he lies at Durham with St. Cuthbert.

With this man was buried almost all knowledge of history down to our

times, inasmuch as there has been no Englishman either emulous of his

pursuits, or a follower of his graces, who could continue the thread

of his discourse, now broken short. Some few indeed, “whom the mild

Jesus loved,” though well skilled in literature, have yet observed an

ungracious silence throughout their lives; others, scarcely tasting of

the stream, have fostered a criminal indolence. Thus to the slothful

succeeded others more slothful still, and the warmth of science for a

long time decreased throughout the island. The verses of his epitaph

will afford sufficient specimen of this indolence; they are indeed

contemptible, and unworthy the tomb of so great a man:

“Presbyter hic Beda, requiescit carne sepultus;

Dona, Christe, animam in cœlis gaudere per ævum:

Daque illi sophiæ debriari fonte, cui jam

Suspiravit ovans, intento semper amore.”[86]

Can this disgrace be extenuated by any excuse, that there was not to

be found even in that monastery, where during his lifetime the school

of all learning had flourished, a single person who could write his

epitaph, except in this mean and paltry style? But enough of this: I

will return to my subject.

Ceolwulf thinking it beneath the dignity of a Christian to be immersed

in earthly things, abdicated the throne after a reign of eight years,

and assumed the monastic habit at Lindisfarne, in which place how

meritoriously he lived, is amply testified by his being honourably

interred near St. Cuthbert, and by many miracles vouchsafed from on

high.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 737, 738.] KING EADBERT.]

He had made provision against the state’s being endangered, by placing

his cousin, Eadbert,[87] on the throne, which he filled for twenty

years with singular moderation and virtue. Eadbert had a brother

of the same name, archbishop of York, who, by his own prudence and

the power of the king, restored that see to its original state.

For, as is well known to any one conversant in the history of the

Angles,[88] Paulinus, the first prelate of the church of York, had

been forcibly driven away, and died at Rochester, where he left that

honourable distinction of the pall which he had received from pope

Honorius. After him, many prelates of this august city, satisfied

with the name of a simple bishopric, aspired to nothing higher: but

when Eadbert was seated on the throne, a man of loftier spirit, and

one who thought, that, “as it is over-reaching to require what is not

our due, so is it ignoble to neglect our right,” he reclaimed the

pall by frequent appeals to the pope. This personage, if I may be

allowed the expression, was the depository and receptacle of every

liberal art; and founded a most noble library at York. For this I

cite Alcuin,[89] as competent witness; who was sent from the kings

of England to the emperor Charles the Great, to treat of peace, and

being hospitably entertained by him, observes, in a letter to Eanbald,

third in succession from Eadbert, “Praise and glory be to God, who

hath preserved my days in full prosperity, that I should rejoice in

the exaltation of my dearest son, who laboured in my stead, in the

church where I had been brought up and educated, and presided over the

treasures of wisdom, to which my beloved master, archbishop Egbert,

left me heir.” Thus too to Charles Augustus:[90] “Give me the more

polished volumes of scholastic learning, such as I used to have in my

own country, through the laudable and ardent industry of my master,

archbishop Egbert. And, if it please your wisdom, I will send some of

our youths, who may obtain thence whatever is necessary, and bring back

into France the flowers of Britain; that the garden of Paradise may not

be confined to York, but that some of its scions may be transplanted to

Tours.”

This is the same Alcuin, who, as I have said, was sent into France to

treat of peace, and during his abode with Charles, captivated either by

the pleasantness of the country or the kindness of the king, settled

there; and being held in high estimation, he taught the king, during

his leisure from the cares of state, a thorough knowledge of logic,

rhetoric, and astronomy. Alcuin was, of all the Angles, of whom I have

read, next to St. Aldhelm and Bede, certainly the most learned, and has

given proof of his talents in a variety of compositions. He lies buried

in France, at the church of St. Paul, of Cormaric,[91] which monastery

Charles the Great built at his suggestion: on which account, even at

the present day, the subsistence of four monks is distributed in alms,

for the soul of our Alcuin, in that church.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 738.] KINGS OF FRANCE.]

But since I am arrived at that point where the mention of Charles the

Great naturally presents itself, I shall subjoin a true statement of

the descent of the kings of France, of which antiquity has said much:

nor shall I depart widely from my design; because to be unacquainted

with their race, I hold as a defect in information; seeing that they

are our near neighbours, and to them the Christian world chiefly looks

up: and, perhaps, to glance over this compendium may give pleasure to

many who have not leisure to wade through voluminous works.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 747-937.] CAROLOMAN--CHARLEMAGNE--LOUIS.]

The Franks were so called, by a Greek appellative, from the ferocity

of their manners, when, by order of the emperor Valentinian the First,

they ejected the Alani, who had retreated to the Mæotian marshes. It

is scarcely possible to believe how much this people, few and mean at

first, became increased by a ten years’ exemption from taxes: such,

before the war, being the condition on which they engaged in it.

Thus augmenting wonderfully by the acquisition of freedom, and first

seizing the greatest part of Germany, and next the whole of Gaul,

they compelled the inhabitants to list under their banners. Hence the

Lotharingi and Allamanni, and other nations beyond the Rhine, who are

subject to the emperor of Germany, will have themselves more properly

to be called Franks; and those whom we suppose Franks, they call by an

ancient appellative Galwalæ, that is to say, Gauls. To this opinion

I assent; knowing that Charles the Great, whom none can deny to have

been king of the Franks, always used the same vernacular language with

the Franks on the other side of the Rhine. Any one who shall read the

life of Charles will readily admit the truth of my assertion.[92] In

the year then of the Incarnate Word 425 the Franks were governed by

Faramund, their first king. The grandson of Faramund was Meroveus,

from whom all the succeeding kings of the Franks, to the time of

Pepin, were called Merovingians. In like manner the sons of the kings

of the Angles took patronymical appellations from their fathers. For

instance; Eadgaring the son of Edgar; Eadmunding the son of Edmund, and

the rest in like manner; commonly, however, they are called ethelings.

The native language of the Franks, therefore, partakes of that of

the Angles, by reason of both nations originating from Germany. The

Merovingians reigned successfully and powerfully till the year of our

Lord’s incarnation, 687. At that period Pepin, son of Ansegise, was

made mayor of the palace[93] among the Franks, on the other side of

the Rhine. Seizing opportunities for veiling his ambitious views, he

completely subjugated his master Theodoric, the dregs as it were of the

Merovingians, and to lessen the obloquy excited by the transaction,

he indulged him with the empty title of king, while himself managed

every thing, at home and abroad, according to his own pleasure. The

genealogy of this Pepin, both to and from him, is thus traced: Ausbert,

the senator, on Blithilde, the daughter of Lothaire, the father of

Dagobert, begot Arnold: Arnold begot St. Arnulph, bishop of Metz:

Arnulph begot Flodulph, Walcthise, Anschise: Flodulph begot duke

Martin, whom Ebroin slew: Walcthise begot the most holy Wandregesil

the abbat: duke Anschise begot Ansegise: Ansegise begot Pepin. The son

of Pepin was Carolus Tudites, whom they also call Martel, because he

beat down the tyrants who were raising up in every part of France, and

nobly defeated the Saracens, at that time infesting Gaul. Following

the practice of his father, whilst he was himself satisfied with the

title of earl, he kept the kings in a state of pupilage. He left

two sons, Pepin and Caroloman. Caroloman, from some unknown cause,

relinquishing the world, took his religious vows at Mount Cassin. Pepin

was crowned king of the Franks, and patrician of the Romans, in the

church of St. Denys, by pope Stephen, the successor of Zachary. For

the Constantinopolitan emperors, already much degenerated from their

ancient valour, giving no assistance either to Italy or the church of

Rome, which had long groaned under the tyranny of the Lombards, this

pope bewailed the injuries to which they were exposed from them to

the ruler of the Franks; wherefore Pepin passing the Alps, reduced

Desiderius, king of the Lombards, to such difficulties, that he

restored what he had plundered to the church of Rome, and gave surety

by oath that he would not attempt to resume it. Pepin returning to

France after some years, died, leaving his surviving children, Charles

and Caroloman, his heirs. In two years Caroloman departed this life.

Charles obtaining the name of “Great” from his exploits, enlarged the

kingdom to twice the limits which it possessed in his father’s time,

and being contented for more than thirty years with the simple title

of king, abstained from the appellation of emperor, though repeatedly

invited to assume it by pope Adrian. But when, after the death of this

pontiff, his relations maimed the holy Leo, his successors in the

church of St. Peter, so as to cut out his tongue, and put out his eyes,

Charles hastily proceeded to Rome to settle the state of the church.

Justly punishing these abandoned wretches, he stayed there the whole

winter, and restored the pontiff, now speaking plainly and seeing

clearly, by the miraculous interposition of God, to his customary

power. At that time the Roman people, with the privity of the pontiff,

on the day of our Lord’s nativity, unexpectedly hailed him with the

title of Augustus; which title, though, from its being unusual, he

reluctantly admitted, yet afterwards he defended with proper spirit

against the Constantinopolitan emperors, and left it, as hereditary,

to his son Louis. His descendants reigned in that country, which is

now properly called France, till the time of Hugh, surnamed Capet,

from whom is descended the present Louis. From the same stock came the

sovereigns of Germany and Italy, till the year of our Lord 912, when

Conrad, king of the Teutonians, seized that empire. The grandson of

this personage was Otho the Great, equal in every estimable quality to

any of the emperors who preceded him. Thus admirable for his valour

and goodness, he left the empire hereditary to his posterity; for

the present Henry, son-in-law of Henry, king of England, derives his

lineage from his blood.

To return to my narrative: Alcuin, though promoted by Charles the Great

to the monastery of St. Martin in France, was not unmindful of his

countrymen, but exerted himself to retain the emperor in amity with

them, and stimulated them to virtue by frequent epistles. I shall here

subjoin many of his observations, from which it will appear clearly how

soon after the death of Bede the love of learning declined even in his

own monastery: and how quickly after the decease of Eadbert the kingdom

of the Northumbrians came to ruin, through the prevalence of degenerate

manners.

He says thus to the monks of Wearmouth, among whom Bede had both lived

and died, obliquely accusing them of having done the very thing which

he begs them not to do, “Let the youths be accustomed to attend the

praises of our heavenly King, not to dig up the burrows of foxes,

or pursue the winding mazes of hares; let them now learn the Holy

Scriptures, that, when grown up, they may be able to instruct others.

Remember the most noble teacher of our times, Bede, the priest, what

thirst for learning he had in his youth, what praise he now has among

men, and what a far greater reward of glory with God.” Again, to those

of York he says, “The Searcher of my heart is witness that it was not

for lust of gold that I came to France or continued there, but for the

necessities of the church.” And thus to Offa, king of the Mercians, “I

was prepared to come to you with the presents of king Charles and to

return to my country, but it seemed more advisable to me, for the peace

of my nation, to remain abroad, not knowing what I could have done

among those persons, with whom no one can be secure, or able to proceed

in any laudable pursuit. Behold every holy place is laid desolate by

Pagans, the altars are polluted by perjury, the monasteries dishonoured

by adultery, the earth itself stained with the blood of rulers and

of princes.” Again, to king Ethelred, third in the sovereignty after

Eadbert, “Behold the church of St. Cuthbert is sprinkled with the

blood of God’s priests, despoiled of all its ornaments, and the holiest

spot in Britain given up to Pagan nations to be plundered; and where,

after the departure of St. Paulinus from York, the Christian religion

first took its rise in our own nation, there misery and calamity took

their rise also. What portends that shower of blood which in the time

of Lent, in the city of York, the capital of the whole kingdom, in the

church of St. Peter, the chief of the apostles, we saw tremendously

falling on the northern side of the building from the summit of the

roof, though the weather was fair? Must not blood be expected to come

upon the land from the northern regions?” Again, to Osbert, prince of

the Mercians, “Our kingdom of the Northumbrians has almost perished

through internal dissensions and perjury.” So also to Athelard,

archbishop of Canterbury, “I speak this on account of the scourge which

has lately fallen on that part of our island which has been inhabited

by our forefathers for nearly three hundred and forty years. It is

recorded in the writings of Gildas, the wisest of the Britons, that

those very Britons ruined their country through the avarice and rapine

of their princes, the iniquity and injustice of their judges, their

bishops’ neglect of preaching, the luxury and abandoned manners of the

people. Let us be cautious that such vices become not prevalent in our

times, in order that the divine favour may preserve our country to us

in that happy prosperity for the future which it has hitherto in its

most merciful kindness vouchsafed us.”

It has been made evident, I think, what disgrace and what destruction

the neglect of learning and the immoral manners of degenerate men

brought upon England! These remarks obtain this place in my history

merely for the purpose of cautioning my readers.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 758.] OSWULPH.]

Eadbert, then, rivalling his brother in piety, assumed the monastic

habit, and gave place to Oswulph, his son, who being, without any cause

on his part, slain by his subjects, was, after a twelvemonth’s reign,

succeeded by Moll. Moll carried on the government with commendable

diligence for eleven years,[94] and then fell a victim to the treachery

of Alcred. Alcred in his tenth year was compelled by his countrymen

to retire from the government which he had usurped. Ethelred too, the

son of Moll, being elected king, was expelled by them at the end of

five years. Alfwold was next hailed sovereign; but he also, at the end

of eleven years, experienced the perfidy of the inhabitants, for he

was cut off by assassination, though guiltless, as his distinguished

interment at Hexham and divine miracles sufficiently declare. His

nephew, Osred,[95] the son of Alcred, succeeding him, was expelled

after the space of a year, and gave place to Ethelred, who was also

called Ethelbert. He was the son of Moll, also called Ethelwald, and,

obtaining the kingdom after twelve years of exile, held it during

four, at the end of which time, unable to escape the fate of his

predecessors, he was cruelly murdered. At this, many of the bishops

and nobles greatly shocked, fled from the country. Some indeed affirm

that he was punished deservedly, because he had assented to the unjust

murder of Osred, whereas he had it in his power to quit the sovereignty

and restore him to his throne. Of the beginning of this reign Alcuin

thus speaks: “Blessed be God, the only worker of miracles, Ethelred,

the son of Ethelwald, went lately from the dungeon to the throne, from

misery to grandeur; by the infancy of whose reign we are detained from

coming to you.”[96] Of his death he writes[97] thus to Offa king of

the Mercians: “Your esteemed kindness is to understand that my lord,

king Charles, often speaks to me of you with affection and sincerity,

and in him you have the firmest friend. He therefore sends becoming

presents to your love, and to the several sees of your kingdom. In

like manner he had appointed presents for king Ethelred, and for the

sees of his bishops, but, oh, dreadful to think, at the very moment of

despatching these gifts and letters there came a sorrowful account, by

the ambassadors who returned out of Scotland through your country, of

the faithlessness of the people, and the death of the king. So that

Charles, withholding his liberal gifts, is so highly incensed against

that nation as to call it perfidious and perverse, and the murderer of

its sovereigns, esteeming it worse than pagan; and had I not interceded

he would have already deprived them of every advantage within his

reach, and have done them all the injury in his power.”

[Sidenote: [A.D. 796-827.] KING EGBERT.]

After Ethelred no one durst ascend the throne;[98] each dreading the

fate of his predecessor, and preferring a life of safety in inglorious

ease, to a tottering reign in anxious suspense: for most of the

Northumbrian kings had ended their reigns by a death which was now

become almost habitual. Thus being without a sovereign for thirty-three

years, that province became an object of plunder and contempt to its

neighbours. For when the Danes, who, as I have before related from

the words of Alcuin, laid waste the holy places, on their return home

represented to their countrymen the fruitfulness of the island, and

the indolence of its inhabitants; these barbarians came over hastily,

in great numbers, and obtained forcible possession of that part of

the country, till the time we are speaking of: indeed they had a

king of their own for many years, though he was subordinate to the

authority of the king of the West Saxons. However, after the lapse

of these thirty-three years, king Egbert obtained the sovereignty of

this province, as well as of the others, in the year of our Lord’s

incarnation 827, and the twenty-eighth of his reign. And since we have

reached his times, mindful of our engagement, we shall speak briefly

of the kingdom of the Mercians; and this, as well because we admire

brevity in relation, as that there is no great abundance of materials.

CHAP. IV.

_Of the kings of the Mercians._ [A.D. 626-874.]

In the year of our Lord’s incarnation 626, and the hundred and

thirty-ninth after the death of Hengist, Penda the son of Pybba,

tenth in descent of Woden, of noble lineage, expert in war, but at

the same time an irreligious heathen, at the age of fifty assumed the

title[99] of king of the Mercians, after he had already fostered his

presumption by frequent incursions on his neighbours. Seizing the

sovereignty, therefore, with a mind loathing quiet and unconscious how

great an enormity it was even to be victorious in a contest against

his own countrymen, he began to attack the neighbouring cities, to

invade the confines of the surrounding kings, and to fill everything

with terror and confusion. For what would not that man attempt, who,

by his lawless daring, had extinguished those luminaries of Britain,

Edwin and Oswald, kings of the Northumbrians, Sigebert, Ecgric, and

Anna, kings of the East Angles; men, in whom nobility of race was

equalled by sanctity of life? Kenwalk also, king of the West Saxons,

after being frequently harassed by him, was driven into exile; though,

perhaps, he deservedly paid the penalty of his perfidy towards God,

in denying his faith; and towards Penda himself, in repudiating his

sister. It is irksome to relate, how eagerly he watched opportunities

of slaughter, and as a raven flies greedily at the scent of a carcase,

so he joined Cadwalla,[100] and was of infinite service to him, in

recovering his dominions. In this manner, for thirty years, he attacked

his countrymen, but did nothing worthy of record against strangers. His

insatiable desires, however, at last found an end suitable to their

deserts; for being routed, with his allies, by Oswy, who had succeeded

his brother Oswald, more through the assistance of God than his

military powers, Penda increased the number of infernal spirits. By his

queen Kyneswith his sons were Peada, Wulfhere, Ethelred, Merwal, and

Mercelin: his daughters, Kyneburg, and Kyneswith; both distinguished

for inviolable chastity. Thus the parent, though ever rebellious

towards God, produced a most holy offspring for Heaven.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 655-661.] PEADA--WULFHERE.]

His son Peada succeeded him in a portion of the kingdom, by the

permission of Oswy, advanced to the government of the South Mercians;

a young man of talents, and even in his father’s lifetime son-in-law

to Oswy. For he had received his daughter, on condition of renouncing

paganism and embracing Christianity; in which faith he would soon have

caused the province of participate, the peaceful state of the kingdom

and his father-in-law’s consent tending to such a purpose, had not his

death, hastened, as they say, by the intrigues of his wife, intercepted

these joyful prospects. Then Oswy resumed the government, which seemed

rightly to appertain to him from his victory over the father, and

from his affinity to the son. The spirit, however, of the inhabitants

could not brook his authority more than three years; for they expelled

his generals, and Wulfhere, the son of Penda, being hailed as his

successor, the province recovered its liberty.

Wulfhere, that he might not disappoint the hopes of the nation, began

to act with energy, to show himself an efficient prince by great

exertions both mental and personal, and finally to afford Christianity,

introduced by his brother and yet hardly breathing in his kingdom,

every possible assistance. In the early years of his reign he was

heavily oppressed by the king of the West Saxons, but in succeeding

times, repelling the injury by the energy of his measures, he deprived

him of the sovereignty of the Isle of Wight; and leading it, yet

panting after heathen rites, into the proper path, he soon after

bestowed it on his godson, Ethelwalch, king of the South Saxons, as a

recompence for his faith. But these and all his other good qualities

are stained and deteriorated by the dreadful brand of simony; because

he, first of the kings of the Angles, sold the sacred bishopric of

London to one Wini, an ambitious man. His wife was Ermenhilda, the

daughter of Erconbert, king of Kent, of whom he begat Kinred, and

Wereburga, a most holy virgin who lies buried at Chester. His brother

Merewald married Ermenburga, the daughter of Ermenred, brother of the

same Erconbert; by her he had issue, three daughters; Milburga, who

lies at Weneloch; Mildritha in Kent, in the monastery of St. Augustine;

and Milgitha: and one son, Merefin. Alfrid king of the Northumbrians

married Kyneburg, daughter of Penda: who, after a time, disgusted with

wedlock, took the habit of a nun in the monastery which her brothers,

Wulfhere and Ethelred, had founded.

Wulfhere died at the end of nineteen years, and his brother Ethelred

ascended the throne; more famed for his pious disposition than his

skill in war. Moreover he was satisfied with displaying his valour

in a single but illustrious expedition into Kent, and passed the

remainder of his life in quiet, except that attacking Egfrid, king of

the Northumbrians, who had passed beyond the limits of his kingdom, he

admonished him to return home, by the murder of his brother Elfwin.

He atoned however for this slaughter, after due deliberation, at the

instance of St. Theodore, the archbishop, by giving Egfrid a large

sum of money.[101] Subsequently to this, in the thirtieth year of

his reign, he took the cowl, and became a monk at Bardney, of which

monastery he was ultimately promoted to be abbat. This is the same

person who was contemporary with Ina, king of the West Saxons, and

confirmed by his authority also the privilege which St. Aldhelm brought

from Rome. His wife was Ostritha, sister of Egfrid, king of the

Northumbrians, by whom she had issue a son named Ceolred.

He appointed Kenred, the son of his brother Wulfhere his successor,

who, equally celebrated for piety to God and uprightness towards

his subjects, ran his mortal race with great purity of manners, and

proceeding to Rome in the fifth year of his reign, passed the remainder

of his life there in the offices of religion; chiefly instigated

to this by the melancholy departure of a soldier, who, as Bede

relates,[102] disdaining to confess his crimes when in health, saw,

manifestly, when at the point of death, those very demons coming to

punish him to whose vicious allurements he had surrendered his soul.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 709-756.] BONIFACE’S EPISTLE.]

After him reigned Ceolred, the son of Ethelred his uncle, as

conspicuous for his valour against Ina, as pitiable for an early death;

for not filling the throne more than eight years, he was buried at

Lichfield, leaving Ethelbald, the grand-nephew of Penda by his brother

Alwy, his heir. This king, enjoying the sovereignty in profound and

long-continued peace, that is, for the space of forty-one years, was

ultimately killed by his subjects, and thus met with a reverse of

fortune. Bernred, the author of his death, left nothing worthy of

record, except that afterwards, being himself put to death by Offa,

he received the just reward of his treachery. To this Ethelbald,

Boniface,[103] archbishop of Mentz, an Angle by nation, who was

subsequently crowned with martyrdom, sent an epistle, part of which I

shall transcribe, that it may appear how freely he asserts those very

vices to have already gained ground among the Angles of which Alcuin in

after times was apprehensive. It will also be a strong proof, by the

remarkable deaths of certain kings, how severely God punishes those

guilty persons for whom his long-suspended anger mercifully waits.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 756.] BONIFACE’S EPISTLE.]

[104]“_To Ethelbald, my dearest lord, and to be preferred to all other

kings of the Angles, in the love of Christ, Boniface the archbishop,

legate to Germany from the church of Rome, wisheth perpetual health in

Christ._ We confess before God that when we hear of your prosperity,

your faith, and good works, we rejoice; and if at any time we hear

of any adversity befallen you, either in the chance of war or the

jeopardy of your soul, we are afflicted. We have heard that, devoted

to almsgiving, you prohibit theft and rapine, are a lover of peace, a

defender of widows, and of the poor; and for this we give God thanks.

Your contempt for lawful matrimony, were it for chastity’s sake, would

be laudable; but since you wallow in luxury and even in adultery with

nuns, it is disgraceful and damnable; it dims the brightness of your

glory before God and man, and transforms you into an idolater, because

you have polluted the temple of God. Wherefore, my beloved son, repent,

and remember how dishonourable it is, that you, who, by the grant of

God, are sovereign over many nations, should yourself be the slave of

lust to his disservice. Moreover, we have heard that almost all the

nobles of the Mercian kingdom, following your example, desert their

lawful wives and live in guilty intercourse with adultresses and nuns.

Let the custom of a foreign country teach you how far distant this

is from rectitude. For in old Saxony, where there is no knowledge of

Christ, if a virgin in her father’s house, or a married woman under

the protection of her husband, should be guilty of adultery, they

burn her, strangled by her own hand, and hang up her seducer over the

grave where she is buried; or else, cutting off her garments to the

waist, modest matrons whip her and pierce her with knives, and fresh

tormentors punish her in the same manner as she goes from town to town,

till they destroy her. Again the Winedi,[105] the basest of nations,

have this custom--the wife, on the death of her husband, casts herself

on the same funeral pile to be consumed with him. If then the gentiles,

who know not God, have so zealous a regard for chastity, how much more

ought you to possess, my beloved son, who are both a Christian and

a king? Spare therefore your own soul, spare a multitude of people,

perishing by your example, for whose souls you must give account. Give

heed to this too, if the nation of the Angles, (and we are reproached

in France and in Italy and by the very pagans for it,) despising

lawful matrimony, give free indulgence to adultery, a race ignoble and

despising God must necessarily proceed from such a mixture, which will

destroy the country by their abandoned manners, as was the case with

the Burgundians, Provençals, and Spaniards, whom the Saracens harassed

for many years on account of their past transgressions. Moreover, it

has been told us, that you take away from the churches and monasteries

many of their privileges, and excite, by your example, your nobility

to do the like. But recollect, I entreat you, what terrible vengeance

God hath inflicted upon former kings, guilty of the crime we lay to

your charge. For Ceolred, your predecessor, the debaucher of nuns, the

infringer of ecclesiastical privileges, was seized, while splendidly

regaling with his nobles, by a malignant spirit, who snatched away his

soul without confession and without communion, while in converse with

the devil and despising the law of God. He drove Osred also, king of

the Deirans and Bernicians, who was guilty of the same crimes, to such

excess that he lost his kingdom and perished in early manhood by an

ignominious death. Charles also, governor of the Franks, the subverter

of many monasteries and the appropriator of ecclesiastical revenues to

his own use, perished by excruciating pain and a fearful death.” And

afterwards, “Wherefore, my beloved son, we entreat with paternal and

fervent prayers that you would not despise the counsel of your fathers,

who, for the love of God, anxiously appeal to your highness. For

nothing is more salutary to a good king than the willing correction of

such crimes when they are pointed out to him; since Solomon says ‘Whoso

loveth instruction, loveth wisdom.’ Wherefore, my dearest son, showing

you good counsel, we call you to witness, and entreat you by the living

God, and his Son Jesus Christ, and by the Holy Spirit, that you would

recollect how fleeting is the present life, how short and momentary

is the delight of the filthy flesh, and how ignominious for a person

of transitory existence to leave a bad example to posterity. Begin

therefore to regulate your life by better habits, and correct the past

errors of your youth, that you may have praise before men here, and be

blest with eternal glory hereafter. We wish your Highness health and

proficiency in virtue.”

I have inserted in my narrative portions of this epistle, to give

sufficient knowledge of these circumstances, partly in the words of the

author and partly in my own, shortening the sentences as seemed proper,

for which I shall easily be excused, because there was need of brevity

for the sake of those who were eager to resume the thread of the

history. Moreover, Boniface transmitted an epistle of like import to

archbishop Cuthbert, adding that he should remonstrate with the clergy

and nuns on the fineness and vanity of their dress. Besides, that he

might not wonder at his interfering in that in which he had no apparent

concern, that is to say, how or with what manners the nation of the

Angles conducted itself, he gave him to understand, that he had bound

himself by oath to pope Gregory the Third, not to conceal the conduct

of the nations near him from the knowledge of the apostolical see;

wherefore, if mild measures failed of success, he should take care to

act in such manner, that vices of this kind should not be kept secret

from the pope. Indeed, on account of the fine texture of the clerical

vestments, Alcuin obliquely glances at Athelard the archbishop,

Cuthbert’s successor, reminding him that, when he should come to Rome

to visit the emperor Charles the Great, the grandson of Charles of whom

Boniface was speaking above, he should not bring the clergy or monks

dressed in party-coloured or gaudy garments, for the clergy amongst the

Franks dressed only in ecclesiastical habits.

Nor could the letters of so great a man, which he was accustomed

to send from watchful regard to his legation and pure love of his

country, be without effect. For both Cuthbert, the archbishop, and

king Ethelbald summoned a council for the purpose of retrenching the

superfluities which he had stigmatised. The acts of this synod, veiled

in a multiplicity of words, I shall forbear to add, as I think they

will better accord with another part of my work, when I come to the

succession of the bishops: but as I am now on the subject of kingly

affairs, I shall subjoin a charter of Ethelbald’s, as a proof of his

devotion, because it took place in the same council.

“It often happens, through the uncertain change of times, that those

things which have been confirmed by the testimony and advice of many

faithful persons, have been made of none effect by the contumacy

of very many, or by the artifices of deceit, without any regard to

justice, unless they have been committed to eternal memory by the

authority of writing and the testimony of charters. Wherefore I

Ethelbald, king of the Mercians, out of love to heaven and regard for

my own soul, have felt the necessity of considering how I may, by good

works, set it free from every tie of sin. For since the Omnipotent God,

through the greatness of his clemency, without any previous merit on

my part, hath bestowed on me the sceptre of government, therefore I

willingly repay him out of that which he hath given. On this account

I grant, so long as I live, that all monasteries and churches of my

kingdom shall be exempted from public taxes, works, and impositions,

except the building of forts and bridges, from which none can be

released. And moreover the servants of God shall have perfect liberty

in the produce of their woods and lands, and the right of fishing, nor

shall they bring presents either to king or princes except voluntarily,

but they shall serve God without molestation.”

[Sidenote: [A.D. 749-777.] LULLUS--OFFA.]

Lullus[106] succeeded Boniface, an Englishman by birth also; of whose

sanctity mention is made in the life of St. Goar, and these verses,

which I remember to have heard from my earliest childhood, bear witness:

“Lullus, than whom no holier prelate lives,

By God’s assistance healing medicine gives,

Cures each disorder by his powerful hand,

And with his glory overspreads the land.”

However, to return to my history, Offa, descended from Penda in the

fifth degree, succeeded Ethelbald. He was a man of great mind, and one

who endeavoured to bring to effect whatever he had preconceived; he

reigned thirty-nine years. When I consider the deeds of this person, I

am doubtful whether I should commend or censure. At one time, in the

same character, vices were so palliated by virtues, and at another

virtues came in such quick succession upon vices that it is difficult

to determine how to characterize the changing Proteus. My narrative

shall give examples of each. Engaging in a set battle with Cynewulf,

king of the West Saxons, he easily gained the victory, though the

other was a celebrated warrior. When he thought artifice would better

suit his purpose, this same man beheaded king Ethelbert, who had come

to him through the allurement of great promises, and was at that very

time within the walls of his palace, soothed into security by his

perfidious attentions, and then unjustly seized upon the kingdom of the

East Angles which Ethelbert had held.

The relics of St. Alban, at that time obscurely buried, he ordered

to be reverently taken up and placed in a shrine, decorated to the

fullest extent of royal munificence, with gold and jewels; a church

of most beautiful workmanship was there erected, and a society of

monks assembled. Yet rebellious against God, he endeavoured to remove

the archiepiscopal see formerly settled at Canterbury, to Lichfield,

envying, forsooth, the men of Kent the dignity of the archbishopric:

on which account he at last deprived Lambert, the archbishop, worn

out with continual exertion, and who produced many edicts of the

apostolical see, both ancient and modern, of all possessions within

his territories, as well as of the jurisdiction over the bishoprics.

From pope Adrian, therefore, whom he had wearied with plausible

assertions for a long time, as many things not to be granted may

be gradually drawn and artfully wrested from minds intent on other

occupations, he obtained that there should be an archbishopric of the

Mercians at Lichfield, and that all the prelates of the Mercians should

be subject to that province. Their names were as follow: Denebert,

bishop of Worcester, Werenbert, of Leicester, Edulph, of Sidnacester,

Wulpheard, of Hereford; and the bishops of the East Angles, Alpheard,

of Elmham, Tidfrid, of Dunwich; the bishop of Lichfield was named

Aldulph. Four bishops however remained suffragan to Lambert, archbishop

of Canterbury, London, Winchester, Rochester, and Selsey. Some of

these bishoprics are now in being, some are removed to other places,

others consolidated by venal interest, for Leicester, Sidnacester, and

Dunwich, from some unknown cause, are no longer in existence. Nor did

Offa’s rapacity stop here, for he showed himself a downright public

pilferer, by converting to his own use the lands of many churches,

of which Malmesbury was one. But this iniquity did not long deform

canonical institutions, for soon after Kenulf, Offa’s successor,

inferior to no preceding king in power or in faith, transmitted a

letter to Leo, the successor of Adrian, and restored Athelard who had

succeeded Lambert, to his former dignity. Hence Alcuin, in an epistle

to the same Athelard, says “Having heard of the success of your

journey, and your return to your country, and how you were received by

the pope, I give thanks with every sentiment of my heart to the Lord

our God, who, by the precious gift of his mercy, directed your way

with a prosperous progress, gave you favour in the sight of the pope,

granted you to return home with the perfect accomplishment of your

wishes, and hath condescended, through you, to restore the holiest seat

of our first teacher to its pristine dignity.” I think it proper to

subjoin part of the king’s epistle and also of the pope’s, though I may

seem by so doing to anticipate the regular order of time; but I shall

do it on this account, that it is a task of greater difficulty to blend

together disjointed facts than to despatch those I had begun.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 790.] KENULF’S EPISTLE.]

“_To the most holy and truly loving lord Leo, pontiff of the sacred and

apostolical see, Kenulf, by the grace of God king of the Mercians, with

the bishops, princes, and every degree of dignity under our authority,

sendeth the salutation of the purest love in Christ._

“We give thanks ever to God Almighty, who is wont, by the means of

new guides, the former being taken to the life eternal, to guide the

church, purchased by his precious blood, amid the diverse storms of

this world, to the haven of salvation, and to shed fresh light upon

it, in order that it be led into no error of darkness, but may pursue

the path of truth without stumbling; wherefore the universal church

justly rejoices, that when the true rewarder of all good men took the

most glorious pastor of his flock, Adrian, to be eternally rewarded in

heaven, still his kind providence gave a shepherd to his flock, not

less skilled, to conduct the sheep of God into the fold of life. We

also, who live on the farthest confines of the world, justly boast,

beyond all other things, that the church’s exaltation is our safety,

its prosperity our constant ground of joy; since your apostolical

dignity and our true faith originate from the same source. Whentfore

I deem it fitting to incline the ear of our obedience, with all due

humility, to your holy commands, and to fulfil, with every possible

endeavour, what shall seem just to your piety for us to accomplish:

but to avoid, and utterly reject, all that shall be found inconsistent

with right. But now, I, Kenulf, by the grace of God king, humbly

entreat your excellence that I may address you as I wish, without

offence, on the subject of our progress, that you may receive me

with peaceful tranquillity into the bosom of your piety, and that

the liberal bounty of your benediction may qualify me, gifted with

no stock of merit, to rule my people; in order that God may deign,

through your intercession, to defend the nation, which, together with

me, your apostolical authority has instructed in the rudiments of the

faith, against all attacks of adversaries, and to extend that kingdom

which he hath given. This benediction all the Mercian kings before me

were, by your predecessors, deemed worthy to obtain. This, I humbly

beg, and this, O most holy man, I desire to receive, that you would

more especially accept me as a son by adoption, as I love you as my

father, and always honour you with all possible obedience. For among

such great personages faith ever should be kept inviolate, as well as

perfect love, because paternal love is to be looked upon as filial

happiness in God, according to the saying of Hezekiah, ‘A father will

make known thy truth to his sons, O Lord.’ In which words I implore

you, O loved father, not to deny to your unworthy son the knowledge of

the Lord in your holy words, in order that, by your sound instruction,

I may deserve, by the assistance of God, to come to a better course of

life. And moreover, O most affectionate father, we beg, with all our

bishops, and every person of rank among us, that, concerning the many

inquiries on which we have thought it right to consult your wisdom,

you would courteously reply, lest the traditions of the holy fathers

and their instructions should, through ignorance, be misunderstood by

us; but let your reply reach us in charity and meekness, that, through

the mercy of God, it may bring forth fruit in us. The first thing our

bishops and learned men allege is, that, contrary to the canons and

papal constitutions enacted for our use by the direction of the most

holy father Gregory, as you know, the jurisdiction of the metropolitan

of Canterbury is divided into two provinces, to whose power, by the

same father’s command, twelve bishops ought to be subject, as is read

throughout our churches, in the letter which he directed to his brother

and fellow bishop, Augustine, concerning the two metropolitans of

London and York, which letter doubtlessly you also possess. But that

pontifical dignity, which was at that time destined to London, with

the honour and distinction of the pall, was, for his sake, removed

and granted to Canterbury. For since Augustine, of blessed memory,

who, at the command of St. Gregory, preached the word of God to the

nation of the Angles, and so gloriously presided over the church of the

Saxons, died in that city, and his body was buried in the church of

St. Peter, the chief of apostles, which his successor St. Laurentius

consecrated, it seemed proper to the sages of our nation, that the

metropolitan dignity should reside in that city where rests the body of

the man who planted the true faith in these parts. The honour of this

pre-eminence, as you know, king Offa first attempted to take away and

to divide it into two provinces, through enmity against the venerable

Lambert and the Kentish people; and your pious brother and predecessor,

Adrian, at the request of the aforesaid king, first did what no one

had before presumed, and honoured the prelate of the Mercians with the

pall. But yet we blame neither of these persons, whom, as we believe,

Christ crowns with eternal glory. Nevertheless we humbly entreat your

excellence, on whom God hath deservedly conferred the key of wisdom,

that you would consult with your counsellors on this subject, and

condescend to transmit to us what may be necessary for us to observe

hereafter, and what may tend to the unity of real peace, as we wish,

through your sound doctrine, lest the coat of Christ, woven throughout

without seam, should suffer any rent among us. We have written this

to you, most holy father, with equal humility and regard, earnestly

entreating your clemency, that you would kindly and justly reply to

those things which have been of necessity submitted to you. Moreover we

wish that you would examine, with pious love, that epistle which, in

the presence of all our bishops, Athelard the archbishop wrote to you

more fully on the subject of his own affairs and necessities, as well

as on those of all Britain; that whatever the rule of faith requires in

those matters which are contained therein, you would condescend truly

to explain. Wherefore last year I sent my own embassy, and that of the

bishops by Wada the abbat, which he received, but idly and foolishly

executed. I now send you a small present as a token of regard,

respected father, by Birine the priest, and Fildas and Ceolbert,

my servants, that is to say, one hundred and twenty mancuses,[107]

together with letters, begging that you would condescend to receive

them kindly, and give us your blessing. May God Almighty long preserve

you safe to the glory of his holy church.”

[Sidenote: [A.D. 787.] POPE LEO’S EPISTLE.]

“_To the most excellent prince, my son Kenulf, king of the Mercians, of

the province of the Saxons, pope Leo sendeth greeting._ Our most holy

and reverend brother Athelard, archbishop of Canterbury, arriving at

the holy churches of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, as well for

the faithful performance of his vow of prayer as to acquaint us with

the cause of his ecclesiastical mission to the apostolical see, hath

brought to us the enclosures of your royal excellence, where finding,

in two epistles filled with true faith, your great humility, we return

thanks to Almighty God, who hath taught and inclined your most prudent

excellence to have due regard with us in all things towards St. Peter,

the chief of apostles, and to submit with meekness to all apostolical

constitutions. Moreover, in one of these epistles we find that, were

it requisite, you would even lay down your life for us, for the sake

of our apostolical office. And again, you confess that you rejoice

much in the Lord at our prosperity, and that when these our letters of

kindest admonition reach the ears of your cordiality, you will receive

them with all humility and spiritual joy of heart, as sons do the gift

of a father. It is added too that you had ordered a small present

out of your abundance to be offered to us, an hundred and twenty

mancuses, which, with ardent desire for the salvation of your soul,

we have accepted. The aforesaid archbishop, with his attendants, has

been honourably and kindly received by us, and has been rendered every

necessary assistance. In the meantime, trusting to your most prudent

excellence when you observe, even in your own royal letters, that no

Christian can presume to run counter to our apostolical decisions,

we therefore endeavour, with all possible diligence, to transmit and

ordain what shall be of service to your kingdom, that as a canonical

censure enjoins your royal excellence, and all the princes of your

nation, and the whole people of God, to observe all things which the

aforesaid archbishop Athelard our brother, or the whole body of the

evangelical and apostolical doctrine and that of the holy fathers and

of our predecessors the holy pontiffs ordain, you ought by no means to

resist their orthodox doctrine in any thing, as our Lord and Saviour

says in the Gospel, “He who receiveth you receiveth me,” and “he who

receives a prophet, in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s

reward.” And how much more do we praise the Almighty for this same lord

archbishop, whom you have so highly commended to us as being, what

he really is, honourable, and skilful, and prudent, of good morals,

worthy before God and men. O loving son and excellent king, we praise

God, that hath pointed out to you a prelate who, like a true shepherd,

is able to prescribe due penance, according to the doctrine of the

holy Scriptures, and to rescue the souls of those who are under his

sacerdotal authority from the nethermost hell, snatching them from

inextinguishable fire, bringing them into the haven of salvation, and

offering for them to God Almighty a sacrifice, fit and pure in the

sight of the Divine Majesty. And since the aforesaid archbishop hath

pleased us extremely in every respect, in all holiness and conversation

of life, confiding much to him, we give him such prelatical power by

the authority of St. Peter, the chief of the apostles, whose office,

though unworthily, we fill, that if any in his province, as well

kings and princes as people, shall transgress the commandments of the

Lord, he shall excommunicate him until he repent; and if he remain

impenitent, let him be to you as an heathen and a publican. But with

respect to the aforesaid Athelard, archbishop of Canterbury, since

your excellent prelates have demanded from us that we do him justice

concerning the jurisdiction which he lately held, as well of bishops

as monasteries, and of which he has been unjustly deprived, as you

know, and which have been taken from his venerable see: we, making most

diligent search, have found in our sacred depository, that St. Gregory,

our predecessor, delivered that diocese to his deputed archbishop St.

Augustine, with the right of consecrating bishops, to the full number

of twelve. Hence we also, having ascertained the truth, have, by our

apostolical authority, placed all ordinations or confirmations on their

ancient footing, and do restore them to him entire, and we deliver to

him the grant of our confirmation, to be duly observed by his church,

according to the sacred canons.”

In the meantime Offa, that the outrages against his countrymen might

not secretly tend to his disadvantage, in order to conciliate the

favour of neighbouring kings, gave his daughter Eadburga in marriage

to Bertric, king of the West Saxons; and obtained the amity of Charles

the Great, king of the Franks, by repeated embassies, though he could

find little in the disposition of Charles to second his views. They

had disagreed before, insomuch that violent feuds having arisen on

both sides, even the intercourse of traders was prohibited. There is

an epistle of Alcuin to this effect, part of which I shall subjoin, as

it affords a strong proof of the magnanimity and valour of Charles,

who spent all his time in war against the Pagans, rebels to God. He

says,[108] “The ancient Saxons and all the Friesland nations were

converted to the faith of Christ through the exertions of king Charles,

urging some with threats, and others with rewards. At the end of the

year the king made an attack upon the Sclavonians and subjugated them

to his power. The Avares, whom we call Huns, made a furious attempt

upon Italy, but were conquered by the generals of the aforesaid most

Christian king, and returned home with disgrace. In like manner they

rushed against Bavaria, and were again overcome and dispersed by the

Christian army. Moreover the princes and commanders of the same most

Christian king took great part of Spain from the Saracens, to the

extent of three hundred miles along the sea-coast: but, O shame! these

accursed Saracens, who are the Hagarens, have dominion over the whole

of Africa, and the larger part of Asia Major. I know not what will be

our destination, for some ground of difference, fomented by the devil,

has arisen between king Charles and king Offa, so that, on both sides,

all navigation is prohibited the merchants. Some say that we are to be

sent into those parts to treat of peace.”

In these words, in addition to what I have remarked above, any

curious person may determine how many years have elapsed since the

Saracens invaded Africa and Asia Major. And indeed, had not the mercy

of God animated the native spirit of the emperors of the Franks,

the pagans had long since subjugated Europe also. For, holding the

Constantinopolitan emperors in contempt, they possessed themselves of

Sicily and Sardinia, the Balearic isles, and almost all the countries

surrounded by the sea, with the exception of Crete, Rhodes, and Cyprus.

In our time however they have been compelled to relinquish Sicily by

the Normans, Corsica and Sardinia by the Pisans, and great part of

Asia and Jerusalem itself by the Franks and other nations of Europe.

But, as I shall have a fitter place to treat largely of these matters

hereafter, I shall now subjoin, from the words of Charles himself, the

treaty which was ratified between him and Offa king of the Mercians.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 787.] EPISTLE OF CHARLEMAGNE.]

“_Charles, by the grace of God king of the Franks and Lombards, and

patrician of the Romans, to his esteemed and dearest brother Offa

king of the Mercians, sendeth health_:--First, we give thanks to God

Almighty for the purity of the Catholic faith, which we find laudably

expressed in your letters. Concerning pilgrims, who for the love of

God or the salvation of their souls, wish to visit the residence of

the holy apostles, let them go peaceably without any molestation; but

if persons, not seeking the cause of religion, but that of gain, be

found amongst them, let them pay the customary tolls in proper places.

We will, too, that traders have due protection within our kingdom,

according to our mandate, and if in any place they suffer wrongful

oppression, let them appeal to us or to our judges, and we will see

full justice done. Let your kindness also be apprized that we have sent

some token of our regard, out of our dalmatics[109] and palls, to each

episcopal see of your kingdom or of Ethelred’s, as an almsgiving, on

account of our apostolical lord Adrian, earnestly begging that you

would order him to be prayed for, not as doubting that his blessed soul

is at rest, but to show our esteem and regard to our dearest friend.

Moreover we have sent somewhat out of the treasure of those earthly

riches, which the Lord Jesus hath granted to us of his unmerited

bounty, for the metropolitan cities, and for yourself a belt, an

Hungarian sword, and two silk cloaks.”

I have inserted these brief extracts from the epistle that posterity

may be clearly acquainted with the friendship of Offa and Charles;

confiding in which friendly intercourse, although assailed by the

hatred of numbers, he passed the rest of his life in uninterrupted

quiet, and saw Egfert his son anointed to succeed him. This Egfert

studiously avoided the cruel path trod by his father, and devoutly

restored the privileges of all the churches which Offa had in his

time abridged. The possessions also which his father had taken from

Malmesbury he restored into the hands of Cuthbert, then abbat of that

place, at the admonition of the aforesaid Athelard archbishop of

Canterbury, a man of energy and a worthy servant of God, and who is

uniformly asserted to have been its abbat before Cuthbert, from the

circumstance of his choosing there to be buried. But while the hopes

of Egfert’s noble qualities were ripening, in the first moments of

his reign, untimely death cropped the flower of his youthful prime;

on which account Alcuin writing to the patrician Osbert, says, “I do

not think that the most noble youth Egfert died for his own sins, but

because his father, in the establishment of his kingdom, shed a deluge

of blood.” Dying after a reign of four months, he appointed Kenulf,

nephew of Penda in the fifth degree by his brother Kenwalk, to succeed

him.

Kenulf was a truly great man, and surpassed his fame by his virtues,

doing nothing that malice could justly find fault with. Religious at

home, victorious abroad, his praises will be deservedly extolled so

long as an impartial judge can be found in England. Equally to be

admired for the extent of his power and for the lowliness of his mind;

of which he gave an eminent proof in restoring, as we have related, its

faltering dignity to Canterbury, he little regarded earthly grandeur in

his own kingdom at the expense of deviating from anciently-enjoined

canons. Taking up Offa’s hatred against the Kentish people, he sorely

afflicted that province, and led away captive their king Eadbert,

surnamed Pren; but not long after, moved with sentiments of pity, he

released him. For at Winchelcombe, where he had built a church to God,

which yet remains, on the day of its dedication he freed the captive

king at the altar, and consoled him with liberty; thereby giving a

memorable instance of his clemency. Cuthred,[110] whom he had made

king over the Kentish people, was present to applaud this act of royal

munificence. The church resounded with acclamations, the street shook

with crowds of people, for in an assembly of thirteen bishops and ten

dukes, no one was refused a largess, all departed with full purses.

Moreover, in addition to those presents of inestimable price and number

in utensils, clothes, and select horses, which the chief nobility

received, he gave to all who did not possess landed property[111] a

pound of silver, to each presbyter a marca of gold, to every monk a

shilling, and lastly he made many presents to the people at large.

After he had endowed the monastery with such ample revenues as would

seem incredible in the present time, he honoured it by his sepulture,

in the twenty-fourth year of his reign. His son Kenelm, of tender age,

and undeservedly murdered by his sister Quendrida, gained the title and

distinction of martyrdom, and rests in the same place.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 796-825.] KENELM--WITHLAF.]

After him the kingdom of the Mercians sank from its prosperity, and

becoming nearly lifeless, produced nothing worthy to be mentioned in

history. However, that no one may accuse me of leaving the history

imperfect, I shall glance over the names of the kings in succession.

Ceolwulf, the brother of Kenulf, reigning one year was expelled in the

second by Bernulf; who in the third year of his reign being overcome

and put to flight by Egbert, king of the West Saxons, was afterwards

slain by the East Angles, because he had attempted to seize on East

Anglia, as a kingdom subject to the Mercians from the time of Offa.

Ludecan, after a reign of two years, was despatched by these Angles,

as he was preparing to avenge his predecessor: Withlaf, subjugated in

the commencement of his reign by the before-mentioned Egbert, governed

thirteen years, paying tribute to him and to his son, both for his

person and his property: Berthwulf reigning thirteen years on the same

conditions, was at last driven by the Danish pirates beyond the sea:

Burhred marrying Ethelswith, the daughter of king Ethelwulf, the son

of Egbert, exonerated himself, by this affinity, from the payment of

tribute and the depredations of the enemy, but after twenty-two years,

driven by them from his country, he fled to Rome, and was there buried

at the school of the Angles, in the church of St. Mary; his wife, at

that time continuing in this country, but afterwards following her

husband, died at Pavia. The kingdom was next given by the Danes to one

Celwulf, an attendant of Burhred’s, who bound himself by oath that he

would retain it only at their pleasure: after a few years it fell under

the dominion of Alfred, the grandson of Egbert. Thus the sovereignty

of the Mercians, which prematurely bloomed by the overweening ambition

of an heathen, altogether withered away through the inactivity of a

driveller king, in the year of our Lord’s incarnation eight hundred and

seventy-five.

CHAP. V.

_Of the kings of the East Angles._ [A.D. 520-905.]

[Sidenote: [A.D. 616-793.] EORPWALD--EDMUND.]

As my narrative has hitherto treated of the history of the four more

powerful kingdoms in as copious a manner, I trust, as the perusal of

ancient writers has enabled me, I shall now, as last in point of order,

run through the governments of the East Angles and East Saxons, as

suggested in my preface. The kingdom of the East Angles arose anterior

to the West Saxons, though posterior to the kingdom of Kent. The

first[112] and also the greatest king of the East Angles was Redwald,

tenth in descent from Woden as they affirm; for all the southern

provinces of the Angles and Saxons on this side of the river Humber,

with their kings, were subject to his authority. This is the person

whom I have formerly mentioned as having, out of regard for Edwin,

killed Ethelfrid, king of the Northumbrians. Through the persuasion of

Edwin too he was baptized; and after, at the instigation of his wife,

abjured the faith. His son, Eorpwald, embraced pure Christianity, and

poured out his immaculate spirit to God, being barbarously murdered

by the heathen Richbert. To him succeeded Sigebert, his brother by

the mother’s side, a worthy servant of the Lord, polished from all

barbarism by his education among the Franks. For, being driven into

banishment by Redwald, and for a long time associating with them, he

had received the rites of Christianity, which, on his coming into

power he graciously communicated to the whole of his kingdom, and also

instituted schools of learning in different places. This ought highly

to be extolled: as men heretofore uncivilized and irreligious, were

enabled, by his means, to taste the sweets of literature. The promoter

of his studies and the stimulator of his religion was Felix the bishop,

a Burgundian by birth, who now lies buried at Ramsey. Sigebert moreover

renouncing the world and taking the monastic vow, left the throne to

his relation, Ecgric, with whom, being attacked in intestine war by

Penda, king of the Mercians, he met his death, at the moment when,

superior to his misfortunes, and mindful of his religious profession,

he held only a wand in his hand. The successor of Ecgric was Anna, the

son of Eni, the brother of Redwald, involved in similar destruction

by the same furious Penda; he was blessed with a numerous and noble

offspring, as the second book will declare in its proper place. To Anna

succeeded his brother Ethelhere, who was justly slain by Oswy king of

the Northumbrians, together with Penda, because he was an auxiliary

to him, and was actually supporting the very army which had destroyed

his brother and his kinsman. His brother Ethelwald, in due succession,

left the kingdom to Adulf and Elwold, the sons of Ethelhere. Next came

Bernred. After him Ethelred. His son was St. Ethelbert, whom Offa king

of the Mercians killed through treachery, as has already been said,

and will be repeated hereafter. After him, through the violence of the

Mercians, few kings reigned in Eastern Anglia till the time of St.

Edmund, and he was despatched in the sixteenth year of his reign, by

Hingwar, a heathen; from which time the Angles ceased to command in

their own country for fifty years. For the province was nine years

without a king, owing to the continued devastations of the pagans;

afterwards both in it and in East Saxony, Gothrun, a Danish king,

reigned for twelve years, in the time of king Alfred. Gothrun had

for successor a Dane also, by name Eohric, who, after he had reigned

fourteen years, was taken off by the Angles, because he conducted

himself with cruelty towards them. Still, however, liberty beamed not

on this people, for the Danish earls continued to oppress them, or

else to excite them against the kings of the West Saxons, till Edward,

the son of Alfred, added both provinces to his own West Saxon empire,

expelling the Danes and freeing the Angles. This event took place in

the fiftieth year after the murder of St. Edmund, king and martyr, and

in the fifteenth[113] of his own reign.

CHAP. VI.

_Of the kings of the East Saxons._ [A.D. 520-823.]

Nearly co-eval with the kingdom of the East Angles, was that of the

East Saxons; which had many kings in succession, though subject

to others, and principally to those of the Mercians. First, then,

Sleda,[114] the tenth from Woden, reigned over them; whose son, Sabert,

nephew of St. Ethelbert, king of Kent, by his sister Ricula, embraced

the faith of Christ at the preaching of St. Mellitus, first bishop

of London; for that city belongs to the East Saxons. On the death of

Sabert, his sons, Sexred and Seward, drove Mellitus into banishment,

and soon after, being killed by the West Saxons, they paid the penalty

of their persecution against Christ. Sigbert, surnamed the Small,

the son of Seward, succeeding, left the kingdom to Sigebert, the son

of Sigebald, who was the brother of Sabert. This Sigebert, at the

exhortation of king Oswy, was baptized in Northumbria by bishop Finan,

and brought back to his nation, by the ministry of bishop Cedd,[115]

the faith which they had expelled together with Mellitus. After

gloriously governing the kingdom, he left it in a manner still more

glorious; for he was murdered by his near relations, merely because,

in conformity to the gospel-precept, he used kindly to spare his

enemies, nor regard with harsh and angry countenance, if they were

penitent, those who had offended him. His brother Suidelm, baptized

by the same Cedd in East Anglia, succeeded. On his death, Sighere,

the son of Sigbert the Small, and Sebbi, the son of Seward, held the

sovereignty. Sebbi’s associate dying, he himself voluntarily retired

from the kingdom in his thirtieth year, becoming a monk, as Bede

relates. His sons Sighard and of Sighere, governed the kingdom for a

short time; a youth of engaging countenance and disposition, in the

flower of his age, and highly beloved by his subjects. He, through the

persuasion of Kyneswith, daughter of king Penda, whom he had anxiously

sought in marriage, being taught to aspire after heavenly affections,

went to Rome with Kenred king of the Mercians, and St. Edwin bishop of

Worcester; and there taking the vow, in due time entered the heavenly

mansions. To him succeeded Selred, son of Sigebert the Good, during

thirty-eight years; who being slain, Swithed assumed the sovereignty of

the East Saxons;[116] but in the same year that Egbert king of the West

Saxons subdued Kent, being expelled by him, he vacated the kingdom;

though London, with the adjacent country, continued subject to the

kings of the Mercians as long as they held their sovereignty.

[Sidenote: [A.D. 653-823.] OF THE KINGS OF KENT.]

The kings of Kent, it is observed, had dominion peculiarly in Kent, in

which are two sees; the archbishopric of Canterbury, and the bishopric

of Rochester.

The kings of the West Saxons ruled in Wiltshire, Berkshire, and

Dorsetshire; in which there is one bishop, whose see is now at Sarum

or Salisbury; formerly it was at Ramsbury, or at Sherborne: in Sussex,

which for some little time possessed a king of its own;[117] the

episcopal see of this county was anciently in the island of Selsey,

as Bede relates, where St. Wilfrid built a monastery; the bishop now

dwells at Chichester: in the counties of Southampton and Surrey; which

have a bishop, whose see is at Winchester: in the county of Somerset,

which formerly had a bishop at Wells, but now at Bath: and in Domnonia,

now called Devonshire, and Cornubia, now Cornwall; at that time there

were two bishoprics, one at Crediton, the other at St. German’s; now

there is but one, and the see is at Exeter.

The kings of the Mercians governed the counties of Gloucester,

Worcester, and Warwick; in these is one bishop whose residence is

at Worcester: in Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire; these

have one bishop, who has part of Warwickshire and Shropshire; his

residence is at the city of Legions, that is Chester or Coventry;

formerly it was at Lichfield: in Herefordshire; and there is a bishop

having half Shropshire and part of Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire;

whose residence is at Hereford: in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire,

Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, half of Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire,

Leicestershire, Lincolnshire; which counties are under the jurisdiction

of a bishop now resident at Lincoln, but formerly at Dorchester in the

county of Oxford: in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, which belong

to the diocese of York; formerly they had their own bishop, whose seat

was at Leicester.

The kings of the East Angles had dominion over the county of Cambridge;

there is a bishop, whose seat is at Ely: and in Norfolk and Suffolk:

whose see is at Norwich; formerly at Elmham or Thetford.

The kings of the East Saxons ruled in Essex, in Middlesex, and half of

Hertfordshire; where there anciently was, and still remains, the bishop

of London.

The kings of the Northumbrians governed all the country which is beyond

the river Humber, even into Scotland; and there were the archbishop

of York, the bishops of Hexham, of Ripon, of Lindisfarne, and of

Candida Casa [Whitherne]; Hexham and Ripon are no more; Lindisfarne is

translated to Durham.

Such were the divisions of the kingdom of England, although the kings,

according to the vicissitude of the times, now one, and then the other,

would exceed their boundaries through their courage, or lose them by

their indolence; but all these several kingdoms Egbert subjugated by

his abilities, and consolidated into one empire, reserving to each

their own laws. Wherefore, since I have passed beyond his times,

fulfilling my promise in a review of the different periods, I will

here fix the limits of my first volume, that the various tracks of the

different kingdoms may unite in the general path of the West Saxon

Empire.