prædicationis vestræ singulare mysterium. Magno enim præmio fastigiorum vestrorum delectabilem cursum bonitatis suæ suffragiis illustravit, dum creditorum vobis talentorum fidelissimæ negotiationis officiis uberem fructum impendens, ei, quod signare possetis multiplicatis generationibus, præparavit. Hocque etiam illa vobis repensatione collatum est, qua injuncto ministerio jugiter persistentes laudabili patientia redemtionem gentis illius exspectatis, et vestris ut proficerent meritis eorum est salvatio propinata, dicente Domino, [Matth. x. 22,] Qui perseveraverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit. Salvati ergo estis spe patientiæ et tolerantiæ virtute, ut infidelium corda naturali ac superstitioso morbo purgata sui consequerentur misericordiam Salvatoris. Susceptis namque apicibus filii nostri Ethelwaldi regis, reperimus quanta sacri eloquii eruditione ejus animum ad veræ conversionis et indubitatæ fidei credulitatem fraternitas vestra perduxerit. Qua ex re de longanimitate clementiæ cœlestis certam assumentes fiduciam, non solum suppositarum ei gentium plenissimam salutem, imo quoque vicinarum, vestræ quoque prædicationis ministerio credimus subsequendum; quatenus, sicut scriptum est, consummati operis vobis merces a retributore omnium bonorum Domino tribuatur. Et vere per omnem terram exiisse sonum eorum, et in fines orbis terræ verba ipsorum, universalis gentium confessio, suscepto Christianæ sacramento fidei, protestetur.

"Pallium præterea per latorem præsentium fraternitati tuæ, benignitatis studiis invitati, direximus, quod videlicet tantum in sacrosanctis celebrandis mysteriis utendi licentiam imperavimus; concedentes etiam tibi ordinationes episcoporum, exigente opportunitate, Domini præveniente misericordia, celebrare: ita ut Christi Evangelium plurimorum annunciatione, in omnibus gentibus, quæ necdum conversæ sunt, dilatetur. Studeat

tery of your preaching. For he has enlightened the ac- A.D. 624. ceptable course of your endeavours, by the approbation of his grace; granting a plentiful increase to your faithful management of the talents committed to you, and which you may secure for many generations. This is by that reward conferred on you, who, constantly adhering to the ministry enjoined you, with laudable patience await the redemption of that nation, whose salvation is set on foot that they may profit by your merits, our Lord himself saying, 'He that perseveres to the end shall be saved.' You are, therefore, saved by the hope of patience, and the virtue of endurance, to the end that the hearts of infidels, being cleansed from their natural and superstitious disease, might obtain the mercy of their Redeemer: for having received the letters of our son Ethelwald, we perceive with how much knowledge of the sacred word your mind, my brother, has brought over his mind to the belief in real conversion and the true faith. Therefore, firmly confiding in the long-suffering of the Divine clemency, we believe there will, through the ministry of your preaching, ensue most full salvation not only of the nations subject to him, but also of those that neighbour round about; to the end, that as it is written, the reward of a perfect work may be conferred on you by our Lord, the giver of all good things; and that the universal confession of all nations, having received the mystery of the Christian faith, may declare, that their 'Sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.'

"We have also, my brother, encouraged by zeal for what is good, sent you by the bearer of these, the pall, which we have only given leave to use in the celebration of the sacred mysteries; granting you likewise to ordain bishops when there shall be occasion, through the mercy of our Lord; that so the Gospel of Christ, by the preaching of many, may be spread abroad in all the nations that are not yet converted. You must, there

ergo tua fraternitas hoc, quod Sedis Apostolicæ humanitate percepit, intemerata mentis sinceritate servare intendens; cujus rei similitudine tam præcipuum indumentum humeris tuis bajulandum susceperis. Talemque te, Domini implorata clementia, exhibendum stude, ut indulti muneris præmia, non cum reatitudine, sed cum commodis animarum, ante tribunal summi et venturi Judicis, repræsentes.

"Deus te incolumem custodiat, dilectissime frater."

CAP. IX.-DE IMPERIO REGIS EDWINI, ET UT VENIENS AD EVANGELIZANDUM EI PAULINUS PRIMO FILIAM EJUS CUM ALIIS, FIDEI CHRISTIANE SACRAMENTIS IMBUERIT.

Quo tempore etiam gens Northanhumbrorum, hoc est, ea natio Anglorum, quæ ad aquilonalem Humbræ fluminis plagam habitabat, cum rege suo Edwino, verbum fidei, prædicante Paulino, cujus supra meminimus, suscepit. Cui videlicet regi, in auspicium suscipiendæ fidei et regni cœlestis, potestas etiam terreni creverat imperii, ita ut, quod nemo Anglorum ante eum fecit, omnes Britanniæ fines, qua vel ipsorum vel Britonum provinciæ habitantur, sub ditione acceperit. Quin et Mevanias insulas, sicut et supra docuimus, imperio subjugavit Anglorum; quarum prior, quæ ad austrum est, et situ amplior et frugum proventu atque ubertate felicior, nongentarum sexaginta familiarum mensuram juxta æstimationem Anglorum, secunda trecentarum et ultra spatium tenet.

Huic autem genti occasio fuit percipiendæ fidei, quod præfatus rex ejus cognatione junctus est regibus Cantuariorum, accepta in conjugem Ethelberga filia Ethelberti regis, quæ alio nomine Tate vocabatur. Hujus

fore, endeavour, my brother, to preserve with unblemished A.D. 624. sincerity of mind that which you have received through the favour of the Apostolic See, as an emblem whereof you have obtained so principal an ornament to be borne on your shoulders. And make it your business, imploring the Divine goodness, so to behave yourself, that you may present before the tribunal of the Supreme Judge that is to come, the rewards of the favour granted you, not with guiltiness, but with the benefit of souls.

"God preserve you in safety, most dear brother!"

CHAP. IX.-THE REIGN OF KING EDWIN, AND HOW
PAULINUS, COMING TO PREACH THE GOSPEL, FIRST CON-
VERTED HIS DAUGHTER AND OTHERS TO THE FAITH OF
CHRIST.

of Northum

A.D. 625.

Ar this time the nation of the Northumbrians, that Edwin, king is, the nation of the Angles, that live on the north side bria. of the river Humber, with their king, Edwin, received the faith, through the preaching of Paulinus, above mentioned. This Edwin, as a reward of his receiving the faith, and as an earnest of his share in the heavenly kingdom, received an increase of that which he enjoyed on earth, for he reduced under his dominion all the borders of Britain that were provinces either of the aforesaid nation, or of the Britons, a thing which no British king had ever done before; and he in like manner subjected to the English the Mevanian islands, as has been said above. The first whereof, which is to the southward, is the largest in extent, and most fruitful, containing nine hundred and sixty families, according to the English computation; the other above three hundred.

Queen

The occasion of this nation's embracing the faith was, Ethelberga. their aforesaid king being allied to the kings of Kent, having taken to wife Ethelberga, otherwise called Tate, daughter to King Ethelbert. He having by his ambas

consortium cum primo ipse, missis procis, a fratre ejus Eadbaldo, qui tunc regno Cantuariorum præerat, peteret, responsum est, non esse licitum Christianam virginem pagano in conjugem dari, ne fides et sacramenta cœlestis Regis consortio profanarentur regis, qui veri Dei cultus esset prorsus ignarus. Quæ cum Edwino verba nuncii referrent, promisit se nil omnimodis contrarium Christianæ fidei, quam virgo colebat, esse facturum; quin potius permissurum, ut fidem cultumque suæ religionis cum omnibus, qui secum venissent, viris sive feminis, sacerdotibus seu ministris, more Christiano servaret. Neque abnegavit se etiam eandem subiturum esse religionem, si tamen examinata a prudentibus sanctior ac Deo dignior posset inveniri.

Itaque promittitur virgo atque Edwino mittitur, et, juxta quod dispositum fuerat, ordinatur episcopus vir Deo dilectus Paulinus, qui cum illa veniret, eamque et comites ejus, ne paganorum possent societate pollui, quotidiana exhortatione et sacramentorum cœlestium celebratione confirmaret. Ordinatus est autem Paulinus episcopus a Justo archiepiscopo, sub die duodecimo kalendarum Augustarum, anno ab incarnatione Domini sexcentesimo vicesimo quinto, et sic cum præfata virgine ad regem Edwinum, quasi comes copula carnalis, advenit; sed ipse potius toto animo intendens ut gentem, quam adibat, ad agnitionem veritatis advocans, juxta vocem apostoli, [2 Corinth. xi. 2,] uni viro sponso virginem castam exhiberet Christo. Cumque in provinciam venisset laboravit multum ut et eos, qui secum venerant, ne a fide deficerent, Domino adjuvante, contineret, et aliquos, si forte posset, de paganis ad fidei gratiam prædicando converteret. Sed sicut apostolus ait, quamvis multo tempore illo laborante in verbo, deus seculi hujus excæcavit mentes infidelium, ne eis fulgeret illuminatio Evangelii gloriæ Christi.