their success, the church at Rome deemed it expedient to increase its attention to the newly converted Saxons, and the continual influx of ardent and zealous preachers from the most enlightened quarters of Europe could scarcely fail of being followed by very important advantages. This mission introduced the literature of Rome into England; for what of it may have before existed in Britain, had, by this time, utterly disappeared. The Roman classics and fathers were now put into the hands of the clergy; even a little Greek, it would appear from Bede, was added to their accomplishments, although there is sufficient evidence from the manner in which the Lord's prayer was read in the original text, that the priests could do nothing more than affect to read it. The utmost efforts of Augustine failed, however, to induce the British clergy to acknowledge the spiritual supremacy of Rome. Among the fastnesses of Cumbria, a few families still preserved the doctrines and practice of Christianity as known to their ancestors. Amongst other peculiarities they obstinately adhered to the oriental mode of celebrating Easter, and resolutely refused either to yield in this respect, or to submit themselves to the papal authority. Dinoth, abbot of Bangor, in name of his brethren, declared that they owed no other obedience to the person known by the name of the Pope than what was due in brotherly love from one Christian to another; and that, with respect to the discipline and ritual of the church, they followed in these the injunctions of the bishop of Caerleon. Augustine, unable to convince them of their errors, is reported to have concluded a stormy debate by exclaiming," Since you refuse peace from your brethren, you shall have war from your enemies! And since you will not co-operate with us in preaching the word of life to the Saxons, you shall receive death at their hands!" The massacre of twelve hundred monks at Bangor by Ethelfred, is supposed by some historians to have been instigated by Augustine, in order to bring about the completion of his prophecy; but there is want of evidence on this point; nay, it is almost certain, that that transaction took place after the death of Augustine. Jortin, adopting the unfavourable view of Augustine's character, has not hesitated to call him a pretended apostle and sanctified ruffian,'—' a most audacious and insolent monk,' whose Christianity "seemed to consist principally in two things,-in keeping Easter upon a proper day, and to be slaves to our sovereign Lord God the Pope, and to Austin, his deputy and vicegerent." But this is unseemly and unjust abuse. We have no evidence whatever that Augustine resorted to force in his endeavours to bring over the Welsh schismatics to his way of thinking; and as to the importance of the subject of controversy betwixt them, we can hardly do justice to the feelings of a Benedictine monk of the 6th century on these points. The pope, however, rewarded the zeal of his missionary with the metropolitan see of England, and Augustine fixed upon Canterbury for the site of his cathedral. The present cathedral of Canterbury is built upon the spot selected by Augustine for this purpose; but the original building was destroyed by fire in the 11th century.

Unfortunately, the successors of Augustine gradually declined in that sincere devotion to the objects of their mission which seems to

Eccl. Hist. vol. iv. p. 417.

have inspired that eminent man and his companions. The desire of aggrandizement, the regard for superstitious rites, the pr.de and pomp of the Romish church, were speedily diffused like a leaven among the English proselytes, and they were no sooner subdued to its yoke than they were left to themselves, and the imperfect tuition of native priests This will in some degree account for the miserable condition in which learning was found even in the reign of Alfred. That enlightened prince, it is well known, is said to have complained that he knew not one person south of the Thames who could so much as interpret the Latin service; and that very few in the northern parts knew, even as much as was known in the former division.' In the period, however, which intervened between the coming of Augustine, and the age of the venerable Bede, slow as was the progress of intelligence, some few men arose who have a just claim to be regarded, considering the age in which they lived, with mingled respect and interest. Among the first of the Saxon princes, who laboured with earnestness in the establishment of Christianity, was Sigebert, king of the East-Angles. During a long exile in France, he had learnt the importance of education to a country; and, on succeeding to his little dominion, he assiduously strove to profit by the experience he had gained. Bede says that he instituted a school, in which boys might be instructed in letters; 7 and it is commonly supposed that the school here mentioned, was the be ginning of the university of Cambridge. The historian adds, that the king was assisted in his pious endeavours by a bishop named Felix, who came out of Kent, and supplied him with teachers and masters, after the custom which was followed in that province. This fact confirms what has been said respecting the intellectual improvement which followed, as an almost inseparable consequence, the planting of Christianity. Kent was become a nursery for scholars, while the rest of the county lay in darkness, and in proportion as the same influences there extended to other quarters of the nation, we see, with very few mo difications, the same changes and improvements. Ireland had already, for some time, enjoyed the light of the Gospel, and during the reign of Sigebert, a preacher named Furseus, came from thence, who, after having converted a number of persons by the piety of his life, and the many graces he possessed, founded a monastery, which became a school for the young, as well as an asylum for the aged. In Ireland itself, several devout Englishmen sought that instruction which they could not obtain at home, and it is recorded to the honour of the natives of that country, that they were better able to enjoy among them sacred study, and a continent life, than in their native land. Of these voluntary exiles, some devoted themselves to a monastic life, and others employed their time in going from one place to another, seeking the conversation of the men most distinguished for their piety and know. ledge.

In 634, Oswald, king of Northumbria, who had been educated in Scotland, sent for some of the ecclesiastics of that country to instruct his people in Christianity. Aidan of Iona undertook this mission, and conducted its affairs with great success for seventeen years. He fixed the episcopal see in the little island of Lindisfarn. off the coast of NorthTurner's Hist. of Anglo-Saxons.

Eccl. Hist., lib. iii. cap. 18.

8 Id., lib. iii. cap. 27

umberland, contrary to Pope Gregory's regulation, who had ordered the principal see for the northern parts of Britain to be at York. On his death, in 652, Finan, another monk of Iona, succeeded to the government of the Northumbrian church. Bede, while he pronounces the zeal of both these Scottish prelates to have been without knowledge,' because they adhered to the oriental mode of keeping Easter confesses that the veneration with which their conduct had inspired all classes, protected them from all annoyance on this account. But as soon as Colman, another Scots monk, had succeeded Finan in the see of Lindisfarn, the dispute on this important point was renewed with more warmth than ever; and Oswy was finally prevailed upon to convoke a council in the nunnery of Hilda at Whitby, in order to put forth a solemn decision which might set the question at rest for ever. At this conference, Colman, and Ceadda, bishop of the East Saxons. with Oswy himself, appeared on behalf of the Scottish party; the Romanists were headed by Agilbert, bishop of Paris, James, the deacon, a disciple of Paulinus, Agathon and Wilfrid, two priests of the Roman church, and Enfleda, Oswy's queen. Colman opened the debate, and defended his case by pleading the practice of his predecessors, and the example of the beloved apostle. Agilbert was appointed to reply, but excused himself on account of his insufficient acquaintance with the English language; whereupon Wilfrid assumed the office of respondent, and answered Colman with great warmth. He explained the manner of fixing Easter adopted by his church, and affirmed that it was supported by the practice of all other Christian churches in the world, those only of the Scots, Picts, and Britons excepted. Colman argued that if Wilfrid and his brethren were correct in this, then was the apostle John chargeable with error. Wilfrid met this argument by saying that John was obliged to conform somewhat to the rites of Judaism for fear of giving offence to the Asiatic Jews. He asserted that the church of Rome exactly followed the practice of St Peter and St Paul in this matter. He then triumphantly demanded of Colman whether he would pretend to compare his own St Columba with Peter, the prince of the apostles. We are not informed what answer Colman made to this last specch; but the result of the conference was, that Oswy gave his voice in favour of Wilfrid, and his decision confirmed the vote of the assembly. The same synod took up the controversy about the ecclesiastical tonsure. The Romanists maintained that the head ought to be shaved round the place where our Saviour wore the crown of thorns; but the Scottish priests shaved the forc-part of the head from ear to ear. Bede does not inform us how this point was decided; but the probability is that it too was gained by the Romanists. On this decision, Colman and his adherents retired into Scotland, and Scotsmen were henceforth carefully excluded from the government of the Northumbrian church.

About this period, the kings of Kent and Northumberland held a conference respecting the state of the church, and conceiving it necessary to obtain the pope's sanction to the election of a new bishop, the prelate whom they had nominated was sent to Rome for the purpose of receiving his consecration at the hands of the supreme pontiff. he died before the ceremony took place, and the pope immediately proceeded to search for some person capable of filling the vacant office

But

with dignity. The power which he thus assumed to himself appears to have been willingly ceded to him by the English princes, and in this instance it was exercised in a manner highly beneficial to the nation. His choice first fell on the abbot of a monastery near Naples, a native of Africa, and a man of great learning as well as piety. But his offer was rejected, and the devout Adrian contented himself with recommending first one, and then another of his friends, to the pontiff's notice. Theodorus, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, was at length appointed to the arduous station. He was at this time sixty-six years of age, was distinguished for his acquirements in general as well as sacred literature,-for his skill in both the Greek and Latin language, -and for the excellency of his manners and character. Notwithstanding, however, of his fitness for the station, the pope insisted on Adrian's accompanying him to England, that he might aid him with his counsel and co-operation. The good abbot assented to this arrangement, and soon after their arrival at Canterbury, Theodore appointed him to the monastery of Saint Peter, in which situation he was enabled to enjoy his former course of life, while his presence was of the most important service to the archbishop."

Bede describes in glowing terms the success which attended the labours of these two distinguished men, and remarks, that the Saxons had never witnessed such a happy time as the period of Theodore's prelacy, from their first arrival in England. There is great reason to believe that this was not an incorrect statement. Both the archbishop and the abbot were admirably calculated for the station they occupied. Instead of being mere monks, and possessing only the learning of monks, they were reputed for their experience in secular affairs, and their power of imparting information on every branch of science. The school, consequently, which they opened was crowded with auditors. Poetry, astronomy, and arithmetic, were comprehended within the circle of their instructions. The classics both of Greece and Rome began to be read under their auspices; and the practice of composition in the ancient languages was so closely pursued, that the historian states there were many of their pupils who could write as well in Latin and Greek as in their own tongue. But while thus attending with the care of an enlightened scholar to the diffusion of knowledge among the younger members of his flock, Theodore was not unmindful of the charge which pertained to him in respect to the discipline of the church. Soon after his arrival in England, he made a tour through the country, ordaining bisohps in several new districts, and instituting such rites as he thought most essential to the wants of the people. Success attended him in his labours. The disputes respecting the time of keeping the festival of Easter had separated one part of the people from another, to the great hindrance of Christian brotherhood; but, Theodore, by his zeal and ability, removed many of the evils which had so nearly ruined the cause of Christianity; and he was the first of the English bishops to whom the whole body of the clergy yielded the right of primacy. In ecclesiastical history, Theodore stands forth conspicuously as the first among the Latins who composed a penitential. This work of his consisted of canons digested from the

Rede, Eccles. Hist. iv. c. 2.

acts of the principal councils, and soon became the rule of penitential discipline in all the western provinces." From the directions which it contains, we are enabled to form some idea of the trammels under which the most eminent and accomplished men of this period pursued their pious endeavours to enlighten their fellow-creatures.

Masses for the dead,-rites which must ever burthen instead of instruct,-and the most minute attention to circumstances in themselves indifferent,-all appear from this rule of penitence to have been regarded even by the erudite, as among the first essentials of Christian duty.

Theodore, by the strictness of his discipline, produced, there can be little doubt, many appearances of improvement where no real progress was made; this is strongly evidenced by the retrograde movement which seemed, according to the testimony of Bede, to have taken place almost immediately after his decease. But he was an extraordinary man, and the taste for study which he introduced, the example he set of importing copies of the most valuable of the classics, and of the Greek and Latin fathers, together with his conscientious attention to many public affairs that bore on the interests of religion, mainly contributed to produce that bright era of Saxon literature and refinement, adorned with the names of Aldhelm, Ceolfrid, Alcuine, and Bede. Theodore, however, it is to be observed, was not left unaided in his labours by the Saxons of his time. Benedict Biscop was in every way worthy of being the coadjutor of such a man. His taste led him to the encouragement of a species of luxury which, at the time when he lived, afforded an assistance to the yet infant arts, without which they would have long remained in obscurity. The library which he collected was regarded as of inestimable value in the subsequent age," and through his instrumentality, Weremouth abbey, of which he was the superior, remained till a late date one of the noblest depositories of learning in the country.

The primacy of Brithwald, the successor of Theodore, extended over the long period of forty years. He was the first archbishop of Canterbury of Saxon birth. His successor Tatwin was contemporary with Egbert, bishop of York, who, having received the pall from Rome, exercised metropolitan power over all the Anglo-Saxon bishops to the north of the Humber; and further distinguished himself by founding a library at York. In the earlier periods of Anglo-Saxon history, the dioceses were of the same extent as the respective kingdoms of the heptarchy. About the time of Egbert's promotion to the see of York, the number of English prelates was sixteen, whose sees were as follow: Canterbury and Rochester, in the kingdom of Kent; London, in that of the East-Saxons; Hereford, Leicester, Worcester, Lichfield, and Sydnacester, or Lindsey, in Mercia; Dunwick and Elmham, in EastAnglia; Winchester and Sherborn, in the West-Saxon kingdom; and York, Lindisfarne, and Hexham, in that of Northumberland; besides Whitherne in Galloway, then subject to the Northumbrian monarch.12

Tatwin was succeeded in the see of Canterbury by Northelm, at whose death, Cuthbert, bishop of Hereford, was invested with the metropolitan dignity, in 741. Under the last-mentioned primate, a great national synod was held at Cloveshoo-supposed to be the presen 10 Dupin vol. vi. p. 45.

Warton's Diss, on Introduc. of Learning into England.

Bede, V.