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preached; which he having by the king's command performed, Coifi, hearing his words, cried out: I have long since been sensible that there was nothing in that which we worshiped, because the more diligently I sought after truth in that worship, the less I found it. But now I freely confess that such truth evidently appears in this preaching as can confer on us the gifts of life, of salvation, and of eternal happiness. For which reason I advise, O king, that we instantly abjure and set fire to those temples and altars which we have consecrated without reaping any benefit from them.' In short, the king

publicly gave his license to the blessed Paulinus to preach the Gospel, and, renouncing idolatry, declared that he received the faith of Christ; and when he inquired of the above-mentioned high priest who should first profane the altars and temples of their idols,1 with the enclosures that were about them, he answered, 'I. Who is fitter to destroy as an example to all others those things which I worshiped in my folly and ignorance, than I, acting upon the wisdom which has been given me by the true God?' Then immediately, casting away his vain superstition, he desired the king to furnish him with arms and a stallion, and, mounting the same, set out to destroy the idols—for it had not been lawful for the high priest to carry arms, or to ride except on a mare. Having, therefore, girt a sword about him, he took a spear in his hand, mounted the king's stallion, and proceeded to the idols. The multitude, beholding it, concluded he was insane; but he lost no time, for as soon as he drew near the temple he profaned it, casting into it the spear which he held; and, rejoicing in the knowledge of the worship of the true God, he

1 Cf. Plummer's note on fana idolorum, 1. 30, and Cook's note on line 485, The Christ of Cynewulf.

commanded his companions to destroy the temple, with all its enclosures, and burn them with fire. The place where the idols were is still shown, not far from York to the eastward, beyond the river Derwent, and is now called Godmundingham,1 where the high priest, by the inspiration of the true God, polluted and destroyed the altars which he had himself consecrated.2

627.

12. THE BAPTISM OF KING EDWIN (A.D. 627)
Bk. 2, chap. 14

King Edwin, therefore, with all the nobility of the nation,3 and a large number of the common sort, received the faith and the washing of regeneration in the eleventh year of his reign, which is the year of the incarnation of our Lord 627, and about one hundred and eighty after the coming of the English into Britain. He was baptized at York on the holy day of Easter, being the 12th of April, in the church of Peter the apostle,5 which he himself had built of timber while he was undergoing the training of a catechumen and being prepared to receive baptism. In that city also he appointed the see of the bishopric of his instructor and bishop, Paulinus. But as soon as he was baptized, he took care, by the direction of the same Paulinus, to build in the same place a larger and nobler church of stone,6 in the midst whereof that

1 Now Goodmanham, 14 miles N.E. of Market Weighton.

2 An adaptation of Virgil, Æn. 2. 501-2.

8 Including the future Abbess Hild (Bede 4. 23), the patroness of Cædmon. See p. 51.

4 Bright (Early Eng. Church Hist., p. 118) says Easter Eve, April 11.

5 On the site of the present cathedral (Bright, p. 117).

6 For the material of Saxon churches, see Plummer's note, and cf. Cook's

note on line 27, The Christ of Cynewulf.

same oratory which he had first erected should be enclosed.1 Having therefore laid the foundation, he began to build the church square, encompassing the former oratory. But before the whole was raised to the proper height, the wicked assassination of the king left that work to be finished by Oswald his successor.

13. KING EDWIN'S RULE (A.D. 617-633)

Bk. 2, chap. 16

It is reported that there was then such perfect peace in Britain, wheresoever the dominion of King Edwin extended,2 that, as is still proverbially said, a woman with her new-born babe might walk throughout the island from sea to sea, without receiving any harm. That king took such care for the good of his nation that in several places where he had seen clear springs near the highways he caused stakes to be fixed, with brass cups hanging from them, for the refreshment of travelers; nor durst any man touch them for any other purpose than that for which they were designed, either through the dread they had of the king, or for the affection which they bore him. His dignity was so great throughout his dominions that his banners were not only borne before him in battle, but even in time of peace, when he rode about his cities, towns, or provinces with his thanes, the standard-bearer was wont to go before him. Moreover, when he walked along the streets, that sort of banner which the Romans call tufa, and the English, thuuf, was in like manner borne before him.

1 This wooden sanctuary was carefully preserved, and enriched with splendid altars and vessels by Archbishop Albert (Bright, p. 119). 2 It extended at least as far as Edinburgh, Edwin's Burgh.

635

14. KING OSWALD AT HEAVENFIELD (A.D. 635)

Bk. 3, chap. 2

The place is shown to this day, and held in much veneration, where Oswald, being about to engage, erected the sign of the holy cross, and on his knees prayed to God that he would assist his worshipers in their great distress. It is further reported that, the cross being made in haste, and the hole dug in which it was to be fixed, the king himself, full of faith, laid hold of it, placed it in the hole, and held it with both his hands till it was set fast by soldiers' casting in earth. This done, he raised his voice, and cried to his whole army: Let us all kneel, and jointly beseech the true and living God Almighty that of His mercy He will defend us from our fierce and haughty enemy, for He knows that we have undertaken a just war for the safety of our nation.' All did as he had commanded, and, advancing towards the enemy with the first dawn of day, they obtained the victory, as their faith deserved.1 In that place of prayer very many miraculous cures are known to have been performed as a token and memorial of the king's faith, for even to this day many are wont to cut off small chips from the wood of the holy cross, which being put into water, men or cattle drinking thereof, or sprinkled with that water, are immediately restored to health.

The place in the English tongue is called Heavenfield,2 or the Heavenly Field, which name it formerly received as a presage of what was afterwards to happen, denoting

1 Bright says (p. 132) that this field 'witnessed not only the death-blow to Welsh schemes of reconquest, but the definitive triumph of the Christian cause in Northumbria.'

2 Where is now St. Oswald's Chapel, about eight miles north of Hexham; or perhaps Hallington, a mile or so east of St. Oswald's.

that there the heavenly trophy would be erected,1 the heavenly victory begun, and heavenly miracles be wrought to this day. The same place is near the wall with which the Romans formerly enclosed the island from sea to sea, to restrain the fury of the barbarous nations, as has been said before.2

15. THE COMING OF AIDAN (A.D. 635)

Bk. 3, chap. 3

The same Oswald, as soon as he ascended the throne, being desirous that all his nation should receive the Christian faith, whereof he had found happy experience in vanquishing the barbarians, sent to the elders of the Irish, among whom himself and the soldiers his followers, when in banishment, had received the sacrament of baptism, desiring they would send him a bishop, by whose instruction and ministry the people of the Angles which he governed might be taught the advantages, and receive the sacraments, of the Christian faith. Nor was he slow in obtaining what he requested, but received as bishop Aidan, a man of singular gentleness, piety, and moderation, zealous in the cause of God.

On the arrival of the bishop, the king appointed him his episcopal see in the isle of Lindisfarne, as he desired; this place, as the tide flows and ebbs twice a day, is enclosed by the waves of the sea like an island, and again, twice in the day, when the shore is left dry, becomes contiguous to the land. The king, humbly and willingly in all cases giving ear to his admonitions, industriously

1 See Stevens, The Cross in the Life and Literature of the Anglo-Saxons (Yale Studies in English), pp. 81 ff.

2 See p. 13.

Arlan

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