How the province of the East Angles received the faith of Christ. [627-628 A.D.]
EDWIN was so zealous for the true worship, that he
likewise persuaded Earpwald, king of the East Angles, and son of
Redwald, to abandonhis idolatrous superstitions, and with his
whole province to receive the faith and mysteries of Christ. And
indeed his father Redwald had long before been initiated into the
mysteries of the Christian faith in Kent, but in vain; for on his
return home, he was seduced by his wife and certain perverse
teachers, and turned aside from the sincerity of the faith; and
thus his latter state was worse than the former; so that, like
the Samaritans of old, he seemed at the same time to serve Christ
and the gods whom he served before; and in the same temple he had
an altar for the Christian Sacrifice, and another small one at
which to offer victims to devils. Aldwulf, king of that same
province, who lived in our time, testifies that this temple had
stood until his time, and that he had seen it when he was a boy.
The aforesaid King Redwald was noble by birth, though ignoble in
his actions, being the son of Tytilus, whose father was Uuffa,
from whom the kings of the East Angles are called Uuffings.
Earpwald, not long after he had embraced the Christian faith, was
slain by one Ricbert, a pagan; and from that time the province
was in error for three years, till Sigbert succeeded to the
kingdom, brother to the same Earpwald, a most Christian and
learned man, who was banished, and went to live in Gaul during
his brother's life, and was there initiated into the mysteries of
the faith, whereof he made it his business to cause all his
province to partake as soon as he came to the throne. His
exertions were nobly promoted by Bishop Felix,who, coming to
Honorius, the archbishop, from the parts of Burgundy, where he
had been born and ordained, and having told him what he desired,
was sent by him to preach the Word of life to the aforesaid
nation of the Angles. Nor were his good wishes in vain; for the
pious labourer in the spiritual field reaped therein a great
harvest of believers, delivering all that province (according to
the inner signification of his name) from long iniquity and
unhappiness, and bringing it to the faith and works of
righteousness, and the gifts of everlasting happiness. He had the
see of his bishopric appointed him in the city Dommoc, and having
presided over the same province with pontifical authority
seventeen years, he ended his days there in peace.
How Paulinus preached in the province of Lindsey; and of thc character of the reign of Edwin. [Circ. 628 A.D.]
PAULINUS also preached the Word to the province of Lindsey,
which is the first on the south side of the river H umber,
stretching as far as the sea; and he first converted to the Lord
the reeve of the city of Lincoln, whose name was Blaecca, with
his whole house. He likewise built, in that city, a stone church
of beautiful workmanship; the roof of which has either fallen
through long neglect, or been thrown down by enemies, but the
walls are still to be seen standing, and every year miraculous
cures are wrought in that place, for the benefit of those who
have faith to seek them. In that church, when Justus had departed
to Christ, Paulinus consecrated Honorius bishop in his stead, as
will be hereafter mentioned in its proper place. A certain priest
and abbot of the monastery of Peartaneu,(Partney in
Lincolnshire)a man of singular veracity, whose name was Deda,
told me concerning the faith of this province that an old man had
informed him that he himself had been baptized at noon-day, by
Bishop Paulinus, in the presence of King Edwin, and with him a
great multitude of the people, in the river Trent, near the city,
which in the English tongue is called Tiouulfingacaestir; and he
was also wont to describe the person of the same Paulinus, saying
that he was tall of stature, stooping somewhat, his hair black,
his visage thin, his nose slender and aquiline, his aspect both
venerable and awe-inspiring. He had also with him in the
ministry, James, the deacon, a man of zeal and great fame in
Christ and in the church, who lived even to our days.
It is told that there was then such perfect peace in
Britain, wheresoever the dominion of King Edwin extended, 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 copper
drinking-vessels hanging on them, for the refreshment of
travellers; nor durst any man touch them for any other purpose
than that for which they were designed, either through the great
dread they had of the king, or for the affection which they bore
him. His dignity was so great throughout his dominions, that not
only were his banners borne before him in battle, but even in
time of peace, when he rode about his cities, townships, or
provinces, with his thegns, the standard-bearer was always wont
to go before him. Also, when he walked anywhere along the
streets, that sort of banner which the Romans call Tufa, and the
English, Thuuf, was in like manner borne before him.