* 1.1XXIV. CHAP.
1.2. Peter the first Abbot of Canterbury, drowned.
3. A Church built at Ely.
4 The Inhabitants of Cernel, converted by Saint Augustin: The Saxon Idol, Heyl demolished.
1. TWO years after the date of the fore∣mentioned Charters the Abbot of the said Monastery was drownd in passing the Sea toward France.* 1.2 Concerning whom S. Beda thus Writes:* 1.3 The first Abbot of the Monastery of the Blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul was called Peter, a (Roman) Preist: who having been sent upon a message into France, was drownd in a bay of the Sea called Ampleat: and by the in∣habitants of those coasts ignobly buried. That bay of the Sea, saith Malbranque is now cal∣led Ambletea:* 1.4 and touching this Holy Abbot he adds, That Almighty God to publish the great merits of the man caused a heavenly light to appear every night over his sepulcher, till the neighbours observing it, judged the person there buried to have been a Holy man: and making inquisition whence he came, and who he was, they took the Body thence, and committed it to an honourable sepulture in the principall Church of the Citty of Bouloign. This was done by a Count of that place called Fumertius.
2. His Memory is celebrated in the Galli∣can Martyrologe on the thirtieth day of De∣cember: But in ours on the sixth of Ianuary.* 1.5 To him succeeded in the Office and dignity of Abbot, Iohn, who in the first Mission of S. Augustin was sent one of his compa∣nions.
3. The same year were layd the first foun∣dations of the Famous Abbey of the Isle of Ely in Cambridgshire, by the perswasion of S. Augustin, and the assistance of King Ethel∣bert. Yet Harpsfeild writes doubt fully of its antiquity, saying, That Monastery was in the beginning founded by S. Augustin Arch-bishop at the costs of Ethelbert King of Kent as some report, and dedicated to the honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary:* 1.6 where was placed a Congregation of Monks of the Order of S. Benedict. But I am not satisfied of the truth of this Tradition. It may be this is the place intended in a passage out of the Book of Ely quoted by Camden, where he saith, The Book of Ely relates how our S. Augustin built a Church at Cradiden, which Penda King of Mercia subverted.* 1.7 Proba∣ble therefore it is that out of the ruines of this Church was afterward raised that so fa∣mous Monastery.
4. William of Malmsbury reports likewise another example of the labour and industry of S. Augustin in propagating the Gospell:* 1.8
How passing through all the Provinces of Brittany, as far as the Empire of Ethelbert extended it self, he came to a certain village in Dorsetshire, where preaching the word of God,* 1.9 he gained many soules to Christ from the Devills Tyranny. There likewise (saith Camden) he brok in peices a certain Idol called Heil (answering to Aesculapius) to which was attributed a power of healing diseases. Hereat the Devill being enraged, inflamed with fury the minds of the Pagans against him, who sett upon him and his companions, and after many indignities forced him to retire three miles from thence, Where whilst he was quietly attending to Prayer, he with the eye of his mind perceiv'd the Divine presence: and presently with a chearfull countenance sayd to his compa∣nions (Cerno Deum, &c.) I See God, who will shortly recompence our endeavours, and will inspire into those raging people a more moderate and repenting mind. Assoon as he had said this, those Pagans came in great hall to him, and demanding pardon of their fault promised to submitt themselves to his teaching. Whom after he had instructed, he intended to baptise them: but wanting water, at the Holy Bishops command a foun••tain broke forth of secret passages, which to this day for the merits of S. Augustin is held in great esteem by the people. And from the word Cerno (I See) spoken by him with the addition of the Hebrew word El, si∣gnifying God, the said village was afterward called Cernel, but vulgarly Cern. In that place, saith the same Authour, Edwald after a life spent in great piety was buried, with a high esteem of Sanctity: which in after times gave occasion to a certain very rich man call'd Egilwald to build a Monastery there dedicated to S. Peter.