At the Castle of Vtrecht near an Ancient ruind Church of Saint Thomas, he built an Ora∣tory to the honour of the Holy Crosse. Pope Ser∣gius being before admonished by an Angeli∣call vision, solemnly ordained him Arch-bishop in the Church of Saint Peter, at the request of Duke Pipin: and withall strengthning him with Apostolick authority to preach and dilate the Gospell, to the end he might with a more pros∣perous omen undertake that labour, he gave him the Sirname of Clement, to whom after the two Princes of the Apostles the Care of Religion in its infancy was committed.
3. From Rome he returned into Friseland, and at Vtrecht upon Rhene placed his Episcopall See, building there a Church which he consecra∣ted to Saint Martin. He baptized with the Water of regeneration Pipin the Son of Charles Martel. He spread the Gospell largely in Frise∣land, baptizing Catechumens, confirming Neophytes, celebrating holy Orders, and almost in every village building Churches, over which he constituted Pastours.
4. Whilst he was busily employed in these sacred works, there came to him Saint Boniface, who in processe of time became his Successour in his Bishoprick and Apostleship of the Frisons: Who staying with him about two years, assisted him with courage and diligence in procuring the salvation of many. At last after many la∣bours, incommodities and travells undertaken by him for many years in planting the Church and saving of soules, he rendred his holy and happy Spirit to his Creatour at Epternac: after he had for the space of forty years with a piety and vertue truly Apostolick governed the Church founded by himself.
5. His Sacred Body was buried in a Monastery of that Town, which formerly he had erected: where it did ••hine with so many illustrious Mi∣racles, that both the Monastery and Church were afterwards called by his Name. Concerning his Successours Eoban, Boniface and Gregory we shall treat in due place. His Life was written both in verse and Prose by his Coun∣trey man Saint Alcuin, an eloquent Wit∣nesse of his Sanctity.
6. The same year Nothelm Arch-bishop of Canterbury having received his Archiepisco∣pall Pall from Rome consecrated severall Bi∣shops: For the See of Hereford being vacant by the death of Walst••d he substituted in his place Cuthbert: Who four years after suc∣ceeded Nothelm himself, being translated to the See of Canterbury. But before that, he finished a very costly Crosse begun by his Predecessour, and moreover built a sumptuous Tomb, in which he placed the Bodies of the three preceding Bishops, Tirtil, Torthere and Walst••d: to which he adioyned three more, a certain Nobleman called Mil∣frid, with his Lady called Quenburga, and Osrith the Son of Oselin: as appears by the verses inscribed on it, recorded by B. Godwin in his Catalogue of the Bishops of He∣reford.
7. The Church of the East-Angles like∣wise being deprived of her two Pastours Eadbert Bishop of Dumwich, and Hadulac Bishop of Helmham; The said Arch-bishop gave for successour to the former Cuthwin (called by Hoveden, Heordwald) and to the other, Ethelfrid: Concerning whom nothing remains to posterity but their names.
8. The next year Alduin Bishop of Lich∣feild dying, two Bishops were consecrated in his place, Witta in Lichfeild, and Totta (or Torthelm) in Leycester. In this Citty of Ley∣cester (which, saith William of Malmsbury, is very ancient, and situated in the mid∣land countrey of England, called Legecestria from the River Leger passing by it) Saint Wilfrid, as hath been declared, after his ex∣pulsion out of the Kingdom of the Northum∣bers, made his abode, and exercised Iurisdi∣ction there. After whose departure the Kingdom of the Mercians had but one Bishop: till this year, in which for the Vastnes of the Province two Bishops were ordained. And Leycester continued an Episcopall See till the time of King Edgar, when Leov••n Bishop of the Lindesfari, or Lincoln, united Leycester to his See.
9. Moreover in the place of Forthere Bi∣shop of Shirburn, Herwald was consecrated: The cause whereof was not the death of Farther, but as Florentius testifies, because be attending Frithogitha Queen of the West-Saxons, undertook a Pilgrimage to Rome: And it was not fitt that the Church should want a Pastour. This is the same Frithogitha Wife to King Ethelard who eight years before this was so munificent a Benefactrice to the Mo∣nastery of Canterbury: And now the flame of Divine Charity encreasing in her soule, she abandoned all her splendid possessions, and gave her self entirely to God. And in those days, at wee read in Mathew of Westmin∣ster, many Kings and Bishops, Noble men and ••gnoble▪ Clergy-men and Secular, yea women also did the like.