* 1.1III. CHAP.
i 2. Pope Paul's Letter to Egbert King of the Northumbers.
3 4 King Egbert becomes a Monk.
1. THE same year Pope Steven dying▪ there succeeded in his place Paul first of that name: From whom wee find an Epistle not yet published, directed to the two Nor∣thumbrian Brethren, Egbert (or Eadbert) King of that countrey, and Egbert Bishop of York.
In which he signifies to them how a certain Abbot called Fordred was lately come from thence to Rome, where he made his cōplaint to him, that whereas a certain Abbess•• had bestowed three Monasteries upon him, the names of which were Staning, Frago or Cucha∣wald, and Donemade, the said King had vio∣lently taken them from him, and bestowed them on his Brother the Prince Mol. In case this complaint was true, he desired the King to consider how great a crime and how dan∣gerous to his soule it was, to invade places dedicated to the service of God, taking them from him who was ready to perform that service, and bestowing them on another who was wholly immersed in worldly cares.
2. What successe this Epistle had, it does not appear Onely this is certain, that at this time the Kingdom of the Northumbers was full of disquiets. The year before this, the King with the help of the Picts had taken from the Northern Brittains, or Cumbrians, the Strong Castle of Dunbritton, as he had a little before, from the Scotts, the Territory of Coyle, or Ki••e▪ by which means probably his treasure being exhausted, he was forced to reward his Brother Mollo's services out of Church re∣venews. However it is not to be doubted but that a King so pious as Egbert was, would not resist the Fatherly admonitions of so worthy a Pope.
3. An irrefragable proof that he would not persist in such injustice was this, that pre∣sently after he heroically contemned all worldly glory to serve God in solitude and devotion. Which is thus related by Hunting∣don (with whom generally all other Histo∣ri••ns agree.) In the third year of the raign of Kernulf King of the West-Saxons (saith he) Ead∣bert King of the Northumbers seeing the un∣happy lives and miserable deaths of the two Kings Ethelbald and Sigebert,* 1.2 and with them compa∣ring the landab••e life and glorious death of his Predecessour Ceol••olf, he wisely chose the better part, which shall never be taken from him. For re∣linquishing his Kingdom (which he resigned to his son Osul••) and receiving a Monasticall Ton∣sure which would procure for him an eternall Crown, cloathing himself likewise with dark simple rayment, for which he should afterward receive vestments ••hining with a heavenly splen∣dour, he retired into a Monastery. This now is the eighth of those Saxon Kings who for the Love of Christ quitted, or to speak more truly, for the hope of an infinitly more glorious celestiall Kingdom willingly exchanged an earthly throne: And no doubt the eight Beatitudes shall be their rewar••s which are promised to voluntary Poverty. Now the Tonsure which he received is by the Au∣thour of the Epitome of S. Beda's History called the Tonsure of S. Peter:* 1.3 from whence some would inferr that he did not become a Monk, but a secular Clark. But besides that all our Historians almost affirm expressly that he li∣ved afterward and happily dyed in a Mona∣sticall Profession: That phrase of the Tonsure of S. Peter signifies that it was not the Scottish, but Roman Tonsure which he received, and which then was common both to the Se∣••••lar Clergy and Religious persons also. Yet withall that in his Monastery he was adopted to an E••clesiasticall State and order is testified by H••veden.
4. Ten years this good King lived in his solitude and poverty: after which he recei∣ved the re••ompence of his Piety. His memo∣ry remained in benediction with posterity:* 1.4 and his Name is in our Martyrologe comme∣morated among the Saints on the eleaventh day of Iune. Wee read in the Authour of S. Cuthberts life in Capgrave, that there was a great freindship between this good King & th•• famous French King Pipin, who likewise sent many Royall presents to him.