The church-history of Brittany from the beginning of Christianity to the Norman conquest under Roman governours, Brittish kings, the English-Saxon heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) monarchy ... : from all which is evidently demonstrated that the present Roman Catholick religion hath from the beginning, without interruption or change been professed in this our island, &c. / by R.F., S. Cressy of the Holy Order of S. Benedict.

XXII. CHAP.* 1.1

1.2. &c. A Synode at Clovesho: and the Acts of it.

1. WE will conclude this Book and Cen∣tury with a short view of the state of Gods Church in Brittany at this time.* 1.2

Sir Henry Spelman has published another Synod held this year at Clovesho: In which, after a publick attestation of the Vniformity of their Faith with the same which Saint Gre∣gory the Great caused to the taught here at the first Conversion of the Nation: with a Pro∣fession that what they beleived they would also in their lives practise, a Decree was made for the restitution of all lands and goods which had been usurped by Lay-per∣sons, and violently taken from Churches and Monasteries.

2 More specially Athelard Arch-bishop of Canterbury presiding in the same, repre∣sented to the Synod, how Ethelbald King of the Mercians had given formerly to the Church of our Saviour in Canterbury a certain Monastery called Cotham with all the Lands and possessions belonging thereto: and that such his Donation might be of perpetuall force he sent by Cuthbert then Archbishop a Turf of the said land, together with all Writings per••aining to the same Monastery, which he required him to lay upon the Altar of our Saviours Church. But after the death of the said Arch-bishop, two men who had been educated by him, named Ve••head and Osbert, by the Devills instiga∣tion stole away those Writings, and caried them to Ceolulf King of the West-Saxons: who thereupon took to his own use the said Monastery and land, notwithstanding any thing that the Arch-bishop could alledge. His Successours likewise in the Arch-bishop∣rick, Bregwan and Iambert, in severall Synods made complaints of this injury done to the Church of our Saviour, both to the King of the West-Saxons and to Offa King of the Mercians who had subdued many Citties, and particularly that Territory in which the said Monastery of Cotham was seated, which he annexed to his own Dominion. But now at last Kenulf King of the Mercians repenting of his injustice, had restored all the said Writings, adding with∣all a great summe of money, humbly requesting that he might be absolved from the Excommunications denounced against Sacrilegious usurpers of Church∣lands.

3. Matters standing thus, the said Arch-bishop Athelard, together with his principall Officer Cuba, brought the foresaid Writings into the Synod, which

were publickly read and approved.* 1.3 Then he acquainted the Synod that by a mutuall agreement between himself and a certain Abbesse named Cynedritha, she should pos∣sesse the said Monastery of Cotham with all lands belonging to it, giving in exchange land of one hundred and ten Mansions, and Sixty Hides (Cassatarum) in a place named Fleot, and thirty in another called Tenaham, and twenty in a third named Creges Ennu∣lina, all which lands King Offa had formerly given to her and her heyrs, and after their decease to the Church of Beodford. This agree∣ment touching an exchange, with a mutuall surrendry of all Writings on both sides, the Arch-bishop desired might be approved and confirmed by the Synod, that no difference might hereafter happen between his Succes∣sours and the heyrs of King Offa. He more∣over gave to the same Abbesse another Mo∣nastery seated in a place called Pectonege, which the devout King Egfrid had bestowd on him to be possessed by a right of in∣heritance.

Notes

• * 1.1

  XXI.I CH.
• * 1.2

  Sp••lm. f. 318.
• * 1.3

  A. D. 780.