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.

XIV. CHAP.* 1.1

1.2. King Edwin wonderfully converted to Christianity.

3.4. &c. A Generall Assembly called: in which Idolatry is renounced: and the Christian Faith received.

11. The place of this Assembly.

1. CErtain it is that King Edwin obtaind an illustrious victory,* 1.2 as shortly ap∣peard by his acknowledgment of his obliga∣tion to discharge the Vow he had made to Almighty God. Notwithstanding at the first he delayd, partly upon a pretence of pu∣blick affaires, and partly out of a desire to de∣liberate more maturely.* 1.3 For being a man (as S. Beda saith) naturally of a peircing sagacious Spirit, he would oftimes sitt alone, silent, but re∣volving in his mind many doubtfull thoughts what he should resolve upon, and what Religion he should professe. He was already unsatisfied in his own superstition, but withall he had fram'd in his mind obiections against Chri∣stian Religion: He thought it misbecoming a great victorious King to submit his neck to the yoak of one who had been crucified, &c.

2. On a certain day as he was agitated with such uncertain thoughts, Saint Paulinus, no doubt by divine Inspiration, came suddenly to him, and laying his hand on the Kings head, severely asked him,

Whether he calld to mind that Sign of his Faith and pro∣mise formerly given when he was in a pri∣vat condition, an exild person, and in im∣minent danger of death? And he bad him take heed how he continued longer a rebell against God: since he who had raised him up so high, could as easily depresse him. The King was struck with this unexpected be∣haviour of Saint Paulinus: but having re∣covered the freedom of his thoughts, and perfectly remembring the forementioned Divine Oracle, he presently fell at Saint Pau∣linus his feet, acknowledging his guilty doubtfullnes, and submitting himselfe to obey what soever he should command him from God, whom, by a new in∣fused Light, he perceived to have been his Guide through strange and wonder∣full wayes to his Divine saving Truth.

Now all his doubts and obiections vanished, and he is resolved not only himself to become a servant of Christ, but to en∣deavour to make his subiects also com∣panions with him in that happy servi∣tude. He perceives a compleat effect of all the promises formerly made by the invisible Messenger, and he condemnes his own slownes in corresponding to the Divine Goodnes.

3. But withall considering what inward sus∣picions and commotions in mens minds a sudden publick change of Religion would probably cause, he with the advice and approbation of Saint Paulinus thought fitt to proceed with as much pru∣dence and caution as might be, and by calling a Generall Assembly of his Estates, to endeavour to make the in∣troducing of Christian Religion an Act of the Kingdom, as well as of the King. To this expedient Saint Paulinus the rather consented, because since the Queen and her Christian families coming, he saw a ge∣nerall disesteem of their Idoll-Gods among the people.

4. The great Assembly being convened, the King in the first place signified to them the great and signal blessings he had re∣ceived from God, and how desirous he was to expresse his gratitude to his Bene∣factour. But since severall Nations accor∣ding to their fancy appropriated to them∣selves many peculiar Gods, he could not perswade himself there could be any more then One Omnipotent God. That therefore which he desired to propose to their se∣rious considerations was, Which God they should devote themselves to. He added, That the vertuous innocent life of his Queen and her family had begot in his mind a greater esteem of the God whom she ado∣red then any other, and whether they should adhere to him only, rejecting all their impotent Idols, he desired them faithfully to advise.

5. Such a discourse of the King was hearkned to attentively by the whole company present, neither did any one among them expresse any dislike of his proposal. Yea moreover a certain person among them named Coifius, who was the Cheif Pontife of the Pagan Superstition, freely confessed the vanity and impotency of the Idols which they had served, and added that a plurality of Gods contradicted human reason: concluding that One onely God was to be worshipped: But whether the Re∣ligion professed by the Queen should be ad∣mitted, that he desired them further to consider of. Assoon as he had ended his speech the whole Assembly unanimously cryed out, Let the Idol-Gods be taken away, and the Religion of Christ professed. But Coifius added moreover, That he thought fitt that the Queens Cheif Preist Paulinus should be admitted to give an account of the Christian Religion professed by him: which when they heard, they might more advisedly proceed.

6. Hereupon Saint Paulinus was sent for, and required to expound to them plainly and sincerely the Nature, qualities and condition of the Religion professed by himself and the Queen.

This task he chear∣fully undertook, and with a discourse full of prudence and zeale, began with an invective against the Idol-Superstition in practise among them, shewing that the Gods which they worshipped were at the best but mortall and sinfull men unable to help, and many of them meer fictions of mens brains, or wicked im∣pious Spirits, which sought no other thing but the eternall perdition of their Worshippers. Then he demonstrated that the Creatour of Heaven and Earth could be but one onely God, the Principle and End of all things. Yet that, notwithstanding this Vnity of Nature, there was in the Deity such a fecundity of divine per∣fections, that three Subsistences or Per∣sons were to be distinguished, which three notwithstanding are but one God. That among these, the Second Person the Eternall Son of God out of infinite Love to Men lost in sin and misery, had merci∣fully taken our Nature on him, and by his humi••ity had exalted us, by delive∣ring a Law full of Sanctity and Perfection, which Law he confirmed with his own death, by which he made himself a Sacri∣fice of attonement for our Sins: And after death by his own power restored himself to life, and in the sight of many hun∣dreds of Witnesses ascended gloriously into heaven, thereby in his own person giving an assured proof that those who beleived in him and lived according to his Law, should by the same power be raised from death, to live for ever with him in hap∣pines incomprehensible. That Christians therefore having such infinit obligations to Christ their Saviour, ioyfully professe, and are not ashamed to worship him who was willingly crucified, since by a death so full of torment and shame he made them for ever free from all shame and torments.

7. What hath been hitherto recoun∣ted, is conformable to Saint Beda's re∣lation: But the successe of Saint Paulinus his Discourse shall be declared in his own expression.* 1.4 After this, saith he, King Edwin having first consulted with the most eminent in wisedome among them, asked them singly one by one what opinion they had of this Doctrine and new manner of Worship, of which they had never heard before. Hereto Coifi the Prime Pontife presently answered:

Doe thou, O King, consider how this Doctrin newly preached before us is to be esteemd: for mine own part I declare upon assured know∣ledge and experience, that the Religion which we have professed hitherto has in it neither vertue nor proffit at all. There is not any of your Subiects has been more diligent and zealous in the service of our Gods, then my self: yet there are very many who have re∣ceived far greater benefits and dignities from you then I have: Now if our Gods were of any power or gratitude they would

surely be most kind to them by whom they are best served.

It remains therefore, that if in your opinion the advices lately given us, how new soever, be indeed better and of more proffit, we should without delay admitt them.

8. To this discrett perswasion of Coifi another of the Kings Nobles assenting, added, The present life of man upon earth compared with the time following it, whose end is uncertain to us, seems to mee as if, Whilst your Ma∣jesty are feasting with your Nobles in the winter time in a room warmed with a good fire, whilst abroad cold winds and tempests doe rage, a silly sparrow entring into the room at a window should presently fly out at another opposite to it: During that moment of time in which she passes through the roome, she feels not the bitternes of the winter: but immediat∣ly she enters into the tempestuous cold, and flyes out of your sight. It is just so with this present life: it appears for a short moment: but what follows, or what went before it, we are utterly ignorant of. Therefore if this new Doctrine can give us any certainty what shall befall us after this short life, it deserves to be embraced.

9. These and such other Discourses passed among the Kings Counsellours and Ancients of the Assembly. To which Coifi again adjoynd, that he was desirous to heare Paulinus once more discourse to this point, of the God whom he preached.

Which being done by the Kings com∣mand, Coifi cryed out, It is not of late only that I have understood that the Gods worshipped by us are nothing worth: because the more stu∣diously I sought for Truth in their service, the lesse I found. Now therefore I openly professe that in this mans discourse the Truth appears manifestly, and such a Truth as is able to conferr on us the Gifts of life and eternall hap∣pines. Therefore my counsell is, O King, that without delay our Temples and Altars, from which we never received good, may be cursed and given to the fire.

10. In conclusion, not to be tedious, the King openly and plainly professed his assent to the Doctrin preached by Saint Paulinus, and re∣nouncing his former Idolatry acknowledged that he received the Faith of Christ:

And having demanded of the foresaid Pontife, to whom the care of pro••aning the Altars, Temples and ground about them dedicated to Superstition, should be committed: His Answer was, To none but my self: For who is more fitt to be a pattern for others in destroying those things which in the time of my folly I worshipped, then my self, now that by wisedom newly inspired by God I see their vanity?

And having said this, immediatly abjuring his Superstition, he desired the King that he might be furnished with arms and a horse: which having mounted, he hastned to destroy the Idols. In which manner he rode, to de∣clare publickly his deserting his former profes∣sion: For it was against their Superstitious Law for a Pontife to carry arms, or to ride except upon a mare. Thus being girt with a sword, and having a lance in his hand, mounted likewise on the Kings horse he went to the Idol-Temples.* 1.5 When the common people saw this, they thought him out of his witts: but he went on however, and when he was come to the Temple he profaned it by ca∣sting into it the lance which he held in his hands, shewing great joy for the knowledge of the true God which he had newly learnt. And having done this, he commanded his companions to destroy and burn to the ground the Temple and all buildings belonging to it.

11. The place where this Assembly was held and Idols destroyd is thus described by the same Saint Beda;* 1.6 Men shew the place where the Idol-temple formerly stood: It is not far from York, toward the East beyond the River Derwen, and it is at this day called Godmundigham, where the foresaid Pontife, by Divine Inspiration, pol∣luted and destroyd the Heathen Altars which himself had consecrated. The memory there∣of has likewise been conserved ever since Saint Beda's time, being still called God∣munham, or the mansion of the false Hea∣then Gods. Yet some Authours ascribe an higher Original thereto, as far as the ancient Brittish and Roman times: For they con∣ceive that the town called Delgovitia (which in the Brittish tongue signifies an Idol) was anciently seated here.

12. Hereto accords this Observation of Camden in his perambulation through these parts,* 1.7 I doe not doubt, saith he, but that in the times of the Brittains here was a famous Oracle, when Superstition, spread through all Nations, had more strongly possessed the minds of the ignorant inhabitants. But when Paulinus preached Christ to the Northumbers, Coyfi who was the Pontife of their Pagan Ceremonies, having embraced Christian Religion, was the first who by casting a lance into it, profaned the Temple, a Mansion of impiety there.

Notes

• * 1.1

  XIV. C.
• * 1.2

  A. D. 626.
• * 1.3

  Bed. l. 2 c 9.
• * 1.4

  Bed. l.
• * 1.5

  A. D. 627.
• * 1.6

  Bed. l. 2. c. 13.
• * 1.7

  Camden in Brigant.