Page 327
* 1.1IX. CHAP.
i.2. &c Eadbald King of Kent repents his Apostacy.
* 1.21. WE will now contemplate the happy change which the right hand of our Lord made in the heart of Eadbald King of Kent upon the sight of the wounds which the stripes inflicted on the Body of the Arch∣bishop S. Laurentius by S. Peter caused. It is thus described by S. Bede:* 1.3 When the King heard that for his eternall good the Bishop had suffred from the Apostle such wounds and torments, he was sore affrighted: And renouncing his former accursed Idolatry, also repudiating his incestuous Wife, he received the Faith of Christ, and was baptised. After which he was carefull to favour, and with his utmost power to promote the affairs of the Church.
2. S. Beda had reason to mention his fa∣vour and liberality to the Church, for there is to this day extant a Charter of his dated this year,* 1.4 in which after a commemoration of the occasion of his Conversion by seing the stripes inflicted on S. Laurence, he declares that for the remedy of the soules of his fa∣ther, his own and others of his kinred he granted for the use of the Monastery of Saint Peter and S. Paul a portion of land of thirty ploughs in Kent call'd Northborne▪ and with∣all confirmed all the Gifts, Priviledges and liberties formerly granted by his Father to the same Church, &c.
3. Moreover to testify his care of the advancing the Christian Faith in his king∣dom,* 1.5 he sent (saith Saint Beda) into France, from whence he recalled Mellitus and Iustus, or∣daining that they should return to their Chur∣ches, and freely instruct and govern the flocks committed to them. Accordingly they came back about a year after their departure: And Iu∣stus indeed went to his Church at Rochester, for∣merly committed to him: But the inhabitants of London would not receive their Bishop Melli∣tus, for they rather chose to obey their Idolatrous Preists.