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.

* 1.1XIV. CHAP.

1.2. &c. The South▪Saxons last con∣verted: And their King Edilwalch baptised.

8 9. &c. The Martyrdom of Vlfald and Rufin, sons of King Wulfere.

* 1.21. THE same year was illustrious in the Conversion of the South-Saxons. That was one of the first Saxon-Principalities settled in Brittany by Ella, then the most po∣tent of all the Kings: and it was the last which admitted the Christian Faith. The manner how that Kingdom came to be con∣verted is thus described by Henry of Hun∣tingdon▪* 1.3 Kenwald (or Kenwalch) King of the West-Saxons in the twentieth year of his raign fought against Wulfere King of Mercia the Son of Penda, a Prince who inhe••••ed both his Fathers courage and successe in Martiall affaires▪ in which battell the King of the West-Saxons was defeated and compelled to fly Whereupon Wulfere entred his countrey in a hostile manner, insomuch as pene∣trating to the utmost confines of it, he invaded and conquered the Isle of Wight. In which expe∣dition by Wulfers industry and zeale Adelwold (or, as S. Beda calls him, Edilwalch) King of Sussex was converted first of all to the Faith▪ Vpon whom at his Baptism Wulfere being his God father, bestowed as a sign of adoption, the Isle of With (or Wight) and withall for the conversion of the said Island, he sent thither a Preist named Epa to preach the Gospell. But his preaching as yet had not any good successe.

* 1.42. It is no easy matter to find out who the person was that baptised this King. The Hi∣storiall Books of S. Swithun of Winchester in Speed, & of S. Hilda relate how Athelwold was the first King of Sussex who was converted to the Faith of Christ and baptised in Mercia by S. Biri∣nus a Monk and Apostle of the Gevisses, in the presence and by the suggestion of Wolfere King of the Mercians. But this cannot consist with the truth of Story and Chronology: because S. B••ri∣nus was dead long before Wulfere was King of the Mercians. Others ascribe his Baptism to S. Wilfrid Bishop of York: But these Writers place his Baptism too late, as the former did too early: for S. Wilfrid was not yet Bishop. And though they would ground their asser••tion on the authority of S. Beda, yet S. Beda plainly disproves them, affirming that this King was baptised before S. Wilfrid came into his Province.

3. His words are these: S. Wilfrid turning out of his way into the Province of the South-Saxons,* 1.5 and finding the people as yet addicted to Pagan Idolatry, preached to them the word of Faith, and baptised many. Now the King of that Nation Edil∣walch not long before had been baptised in the Province of the Mercians in the presence and by the perswasion of King Wulfere: By whom as he came out of the Font he was recei∣ved and for a mark of adoption had bestowed on him the Isle of Wight, and the Province of the Meanvari, belonging formerly to the West-Saxons (but lately conquered by Wulfere.) Which little Province seems to be a small Territory in Hampshire, containing three Hundreds, East-mean, West-mean and Means-borough, which preserve still the Marks of the old name in S. Beda, Meanvari.

4. Therefore in all probability King Edil∣walch was by the Sacred Waters of Baptism admitted into the number of Christians by Trumhere Bishop of the Mercians, whom be∣fore we declared to have been of English pa∣rentage and kinsman of Oswin King of the Northumbers,* 1.6 that he had his education from the Scotts, was a Monk▪ and afterward Abbot of the Monastery of Gethlin, and last of all consecrated Bishop of the Mercians.

5 But a greater difficulty remains, How King Wulfere should deserve the Elogy here given him of piety and zeale for the propa∣gation of the Orthodox Faith beyond the limits of his own Kingdom. Yea besides this, in other Authours we find him employd in building of Monasteries and Churches: And William of Malmsbury gives him this generall Character,* 1.7 that at his first Assumption to the throne, to the end he might not deceive the expe∣ctation of his Subiects, he spared no diligence, study or labour to shew himself a good Prince who sought the proffit and felicity of his Kingdom. Moreover that by his favour and countenance he earnesty advanced the Christian Faith then even gasping for life, as being but a little before newly brought in by his Brother. Whereas severall other Au∣thours, particularly such as have written our Saints lives paint him forth for a most hor∣rible persecutour, insomuch as seaven years after this Conversion of the South-Saxons by his incitation he is sayd to have putt to death his two sons Vlfald and Ruffin, because by the preaching of S. Ceadda then Bishop of Lichfeild they embraced the Christian Faith:

6. How can those things consist together? Perhaps some will imagine that the praises given this King proceeded from flattery in the first Authours, by whom those which followed were seduced. Yet we shall find

that those very Historians who so much ce∣lebrate his praises, have not conceald his vices.* 1.8 Thus the last mentioned Authour after the passage even now cited, thus tem∣pers the commendations given him, Not∣withstanding in these, and whatsoever other vertues were in him, were corrupted and de∣pressed by the infamous crime of Simony, of which he was the first King of England that was guilty, selling for money the Sacred Bi∣shoprick of London to a certain ambitious man, called Wina. He moreover adioyns the Off∣spring of King Wulfere, Kinred and Werebur∣ga, without any mention of the two Mar∣tyrs Vlfald and Ruffin. So that in this Kings Story there is an obscure Mist, which we may conceive to proceed from our An∣cient Writers of Saints Lives, who having a Story, for the substance of it true, to relate, deliver it undigestedly, without any choice of names, times and other circumstances. In order therefore to the clearing of this obscurity, we will first breifly sett down the Summ of the Story of those two Martyrs, and consequently endeavour to correct the circumstantiall faults of the relatours.

* 1.97. Vlfald and Ruffin were Brethren, sons of Wulfere King of the Mercians and Hermenilda, who was daughter of Earcom∣bert King of Kent and his wife S. Sexburga. Wulfere their Father was an Infidell: But Herminilda a devout Christian Lady of great Sanctity. She during the tender age of these her children was diligent to imbue their minds with Christian Principles of piety: and when they were come to riper ••ears she sought out a Master for them, but with great secrecy, least her Husband, who was horribly averse from Christianity, should know it. She had recourse there∣fore to Ceadda Bishop of Lichfeild, who instructed them more perfectly, and re∣generated them to Christ by the Water of Baptism. These young Princes oft went forth ••pon pretence of hunting, and either by their Mothers perswasion, or their own inclination took that opportunity to Visit the Holy Bishop. But being at last depre∣hended by their Father, he agitated with the furies of his false Gods would compell them to renounce their Religion: which they constantly refusing to doe, he cau∣sed them both to be slain in the Sacred place of Prayer. Their Holy Mother having understood the cruell death and Martyr∣dom of her children, was desirous to give them an honourable buriall; for which purpose she according to the Roman cu∣stom, gathered a mighty heap of Stones for their Monument. The place of their Se∣pulcher by its name still testifies the same, for it is to this day called Stone, a place which upon this occasion is grown to a popu∣lous Town. Now when the death of these Holy Martyrs Vlfald and Ruffin was made known to the people, and the cause like∣wise for which they dyed, they began to be held in great honour: and a Church, with a Monastery, was built, consecrated to S. Vlfald, yet so as that his Brother also became partaker of his honour. By this means the place came to be frequen∣ted. Neither was their Father King Wul∣fere more slow then others in honouring them. For the guilt of the parricide com∣mitted by him wounding his conscience, he in an humble manner went to Saint Ceadda, and with great greif acknowledg∣ing his crime, embraced the Christian Faith, and with the Sacred Waters of Baptism ex∣piated all his offences.

8. This account doe our ancient Re∣cords give of the Martyrdom of these two Princes: the substance whereof cannot rea∣sonably be questioned, considering the lasting monument yet remaining, and that their names are extant among the Saints in our Martyrologe on the four and twen••tieth of Iuly.* 1.10 But that they should have been instructed by S. Ceadda then Bishop of Lichfeild, and slain in the year of Grace six hundred sixty eight by their Father then a Pagan, this contradicts all our most au∣thentick Histories, in which long before that time King Wulfere is celebrated for his Faith and Piety. Therefore it will be necessary to affirm that they were instru∣cted by some Bishop of the Mercians be∣fore their Father began his raign, during the time that their cruell Grand Father Penda lived, who earnestly laboured to extinguish the Christian name, and effe∣ctually caused the death of many Christian Kings.

9. Therefore the Narration given by Cam∣den deserves our acceptation, who more distinctly and simply recounts the story in this manner: To Peada King of the Mercians succeeded his Brother Wolfer,* 1.11 who having been most averse from Christian Religion, with barbarous inhumanity slew his Sons Wolfald and Ruffin, because they had given up their names to Christ. But a few years after himself also em∣braced the Christian Faith, and to the end he might by some pious work expiate that his im∣piety, he finished a Monastery begun by his Brother.

Notes

• * 1.1

  XIV. CH.
• * 1.2

  A. D. 661.
• * 1.3

  Huntingd. l. 2.
• * 1.4

  Speed Hist. f 220. lib. de Hist. c. 3.
• * 1.5

  Be••. l. 4 c. 13.
• * 1.6

  Vid. sup. l. c.
• * 1.7

  Malmsb. de Reg. l. 1. c 4.
• * 1.8

  Id. ibid.
• * 1.9

  Martyrol. Anglic. 24. April.
• * 1.10

  Martyrolog. ••ngl••c. 24. Iu••ij.
• * 1.11

  Camden in Coritants.