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.

II. CHAP.* 1.1

1.2. &c. In a Synod Saint Cuthbert is ele∣cted, and with great difficulty perswaded to be consecrated Bishop.

6.7. &c. The great munificence of King Egfrid to him.

1. WE have already declared how Egfrid King of the Northumbers the year before his death being constant in his disaf∣fection to S. Wilfrid, obtained of S. Theodore Arch-bishop of Canterbury to make a supply of vacant Sees in his kingdom, by ordaining new Bishops, without any regard to S. Wil∣frid, to whom the administration of the whole Province belonged. For this purpose S. Theodore assembled a Synod, saith S Beda, near the River Alne (Alaunum) at which the said King was present,* 1.2 in a place called Twiford, which signifies a double ford: Which Synod was no small one, (for besides S. Theodore who was President, Seaven other Bishops are said to have mett there, onely four of whose names we can reckon, to witt, Trumwin Bi∣shop lately of the Picts, B••sa, Eata and Tum∣bert, who was deposed, in whose place suc∣ceeded S. Cuthbert. For as tou••hing Saint Ceadda and S. Ced, whose presence by some Writers is affirmed, the generall consent of History contradicts it, since S. Ced Bishop of London was dead twenty years before this, and S. Ceadda of Lichfeild twelve.)

2. In this Synod, which we may wonder how it came to be omitted by Sir Henry Spel∣man, Tumbert Bishop of Hagulstad (or Hex∣ham) for what demerit is not expressed in any ancient Authour, was deprived of his See: and by an unanimous consent S. Cuth∣bert was elected in his place. But it was no easy matter to obtain his own consent to this Election: For saith S. Beda, though many letters were sent,* 1.3 and severall Messengers dire∣cted to him from the Synod, he could not be re∣moved out of his solitude. At length the fore∣said King Egfrid, attended by the holy Bishop Trumwin and very many other Religious persons, sailed to the Island where he was retired: Whi∣ther being come, they kneeled before him, they adiured him in the name of our Lord, they be∣sought him with teares, and persevered so long in their humble request, till at last they van∣quished his resistance, and drew him, full of tears likewise, out of his most sweet retirement to the Synod. Where being arrived, though he again renewd his resistance, yet at last he was overcome by the united wills of all the Bishops, and compelled to submitt his neck to the burden of the Episcopall Office.

4. But though he was then elected, and had consented to his Election, yet he was not

consecrated till the year following, at the great solemnity of Easter. The See to which he was ordained, was not that of Hagulstadt, now vacant by the deposition of Tumbert: but Lindesfarn, administred by Eata. For Eata who at first had been consecrated Bishop both of Lindesfarn and Hagulstad, in the year of Grace six hundred seaventy eight, when that Province was shortly after divided, he surrendred the See of Hagulstad to Tumbert, reserving Lindesfarn to himself: and now per∣ceiving that S. Cuthbert rather desired Lin∣desfarn, in which Diocese his beloved desart was seated, the humbly devout Bishop Eata willingly surrendred it to him, and again re∣sumed Hagulstad: Thus writes the Authour of S. Cuthberts life in Capgrave.

5. This Synod, in which S Cuthbert was Ele∣cted Bishop, continued a part of two years, for he was elected towards Winter, and not ordained till the Easter following, at whose ordination all the Bishops were present. And before the dissolution of the Synod King Egfrid gave many munificent gifts to his new Prelat, which were confirmed by the sub∣scription of the King and all the Bishops.

* 1.46. In his Life preserved by Capgrave we read, That King Egfrid gave to him in York all the land from the Wall of S. Peters to the great Westgate, and from thence to the Citty-wall toward the South. He gave him like∣wise a village called Creike, three miles in circuit, that it might be a mansion for him in his iourney to and from York. There Saint Cuthbert founded a Monastery, constituting an Abbot named Gave.* 1.5 The said place called Creike is seated in the forest of Gautres (in Ca∣laterio nemore) in some parts abounding with wood, and elsewhere a morish plain: It stands a little Northward from York in the way towards Durham: thus writes Camden.

* 1.67. Besids this the King added another and greater Gift: for he bestowd on him the Citty Luel, or Caer-leil: and fifteen miles about it: where the holy Bishop founded a Monastery for consecrated Virgins, ordaining an Abbesse over them. He appointed Schooles for learning also in the same Citty.

Concerning this Do∣nation the same Camden thus writes in his Description of Cumberland,* 1.7 Egfrid gave to S. Cuthbert the Citty Lugubalia in this form, I have given the Citty which is called Lugubalia, and the land about it for the space of fifteen miles.

This name of Lugubalia or Luguvallia was given to that citty by reason of its proximity to the famous rampire (or Vallum) raised by the Romans to exclude the barbarous Na∣tions beyond it, commonly called, The Picts Wall.

* 1.88. Neither did King Egfrids munificence rest here, for thus it follows in Capgrave, After that S. Cuthbert had raised a child from death in a village called Exenford, King Egfrid gave to him the land called Carthmel, and all the Brittains inhabiting there &c. Afterward Egfrid gave to the man of God, Mailros, that is to say, Meuros and Carram,* 1.9 and all the Appurtinan∣ces. It is said that in that rich Treasury of Brittish Antiquities, the Library of Sir Iohn Cotton, there is extant a Charter of these Dona∣tions of King Egfrrid, subscribed by Trumwin Bishop of the Picts, and other English Bishops, out of which Bishop Vsher quotes certain passages. And the Munificence of King Egfrid was imitated by severall Princes his Succes∣sours, who wonderfully enlarged their libe∣rality to his Church and See, afterward trans∣ferred to Durham, called the Patrimony of S. Cuthbert Of which more hereafter.

9. But as for S. Cuthbert himself,* 1.10 he was nothing the richer for these possessions, he practised the poverty of a Monk in the sub∣lime state of a Bishop, and, as S. Beda reports in his life, he adorned with works of piety the Episcopall degree undertaken by him, therin imi∣tating the Apostles of our Lord, and with his wholesom admonitions invited to eternall happi∣nes the flock committed to his charge. And the thing which gave the greatest efficacy to his ex∣hortations was, that himself in his own practise afforded an example for others to imitate. For he was in a supreme degree fervent in divine Chari∣ty, modest in the vertue of patience, studiously in∣tent to Prayer, and affable to all who came to him for comfort. Yea he esteemed the contributing his charitable assistance to his infirm brethren equivalent to Prayer, because he who said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, said also, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self. His abstinence was admirable: he through the grace of compun∣ction had his mind always elevated to heavenly things. To conclude, Whensoever he offred to God the most holy Sacrifice, he addressed his prayers to him, not with a loud voyce, but with teares flowing from the depth of his heart. This may suf∣fise touching S. Cuthbert for the present: wee shall add more when we come to treat of his death.

Notes

• * 1.1

  II. CHAP.
• * 1.2

  Bed. l 4 c 25. & in vit. Cuthb. c. 24:
• * 1.3

  Bed. in vit. Cuthbert. c. 24.
• * 1.4

  Capgrav. in vit. S. Cuthb.
• * 1.5

  Camden in Brigant.
• * 1.6

  Capgrav. ib.
• * 1.7

  Camden. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cumbria.
• * 1.8

  Capgrav. ib.
• * 1.9

  A. D. 686.
• * 1.10

  Bed. l. 4. c 28