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The Mission of Austin the Monk and his Collegues into England.

THe English having testified their desire to be instructed in the Christian Religion, and the ancient Inhabitants of that Country hating them with so violent a hatred that they would have no Com∣merce with them, St. Gregory chose some Monks of his own Monastery to be sent into England under the Conduct of Austin their Abbot. These Monks having travell'd into Provence, were at first so terrified with the difficulties which they found in this Enterprize, that St. Austin took upon him to re∣turn to Rome, to represent them to St. Gregory. This Pope encourag'd him, and sent him back with Letters of Recommendation address'd to Theodoricus King of Burgundy, Theodebert King of Austrasia, to Queen Brunehaud their Aunt, to Aurigius a Nobleman, and to the Bishops of Vienna, Arles, Aix, and Autun, in which he exhorted them to favour this laudable Undertaking, B. 5. Ep. 52 &c.

Austin being return'd into France was ordain'd by the Bishops of a 1.1 France, and afterwards pass'd

over into England with forty Missionaries, whereof some were French Priests as well as others Ita∣lian Monks. They made a stop at a little Isle, where King Ethelred came to meet them, and after some Conference with them, he permitted them to enter into his Kingdom and his Capital City. After they had learn'd the Language of the Country, they preach'd the Faith of Jesus Christ, and Converted in a little time a very great number of these Infidels; insomuch that in one day of Christmas they baptiz'd more then one thousand Persons. St. Gregory having heard this News, com∣municated it to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria by Letter 30. of Book 7. Ind. 2. And that these auspicious beginnings might be attended also with happy Consequences, he recommended these Mis∣sionaries to the Bishops and Kings of France, by the Letters 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56 63 of B. 9. He informs St. Austin what he ought to do by Letter 58. He thanks the Queen of England, who was a Christian, and the Daughter of Charibert King of the French, for the Protection she had gi∣ven to Austin, and exhorts her to finish this Work, B. 9. Ep. 5. * 1.2 He wrote to the King to congra∣tulate his Conversion, and exhorts him to destroy entirely the Remainders of Paganism in his King∣dom, B. 9. Ep. 59. And lastly, to give the greater credit to Austin, he sent him the Pallium, B. 12. Ep. 15.

Notes

• a 1.1

  St Gregory in Letter 30 of Book 9 Ind. 1. written to Eulogius, says, That he was ordain'd by the Bishops of Germany to whom he had given leave: Data à me licentiâ à Germaniarum Episcopis, Episcopus factus. Bede assures us that he was ordain'd by Aethe∣rius ••p. of Arles; he should have said Virgilius ••p. of Arles, or Aetherius ••p. of Lyons; for at this time the B. of Arles was called Virgilius, and of Lyons Aetherius. The Authority of B••de made Baronius believe, that there was a fault in the Letter of St. Gregory, and that it should be read Galliarum instead of Germaniarum; Others think that Bede was mistaken, and that ac∣cording to St. Gregory, Austin was ordain'd by the Bishops of the Provinces of Germany upon the Rhin••; But 'tis more probable that he intended the Provinces upon the Roan, to which the Name of Germany was sometimes given; because they were inhabited by the Burgundians, who were originally Germans. We have Examples of this in Sidonius Apollinaris, who calls the Kingdom of Chilperic▪ whereof the Capi∣tal City was ••yons, Lugdumensem Germaniam. B 5. Ep. 7. And writing to Siagrius who dwelt at Lyons, he praises him for understanding the Language of the Germans, i. e. of the Burgundians, who re∣main'd at Lyons. St. Austin therefore being or∣dain'd by Aetherius Bishop of Lyons, St. Gregory might say that he was ordain'd by the Bishops of Ger∣many.
• * 1.2

  [This shows that the first conversion England was not owing to Austin and the Monks sent by Pope Gregory, for many years before their coming, this Queen call'd ••er∣tha, was married to King Ethelbert upon Condition that he would suffer her to enjoy the Christian Religion, and to have a Bishop to attend her, whose name was Luid-hardus, Bede Hist. Eccles. l. 1. c. 25. Malmsbur. de Gestis Reg. Angl. l. 1. c. 1.]