A Conference held in 601. in England, in Worcestershire, between Augustine the Monk, and the British Bishops.
AUGUSTINE the Monk, had instructed the English, and converted their King Ethelbert; and having a mind to unite the Britains to the Roman Church, he invited their Bishops * 1.1 and Doctors to a Conference. When they were come to it, he exhorted them to endea∣vour unanimously the establishment of Religion. These Britains did not keep Easter at the same day with other Churches, and had several practices differing from them. They stood in the defence of them stoutly; and Augustine, seeing he could not prevail with them to leave them, they say, he proposed to them, to bring a sick Man in, and on either side to pray for his Health, and to follow the Usages and Doctrines of those that should heal him. They brought in a blind Man, and the Britains having tryed in vain to restore him to his Sight, they affirm, that Augustine restored him by his Prayers. This Miracle did shake the Britains: But they said, they could regulate nothing, without being acquainted with their Brethren's mind, and they required a Synod might be kept, which was granted to them. Seven British Bi∣shops met there, and the ablest Monks of their Monastery of Bangor. Augustine propounded three things to them: 1. To keep Easter the same day with the Roman Church. 2. To bap∣tize according to the practice of the same Church. 3. To Preach the Gospel to the English, promising them the toleration of their other Practices, if they would yield these 3 Points. They would not, and went away very much offended, for that he did not come to meet them, when they came to him. Upon that refusal, Augustine told them, That since they would not have Peace, they should have War; and that they should be slain by those to whom they would not Preach Life. That was executed accordingly. The King of the Eng∣lish declared War against them, and defeated them in a bloody Fight, in which he put to the Sword above 1200 Monks of the Monastery of Bangor, who were come to the Army of the Britains, to pray for God's assistance upon them. This relation is taken out of the second Book of Beda's Church-history, chap. 2. Sigebert marks the same Facts in his Chronicle; and some Historians do accuse Augustine the Monk of having had a hand in the Massacre of those poor Britains, who did not deserve such hard usage, by reason they maintained their ancient Customs, and the Liberties of their Churches, without deviating from the Catholick Faith.