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[PROFESSION OF A BISHOP OF LICHFIELD.]

A.D. 835. Grant of Egbert to Abingdon attested by three Bishopsa. [K. C. D., CCXXXVI.]

a The grant is made "cum licentia et consensu totius gentis nostræ et unanimitate omnium optimatum;" at Easter at Dorchester; and confirmed at Christmas. The Bishops who attest are Alhstan of Sherborne, Rethun of Leicester, and Kinred of Selsey. Ethelwulf subscribes as " filius Regis," and among the duces are Osmod and Wigferth, probably the per

sons slain at Charmouth (A. S. C., ad A.D. 833). If this be so, the date of that battle must be altered at least three years. It is placed by Henry of Huntingdon in the 33rd of Egbert, that is A.D. 834 or early in A.D. 835; these duces however are alive at Christmas in the latter year.

A.D. 832 × 836. Profession of obedience made by a Bishop of Lichfield a to Ceolnoth Archbishop of Canterbury.

Domino meo vere sancto atque apostolico mihique post Deum plurimum colendo beatissimo Archiepiscopo Celnotho extremus et ultimus servus servorum tuorum in Christo salutem. Quoniam me indignum famulum tuum tota ecclesia provinciæ nostræ sibi in episcopatus officium elegerunt, cum mihimet ipsi conscius sim neque in sæculari prudentia ornatum me esse neque in eo quod omni sapientiæ præcellit in Divina scientia tam sollerter me eruditum fore ut talis honoris dignitate præ cæteris extollar, et tua vere sancta jussio sit ut pondus tanti regiminis excipiam; cum omni humilitate flexis genibus peto clementissimam paternitatem tuam in Domino, quatinus mihi indigno servulo tuo adjutorium utillimæ opitulationis impendere digneris, hoc est in saluberrimis sæcularium rerum doctrinis erudire, et maxime, quod omnibus donis pretiosius præfero, tuis almis orationibus meæ imperfectionis parvitatem fulcire sustentarique, pro æternæ retributionis mercede, digneris.

Ego autem juxta normulam sacri canonis nostri et secundum ecclesiasticam regulam, quemadmodum virium possibilitas permittit, omnem obedientiæ famulatum cum maxima cordis devotione, una cum omnibus qui mecum sunt in Domino, tuis piis præceptis exhibiturum esse me veridico profiteor ore: exemplum etiam antecessorum meorum venerabilium patrum, tuorum videlicet famulorum in Christo Aldulfi, Herewini, Ethelwaldi, non ut voluero sed ut potero, exequar. Insuper etiam orthodoxam catholicam apostolicamque fidem sicut ab illis didici paucis verbis exponam. Inprimis credo in unum Deum Patrem Omnipotentem conditorem visibilium et invisibilium rerum : credo et in Jesum Christum Filium Ejus unicum Dominum nostrum

[PROFESSION OF A BISHOP OF LICHFIELD.]

conceptum de Spiritu Sancto et natum ex Maria Virgine, Deum Hominemque perfectum, passum sub Pontio Pilato, a Judæis crucifixum et sepultum, ad inferos descendentem, tertia die resurgentem ex mortuis, ascendentem in cœlos ubi nunquam defuit, considentem in dextera Patris, Dei virtutem et Dei sapientiam, Eundemque venturum sub fine sæculi cum angelis Suis reddere retributionem bonorum operum justis et injustis damnationem malorum operum. Credo et in Spiritum Sanctum procedentem a Patre et Filio, vivificantem universa quæ in cœlis et quæ in terris sunt, et unam sanctam catholicam apostolicamque Ecclesiam : confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum et carnis resurrectionem et vitam æternam futuri sæculi. Suscipio etiam decreta Pontificum et sex synodos catholicas antiquorum heroicorum virorum, et præfixam ab eis regulam sincera devotione conservo, et quæ anathematizaverunt anathematizo et quæ damnaverunt toto ex corde respuo. Hæc ergo prout potui vel epistolaris brevitas passa est paternitatis tuæ sullimitati rescripsi, quatinus latius et profundius de Trinitatis scientia et Unitatis cognitione, qualiter unum Deum in Trinitate et Trinitatem in Unitate veneror, debuissem stilo percurrente pronuntiare: sed nunc quasi ad præsens provolutus pedibus tuis iterum iterumque obsecro, ut pro mea fragilitate Deum Dominumque nostrum orare digneris, ut tandem aliquando de tot necessitatibus quibus peccatis nostris valde affligimur liberati, cognoscamus quia Ipse est Dominus Deus noster Qui facit mirabilia magna solus, Qui jam non tradet bestiis animas confitentes Sibi, neque amplius patietur nos temptari supra id quam sufferre possumus, sed faciet pro Sua pietate in ipsis temptationibus misericordem proventum ut sustinere possimus. Et alia manu. Orantem pro nobis beatitudinem vestram Divina gratia custodire dignetur. Amen. [MS. Cotton, Cleopatra E. 1.]

a This Profession does not contain the name of the Bishop by whom it was made; but as he mentions his three predecessors, Aldulf, Herewin, and Ethelwald, it is clear that his see was Lichfield. The succession of the Lichfield Bishops has been a little confused owing to the similarity in name of three of them, Humbert, Kynferth, and Tunbert. The Professions of Humbert to Wulfred, and of Tunbert to Ceolnoth, are extant; and it seems quite safe to refer the above to the im

mediate predecessor of Tunbert, called in the
ancient lists Kineferth. A Bishop named
Kynferth, who from his position in the Mer-
cian charters must have been Bishop of Lich-
field, attests grants from A.D. 836 to A.D.
841. It is somewhat curious that, whilst men-
tioning his other predecessors, he does not
name Humbert. But on this point see above,
p.
608. This Profession does not occur in the
Canterbury Register.

[LETTER OF EGRED TO WULFSIGE.]

A.D. 836. Grant of immunities to the Monastery of Hanbury, by Wiglaf King of Mercia, attested by Archbishop Ceolnoth and eleven Bishops". [K. C. D., CCXXXVII.]

This grant is printed by Kemble from the original (MS. Cotton, Aug. II. 9) and two copies in Worcester Cartularies. It is attested by Ceolnoth, and the following BishopsKynferth of Lichfield, Rethun of Leicester, Eadulf of Hereford, Heabert of Worcester, Eadulf of Lindsey, Alhstan of Sherborne,

Beornmod of Rochester, Ceolbert of London, Cynred of Selsey, and by two others whose names are printed Husa and Cunda, which must in some way represent the two EastAnglian sees. The charter is dated A.D. 836, the seventh year of Wiglaf.

A.D. 830 × 837. Letter of Egred Bishop of Lindisfarne to Wulfsige Archbishop of York, disavowing complicities in the heresies of Pehtred". Summo ac venerando nobisque omni honore nominando Pontifici Wulfsige Archiepiscopo EGRED HUMILIS SERVorum Dei servus in Christi charitate salutem.

Auctoritatis tuæ litteras devota mente suscepi, in quibus tuam erga defensionem sanctæ matris ecclesiæ industriam agnovi, pro qua firma fidei stabilitate persistere illamque ne in aliquibus ejus membris periclitetur adjuvare debemus.

Ego enim pro me vere fateor nullo modo illis erroribus quos in libro Pehtredi scriptos esse demandasti, nobisque prius demonstrasti, assensum præbere velle; nec ullis Deo et mihi subjectis mea voluntate consentire; sed si in aliquo loco ab aliquibus aliquam scintillam oriri audio, statim quantum valeo exstinguere cupio, vestramque et catholicam fidem, quam in evangelio Christi et ab Ejus apostolis atque apostolicis doctoribus universalis Ecclesiæ servandam didicimus, me omnino servare, et alios quoscunque potero diligenti cura ad hoc ipsum ammonere satago; honoremque Dominici diei ob gloriam resurrectionis Ejusdem Filii Dei, non sabbatum cum Judæis, omnimodis servare justum credimus et vere scimus; ac nostri Salvatoris obædire mandatis, Qui XL. diebus ac noctibus pro mundi jejunavit salute, tribusque diebus ac totidem noctibus per scripturas in corde quievit terræ: non Pehtredi assertionibus obtemperare, qui stulta falsitate refert Nialum diaconum septem hebdomadas mortuum fuisse, et iterum revixisse, nihilque alimentorum postea percepisse, aliaque perplura quæ idem Pehtredus, sive per se sive per Nialum vel alios. falsiloquos, de Veteri ac Novo Testamento delirando mendaciter prompsit, omnia abjicienda, ac nullo modo ulli orthodoxo sequenda Et si tales litteræ manu Dei auro scriptæ b super sepulchrum beati Petri in diebus Florentii Papæ venerunt, quare non ab aposto

sunt.

[LETTER OF EGRED TO WULFSIGE.]

lica sede per populos Christianos divulgata est talis legatio? vel quid de illa agendum fore, si vera esset. In nostris enim scriptis ubi nomina pontificum apostolicæ sedis habemus, nomen Florentii Papæ non invenimus. De die judicii vel hora, Domino attestante, quis scit nisi Ille solus? Diabolus non a Deo creatus diabolus, sed superbia contra Creatorem elatus, suo vitio depravatus, et Dei gloria privatus, de angelo lucis princeps factus est tenebrarum. Cujus malignitate dictante Pehtredus præfatus novos et nonnullos zizaniorum in Dominico agro sparsit errores, cum apostolus præcepit profanas vocum novitates devitare. De quibus omnibus tua prudentia multo melius novit quam nostra parvitas nosse possit; tamen non audebam, nisi aliquos licet valde rusticos apices ad responsionem tuarum dirigere litterarum ; et si sic tuæ placeat almitati, bonum mihi videtur per litteras aut per legatum te demandare Episcopo in cujus parrochia Pehtredus manet, cæterisque Dei servis in vicino illi manentibus, fraterna illum charitate ammonere et docere, quatenus ab erroribus in quibus deceptus est resipiscat, aliosque quos decepit, quantum valeat, corrigat; et si vobis obtemperat salvabitis animam ejus a morte. Sin autem obstinatæ mentis stultitia in sua pravitate persistere velit, et lucrari Deo fraterna ammonitione seu correptione semel vel sæpius nequeat, sit sicut contemptor Ecclesiæ, Domino dicente, "ut ethnicus et publicanus;" et apostolus ait "hæreticum hominem post unam et secundam correptionem devita, sciens quia subversus est qui ejusmodi est, et derelinquit cum sit proprio judicio condemnatus." [MS. Cotton, Tiberius A. XV. ff. 61-62; MS. Trin. Coll. Camb., O. 10. 16; Leland, Coll., II. 398.]

a Archbishop Wulfsige died in or before A.D. 837; Egred became Bishop in A.D. 830 (S. Dun., ad A.D. 830; Hist. Dun. ap. Twysden, c. 78). Nothing is known of the matters discussed in this letter beyond what appears here.

b With this extraordinary statement may be compared the history of the mission of Eustace of Flay in the beginning of the 13th

century. He also had a letter that he pretended had dropped from heaven, to urge the better observance of Sunday (Hoveden, IV. 167-170). There is a capitulary of Charles, A.D. 789, directing that such pretended letters from heaven should be burnt (Baluze, I. 174). Compare also the mission of Ethelwulf to Lewis the Pious, below, p. 621.

A.D. 838a. Grant of lands at Snodland and other places in Kent, made by King Egbert to Bishop Beornmod of Rochester, attested by Ceolnoth and five Bishops. [K. C. D., CCXXXIX.; Textus Roffensis, ed. Hearne, P. 99.]

a Dated at Frericburna (perhaps Freeborough in Kent); rehearsing the consent of Ethelwulf the King's son, as King; and subscribed by Archbishop Ceolnoth and the

Bishops Beornmod of Rochester, Ealhstan of
Sherborne, Eadhun of Winchester, Cynred of
Selsey, and Ceolbert of London.

[COUNCIL OF KINGSTON.]

A.D. 838. Council of Kingston under Egbert and Ethelwulf, in which the Kings and Archbishop are reconciled; Ceolnoth obtains the restoration of lands at Malling to the Church of Canterbury, and lands at Shalfleet in the Isle of Wight are secured to the See of Winchestera.

I. Regnante in perpetuum Domino Deo nostro sabaoth, congregatum est venerabile concilium in illa famosa loco quæ appellatur Cyningestun in regione Suthregiæ. Presidente autem huic eadem Deo devote congregatione Ceolnotho Archiepiscopo ceterisque perplurimis Episcopis nec non excellentissimis regibus nostris Ecgberhto et Æthelwlfo cum omnibus gentis suæ optimatibus. Omnesque in unum consona mente ac sincerissima cordis intentione spiritalium sæculariumque rerum necessitatibus inter semet ipsos commune consilio scrutantibus, quomodo pax et unianimitas Ecclesiarum Dei totiusque populi Christiani eorum sæculari dicioni per Dei omnipotentis gratiam subjecti firmissimi dilectionis vinculo servari potuisset. Inter ea vero a prefato venerabili Archiepiscopo Ceolnotho flagitatum est quod a regibus prenominatis Ecgberhto et Æthelwlfo illis in sempiternam ælemosynam illum agrum æt Mallingum ad Ecclesiam Christi quæ sita est in Dorovernia civitate reddidissent; quod ante a Baldredo Rege ad eandem Ecclesiam perdonata est, sed a quibusdam dictum est quia cum recta libertate facta non esset, quia in fugatu ejus conscripta et concessa fuisset. Tunc vero pro intima caritatis affectu precibus Episcopi adnuentes, cum consilio ac licentia omnium sapientum eorum spiritalium seculariumque graduum qui inibi congregati fuissent, hoc præfatum agrum æt Mallingum, pro sempiterna salute animarum suarum ac spe remunerationis æterne, ad prenominatam Ecclesiam Christi in perpetuam hereditatem cum omni libertate benivola mente tradidissent. Hac vero condicione interposita hæc prenominata donatio firma permaneat, quod nos ipsi nostrique heredes semper in posterum firmam inconcussamque amicitiam ab illo Archiepiscopo Ceolnotho ejusdem congregatione Ecclesiæ Christi habeamus, et ab omnibus successoribus ejus hoc idem patrocinium ac protectionem illius sedis nos et hereditas nostra nostrique heredes, quicumque Dei voluntatis fuerit quod illi sint, in omnibus necessitatibus nostris absque omni dubitatione spontaneum paratumque amicali amore semper inveniant, seu etiam familiæ liberorum monaste

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