[LETTERS OF BONIFACE V.]

dum, quatenus sicut scriptum est: "consummati operis vobis merces a retributore omnium bonorum Domino tribuatur." Et vere per omnem terram exiisse sonum eorum, et in fines orbis terræ verba ipsorum, universalis gentium confessio, suscepto Christianæ sacramento fidei, protestetur.

Pallium præterea per latorem præsentium fraternitati tuæ benignitatis studiis invitati direximus, quod videlicet tantum in sacrosanctis celebrandis mysteriis utendi licentiam imperavimus: concedentes etiam tibi ordinationes Episcoporum exigente opportunitate, Domini præveniente misericordia celebrare, ita ut Christi evangelium plurimorum adnunciatione in omnibus gentibus, quæ necdum conversæ sunt, dilatetur. Studeat ergo tua fraternitas hoc, quod sedis apostolicæ humanitate percepit, intemerata mentis sinceritate servare; intendens, cujus rei similitudine tam præcipuum indumentum humeris tuis bajulandum susceperis. Talemque te Domini implorata clementia exhibendum stude, ut indulti muneris præmia non cum reatitudine, sed cum commodis animarum ante tribunal summi et venturi Judicis repræsentes. Deus te incolumem custodiat, dilectissime frater. [B. II. 8; M. H. B. 157; S. I. 134; W. I. 31, 32.]

a Bede speaks as if there were no prolonged interval between the death of Justus and the consecration of Honorius, and he usually mentions such intervals with precision. Now Honorius was certainly consecrated before A.D. 633, the year in which Paulinus fled from Northumbria; and at least as early as A.D. 631, to allow room for the 22 years which elapsed between the first and third of the three successive missions or consecrations of East Anglian Bishops by Honorius himself, who certainly died A.D. 653 (B. II. 15, III. 20). Moreover if Pope Honorius, writing in A.D. 634, was ignorant of Edwin's death, October, A.D. 633, but yet had heard of Archbishop Honorius's consecration (see letter of Honorius below), clearly the latter must have happened

at least some time earlier than October, A.D. 633. But the order of the East Anglian consecrations suits better with a date earlier than A.D. 631. And there is nothing to overrule the distinct testimony of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to the year A.D. 627 as that of the death of Justus, beyond the difficulty of supposing the people of Lindsey to have been converted so immediately after Easter, A.D. 627, as to allow of a stone church existing in Lincoln of Paulinus's foundation in the end of A.D. 627 or the beginning of A.D. 628 (B. II. 16). See also below on the conversion of Lindsey and of East Anglia, the circumstances of both of which weigh strongly in favour of the earliest date.

2. A.D. 624 × 625. Second Letter of Boniface V. to Justus".

[Questionable.]

Dilectissimo fratri Justo BONIFACIUS EPISCOPUS SERVUS Gives the primacy to Canter- SERVORUM DEI. Susceptis vestræ dilectionis apicibus, in bury. quibus reperimus, inter alia, plurimos ex gentilitate ibidem degentium, Deo omnipotenti et Domino nostro Jesu Christo auxiliante, conversos, maxime autem in partibus Cantiæ ad veri Dei

[BONIFACE V. TO JUSTUS.]

nostri fidem vestris laboribus esse perductos, valde gratulati sumus. Eadbaldi quoque regis animum ad veræ agnitionis viam esse correctum, Dominum omnipotentem in eo laudavimus, qui sui nominis sacramentum vestrique laboris fructum non deseruit, sicut ipse prædicatoribus evangelii veraciter repromisit: "Ecce Ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem seculi." Multa est clementia apud Deum, quæ multa est in nobis demonstrata, cum aperiantur corda barbararum gentium ad suscipiendum prædicationis vestræ singulare mysterium. Ut enim proficerent, vestris meritis eorum est salvatio propinata, Domino dicente: "qui perseveraverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit." Et alibi: "consummati operis vobis merces a retributore omnium bonorum Domino tribuetur." Cognovi siquidem in vestris syllabis, ut sanctæ recordationis prædecessor noster Gregorius constituit Augustino et omnibus successoribus suis in posterum metropolitanam et primitivam sedem in civitate Dorobernia, ubi caput totius gentis Anglorum a diebus Paganorum habetur. At vero nunc per revelationem Jesu Christi, qui est origo et caput totius Christianitatis, eadem civitas exaltatur, et orthodoxa fides, quæ est radix nobilissima, ibidem collocatur, ut ex illa segete uberrimum fructum boni operis ad pabulum cælestis patriæ omnes insulani metiri queant. O quam felix illa civitas, quæ meruit in se Christum habitatorem habere expulsis antiqui hostis insidiis! Felix illa civitas; felix et tota gens, cum illas superna misericordia visitare non dedignata sit, quos ante mundi creationem prædestinaverat sibi sociare. Quare absit ab omni Christiano, ut ex illa civitate Dorobernia aliquid minuatur, aut in aliud mutetur, nunc vel futuris temporibus, quæ a prædecessore nostro domino Papa Gregorio statuta sunt, quoquo modo res humanæ quassentur. Sed magis ex auctoritate beati Petri apostolorum principis id ipsum præcipientes firmamus, ut in Dorobernia civitate semper in posterum metropolitanus totius Britanniæ locus habeatur, omnesque provinciæ regni Anglorum præfati loci metropolitanæ Ecclesiæ subjiciantur immutilata perpetuaque stabilitate decernimus. Hanc autem Ecclesiam, utpote specialiter consistentem sub potestate et tuitione sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ, si quis conatus fuerit imminuere, eique de concessæ potestatis jure quicquam abstulerit, auferat eum Deus de libro vitæ, sciatque se sub anathematis vinculis esse nodatum. Deus te incolumem custodiat, reverentissime frater. [W. Malm. G. P. I., ed. Savile, fo. 112; W. I. 32, 33.]

[CONVERSION OF NORTHUMBRIA.]

a See the note on the letter of Boniface IV. to Ethelbert, above, pp. 65, 66. Boniface V.

died October 22, A.D. 625; Justus became Archbishop after April, A.D. 624.

CONVERSION OF NORTHUMBRIA, A.D. 625–627.

A.D. 625, July 21. Paulinus ordained Bishop by Justus, to accompany Ethelberga, or
Tate, of Kent into Northumbria (B. II. 9).

A.D. 626. Eanfled daughter of Edwin born at Easter, and baptized, "prima de gente
Nordanhymbrorum," Whitsunday, June 8 (B. II. 9), or on the Eve, June 7
(A. S. C.).

A.D. 627. Baptism of Edwin himself [Bretwalda from A.D. 616, and King of all Britain "buton Cantware anre" (A. S. C.)], after the destruction of idols by the high-priest Coifi; and also of Hilda afterwards abbess of Whitby (B. IV. 23); by Paulinus at York, Easter, April 12 (B. II. 13-15, IV. 23, V. 24).

a The story of Paulinus's appearance to Edwin when in exile at the court of Redwald of East Anglia, i. e. before A.D. 616 (B. II. 12), seems, rightly interpreted, to imply a previous mission of Paulinus to that kingdom. Redwald himself had certainly been converted and baptized in Kent, but had fallen away on his return home (B. II. 15).

b This is claimed also as the result of a British mission: "Run filius Urbgen baptizavit eum" (sc. Edwin). Ann. Cambr. a. 626; M. H. B. 832. "Rum map Urbgen baptizavit eos" (sc. " Eadguin et XII. millia hominum"), " et per XL. dies non cessavit baptizare omne genus Ambronum, et per prædicationem illius multi crediderunt in Christo." Nennius (ib. 76). Some MSS. and some editors of Nen

nius strive to cut the knot by identifying Run with Paulinus (see Stevenson's Nennius ad loc.); and Paulinus did baptize a multitude of Bernician Northumbrians for 36 days together at Yeverin, near Wooler, and afterwards many of Deira in the river Swale (B. II. 14); but Run son of Urbgen is obviously intended for a British Bishop. See Williams, Antiq. of Cymry. And Edwin, who was in exile from his childhood, A.D. 588, to A.D. 616, is affirmed by another Welsh tradition to have taken refuge first of all and to have been brought up at the court of Cadvan, King of Gwynedd, and therefore as a Christian. Whence he afterwards fled to East Anglia, and it would seem also to Mercia previously, where he found a wife.

1. Letter of Boniface V. to Edwin King of Northumbria,
Julyx Oct. A.D. 625a.

Exhorts him to

Viro glorioso Eduino regi Anglorum, BONIFACIUS EPIlisten to Pauli- SCOPUS SERVUS SERVORUM DEI. Licet summæ Divinitatis nus's preaching,

stroy idols.

to follow the ex- potentia humanæ locutionis officiis explanari non valeat, ample of Eadbald and to de- quippe quæ sui magnitudine ita invisibili atque investigabili æternitate consistit, ut hæc nulla ingenii sagacitas, quanta sit, comprehendere disserereque sufficiat: quia tamen ejus humanitas ad insinuationem sui reseratis cordis januis, quæ de semetipsa proferetur, secreta humanis mentibus inspiratione clementer infundit; ad adnunciandum vobis plenitudinem fidei Christianæ, sacerdotalem curavimus sollicitudinem prorogare, ut perinde Christi evangelium, quod Salvator noster omnibus præcepit

[BONIFACE V. TO EDWIN KING OF NORTHUMBRIA.]

gentibus prædicari, vestris quoque sensibus inserentes, salutis vestræ remedia propinentur.

Supernæ igitur majestatis clementia, quæ cuncta solo verbo præceptionis suæ condidit, et creavit, cælum videlicet et terram, mare et omnia quæ in eis sunt, dispositis ordinibus quibus subsisterent, coæterni Verbi sui consilio, et Sancti Spiritus unitate dispensans, hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem suam ex limo terræ plasmatum constituit, eique tantam præmii prærogativam indulsit, ut eum cunctis præponeret, atque servato termino præceptionis, æternitatis subsistentia præmuniret. Hunc ergo Deum Patrem, et Filium, et Spiritum Sanctum, quod est individua Trinitas, ab ortu solis usque ad occasum, humanum genus, quippe ut creatorem omnium atque factorem suum, salutifera confessione fide veneratur et colit. Cui etiam summitates imperii, rerumque potestates submissæ sunt: quia ejus dispositione omnium prælatio regnorum conceditur. Ejus ergo bonitatis misericordia, totius creaturæ suæ dilatandi, subdi etiam in extremitate terræ positarum gentium corda frigida, Sancti Spiritus fervore in sui quoque agnitione mirabiliter est dignata succendere. Quæ enim in gloriosi filii nostri Audubaldi regis, gentibusque ei subpositis illustratione, clementia Redemptoris fuerit operata, plenius ex vicinitate locorum vestram gloriam conjicimus cognovisse. Ejus ergo mirabile donum, et in vobis certa spe, cœlesti longanimitate conferri confidimus. Cum profecto gloriosam conjugem vestram, quæ vestri corporis pars esse dignoscitur, æternitatis præmio per sacri baptismatis regenerationem illuminatam agnovimus.

Unde præsenti stylo gloriosos vos adhortandos cum omni affectu intimæ caritatis curavimus, quatenus abominatis idolis, eorumque cultu, spretisque fanorum fatuitatibus, et auguriorum deceptabilibus blandimentis, credatis in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, ejusque Filium Jesum Christum, et Spiritum Sanctum, ut credentes, a diabolicæ captivitatis nexibus, sanctæ et individuæ Trinitatis cooperante potentia, absoluti, æternæ vitæ possitis esse participes. Quanta autem reatitudinis culpa teneantur obstricti hi, qui idolatriarum perniciosissimam superstitionem colentes amplectuntur, eorum quos colunt exempla perditionis insinuant. Unde de eis per Psalmistam dicitur: "omnes dii gentium dæmonia, Dominus autem cælos fecit." Et iterum: "oculos habent et non vident, aures habent et non audiunt; nares habent et non odorabunt; manus habent et non

[BONIFACE V. TO EDWIN KING OF NORTHUMBRIA.]

palpabunt; pedes habent et non ambulabunt. Similes ergo efficiuntur his, qui spem suæ confidentiæ ponunt in eis." Quomodo enim juvandi quemlibet possunt habere virtutem hi, qui ex corruptibili materia inferiorum etiam subpositorumque tibi manibus construuntur, quibus videlicet artificium humanum adcommodans eis inanimatam membrorum similitudinem contulisti, qui nisi a te moti fuerint, ambulare non poterunt, sed tanquam lapis in uno loco positus, ita constructi, nihilque intelligentiæ habentes, ipsaque insensibilitate obruti, nullam neque lædendi, neque juvandi facultatem adepti sunt? Qua ergo mentis deceptione eos deos, quibus vos ipsi imaginem corporis tradidistis, colentes sequimini, judicio discreto reperire non possumus.

Unde oportet vos suscepto signo sanctæ crucis, per quod humanum genus redemptum est, execrandam diabolicæ versutiæ subplantationem, qui Divinæ bonitatis operibus invidus æmulusque consistit, a cordibus vestris abjicere, injectisque manibus, hos quos eatenus materiæ compage vobis deos fabricastis, confringendos diminuendosque summopere procurate. Ipsa enim eorum dissolutio corruptioque, quæ nunquam viventem spiritum habuit, nec sensibilitatem a suis factoribus potuit quolibet modo suscipere, vobis patenter insinuet, quam nihil erat quod eatenus colebatis; dum profecto meliores vos, qui spiritum viventem a Domino percepistis, eorum constructioni nihilominus existatis: quippe quos Deus omnipotens ex primi hominis, quem plasmavit, cognatione deductis per secula innumerabilibus propaginibus pullulare constituit.

Accedite ergo ad agnitionem Ejus, qui vos creavit, qui in vobis vitæ insufflavit spiritum, qui pro vestra redemptione Filium suum unigenitum misit, ut vos ab originali peccato eriperet, et ereptos de potestate nequitiæ diabolicæ pravitatis cælestibus præmiis muneraret. Suscipite verba prædicatorum, et evangelium Dei, quod vobis adnunciant, quatenus credentes, sicut sæpius dictum est, in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, et in Jesum Christum ejus Filium, et Spiritum Sanctum, et inseparabilem Trinitatem, fugatis dæmoniorum sensibus, expulsaque a vobis sollicitatione venenosi et deceptibilis hostis, per aquam et Spiritum Sanctum renati, Ei, cui credideritis, in splendore gloriæ sempiternæ cohabitare, Ejus opitulant munificentia valeatis.

Præterea benedictionem protectoris vestri beati Petri apostolorum principis vobis direximus, id est, camisiam cum ornatura in auro una, et lena anciriana una, quod petimus ut eo benignitatis animo gloria