allowed by the historian, he must needs say that this holy man's zeal was not according to knowledge. He believed all things written in the law and the prophets; he lived in all good conscience, and gained the general esteem of the Northumbrians: still he was stained with heresy, for he did not observe Easter at the proper season. King Oswald did not conceive that he and his people were bound by the decisions of Pope Gregory, and his legate, Augustine: Aidan and his brethren, therefore, celebrated Easter, and did other things aecording to their established usage. Bed. Liii. c. 3.

The account which Bede gives of the commencement of Aidan's ministry, is attended with a circumstance extremely pleasing: the good man being but slightly versed in the Saxon language, the king, who was pretty well acquainted with the native language of Aidan, interpreted his preaching to the people; as during the time of. his exile, that prince had acquired the knowledge of the Scottish or Highland tongue.

Although Aidan and his brethren, who came over to assist him, were caressed by the monarch; yet, when called to his presence, and honoured with seats at the royal table, at the time of great festivals, after moderately refreshing themselves, they retired and devoted their time to study and devotion. r

The kingdom of Mercia (or the country of the Mers), which comprized the central or midland parts of England, had Christianity introduced into it on the following occasion: The son and heir of Pendam, the Mercian king, wished to obtain the hand of King Oswald's daughter; but this could not be admitted on any other terms than his embracing Christianity. The charms of the princess might have induced him the more readily to accede to the proposal; but, being made acquainted with the nature and tendency of the Christian religion, he determined

to receive it; and he became a Christian, according to Bede, from conviction. The prince and his attendants, being baptized, returned home zealous in behalf of their new religion, accompanied by four presbyters, to teach and convert the inhabitants of the Mercian kingdom.

The names of the presbyters were Cedda and Adda, Betti and Diuma, of whom the last was a Scot, the rest being Anglo-Saxons. The young king continued to patronize Christianity in his dominions, where it had once before been planted, but the Mercians had apostatized. Most of the nobles embraced the profession of Christianity; and great numbers of people of every degree followed their example. Bed. 1. iii. c. 21.

This happened about two years before the death of the great warrior, King Penda, of whom the historian says, that he attempted not to obstruct Christianity, rather admiring those who added good works to their faith, while he held those persons in contempt, who, professing so pure a religion, dishonoured their Lord by their evil practices. Upon the death of Penda, King Oswy procured Diuma to be ordained bishop of the Midland Angles and Mercians; for, owing to the scarcity of priests, one bishop was set over the two nations. Christianity was once more restored within the kingdom of the East Saxons, through the entreaty of Oswy, the Northumbrian king, who prevailed upon Sigebert to admit the ministers of Christianity into his dominions, to instruct his people.* Cédd was sent for out of the

* Bede's account states how King Oswy discoursed with the sovereign of the East-Saxons, on the absurdity of worshipping idols; reasoning with him, that the true God is invisible to human eyes, omnipotent and eternal; that He is the Creator of heaven and earth, and the race of mankind; the Governor and the Judge of the world. King Oswy thus, in a friendly and brotherly manner, frequently ad

Mercian territory for that purpose; and he succeeded in his mission, and was soon afterwards raised to the episcopal dignity. He was brother to Ceadda, or St. Chad, who afterwards was made bishop of the Mercians; and to him the cathedral church of Lichfield is dedicated.

The pious Aidan, the Northumbrian bishop, died at his residence in the island of Lindisfarn; and he was succeeded by Finan, who was ordained by the Scots, and sent to fulfil his place and office. The cathedral church which he erected was in a style of simplicity agreeable to the views of the Christians of his communion in that age, not built of hewn stone, but of oak timber, covered with reeds. In a subsequent age, when Eadbert was bishop, this humble building was covered all over with sheets of lead, the sides as well as the roof. After the death of Aidan, and of Finan, his successor, Colman was sent from Iona to exercise the episcopal office: and now the disputes respecting the observance of Easter, which had been suspended during the time of the two first bishops, became very violent. King Oswy was partial to the Scots; but his queen had one Romanus for her chaplain, who warmly opposed the Scottish custom, and contended for the Catholic, or the orthodox Easter. It would happen sometimes that the Scots kept Easter on one Sunday, in which the king joined them; and then the queen, and Prince Alchfrid, along with the Romish clergy, observed the same festival the Sunday following; and thus there was a strange incongruity in the church. It was requisite, in this state of things, to convene a synod to determine a point which was the cause of such violent contention. The place of meeting was at the monastery of Strenshalch, near Whitby, over which St. Hilda presided as the abbess; the king, and his son Alchfrid, be dressed the Pagan prince, until conviction was produced. Oswy might, with propriety, be stiled Defender of the Faith.

ing present. There Colman, on the part of the Scots, defended their observance of Easter on the fourteenth day of the moon, or from that to the twentieth day; whereas the Catholics kept it from the fifteenth day of the moon, after the vernal equinox, to the twenty-first. · Colman pleaded the example of St. John and the Asiatic churches; but the Catholics pleaded the practice of Rome, derived from St. Peter and Paul, as they averred; considering the Christians of Britain and Ireland as too contemptible to be compared with so many famous churches, to whose practice they were opposed. Colman was told that he and his associates grievously erred in opposing the apostolic see, and the church universal: and, as the argumentum palmarium, it was added that nothing could be more absurd than to plead the practice of Columba, when that was manifestly opposed to the authority of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles; him to whom Christ said,-Thou art Peter; and upon this rock will I build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it: and to thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

The king heard patiently all that was advanced on both sides, thus far; but now, interrupting Wilfrid, he puts the question to Colman: "Were these things then of a truth spoken by the Lord to Peter?"-Certainly, said the bishop. "Have you then any proof to shew that such powers were granted to your Columba?”— None, replied Colman. "Do you then,” asks the king,

agree, both parties of you, that the keys of the kingdom of heaven were given by the Lord to Peter:" it was replied that this was agreed on all hands. "Then," said the king, by way of conclusion, " inasmuch as Peter is the door-keeper, I would not oppose him on any account, but rather yield him all obedience, lest, when I come to the gates of heaven, I find them shut against

me by him who is allowed to keep the keys." The king thus brought the matter to a decision, and the dispute was terminated. The historian appears to think that the king gave the highest proof of his wisdom; and, indeed, if he relate the matter as it really happened, his majesty came to a ready way of being no more teazed with the dispute; and we may admire his wit in silencing the disputants, whatever we may think of his divinity.

Colman, seeing he was now overpowered by the Catholics, prepared, with his associates, to return to Iona, to consult his brethren there as to what was best to be done upon the present emergency. The debate respecting Easter, as well as another which was connected with it, the clerical tonsure, was blended with the grand question, whether they must be bound in all things to yield submission to the Roman See, or maintain their independence and their right of judgment. The Culdees knew how Augustine had treated the Cambro-Britains, and the opposition those Christians had so nobly made to his arrogant pretensions. The monks of Iona must be disposed to reason on the case like the monks of Bangor; and yet, perhaps, apprehensive they might subject themselves, although not immediately, to the same tragical fate.

The synod of Strenaeshalep was held A. D. 664, being the twenty-second year of the reign of King Oswy; and the thirtieth since the coming of the Scots to Northumberland; and the sixty-ninth year since the death of Columba. Aidan had been bishop of Lindisfarn seventeen years; Finan, ten; and Colman, three years.*

Colman was succeeded by Tudda, who having been educated among the Southern Scots (that is, in the south of Ireland), and ordained by them, was reputed orthodox, holding the Catholic doctrine respecting Easter; and

* Bede's Eccles. History, l. iii. c. 25.