His soul amidst the stars finds heavenly day;
In vain the gates of darkness make essay
On him whose death but leads to life the way.
To the dark tomb, this prelate, though decreed,
Lives in all places by his pious deed.
Before his bounteous board pale Hunger fled;
To warm the poor he fleecy garments spread;
And to secure their souls from Satan's power,
He taught by sacred precepts every hour.
Nor only taught; but first th' example led,
Lived o'er his rules, and acted what he said.
To English Saxons Christian truth he taught,
And a believing flock to heaven he brought.
This was thy work and study, this thy care,
Offerings to thy Redeemer to prepare.
For these to heavenly honours raised on high,
Where thy reward of labours ne'er shall die.

Nor is the account of St. Gregory, which has been handed down to us by the tradition of our ancestors, to be passed by in silence, in relation to his motives for taking such interest in the salvation of our nation. It is reported, that some merchants, having just arrived at Rome on a certain day, exposed many things for sale in the market-place, and abundance of people resorted thither to buy: Gregory himself went with the rest, and, among other things, some boys were set to sale, their bodies white, their countenances beautiful, and their hair very fine. Having viewed them, he asked, as is said, from what country or nation they were brought? and was told, from the island of Britain, whose inhabitants were of such personal appearance. He again inquired whether those islanders were Christians, or still involved in the errors of paganism? and was informed that they were pagans. Then fetching a deep sigh from the bottom of his heart, "Alas! what pity," said he, that the author of darkness is possessed of men of such fair countenances; and that being remarkable for such graceful aspects, their minds should

66

Life of Pope
Gregory.
A.D. 605.

ab interna gratia vacuam gestat!" Rursus ergo interrogavit, quod esset vocabulum gentis illius; responsum est, quod Angli vocarentur. At ille, At ille, "Bene," inquit, "nam et angelicam habent faciem, et tales Angelorum in cœlis decet esse coheredes. Quod," ait, "habet nomen ipsa provincia, de qua isti sunt allati ?" Responsum est, quod Deiri vocarentur iidem provinciales. At ille, "Bene," inquit, "Deiri, de ira eruti, et ad misericordiam Christi vocati. Rex provinciæ illius quomodo appellatur?" Responsum est, quod Ella diceretur. At ille alludens ad nomen ait, "Alleluia, laudem Dei Creatoris illis in partibus oportet cantari."

Accedensque ad pontificem Romanæ et apostolicæ sedis, nondum enim erat ipse pontifex factus, rogavit, ut genti Anglorum in Britanniam aliquos verbi ministros, per quos ad Christum converteretur, mitteret; seipsum paratum esse in hoc opus, Domino cooperante, perficiendum, si tamen apostolico papæ hoc ut fieret placeret. Quod dum perficere non posset, quia, etsi pontifex concedere illi quod petierat voluit, non tamen cives Romani, ut tam longe ab Urbe recederet, potuere permittere; mox ut ipse pontificatus officio functus est, perfecit opus diu desideratum, alios quidem prædicatores mittens, sed ipse prædicationem ut fructificaret suis exhortationibus ac precibus adjuvans. Hæc juxta opinionem, quam ab antiquis accepimus, Historiæ nostræ Ecclesiasticæ inserere opportunum duximus.

Gregory.

be void of inward grace."
what was the name of that
that they were called Angles.
they have an angelic face, and it becomes such to be
coheirs with the angels in heaven. What is the name,"
proceeded he, "of the province from which they are
brought?" It was replied, that the natives of that
province were called Deiri.
"Truly are they De iri,"
said he,
"withdrawn from wrath, and called to the
mercy of Christ. How is the king of that province
called?" They told him his name was Ælla; and he,
alluding to the name, said, "Hallelujah, the praise of
God the Creator must be sung in those parts."

He therefore again asked, Life of Pope
nation? and was answered, A.D. 605.
"Right," said he, "for

Then repairing to the bishop of the Roman apostolical see, (for he was not himself then made pope,) he entreated him to send some ministers of the word into Britain to the nation of the English, by whom it might be converted to Christ; declaring himself ready to undertake that work, by the assistance of God, if the apostolic pope should think fit to have it so done. Which not being then able to perform, because, though the pope was willing to grant his request, yet the citizens of Rome could not be brought to consent that so noble, so renowned, and so learned a man should depart the city; as soon as he was himself made pope, he perfected the long-desired work, sending other preachers, but himself by his prayers and exhortations assisting the preaching, that it might be successful. This account, as we have received it from the ancients, we have thought fit to insert in our Ecclesiastical History.

CAP. II.-UT AUGUSTINUS BRITONUM EPISCOPOS PRO PACE CATHOLICA, ETIAM MIRACULO COELESTI CORAM EIS FACTO, MONUERIT; QUEVE ILLOS SPERNENTES ULTIO SECUTA SIT.

NTEREA Augustinus, adjutorio usus Ethelberti regis, convocavit ad suum colloquium episcopos sive doctores proximæ Britonum provinciæ, in loco, qui usque hodie lingua Anglorum Augustines Ac, id est, Robur Augustini, in confinio Wicciorum et Occidentalium

Saxonum, appellatur; cœpitque eis fraterna admonitione suadere ut, pace Catholica secum habita, communem evangelizandi gentibus pro Domino laborem susciperent. Non enim Paschæ dominicum diem suo tempore, sed a decima quarta usque ad vicesimam lunam observabant, quæ computatio octoginta quatuor annorum circulo continetur; sed et alia plurima unitati ecclesiastica contraria faciebant. Qui cum, longa disputatione habita, neque precibus, neque hortamentis, neque increpationibus Augustini ac sociorum ejus assensum præbere voluissent, sed suas potius traditiones universis, quæ per orbem sibi in Christo concordant, ecclesiis præferrent, sanctus pater Augustinus hunc laboriosi atque longi certaminis finem fecit, ut diceret; "Obsecremus Deum, qui habitare facit unanimes in domo Patris sui, ut ipse nobis insinuare cœlestibus signis dignetur, quæ sequenda traditio, quibus sit viis ad ingressum regni illius properandum. Adducatur aliquis æger, et per cujus preces fuerit curatus, hujus fides et operatio Deo devota atque omnibus sequenda credatur." Quod cum adversarii, inviti licet, concederent, allatus est quidam de genere Anglorum, oculorum luce privatus; qui cum

CHAP. II. AUGUSTINE ADMONISHED THE BISHOPS OF THE
BRITONS TO CATHOLIC PEACE AND UNITY, AND TO THAT
EFFECT WROUGHT A HEAVENLY MIRACLE IN THEIR PRE-
SENCE; OF THE VENGEANCE THAT PURSUED THEM FOR
THEIR CONTEMPT.

Augustine's

A.D. 603.

In the meantime, Augustine, with the assistance of The synod at King Ethelbert, drew together to a conference the Oak. bishops, or doctors, of the next province of the Britons, at a place which is to this day called Augustine's Ac, that is, Augustine's Oak, on the borders of the Wiccii and West Saxons; and began by brotherly admonitions to persuade them, that preserving Catholic unity with him, they should undertake the common labour of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. For they did not keep Easter Sunday at the proper time, but from the fourteenth to the twentieth moon; which computation is contained in a revolution of eighty-four years. Besides, they did several other things which were against the unity of the church. When, after a long disputation, they did not comply with the entreaties, exhortations, or rebukes of Augustine and his companions, but preferred their own traditions before all the churches in the world, which in Christ agree among themselves, the holy father, Augustine, put an end to this troublesome and tedious contention, saying, "Let us beg of God, who causes those who are of one mind to live in his Father's house, that he will vouchsafe, by his heavenly tokens, to declare to us, which tradition is to be followed; and by what means we are to find our way to his heavenly kingdom. Let some infirm person be brought, and let the faith and practice of those, by whose prayers he shall be healed, be looked upon as acceptable to God, and be adopted by all." The adverse party unwillingly consenting, a blind man of the English race was brought, who having been presented to the