inflictæ, servabant utcunque reges, sacerdotes, privati, et optimates suum quique ordinem; at, illis decedentibus, cum successisset ætas tempestatis illius nescia, et præsentis solum serenitatis statum experta, ita cuncta veritatis ac justitiæ moderamina concussa ac subversa sunt, ut earum, non dicam vestigium, sed ne memoria quidem, præter in paucis et valde paucis, ulla appareret. Quin, inter alia inenarrabilium scelerum facta, quæ historicus eorum Gildas flebili sermone describit, et hoc addebant, ut nunquam genti Saxonum sive Anglorum, secum Britanniam incolenti, verbum fidei prædicando committerent. Sed non tamen divina pietas plebem suam, quam præscivit, deseruit, quin multo digniores genti memoratæ præcones veritatis, per quos crederet, destinavit.

CAP. XXIII..—UT SANCTUS PAPA GREGORIUS, AUGUSTINUM

CUM MONACHIS AD PRÆDICANDUM GENTI ANGLORUM MITTENS, EPISTOLA QUOQUE ILLOS EXHORTATORIA, NE A LABORANDO CESSARENT, CONFORTAVERIT.

SIQUIDEM anno ab incarnatione Domini quingentesimo octogesimo secundo, Mauricius, ab Augusto quinquagesimus quartus, imperium suscipiens, viginti et uno annis tenuit; cujus anno regni decimo Gregorius, vir doctrina et actione præcipuus, pontificatum Romanæ et Apostolicæ sedis sortitus, rexit annos tredecim, menses sex, et dies decem. Qui divino admonitus instinctu, anno decimo quarto ejusdem principis, adventus vero Anglorum in Britanniam anno circiter centesimo quinquagesimo, misit servum Dei Augustinum, et alios plures cum eo monachos timentes Dominum, prædicare verbum Dei genti Anglorum. Qui cum, jussis pontificalibus obtemperantes, memoratum opus aggredi cœpissent, jamque aliquantulum itineris confecissent, perculsi timore inerti

priests, private men, and the nobility, still remembering the late calamities and slaughters, in some measure kept within bounds; but when these died, and another generation succeeded, which knew nothing of those times, and was only acquainted with the present peaceable state of things, all the bonds of sincerity and justice were so entirely broken, that there was not only no trace of them remaining, but few persons seemed to be aware that such virtues had ever existed. Among other most wicked actions, not to be expressed, which their own historian, Gildas, mournfully takes notice of, they added this-that they never preached the faith to the Saxons, or English, who dwelt amongst them; however, the goodness of God did not forsake his people, whom he foreknew, but sent to the aforesaid nation much more worthy preachers, to bring it to the faith.

CHAP. XXIII.-HOW POPE GREGORY SENT AUGUSTINE,
WITH OTHER MONKS, TO PREACH TO THE ENGLISH, AND
ENCOURAGED THEM BY A LETTER OF EXHORTATION, NOT
TO CEASE FROM THEIR LABOUR.

comes to

A. D. 596.

In the year of our Lord 582, Maurice, the fifty-fourth st. Augustine from Augustus, ascended the throne, and reigned twenty- England. one years. In the tenth year of his reign, Gregory, a man renowned for learning and behaviour, was promoted to the apostolical sce of Rome, and presided over it thirteen years, six months, and ten days. He, being moved by Divine inspiration, in the fourteenth year of the same emperor, and about the one hundred and fiftieth after the coming of the English into Britain, sent the servant of God, Augustine, and with him. several other monks, who feared the Lord, to preach the word of God to the English nation. They having, in obedience to the pope's commands, undertaken that work, were, on their journey, seized with a sudden fear, and began to think of returning home, rather than pro

redire domum (potius quam barbaram, feram, incredulamque gentem, cujus ne linguam quidem nossent, adire,) cogitabant, et hoc esse tutius communi consilio decernebant. Nec mora, Augustinum, quem eis episcopum ordinandum, si ab Anglis susciperentur, disposuerat, domum remittunt, qui a beato Gregorio humili supplicatu obtineret ne tam periculosam, tam laboriosam, tam incertam peregrinationem adire deberent. Quibus ille exhortatorias mittens literas, in opus eos verbi, divino confisos auxilio, proficisci suadet. Quarum videlicet litterarum ista est forma.

"Gregorius, servus servorum Dei, servis Domini nostri. Quia melius fuerat bona non incipere, quam ab his, quæ cœpta sunt, cogitatione retrorsum redire, summo studio, dilectissimi filii, oportet ut opus bonum quod, auxiliante Domino, cœpistis, impleatis. Nec labor vos ergo itineris, nec maledicorum hominum linguæ deterreant, sed omni instantia omnique fervore, quæ inchoastis, Deo auctore, peragite; scientes quod laborem magnum major æternæ retributionis gloria sequitur. Remeanti autem Augustino præposito vestro, quem et abbatem vobis constituimus, in omnibus humiliter obedite; scientes hoc vestris animabus per omnia profuturum, quidquid a vobis fuerit in ejus admonitione completum. Omnipotens Deus sua vos gratia protegat, et vestri laboris fructum in æterna me patria videre concedat; quatenus et si vobiscum laborare nequeo, simul in gaudio retributionis inveniar, quia laborare scilicet volo. Deus vos incolumes custodiat, dilectissimi filii.

"Datæ die decimo kalendarum Augustarum, imperante domino nostro Mauricio Tiberio piissimo Augusto anno decimo quarto, post consulatum ejusdem domini nostri anno decimo tertio, indictione decima quarta.”

ceed to a barbarous, fierce, and unbelieving nation, to whose very language they were strangers; and this they unanimously agreed was the safest course. In short, they sent back Augustine, whom he had appointed to be consecrated bishop, in case they were received by the English, that he might, by humble entreaty, obtain of the holy Gregory, that they should not be compelled to undertake so dangerous, toilsome, and uncertain a journey. The pope, in reply, sent them a hortatory epistle, persuading them to proceed in the work of the Divine word, and rely on the assistance of the Almighty. The purport of which letter was as follows:-

letter.

Gregory, the servant of the servants of God, to the Gregory's servants of our Lord. Forasmuch as it had been better not to begin a good work, than to think of desisting from that which has been begun, it behoves you (most beloved sons) to fulfil the good work, which, by the help of our Lord, you have undertaken. Let not, therefore, the toil of the journey, nor the tongues of evil speaking men, deter you; but with all possible earnestness and zeal perform that which, by God's direction, you have undertaken; being assured, that much labour is followed by an eternal reward. When Augustine, your chief, returns, whom we also constitute your abbot, humbly obey him in all things; knowing, that whatsoever you shall do by his direction, will, in all respects, be available to your souls. Almighty God protect you with his grace, and grant that I may, in the heavenly country, see the fruits of your labour. Inasmuch as, though I cannot labour with you, I shall partake in the joy of the reward, because I am willing to labour. God keep you in safety, my most beloved sons. Dated the 23rd of July, in the fourteenth year of the reign of our pious and most august lord, Mauritius Tiberius, the thirteenth year after the consulship of our said lord. The fourteenth indiction."

CAP. XXIV.-UT ARELATENSI EPISCOPO EPISTOLAM PRO

EORUM SUSCEPTIONE MISERIT.

MISIT etiam tunc idem venerandus pontifex ad Ætherium, Arelatensem Archiepiscopum, ut Augustinum Britanniam pergentem benigne susciperet, literas, quarum iste est textus.

"Reverendissimo et sanctissimo fratri Ætherio coepiscopo, Gregorius, servus servorum Dei. Licet apud sacerdotes habentes Deo placitam caritatem religiosi viri nullius commendatione indigeant, quia tamen aptum se tempus scribendi ingessit, fraternitati vestræ nostra mittere scripta curavimus; insinuantes, latorem præsentium Augustinum servum Dei, de cujus certi sumus studio, cum aliis servis Dei, illuc nos pro utilitate animarum, auxiliante Domino, direxisse; quem necesse est ut sacerdotali studio sanctitas vestra adjuvare, et sua ei solatia præbere festinet. Cui etiam, ut promtiores ad suffragandum possitis exsistere, causam vobis injunximus subtiliter indicare; scientes quod, ea cognita, tota vos propter Deum devotione ad solatiandum, quia res exigit, commodetis. Candidum præterea presbyterum, communem filium, quem ad gubernationem patrimonioli ecclesiæ nostræ transmisimus, caritati vestræ in omnibus commendamus. Deus te incolumem custodiat, reverendissime frater.

"Datæ die decimo kalendarum Augustarum, imperante domino nostro Mauricio Tiberio piissimo Augusto, anno decimo quarto, post consulatum ejusdem domini nostri anno decimo tertio, indictione decima quarta."