his Infidelity, he had been reftor'd when he receiv'd the Faith of CHRIST; and became fenfible that the Province being then destitute of a Bifhop, it was likewife juftly depriv'd of the Divine Protection. He therefore fent Meffengers into France to Agilbert, humbly intreating him to return to the Bifhoprick of his Nation. But he excufing himself, and affirming that he could not go, because he was ty'd to the Bifhoprick of the Diocese of his own City; however, that he might not feem to refuse him any Affiftance, fent in his ftead thither the Prieft Leutherius, his Nephew, who, if he thought fit, might be ordain'd his Bishop, faying, He thought him worthy of a Bishoprick. He being honourably receiv'd by the King and the People, they intreated Theodorus, then Archbishop of the Church of Canterbury, to confecrate him their Bifhop. He being Confecrated in the fame City, many Years carefully alone govern'd the Bishoprick of the Weft-Saxons by Synodical Authority.

GHAP.

CHA P. VIII.

How Earconbert, King of Kent, order'd the Idols to be destroy'd; and of bis Daughter, Earcongota, and his Kinf woman Ethiberga, Virgins confecrated to God. }

N the Year of the Incarnation of our Lord, 640, Eadbald, King of Kent, departing this Life, left his Kingdom to his Son Earconbert, which he moft nobly govern'd twenty four Years and fome Months. He was the firft of the English Kings, that of his fupreme Authority commanded the Idols, throughout his whole Kingdom, to be forfaken and destroy'd, and the Faft of forty Days before Eafter to be obferv'd; and that the fame might nor be neglected by any; he appointed proper and condign Punishments for the Offenders.

His Daughter Earcongota, as became the Offfpring of fuch a Parent, was a moft virtuous Virgin, always ferving God in a Monaftery, which had been built in the Country of the Francs, by a moft noble Abbefs, call'da Fara, at a Place call'd in b Brige; for at that Time, but 03 few

a Call'd alfo Burgundofara.

PA Province of France, call'd now Brie, in which Fara built a religious Houfe, call'd to this Day from the Foundref Faremonftier. Dr. Smith.

few Monasteries being built in the Country of the Angles, many were wont, for the fake of Monaftical Converfation, to repair to the Monafteries of the Francs or Gauls; and they alfo fent their Daughters there to be inftructed, and deliver'd to their Heavenly Bridegroom; efpecially in the Monafteries of Brige, of c Cale and Andilegum. Among whom was alfo Saethryb, Daughter of the Wife of Anna, King of the Eaft-Angles, abovemention'd; and Ethilberga, natural Daughter of the fame King, both of whom, tho' Strangers, were for their Virtue made Abbeffes of that Monastery of Brige. Sexburga, that King's eldeft Daughter, Wife to Earconbert, King of Kent, had a Daugh ter call'd Earcongota, of whom we are to fpeak. Many wonderful Works and Miracles of this Virgin, dedicated to God, are to this Day related by the Inhabitants of that Place; but it fhall fuffice us to fay fomething briefly of her Paffage out of this World to the Heavenly Kingdom. The Day of her Departure drawing near, fhe began to go about to the Cells of the infirm Servants of CHRIST, and particu larly thofe that were of a great Age, or moft diftinguishable for Probity of Life, and humbly recommending herself to their Prayers, did not ftick to let them know that her Death was at hand, which the had known by Revelation, the which the faid was after this manner. That fhe had feen a Number of Men all in white, come into the Monaftery, and being ask'd by her,

eChelles in France, where Bathildis founded a Nunnery, Malbid.

d Now call'd Andeli fur Seine.

her, What they wanted, and what they did the They anfwer'd, They had been fent thither to carry away with them the Gold Medal, that had been brought thither from Kent. That fame Night in the laft Part of it, that is, at the dawn of the Day, leaving the Darknefs of this World, the departed to the Heavenly Light. Many of the Brethren of that Monaftery, that were in other Houfes, declar'd they had then plainly heard Concerts of Angels finging, and the Noife as it were of a Multitude entering the Monaftery. Whereupon going out immediatefy to fee what it might be, they faw an extraordinary great Light coming down from Heaven, which conducted that Holy Soul, fet loofe, from the Bonds of the Flefh, to the eter nal Joys of its celeftial Country. They farther add other Miracles, that were the fame Night divinely wrought in the fame Monaftery; but we proceeding to other Matters, leave them to be related by thofe to whom it belongs. The Body of the venerable Virgin and Bride, of CHRIST, was bury'd in the Church of the Bleffed Protomartyr Stephen. It was thought fit, three Days after to take up the Stone that cover'd the Grave, and to raise it higher in the fame Place, which whilft they were doing, fo great a Fragrancy of Perfume rofe from below, that it feem'd to all the Brothers and Sifters there prefent, as if fome Store of the richeft Balfams had been open'd. Her StepMother alfo, Ethilberga abovemention'd, preferv'd the Glory, belov'd of God, of perpetual Virginity, in great Continency of Body; but how great her Virtue was, became more confpicuous after her Death. Being Abbefs, fhe

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began

began to build in her Monaftery a Church, in Honour of all the Apostles, wherein the defir'd her Body might be bury d; but when that Work was advanc'd half Way, fhe was prevented from finishing it by Death, and bury'd in the very Place of the Church where the had defir'd. After her Death, the Brothers rather applying themselves to other Things; this Structure was intermitted for feven Years, at the Expiration whereof, they refolv'd, by reafon of the Greatnefs of the Work, wholly to lay afide the Building of the Church; but to remove the Abbeffes Bones from thence to fome other Church that was finish'd and confecrated; and opening her Tomb, they found the Body as entire, as it had been free from the Corruption of carnal Concupifcence, and having wafh'd it again, and put on it other Cloaths, they remov'd the fame to the Church of St. Stephen, Martyr, Whole Nativity, (or Commemoration Day) is wont to be there celebrated with much Magnificence, on the Day of the Nones of July.

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