into the Province of the Northumbrians, was
wont to endeavour to give him to understand,
that those could not be Gods that had been
made by the Hands of Men; that a Stock or
a Stone could not be proper Matter to form a
God, the remains whereof were either burnt
in the Fire, or fram'd into any Veffels for the
ufe of Men, or elfe being contemptible were
caft out, and being trampled on, or converted
into Clay.
That God was rather to be un-
derstood incomprehenfible for his Majefty, in-
vifible to human Eyes, Almighty, Eternal,
who created Heaven and Earth, and Human
Kind; who govern'd and was to judge the
World in Righteoufnefs whofe everlasting
Seat was to be believ'd in Heaven, and not in
vile and fading Matter; and that it ought in
reafon to be concluded, that all those who
Learnt and obey'd the Will of him by whom
they were created, would receive from him
eternal Rewards. King Ofwy having often, in
a friendly and brotherly manner, inculcated
thefe and many more Speeches to the like ef-
fe&t; at length, the Confent of his Friends
forwarding the fame, he believid, and confult-
ing with thofe about him, and exhorring them,
all agreeing to and approving of the Faith, he
was baptiz'd with them by Bifhop Finart, in
the King's Country-Houfe above spoken of,
which is call'd, At the Wall, because it is clofe
by the Wall with which the Romans formerly
divided the Island of Britain, twelve Miles
diftant from the Eaftern Sea. King Sigbercht
being now become a Citizen of the eternal
Kingdom, return'd to the Seat of his temporal
Kingdom, requcfting of Ofwy' that he would

give him fome Teachers, who might convert his Nation to the Faith of CHRIST, and baptize them. He fending into the Province of the Midland Angles, called to him the Man of God Cedd, and giving him another Priest for his Companion, fent them to preach to the Nation of the Eaft-Saxons. Where when travelling to all Parts, they had gather'd a numerous Church to our Lord, it hapned at a certain Time, that the fame Cedd return'd home, and came to the Church of Lindisfarn to confer with Bifhop Finan; who finding how fuccefsful he had been in the Work of the Gofpel, made him Bishop of the Church of the Eaft-Saxons, calling to him two other Bishops to adminifter at the Ordination. Cedd having receiv'd the Epifcopal Dignity, return'd to his Province, and purfuing the Work he had begun with more ample Authority, built Churches in feveral Places, ordaining Priests and Deacons, to affift him in the Work of the Faith and the Miniftry of baptizing; efpecially in the City, which in the Language of the Saxons, is call'da thanceftir; as alfo in that which is nam'db Tillaburg; the first of which

Places

a Ythanceftir, and in King Alfred, Yppancearten. on the River Pant in Effex; there are no Remains of the City now, for Ralph Niger long fince has told us it had been before his Time fwallow'd up in the River Pant, the River is now call'd Frofhwel, and a Spring near it, to this Day Pants-Well, as for the Place where the City food, it is Suppos'd to be on the utmost Point of Denbigh Hundred in Effex, where now ftands a Village call'd St. Peters on the Wall.

Saxon Paraphrase, Tillabuph, now Tilbury in Effex.

Places is on the Bank of the River Pante, the other on the Bank of Thames, where gathering a Flock of Servants of CHRIST, he taught them to obferve the Discipline of regular Life, as far as thofe rude People were then capable. When the Institution of Heavenly Life for a confiderable Time advane'd there, to the Joy of the King and of all the People, it hapen'd that the King, at the Inftigation of the Ene my of all good Men, was murder'd by his own Kindred. They were two Brothers who did this wicked Deed; and being ask'd, What had mov'd them to it, had nothing else to answer, but that they had been incens'd against the King, and hated him, because he was too apt to Spare his Enemies, and eafily to forgive the Wrongs they had done him, upon their Intreaty. Such was the Crime for which the King was kill'd, viz. that he obferv'd the Evangelical Precepts with a devout Heart; in which innocent Death of his, however his true Offence was punish'd; according to the Prediction of the Man of God. For one of thofe Earls that murder'd him was unlawfully marry'd, which the Bifhop not being able to obftruct or amend, he excommunicated him and commanded all that would give ear to him, not to enter within his House, nor to eat of his Meat. The King made flight of this Inhibition, and being invited by the Earl, went to an Entertainment at his House, and when he was going thence, the Bishop met him. The King beholding him, immediately difmounted from his Horfe, trembling, and fell down at his Feet, begging Pardon for his Offence, for the Bifhop, who was likewife a Horfeback, had also alighted. Be

ing much incens'd, he touch'd the King lying in that humble Pofture, with the Rod he held in his Hand, and ufing his Pontifical Authority, fpoke thus, I fay to you, for as much as you would not refrain from the House of that wicked and condemn'd Perfon, you shall die in that very Houfe. Yet it is to believ'd, that fuch a Death of a religious Man did not only blot out his Offence, but alfo added to his Merit; because it hapned on a pious Account, being the observing of the Commands of CHRIST. Sigbercht was fucceeded in the Kingdom by Suidhelm; the Son of Sexbald, who was baptiz'd by the fame Cedd, in the Province of the East-Angles, at the King's Country Seat, call'd Rendlesham, that is, Rendili Manfion; and Ethilwald, King of that Nation of the Eaft-Angles, Brother to Anna, King of the fame People was his Godfather.

C

In Suffolk, Bede tells it takes its Name from the Owner, of which the Royal Paraphraser takes no Notice.

CHAP,

J

CHA P. XXIII.

The aforefaid Bishop Cedd, having a Placé given him by King Ethilwald, confecrated the fame to our Lord with Prayer and Fafting, and of his Death

HE fame Man of God, whilft he per form'd the Function of a Bishop among the Eaft-Saxons, was alfo wont feveral Times to vifit his own, that is, the Country of the Northumbrians, to make Exhortations. Ethilwald, the Son of King Ofwald, who reign'd among the Deiri, finding him an holy wife and good Man, he defir'd him to accept of fome Poffeffion of Land to build a Monaftery, to which the King himself might fre quently refort, to offer his Prayers to our Lord, and hear the Word, and be bury'd in it when he dy'd ; for he faithfully believ'd that he should receive much Benefit by the Prayers of thofe, who were to, ferve God in that Place. The King had before with him a Brother of the fame Bishop, call'd Celin, a Man no lefs devoted to God, who, being a Priest, was wont to adminifter to him the Word and the Sacraments of the Faith; by whofe means he chiefly came to know and love the Bishop. That Prelate therefore complying with the King's Defires, chofe himself a Place to build a Monaftery among the craggy and remote Moun