fimple Man; who was afterwards made Bifhop of the Church of Hagulftad or Lindisfarne, as has been faid above; over which Monaftery at that Time was plac'd Borfil, a Priest of great Virtue, and a Prophetick Spirit. Cuthbert humbly fubmitting himself to this Man's Direction, from him receiv'd both the Knowof the Holy Scriptures, and Example of good Works. After he departed to our Lord, Cuthbert, was plac'd over that Monastery, where he inftructed many in regular Life, both by the Authority of a Mafter, and the Example of his own Behaviour. Nor did he afford Admonitions and an Example of a Regular Life to his Monastery alone, but endeavour'd to convert the People round about far and near from the Life, of foolish Custom, to the Love of heavenly Joys; for many profan'd the Faith they had receiv'd with wicked Actions, and fome alfo in the Time of a Mortality, neglecting the Sacraments of Faith they had receiv'd, had recourfe to the falfe Remedies of Idolatry, as if they could have put a Stop to the Plague fent from God, by Enchantments, Spells, or other Secrets of the Hellifh Art. In order to correct the Error of both forts, he often went out of the Monaftery, fometimes on Horseback, but oftner a Foot, repair'd to the neighbouring Towns, and preach'd the Way of Truth to fuch as were gone aftray; which had been alfo done by Boifil in his Time. It was then the Cuftom of the English People, that when a Clerk or Prieft came into the Town, they all, at his Command, flock'd together to hear the Word; willingly heard what was faid, and more willingly practis'd those

Things that they could hear or understand. But Cuthbert was fo skilful an Orator; fo fond was he of perfwading what he taught, and fuch a Brightness appear'd in his Angelical Face, that no Man prefent durst presume to conceal from him the most hidden Secrets of his Heart, but all openly confefs'd what they had done; because they thought the fame could not be conceal'd from him, and wip'd off the Guilt of what they had fo confefs'd with worthy Fruits of Penance, as he commanded. He was wont chiefly to refort to thofe Places, and preach in fuch Villages, as being feated in craggy uncouth Mountains at a great Distance, were frightful to others to behold, and whofe Poverty and Bar barity render'd them inacceffible to other Teachers; the which nevertheless he, having entirely devoted himself to that pious Labour, did fo induftribufly apply himself to polish with his Doctrine, that when he departed out of his Monaftery, he would often stay a Week, fometimes two or three, and fometimes a whole Month before he returned home; continuing among the Mountains to draw that clownish People by his Preaching and Example to heavenly Employments. This venerable Servant of our Lord having thus fpent many Years in the Monastery of Maitros, and there become confpicuous by many Miracles, his moft Reverend Abbat Eata, remov'd him to the Iffe of Lindisfarn, that he might there alfo, by the Authority of a Superior and his own Example, inftruct the Brethren in the Obfervation of regular Difcipline; for the fame moft Reverend Father, then govern'd that

Place

Place alfo as Abbat; for from ancient Times, the Bishop was wont to refide there with his Clergy, and the Abbat with his Monks, who were likewife under the Care of the Bishop; becaufe Aidan, who was the first Bishop of the Place, being himself a Monk, brought Monks thither, and fettled the Monaftical Profeffion there; as the blefled Father Auguftin is known to have done before in Kent, the most Reverend Pope Gregory writing to him, as has been faid above, to this Effect. But in regard that your Brotherhood, having been inftructed in Monaftical Rules, muft not live apart from your Clergy in the Church of the English, which has been lately, through the Help of God, converted to the Faith; you must therefore establish that Course of Life, which was among our Anceftors in the Primitive Church, among whom, none call'd any thing that he poffefs'd his own; but all things were in common to them.

CHAP. XXVIII.

How the fame St. Cuthbert, being an Anchorite, by his Prayers obtained a Spring in a dry Soil, and had a Crop of Seed fown by himself out of Seafon.

C

UTHBERT afterwards advancing in his devout Intentions, arriv'd at the fecret Silence of Eremitical Contemplation. But forafmuch as we have feveral Years fince writ

ten

ten enough of his Life and Virtues, both in heroick Verfe and Profe, it may fuffice at prefent only to mention this, that when he was about to repair to the Ifland, he made this Proteftation to the Brothers, faying; If it fball pleafe the Divine Goodness to grant me, that I may live in that Place by the Labour of my Hands, I will willingly refide there; but if not, I will, by God's Permiffion, very foon return to you. The Place was quite deftitute of Water, Corn, and Trees; and being infefted by evil Spirits, very inconvenient for human Habitation; but it became in all refpects habitable, at the De fire of the Man of God; for upon his Arrival, the wicked Spirits withdrew. When he had there, after expelling the Enemies, with the Affiftance of the Brethren, built himself a fmall Dwelling, with a Trench about it, and the neceflary Cells, and an. Oratory; he order'd the Brothers to dig a Pit in the Floor of the Dwelling, the Ground being hard and ftony, wherein no Hopes appear'd of any Spring. They having done accordingly, upon the Faith and Request of the Servant of God, the next Day it appear'd full of Water, which to this Day affords Plenty of it's heavenly Gift to all that refort thither. He alfo defired that all Inftruments for Husbandry might be brought him, and fome Wheat; and having fown the fame at the proper Season, nothing either Stalk, or fo much as a Leaf fprouted from it by the next Summer. Hereupon, the Brethren visiting him according to cuftom, he ordered Barley to be brought him, in cafe it were either the Nature of the Soil, or the Divine Will, that fuch Grain should rather

grow

grow there. Having fow'd that in the fame Field as it was brought him, after the proper Time of fowing, and confequently without any likelihood of its coming to good, a plentiful Crop immediately coming up, afforded the Man of God the with'd for Suftenance by his own Labour. When he had there ferv'd God in Solitude many Years, the Trench which encompafs'd his Habitation being fo high, that he could from thence fee nothing but Heaven, to which he so ardently afpir'd, it hapned, that a great Synod being aflembled in the Prefence of King Ecgfrid, near the River Alne, at a Place call'd Adtwiford, which fignifies At the two Fords, in which Archbishop Theodore, of blessed Memory, prefided; Cuthbert was, by the unanimous Confent of all chofen Bishop of the Church of Lindisfarne. There being no drawing of him from his Monaftery by many Meflengers and Letters fent to him; at last the aforefaid King himfelf, with the most holy Bifhop Trumwin, and other religious and great Men, pafs'd over into the Island. Many alfo of the Brothers of the fame Ifle of Lindiffarn aflembled together to the fame Purpofe; they knelt, all conjur'd him by our Lord, shed Tears and intreated,till they drew him, shedding fweet Tears in like manner from his Retreat, and forc'd him to the Synod. Being arriv'd there, after much Oppofition, he was overcome by the unanimous Refolution of all prefent, and compell'd to fubmit to take upon him the Epifcopal Dignity. Being chiefly prevail'd upon by the mention, that Boifil, the Servant of God, when he had prophetically foretold all Things that were to befal him, had alfo pre