-The four laft thus:

Namque diem nonam decimam September habebat,
Cum carnis clauftra fpiritus egreditur.
Alma nova fcandens felix confortia vita,
Civibus Angelicis junctus in arce poli.

In English thus:

Here refts fam'd Theodore, a Grecian Name,
Who had o're England an Archbishop's Claim:
Happy, and bleft, industriously he wrought,
And wholfome Precepts to his Scholars taught.
The last thus:

September's nineteenth Day beheld him fly,"
To meet a Choir of Angels in the Sky.

H

CHAP. IX.

How, after the Death of Theodore, Berthwald was made Archbishop, and among many others be Ordain'd, made Tobias, a most learned Man, Bishop of the Church of Rochester.

B

ERTHWALD fucceeded Theodore in the Archbishoprick,being Abbat of the Monaftery of a Raculph, feated on the North side of the Mouth of the River b Genlade. He was a Man

.... learned

b Ruculver.

a Inlade.

learned in the Scriptures, and well instructed in Ecclefiaftical and Monaftical Difcipline; yet not to be compar'd to his Predeceflor. He was chofen, Bishop in the Year of our Lord's Incarnation 692, on the firft Day of July, Withred and Suelhard reigning in Kent; but was Confecrated the next Year, on Sunday the third of the Kalends of July, by Godwin Metropolitan Bishop of France, and was Inthron'd on Sunday the Day, before the Kalends of September. Among the many Bishops he ordain'd was Tobias, a Man learned in the Latin, Greek, and Saxon Tongues, and much Erudition, whom he confecrated in the ftead of Gebmund, Bishop of that See, deceas'd.

How the Holy Man Ecgberht would have gone into Germany to preach, but could not; how Witbercht went, but meeting with no Success, return'd into Ireland, from whence he came.

A

T that Time the venerable, and not to be nam'd without all Honour, Servant of CHRIST, and Prieft Ecgberht, who, we faid before, liv'd a Stranger in Ireland for ob taining of a Refidence in Heaven, propos'd to himfelf to do good to many, that is, taking upon him the Apoftolical Work, to preach the Word of God to fome of thofe Nations that

had

had not yet heard it; many of which Nations he knew there were in Germany, from whom the Angles or Saxons, who now inhabit Britain, are known to have deriv'd their Original; for which reafon they are ftill corruptly call'd Germans by the Neighbouring Nation of the Britons. Such are the Frifons, the Rugins, the Danes, the Huns, the ancient Saxons, and the Boructuars, (or Bructers). There are alfo in the fame Parts many other Nations, still following their Pagan Rites, to whom the aforefaid Soldier of CHRIST defign'd to repair, failing about Britain, to try whether he could deliver any of them from Satan, and bring them over to CHRIST; or if this could not be done, to go to Rome, to fee and worship the Repofitories of the Holy Apostles and Martyrs of CHRIST. But the Divine Oracles and Works obftructed his performing either of those Designs; for when he had made choice of moft undaunted Companions, and fit to preach the Word of God, as being renowned for Learning and Behaviour; when all Things were provided for the Voyage, there came to him on a certain Day in the Morning one of the Brethren, formerly Difciple and Minifter in Britain to the beloved Prieft of God, Boifil, when the faid Boifil was fuperior of the Monaftery of Mailros, under the Abbat Eata, as has been faid above, telling him the Vifion he had feen that Night. When after the Morning Hymns, faid he, I had laid me down in my Bed, and was fallen into a Slumber, my former Mafter, and most loving Tutor, Boifil, appear'd to me, and ask'd, Whether I knew him, I faid, I do; for you are Boil. He anfyer'd, I am come to

bring Ecgbert a Meffage from our Lord and Saviour, which nevertheless must be deliver❜d to him by you. Tell him therefore, that he cannot perform the Journey he has undertaken, for it is the Will of God that he rather go to inftruct Columb's Monafteries. Columb was the first Teacher of the Christian Faith to the Pits beyond the Mountains Northward, and the firft Founder of the Monaftery, which continu'd long in the Inland Hii, much honour'd by many Nations of the Scots and Picts; and which is now by fome call'd Columbkill, the Name being compounded from Columb and Cell. Ecgbert having heard the Relation of the Vifion, order'd the Brother that had told it him, not to mention it to any other, left it fhould happen to be an Illufion. However, he weighing of it with himself, apprehended that it was real; yet would not defift from preparing for his Voyage to inftruct those Nations. A few Days after, the aforefaid Brother came again to him, faying, That Boifil had that Night alfo appear'd to him after Matins, and faid, Why did you tell Ecgbert that which I enjoin'd you fo flightly and coldly? However, go now and tell him, That whether he will or no, he shall go to Columb's Monaftery, because their Plows do not go ftrait; and he is to bring them into the right Way. He hearing this, again commanded the Brother not to reveal the fame to any Perfon. He, tho' now aflur'd of the Vifion, nevertheless attempted to undertake his intended Voyage with the Brethren. When they had put aboard all that was requifite for fo long a Voyage, and had waited fome Days for a fair Wind, there arofe one Night on a fudden fo violent a Storm,

that

that the Ship was run aground, and Part of what had been put aboard spoil'd. However, all that belong'd to Ecgbert and his Compani ons was fav'd. Then he, saying, like the Prophet (Jonas,), This Tempest has happen'd upon my Account, laid afide that Undertaking and staid at home. However Wicberht, one of his Companions, being famous for Contempt of the World, and Knowledge, for he had liv'd many Years a Stranger in Ireland, leading an Eremitical Life in great Perfection, went aboard, and arriving in Frifeland, preach'd the Word of Salvation, for the space of two. Years fuccef4 fively to that Nation, and its King Rathbed but reap'd no Fruit of all that great Labour among his barbarous Auditors. Returning then to the beloved Place of his Peregrination, he began to give himself up to our Lord in his wonted Repofe, and fince he could not be profitable to Strangers in the Faith, he took care to be the more available to his own People by the Example of his Virtue.

CHA P. XI.

How Wilbrod preaching in Frifeland, con verted many to CHRIST; and how his two Companions, the Hewalds fuffer'd Martyrdom.

WE

HEN the Man of God Ecgbert pérceiv'd, that neither he himself was permitted to go preach to the Gentils, being withheld on account of fome other Advantage

to