Christian Network
You are visitor: 
In Scotland the time is: 
Christian Network
XVI. How Paulinus preached in the province of Lindsey;
and of thc character of the reign of Edwin. [Circ. 628 A.D.]
CHAP. XV.
EDWIN was so zealous for the true worship, that he likewise persuaded Earpwald,
king of the East Angles, and son of Redwald, to abandonhis idolatrous
superstitions, and with his whole province to receive the faith and mysteries of
Christ. And indeed his father Redwald had long before been initiated into the
mysteries of the Christian faith in Kent, but in vain; for on his return home,
he was seduced by his wife and certain perverse teachers, and turned aside from
the sincerity of the faith; and thus his latter state was worse than the former;
so that, like the Samaritans of old, he seemed at the same time to serve Christ
and the gods whom he served before; and in the same temple he had an altar for
the Christian Sacrifice, and another small one at which to offer victims to
devils. Aldwulf, king of that same province, who lived in our time, testifies
that this temple had stood until his time, and that he had seen it when he was a
boy. The aforesaid King Redwald was noble by birth, though ignoble in his
actions, being the son of Tytilus, whose father was Uuffa, from whom the kings
of the East Angles are called Uuffings.
Earpwald, not long after he had embraced the Christian faith, was slain by one
Ricbert, a pagan; and from that time the province was in error for three years,
till Sigbert succeeded to the kingdom, brother to the same Earpwald, a most
Christian and learned man, who was banished, and went to live in Gaul during his
brother's life, and was there initiated into the mysteries of the faith, whereof
he made it his business to cause all his province to partake as soon as he came
to the throne. His exertions were nobly promoted by Bishop Felix,who, coming to
Honorius, the archbishop, from the parts of Burgundy, where he had been born and
ordained, and having told him what he desired, was sent by him to preach the
Word of life to the aforesaid nation of the Angles. Nor were his good wishes in
vain; for the pious labourer in the spiritual field reaped therein a great
harvest of believers, delivering all that province (according to the inner
signification of his name) from long iniquity and unhappiness, and bringing it
to the faith and works of righteousness, and the gifts of everlasting happiness.
He had the see of his bishopric appointed him in the city Dommoc, and having
presided over the same province with pontifical authority seventeen years, he
ended his days there in peace.
CHAP. XVI.
PAULINUS also preached the Word to the province of Lindsey, which is the first
on the south side of the river H umber, stretching as far as the sea; and he
first converted to the Lord the reeve of the city of Lincoln, whose name was
Blaecca, with his whole house. He likewise built, in that city, a stone church
of beautiful workmanship; the roof of which has either fallen through long
neglect, or been thrown down by enemies, but the walls are still to be seen
standing, and every year miraculous cures are wrought in that place, for the
benefit of those who have faith to seek them. In that church, when Justus had
departed to Christ, Paulinus consecrated Honorius bishop in his stead, as will
be hereafter mentioned in its proper place. A certain priest and abbot of the
monastery of Peartaneu,(Partney in Lincolnshire)a man of singular veracity,
whose name was Deda, told me concerning the faith of this province that an old
man had informed him that he himself had been baptized at noon-day, by Bishop
Paulinus, in the presence of King Edwin, and with him a great multitude of the
people, in the river Trent, near the city, which in the English tongue is called
Tiouulfingacaestir; and he was also wont to describe the person of the same
Paulinus, saying that he was tall of stature, stooping somewhat, his hair black,
his visage thin, his nose slender and aquiline, his aspect both venerable and
awe-inspiring. He had also with him in the ministry, James, the deacon, a man of
zeal and great fame in Christ and in the church, who lived even to our days.
It is told that there was then such perfect peace in Britain, wheresoever the
dominion of King Edwin extended, that, as is still proverbially said, a woman
with her new-born babe might walk throughout the island, from sea to sea,
without receiving any harm. That king took such care for the good of his nation,
that in several places where he had seen clear springs near the highways, he
caused stakes to be fixed, with copper drinking-vessels hanging on them, for the
refreshment of travellers; nor durst any man touch them for any other purpose
than that for which they were designed, either through the great dread they had
of the king, or for the affection which they bore him. His dignity was so great
throughout his dominions, that not only were his banners borne before him in
battle, but even in time of peace, when he rode about his cities, townships, or
provinces, with his thegns, the standard-bearer was always wont to go before
him. Also, when he walked anywhere along the streets, that sort of banner which
the Romans call Tufa, and the English, Thuuf, was in like manner borne before
him.
