XXI. How the province of the Midland Angles became
Christian under King Peada. [653 A.D.]
CHAP. XX. How, when Honorius died, Deusdedit became Archbishop of Canterbury;
and of those who were at that time bishops of the East Angles, and of the church
of Rochester. [653 A.D.]
IN the meantime, Felix, bishop of the East Angles, dying, when he had held that
see seventeen years, Honorius ordained Thomas his deacon, of the province of the
Gyrwas,in his place; and he being taken from this life when he had been bishop
five years, Bertgils, surnamed Boniface,of the province of Kent, was appointed
in his stead. Honoriushimself also, having run his course, departed this life in
the year of our Lord 653, on the 30th of September; and when the see had been
vacant a year and six months, Deusdedit of the nation of the West Saxons, was
chosen the sixth Archbishop of Canterbury. To ordain him, Ithamar,bishop of
Rochester, came thither. His ordination was on the 26th of March, and he ruled
the church nine years, four months, and two days; and when Ithamar died, he
consecrated in his place Damian,who was of the race of the South Saxons.
CHAP. XXI. How the province of the Midland Angles became Christian under King
Peada. [653 A.D.]
AT this time, the Middle Angles, that is, the Angles of the Midland country
(probably Leicestershire)under their Prince Peada, the son of King Penda,
received the faith and mysteries of the truth. Being an excellent youth, and
most worthy of the name and office of a king, he was by his father elevated to
the throne of that nation, and came to Oswy, king of the Northumbrians,
requesting to have his daughter Aichfled given him to wife; but he could not
obtain his desire unless he would receive the faith of Christ, and be baptized,
with the nation which he governed. When he heard the preaching of the truth, the
promise of the heavenly kingdom, and the hope of resurrection and future
immortality, he declared that he would willingly become a Christian, even though
he should not obtain the maiden; being chiefly prevailed on to receive the faith
by King Oswy’s son Alchfrid,who was his brother-in-law and friend, for he had
married his sister Cyneburg,3 the daughter of King Penda.
Accordingly he was baptized by Bishop Finan, with all his his nobles and
thegns,and their servants, that came along with him, at a noted township,
belonging to the king, called At the Wall. And having received four priests, who
by reason of their learning and good life were deemed proper to instruct and
baptize his nation, he returned home with much joy. These priests were Cedd and
Adda, and Betti and Diuma; the last of whom was by nation a Scot, the others
English. Adda was brother to Utta, whom we have mentioned before,a renowned
priest, and abbot of the monastery which is called At the Goat’s Head.8The
aforesaid priests, arriving in the province with the prince, preached the Word,
and were heard willingly; and many, as well of the nobility as the common sort,
renouncing the abominations of idolatry, were daily washed in the fountain of
the faith.
Nor did King Penda forbid the preaching of the Word even among his people, the
Mercians, if any were willing to hear it; but, on the contrary, he hated and
despised those whom he perceived to be without the works of faith, when they had
once received the faith of Christ, saying, that they were contemptible and
wretched who scorned to obey their God, in whom they believed. These things were
set on foot two years before the death of King Penda.
But when he was slain, and the most Christian king, Oswy, succeeded him in the
throne, as we shall hereafter relate, Diuma,one of the aforesaid four priests,
was made bishop of the Midland Angles, as also of the Mercians, being ordained
by Bishop Finan; for the scarcity of priests made it necessary that one prelate
should be set over two nations. Having in a short time gained many people to the
Lord, he died among the Midland Angles, in the country called Infeppingum; and
Ceollach, also of the Scottish nation, succeeded him in the bishopric. But he,
not long after, left his bishopric, and returned to the island of Hii, which,
among the Scots, was the chief and head of many monasteries. His successor in
the bishopric was Trumhere,a godly man, and trained in the monastic life, an
Englishman, but ordained bishop by the Scots. This happened in the days of King
Wulfhere, of whom we shall speak hereafter.
