XXVI. How Colman, being worsted, returned home,
and Tuda succeeded him in the bishopric, and
CHAP. XXVI. How Colman, being worsted, returned home,
and Tuda succeeded him in
the bishopric, and of the state of the church under those teachers. [664 A.D.]
THE disputation being ended, and the assembly broken up, Agilbert returned home.
Colman, perceiving that his doctrine was rejected, and his party despised, took
with him those who wished to follow him, to wit, such as would not accept the
Catholic Easter and the tonsure in the form of a crown,(for there was no small
dispute about that also,) and went back into Scotland,to consult with his people
what was to be done in this case. Cedd, forsaking the practices of the Scots,
returned to his bishopric, having submitted to the Catholic observance of
Easter. This debate took place in the year of our Lord 664, which was the
twenty-second year of the reign of King Oswy, and the thirtieth of the
episcopate of the Scots among the English; for Aidan was bishop seventeen years,
Finan ten, and Colman three.
When Colman had gone back into his own country, Tuda, the servant of Christ, was
made bishop of the Northumbriansin his place, having been instructed and
ordained bishop among the Southern Scots, having also the crown of the
ecclesiastical tonsure, according to the custom of that province, and observing
the Catholic rule with regard to the time of Easter.He was a good and religious
man, but he governed the church a very short time; he had come from
Scotlandwhilst Colman was yet bishop, and, both by word and deed, diligently
taught all men those things that appertain to the faith and truth. But Eata,who
was abbot of the monastery called Mailros,a man most reverend and gentle, was
appointed abbot over the brethren that chose to remain in the church of
Lindisfarne, when the Scots went away. It is said that Colman, upon his
departure, requested and obtained this of King Oswy, because Eata was one of
Aidan’s twelve boys of the English nation,whom he received in the early years of
his episcopate, to be instructed in Christ; for the king greatly loved Bishop
Colman on account of his innate discretion. This is that Eata, who, not long
after, was made bishop of the same church of Lindisfarne. Colman carried home
with him part of the bones of the most reverend Father Aidan, and left part of
them in the church where he had presided, ordering them to be interred in the
sacristy.
The place which they governed shows how frugal and temperate he and his
predecessors were, for there were very few houses besides the church found at
their departure; indeed, no more than were barely sufficient to make civilized
life possible; they had also no money, but only cattle; for if they received any
money from rich persons, they immediately- gave it to the poor; there being no
need to gather money, or provide houses for the entertainment of the great men
of the world; for such never resorted to the church, except to pray and hear the
Word of God. The king himself, when occasion required, came only with five or
six servants, and having performed his devotions in the church, departed. But if
they happened to take a repast there, they were satisfied with the plain, daily
food of the brethren, and required no more. For the whole care of those teachers
was to serve God, not the world—to feed the soul, and not the belly.
For this reason the religious habit was at that time held in great veneration;
so that wheresoever any clerk or monk went, he was joyfully received by all men,
as God’s servant; and even if they chanced to meet him upon the way, they ran to
him, and with bowed head, were glad to be signed with the cross by his hand, or
blessed by his lips. Great attention was also paid to their exhortations; and on
Sundays they flocked eagerly to the church, or the monasteries, not to feed
their bodies, but to hear the Word of God; and if any priest happened to come
into a village, the inhabitants came together and asked of him the Word of life;
for the priests and clerks went to the villages for no other reason than to
preach, baptize, visit the sick, and, in a word, to take care of souls; and they
were so purified from all taint of avarice, that none of them received lands and
possessions for building monasteries, unless they were compelled to do so by the
temporal authorities; which custom was for some time after universally observed
in the churches of the Northumbrians. But enough has now been said on this
subject.
