XVI. How the Isle of Wight received Christian inhabitants,
and two royal youths of that island were killed immediately after Baptism. [686 A.D.]
CHAP. XV.
How King Caedwalla, king of the Gewissae, having slain Ethelwalch, wasted that
Province with cruel slaughter and devastation. [685 A.D.]
IN the meantime, Caedwalla,a young man of great vigour, of the royal race of the
Gewissae,an exile from his country, came with an army, slew Ethelwalch,and
wasted that province with cruel slaughter and devastation; but he was soon
expelled by Berthun and Andhun, the king's ealdormen, who held in succession the
government of the province. The first of them was afterwards killed by the same
Caedwalla, when he was king of the Gewissae, and the province was reduced to
more grievous slavery: Ini, likewise, who reigned after Caedwalla, oppressed
that country with the like servitude for many years; for which reason, during
all that time, they could have no bishop of their own; but their first bishop,
Wilfrid, having been recalled home, they were subject to the bishop of the
Gewissae, that is, the West Saxons, who were in the city of Venta. (Winchester)
CHAP. XVI.
How the Isle of Wight received Christian inhabitants, and two royal youths of
that island were killed immediately after Baptism. [686 A.D.]
AFTER Caedwalla had obtained possession of the kingdom of the Gewissae, he took
also the Isle of Wight, which till then was entirely given over to idolatry, and
by merciless slaughter endeavoured to destroy all the inhabitants thereof, and
to place in their stead people from his own province; binding himself by a vow,
though it is said that he was not yet regenerated in Christ, to give the fourth
part of the land and of the spoil to the Lord, if he took the island. He
fulfilled this vow by giving the same for the service of the Lord to Bishop
Wilfrid, who happened at the time to have come thither from his own people.The
measure of that island, according to the computation of the English, is of
twelve hundred families, wherefore an estate of three hundred families was given
to the Bishop. The part which he received, he committed to one of his clerks
called Bernwin, who was his sister's son, assigning to him a priest, whose name
was Hiddila, to administer the Word and layer of life to all that would be
saved.
Here I think it ought not to be omitted that, as the first fruits of those of
that island who believed and were saved, two royal boys, brothers to Arwald,
king of the island, were crowned with the special grace of God. For when the
enemy approached, they made their escape out of the island, and crossed over
into the neighbouring province of the Jutes.Coming to the place called At the
Stone, they thought to be concealed from the victorious king, but they were
betrayed and ordered to be killed. This being made known to a certain abbot and
priest, whose name was Cynibert, who had a monastery not far from there, at a
place called Hreutford, (Redbridge) that is, the Ford of Reeds, he came to the
king, who then lay in concealment in those parts to be cured of the wounds which
he had received whilst he was fighting in the Isle of Wight, and begged of him,
that if the boys must needs be killed, he might be allowed first to instruct
them in the mysteries of the Christian faith. The king consented, and the bishop
having taught them the Word of truth, and cleansed them in the font of
salvation, assured to them their entrance into the kingdom of Heaven. Then the
executioner came, and they joyfully underwent the temporal death, through which
they did not doubt they were to pass to the life of the soul, which is
everlasting. Thus, after this manner, when all the provinces of Britain had
received the faith of Christ, the Isle of Wight also received the same; yet
because it was suffering under the affliction of foreign subjection, no man
there received the office or see of a bishop, before Daniel, who is now bishop
of the West Saxons.
The island is situated opposite the borders of the South Saxons and the
Gewissae, being separated from it by a sea, three miles wide, which is called
Solvente. (The Solent) In this sea, the two tides of the ocean, which break upon
Britain all round its coasts from the boundless northern ocean, daily meet in
conflict beyond the mouth of the river Homelea, (The Hamble)which runs into the
aforesaid sea, through the lands of the Jutes, belonging to the country of the
Gewissae; and after this struggle of the tides, they fall back and return into
the ocean whence they come.
