tin's Porch within the Church of the Bleffed Apoftles, Peter and Paul, where alfo lies his Queen Berbta. Among other, Benefits, he took care to confer for the Advantage of his Nation, the alfo, by the Advice of wife Perfons, appointed them the Roman Laws to be judg'd by. The which being written in the English Tongue, are ftill kept and obferv'd by them. Among which, he in, the first Place fer down, what Satisfaction he fhould make who did fteal any thing belonging to the Church, or the Bishop, or the other Clergy, refolving to give Protection to those whom and whofe Doctrine he had embrac'd...

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This Ethelbert was the Son of Irminric, whofe Father was Octa, and his Father Oeric, furnam'd Oife, from whom the Kings of Kens are wont to be call'd Qifcings His Father was Hengift, who being invited by Vortigerit, firft came into Britain, with his Son Oife, as has been faid above. But after the Death of Ethelbert, his Son Eadbald afcending the Throne, prov'd very prejudicial to the new planted Church. For he had not only refus'd to embrace the Faith of CHRIST, but was alfo defil'd with fuch a fort of Fornication, as the Apostle teftifies, was not heard of, event among the Gentils; for he kept his Father's Wife. By both which Crimes he gave occafiz on to thofe to return to their former Vomit, who under his Father, bad either for Favour, or through Fear of the King, fubmitted to the Laws of Faith and Chastity.. Nor did the perfidious King efcape without Heavenly Punishment and Correctioit; for he was troubled with frequent Fits of Madness, and

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poflefs d by an evil Spirit. This Storm of Confufion was increas'd by the Death of Sebethe, King of the Eaft-Saxons, who departing to the Heavenly Kingdom, left three Sons, ftill Pagans, to inherit his Temporal Crown. They immediately began to profefs Idolatry, which, during his Reign, they had feem'd a little to intermic, and to grant free Liberty to the People under their Government to ferve Idols. And when they faw the Bishop, celebrating Mafs in the Church, give the Eucharift to the People, they, puff'd up with barbarous Folly, were wont, as it is reported, to fay to him, Why do you not give us alfo that white Bread, which you used to give to our Father Saba, (for fo they used to call him,) and which you ftill continue to give to the People in the Church? To whom he answer'd, If you will be wash'd in that faving Laver, in which your Father was wash'd, you may alfo partake of the Holy Bread, of which he partook; but if you defpife the Laver of Life, you may not receive the Bread of Life. They reply'd, We will not enter into that Laver, because we do not know that we stand in need of it, and yet we will eat of that Bread. And being often carneftly admonish'd by him, that the fame could not be done, nor any one admitted to partake of the facred Oblarion without the holy cleanfing, at laft being enrag'd, they faid, If you will not comply with us in fo fmall a Matter as that is, which we require, you fhall not stay in our Province. And accordingly they expell'd and oblig'd him and his to depart their Kingdom. He being forc'd from thence, came into Kent, to advife with his Fellow Bifhops, Laurence and Juftus, what was to be done in that Cafe

and it was unanimously agreed, that it was better for them all to return to their own Country, where they might ferve God.in freedom, than to continue without any Advantage among thofe Barbarians, who had revolted from the Faith. Mellitus and Juftus accordingly went away firft, and withdrew into France, defigning there to wait the Event of Things. But the Kings, who had drove from them the Preacher of Truth, did not long go unpunith'd in their Devilish Worfhip. For marching out to Battle against the Nation of the Geviffi, The West they were all flain with their Army. However Saxons. the People once turn'd to Wickedness, tho' the Authors of it were deftroy'd, would not be corrected, nor return to the Unity of Faith and Charity which is in CHRIST.

CHAP. VI,

How Laurence being reprov'd by the Apofile, converted King Eadbald to CHRIST, and be then recall'd Mellitus and Jultus to preach.

Aurence being about to follow Mellitus and

his Bed to be laid the Night before in the Church of the Bleffed Apoftles, Peter and Paul, which has been often mention'd before; wherein having laid himself to take fome Reft, after many Prayers and Tears pour'd out to God K 2

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for the State of the Church, and falling asleep, the moft Bleffed Prince of the Apostles appear'd to him, and Tcourging him a long time in the dead of the Night, with Apoftolical Severity, ask'd of him, Why be would for fake the Flock which he had committed to him, or to what Shepherds he would commit CHRIST's Sheep that were in the midst of Wolves? Have you, faid he, ·forgot my Example, who, for the fake of thofe little ones, of CHRIST, whom he had recommended to me in token of his Affection, that I might be crown'd with CHRIST, underwent at the Hands of Infidels and Enemies of CHRIST, Bonds, Stripes, Imprisonment, Afflictions, and lastly the Death of the Crofs. Laurence, the Servant of CHRIST, being encourag'd with thefe Words and Stripes, the very next Morning repair'd to the King, and putting by his Garment, fhew'd the Scars of the many Stripes he had receiv'd. The King being astonish'd, and asking, Who had prefum'd to give fuch Stripes to fo great a Man? Was much frighted when he heard, that the Bishop had fuffer'd fo much at the Hands of the Apostle of CHRIST, for his Salvation. Then abjuring all the Idolatrous Worfhip, and renouncing his unlawful Marriage, he embrac'd the Faith of CHRIST, and being baptiz'd, favour'd and promoted the Affairs of the Church to the utmost of his Power. He also fent over into France, and recall'd Mellitus and fuftus, and commanded them freely to return to govern their Churches, which they accordingly did, an Year after their Departure. Ju fius indeed return'd to the City of Rochester, where he had before prefided; but the Londoners ould not receive Bishop Mellitus, choofing

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rather to be under their Idolatrous High Priefts; for King Eadbald had not fo great Authority in the Kingdom as his Father, fo as to be able to restore the Bifhop to his Church, against the Will and Confent of the Pagans. But he and his Nation, after his Conversion to our Lord, diligently follow'd the Divine Precepts. Laftly he built the Church of the Ho-' ly Mother of God, in the Monaftery of the moft Bleffed Prince of the Apostles; the which) was afterwards confecrated by Archbishop: Mellitus. old

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CHAP. VII.

How Bifbop Mellitus by Prayer quench'd a Tid Fire in his City.

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N this King's Reign the Bleffed Archbihop Laurence was taken up to the Heayenly Kingdom, and was bury'd in the Church and Monastery of the Holy Apoftle Peter, clofe by his Predeceffor Auguftin, on the fourth Day of the Nones of February. Mellitus, who was Bishop of London, becoming the third Arch+ bishop of Canterbury from Augustin, Justus Kill living, govern'd the Church of Rochester. Thefe ruling the Church of the English with much Industry and Labour, receiv'd Letters of Exhortation from Boniface, Bishop of the Roman and Apoftolical See, who prefided over the Church, after Deufdedit, in the Year of our Lord's Incarnation 619. Mellitus labourd un

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