by Bede
“Thus the goodness of the Supreme Majesty, which, by the word alone of His command, made and created all things, the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is, disposing the order by which they should subsist, hath, ordaining all things, with the counsel of His co-eternal Word, and the unity of the Holy Spirit, made man after His own image and likeness, forming him out of the mire of the earth; and granted him such high privilege of distinction, as to place him above all else; so that, preserving the bounds of the law of his being, his substance should be established to eternity. This God, — Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the undivided Trinity, — from the east unto the west, through faith by confession to the saving of their souls, men worship and adore as the Creator of all things, and their own Maker; to Whom also the heights of empire and the powers of the world are subject, because the pre-eminence of all kingdoms is granted by His disposition. It hath pleased Him, therefore, in the mercy of His loving kindness, and for the greater benefit of all His creatures, by the fire of His Holy Spirit wonderfully to kindle the cold hearts even of the nations seated at the extremities of the earth in the knowledge of Himself.
“For we suppose, since the two countries are near together, that your Highness has fully understood what the clemency of our Redeemer has effected in the enlightenment of our illustrious son, King Eadbald, and the nations under his rule; we therefore trust, with assured confidence that, through the long-suffering of Heaven, His wonderful gift will be also conferred on you; since, indeed, we have learnt that your illustrious consort, who is discerned to be one flesh with you, has been blessed with the reward of eternity, through the regeneration of Holy Baptism. We have, therefore, taken care by this letter, with all the goodwill of heartfelt love, to exhort your Highness, that, abhorring idols and their worship, and despising the foolishness of temples, and the deceitful flatteries of auguries, you believe in God the Father Almighty, and His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, to the end that, believing and being released from the bonds of captivity to the Devil, you may, through the co-operating power of the Holy and undivided Trinity, be partaker of the eternal life.
“How great guilt they lie under, who adhere in their worship to the pernicious superstition of idolatry, appears by the examples of the perishing of those whom they worship. Wherefore it is said of them by the Psalmist, ‘All the gods of the nations are devils, but the Lord made the heavens.’ And again, ‘Eyes have they, but they see not; they have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not; they have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not. Therefore they are made like unto those that place the hope of their confidence in them.’ For how can they have power to help any man, that are made out of corruptible matter, by the hands of your inferiors and subjects, and on which, by employing human art, you have bestowed a lifeless similitude of members? which, moreover, unless they be moved by you, will not be able to walk; but, like a stone fixed in one place, being so formed, and having no understanding, sunk in insensibility, have no power of doing harm or good. We cannot, therefore, by any manner of discernment conceive how you come to be so deceived as to follow and worship those gods, to whom you yourselves have given the likeness of a body.
“It behoves you, therefore, by taking upon you the sign of the Holy Cross, by which the human race has been redeemed, to root out of your hearts all the accursed deceitfulness of the snares of the Devil, who is ever the jealous foe of the works of the Divine Goodness, and to put forth your hands and with all your might set to work to break in pieces and destroy those which you have hitherto fashioned of wood or stone to be your gods. For the very destruction and decay of these, which never had the breath of life in them, nor could in any wise receive feeling from their makers, may plainly teach you how worthless that was which you hitherto worshipped. For you yourselves, who have received the breath of life from the Lord, are certainly better than these which are wrought with hands, seeing that Almighty God has appointed you to be descended, after many ages and through many generations, from the first man whom he formed. Draw near, then, to the knowledge of Him Who created you, Who breathed the breath of life into you, Who sent His only-begotten Son for your redemption, to save you from original sin, that being delivered from the power of the Devil’s perversity and wickedness, He might bestow on you a heavenly reward.
“Hearken to the words of the preachers, and the Gospel of God, which they declare to you, to the end that, believing, as has been said before more than once, in God the Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Ghost, and the indivisible Trinity, having put to flight the thoughts of devils, and driven from you the temptations of the venomous and deceitful enemy, and being born again of water and the Holy Ghost, you may, through the aid of His bounty, dwell in the brightness of eternal glory with Him in Whom you shall have believed.
“We have, moreover, sent you the blessing of your protector, the blessed Peter, chief of the Apostles, to wit, a shirt of proof with one gold ornament, and one cloak of Ancyra, which we pray your Highness to accept with all the goodwill with which it is sent by us.”
CHAP. 11
Ad coniugem quoque illius Aedilbergam huiusmodi litteras idem pontifex misit:
Exemplar epistulae beatissimi et apostolici Bonifatii papae urbis Romae directae Aedilbergae reginae Aeduini regis.
Dominae gloriosae filiae Aedilbergae reginae, Bonifatius episcopus seruus seruorum Dei.
Redemptoris nostri benignitas humano generi, quod pretiosi sanguinis sui effusione a uinculis diabolicae captiuitatis eripuit, multae prouidentiae, quibus saluaretur, propinauit remedia;
quatinus sui nominis agnitionem diuerso modo gentibus innotescens, Creatorem suum suscepto Christianae fidei agnoscerent sacramento. Quod equidem in uestrae gloriae sensibus caelesti conlatum munere mystica regenerationis uestrae purgatio patenter innuit. Magno ergo largitatis dominicae beneficio mens nostra gaudio exultauit, quod scintillam orthodoxae religionis in uestri dignatus est confessione succendere; ex qua re non solum gloriosi coniugis uestri, immo totius gentis subpositae uobis intellegentiam in amore sui facilius inflammaret.
Didicimus namque referentibus his, qui ad nos gloriosi filii nostri Audubaldi regis laudabilem conuersionem nuntiantes peruenerunt, quod etiam uestra gloria, Christianae fidei suscepto mirabili sacramento, piis et Deo placitis iugiter operibus enitescat, ab idolorum etiam cultu seu fanorum auguriorumque inlccebris se diligenter abstineat, et ita in amore Redemtoris sui inmutilata deuotione persistens inuigilet, ut ad dilatandam Christianam fidem incessabiliter non desistat operam commodare; cumque de glorioso coniuge uestro paterna caritas sollicite perquisisset, cognouimus, quod eatenus abominandis idolis seruiens, ad suscipiendam uocem praedicatorum suam distulerit obedientiam exhibere. Qua ex re non modica nobis amaritudo congesta est, ab eo, quod pars corporis uestri ab agnitione summae et indiuiduae Trinitatis remansit extranea. Unde paternis officiis uestrae gloriosae Christianitati nostram commonitionem non distulimus conferendam; adhortantes, quatinus diuinae inspirationis inbuta subsidiis, inportune et oportune agendum non differas, ut et ipse, Saluatoris nostri Domini Iesu Christi cooperante potentia, Christianorum numero copuletur; ut perinde intemerato societatis foedere iura teneas maritalis consortii. Scriptum namque est: ‘Erunt duo in carne una.’ Quomodo ergo unitas uobis coniunctionis inesse dici poterit, si a uestrae fidei splendore, interpositis detestabilis erroris tenebris, ille remanserit alienus?
Unde orationi continuae insistens a longanimitate caelestis clementiae inluminationis ipsius beneficia inpetrare non desinas; ut uidelicet, quos copulatio carnalis affectus unum quodam modo corpus exhibuisse monstratur, hos quoque unitas fidei etiam post huius uitae transitum in perpetua societate conseruet. Insiste ergo, gloriosa filia, et summis conatibus duritiam cordis ipsius religiosa diuinorum praeceptorum insinuatione mollire summopere dematura;
infundens sensibus eius, quantum sit praeclarum, quod credendo suscepisti, mysterium, quantumue sit admirabile, quod renata praemium consequi meruisti. Frigiditatem cor
dis ipsius Sancti Spiritus adnuntiatione succende; quatinus amoto torpore perniciosissimi cultus, diuinae fidei calor eius intellegentiam tuarum adhortationum frequentatione succendat, ut profecto sacrae scripturae testimonium per te expletum indubitanter perclareat: ‘Saluabitur uir infidelis per mulierem fidelem.’ Ad hoc enim misericordiam dominicae pietatis consecuta es, ut fructum fidei creditorumque tibi beneficiorum Redemtori tuo multiplicem resignares. Quod equidem, suffragante praesidio benignitatis ipsius, ut explere ualeas, adsiduis non desistimus precibus postulare.
His ergo praemissis, paternae uobis dilectionis exhibentes officia, hortamur, ut nos reperta portitoris occasione de his, quae per uos superna potentia mirabiliter in conuersatione coniugis uestri summissaeque uobis gentis dignatus fuerit operari, prosperis quantocius nuntiis releuetis, quatinus sollicitudo nostra, quae de uestri uestrorumque omnium animae salute optabilia desideranter exspectat, uobis nuntiantibus releuetur, inlustrationemque diuinae propitiationis in uobis diffusam opulentius agnoscentes, hilari confessione largitori omnium bonorum Deo, et beato Petro apostolorum principi uberes merito gratias exsoluamus.
Praeterea benedictionem protectoris uestri beati Petri apostolorum principis uobis direximus, id est speculum argenteum, et pectinem eboreum inauratum; quod petimus, ut eo benignitatis animo gloria uestra suscipiat, quo a nobis noscitur destinatum.
Chap. XI.
How Pope Boniface advised the king’s consort to use her best endeavours for his salvation. [Circ.625 a.d.]
The same pope also wrote to King Edwin’s consort, Ethelberg, to this effect:
THE COPY OF THE LETTER OF THE MOST BLESSED AND APOSTOLIC BONIFACE, POPE OF THE CITY OF ROME, TO ETHELBERG, KING EDWIN’S QUEEN.
“To the illustrious lady his daughter, Queen Ethelberg, Boniface, bishop, servant of the servants of God.The goodness of our Redeemer has in His abundant Providence offered the means of salvation to the human race, which He rescued, by the shedding of His precious Blood, from the bonds of captivity to the Devil; to the end that, when He had made known His name in divers ways to the nations, they might acknowledge their Creator by embracing the mystery of the Christian faith. And this the mystical purification of your regeneration plainly shows to have been bestowed upon the mind of your Highness by God’s gift. Our heart, therefore, has greatly rejoiced in the benefit bestowed by the bounty of the Lord, for that He has vouchsafed, in your confession, to kindle a spark of the orthodox religion, by which He might the more easily inflame with the love of Himself the understanding, not only of your illustrious consort, but also of all the nation that is subject to you.
“For we have been informed by those, who came to acquaint us with the laudable conversion of our illustrious son, King Eadbald, that your Highness, also, having received the wonderful mystery of the Christian faith, continually excels in the performance of works pious and acceptable to God; that you likewise carefully refrain from the worship of idols, and the deceits of temples and auguries, and with unimpaired devotion, give yourself so wholly to the love of your Redeemer, as never to cease from lending your aid in spreading the Christian faith. But when our fatherly love earnestly inquired concerning your illustrious consort, we were given to understand, that he still served abominable idols, and delayed to yield obedience in giving ear to the voice of the preachers. This occasioned us no small grief, that he that is one flesh with you still remained a stranger to the knowledge of the supreme and undivided Trinity. Whereupon we, in our fatherly care, have not delayed to admonish and exhort your Christian Highness, to the end that, filled with the support of the Divine inspiration, you should not defer to strive, both in season and out of season, that with the co-operating power of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, your husband also may be added to the number of Christians; that so you may uphold the rights of marriage in the bond of a holy and unblemished union. For it is written, ‘They twain shall be one flesh.’ How then can it be said, that there is unity in the bond between you, if he continues a stranger to the brightness of your faith, separated from it by the darkness of detestable error?
“Wherefore, applying yourself continually to prayer, do not cease to beg of the long-suffering of the Divine Mercy the benefits of his illumination; to the end, that those whom the union of carnal affection has manifestly made in a manner to be one body, may, after this life continue in perpetual fellowship, by the unity of faith. Persist, therefore, illustrious daughter, and to the utmost of your power endeavour to soften the hardness of his heart by carefully making known to him the Divine precepts; pouring into his mind a knowledge of the greatness of that mystery which you have received by faith, and of the marvellous reward which, by the new birth, you have been made worthy to obtain. Inflame the coldness of his heart by the message of the Holy Ghost, that he may put from him the deadness of an evil worship, and the warmth of the Divine faith may kindle his understanding through your frequent exhortations; and so the testimony of Holy Scripture may shine forth clearly, fulfilled by you, ‘The unbelieving husband shall be saved by the believing wife.’ For to this end you have obtained the mercy of the Lord’s goodness, that you might restore with increase to your Redeemer the fruit of faith and of the benefits entrusted to your hands. That you may be able to fulfil this task, supported by the help of His loving kindness we do not cease to implore with frequent prayers.
“Having premised thus much, in pursuance of the duty of our fatherly affection, we exhort you, that when the opportunity of a bearer shall offer, you will with all speed comfort us with the glad tidings of the wonderful work which the heavenly Power shall vouchsafe to perform by your means in the conversion of your consort, and of the nation subject to you; to the end, that our solicitude, which earnestly awaits the fulfilment of its desire in the soul’s salvation of you and yours, may, by hearing from you, be set at rest; and that we, discerning more fully the light of the Divine propitiation shed abroad in you, may with a joyful confession abundantly return due thanks to God, the Giver of all good things, and to the blessed Peter, the chief of the Apostles.
“We have, moreover, sent you the blessing of your protector, the blessed Peter, the chief of the Apostles, to wit, a silver looking-glass, and a gilded ivory comb, which we pray your Highness to accept with all the goodwill with which it is sent by us.”
CHAP. 12
Haec quidem memoratus papa Bonifatius de salute regis Aeduini ac gentis ipsius litteris agebat. Sed et oraculum caeleste, quod illi quondam exulanti apud Redualdum regem Anglorum pietas diuina reuelare dignata est, non minimum ad suscipienda uel intellegenda doctrinae monita salutaris sensum iuuit illius. Cum ergo uideret Paulinus difficulter posse sublimitatem animi regalis ad humilitatem uiae salutaris, et suscipiendum mysterium uiuificae crucis inclinari, ac pro salute illius simul et gentis, cui praeerat, et uerbo exhortationis apud homines, et apud diuinam pietatem uerbo deprecationis ageret; tandem, ut uerisimile uidetur, didicit in spiritu, quod uel quale esset oraculum regi quondam caelitus ostensum. Nec exinde distulit, quin continuo regem ammoneret explere uotum, quod in oraculo sibi exhibito se facturum promiserat, si temporis illius erumnis exemtus ad regni fastigia perueniret.
Erat autem oraculum huiusmodi. Cum persequente illum Aedilfrido, qui ante eum regnauit, per diuersa occultus loca uel regna multo annorum tempore profugus uagaretur, tandem uenit ad Redualdum obsecrans, ut uitam suam a tanti persecutoris insidiis tutando seruaret; qui libenter eum excipiens, promisit se, quae petebatur, esse facturum. At postquam Aedilfrid in hac eum prouincia apparuisse, et apud regem illius familiariter cum sociis habitare cognouit, misit nuntios, qui Redualdo pecuniam multam pro nece eius offerrent; neque aliquid profecit. Misit secundo, misit tertio, et copiosiora argenti dona offerens, et bellum insuper illi, si contemneretur, indicens. Qui uel minis fractus, uel corruptus muneribus, cessit deprecanti, et siue occidere se Aeduinum, seu legatariis tradere promisit. Quod ubi fidissimus quidam amicus illius animaduertit, intrauit cubiculum, quo dormire disponebat, erat enim prima hora noctis, et euocatum foras, quid erga eum agere rex promisisse
t, edocuit, et insuper adiecit: ‘Si ergo uis, hac ipsa hora educam te de hac prouincia, et ea in loca introducam, ubi numquam te uel Reduald, uel Aedilfrid inuenire ualeant.’ Qui ait: ‘Gratias quidem ago beneuolentiae tuae;
non tamen hoc facere possum, quod suggeris, ut pactum, quod cum tanto rege inii, ipse primus irritum faciam, cum ille mihi nil mali fecerit, nil adhuc inimicitiarum intulerit. Quin potius, si moriturus sum, ille me magis quam ignobilior quisque morti tradat. Quo enim nunc fugiam, qui per omnes Brittaniae prouincias tot annorum temporumque curriculis uagabundus hostium uitabam insidias?’
Abeunte igitur amico, remansit Aeduini solus foris, residensque mestus ante palatium, multis coepit cogitationum aestibus affici, quid ageret, quoue pedem uerteret, nescius.
Cumque diu tacitis mentis angoribus, et caeco carperetur igni, uidit subito intempesta nocte silentio adpropinquantem sibi hominem uultus habitusque incogniti; quem uidens, ut ignotum et inopinatum, non parum expauit. At ille accedens salutauit eum, et interrogauit, quare illa hora, ceteris quiescentibus, et alto sopore pressis, solus ipse mestus in lapide peruigil sederet. At ille uicissim sciscitabatur, quid ad eum pertineret, utrum ipse intus an foris noctem transigeret. Qui respondens ait: ‘Ne me aestimes tuae mestitiae et insomniorum, et forinsecae et solitariae sessionis causam nescire; scio enim certissime qui es, et quare meres, et quae uentura tibi in proximo mala formidas. Sed dicito mihi, quid mercedis dare uelis ei, siqui sit, qui his te meroribus absoluat, et Redualdo suadeat, ut nec ipse tibi aliquid mali faciat, nec tuis te hostibus perimendum tradat.’ Qui cum se omnia, quae posset, huic tali pro mercede beneficii daturum esse responderet, adiecit ille: ‘Quod si etiam regem te futurum exstinctis hostibus in ueritate promittat, ita ut non solum omnes tuos progenitores, sed et omnes, qui ante te reges in gente Anglorum fuerant, potestate transcendas?’ At Aeduini constantior interrogando factus, non dubitauit promittere, quin ei, qui tanta sibi beneficia donaret, dignis ipse gratiarum actionibus responderet. Tum ille tertio: ‘Si autem,’