the Saxons and Angles became, at least nominally, Christian. The instruments, however, in effecting the principal part of this conversion were the monks of Iona,* the conflict between whom and the clergy of Rome is an irrefragable proof of the independence of the primitive Churches of Britain; and it is not unreasonable to suppose that from this source the Anglo-Saxons derived their notions of religious liberty, for they never acknowledged an entire submission to the Pope before the Norman Conquest, and even afterwards their allegiance was badly sustained.† *Bede, Lib. III. 3, 4. + Soames's Anglo-Saxon Church,-and Southey's Book of the Church. SECTION XIII. The Welsh Saints from A. D. 600 to the Death of Cadwallon A. D. 634. IAGO ab Beli, the last prince of North Wales mentioned in the preceding period, was killed in the year 603, when he was succeeded by his son, Cadfan ab Iago, who, upon the departure or expulsion of Ethelfrith from Powys, became the Pendragon or chief sovereign of the Britons, but the duration of his reign and the year of his death are uncertain. His honours were continued to his son, Cadwallon* ab Cadfan; who, soon after the assumption of his power, was defeated by Edwin, king of Northumbria, driven from his dominions, and forced to seek an asylum in Ireland, where he remained seven years. Upon his return, be formed an alliance with Penda, king of Mercia; and joining their forces, they marched to Northumbria, where Edwin was totally routed, himself slain, and most of his army destroyed. Cadwallon continued his victorious course; several of the princes of the Angles fell into his hands, and were put to death; such indeed were his successes, that it was believed * This name has been variously written; Bede spells it Caedualla; Nennius, Catgublaun; the Saxon Chronicle, Ceadwalla; and the Welsh writers, Cadwallon and Katwallawn: and though the identity of the person may be clearly proved, it is necessary to observe these particulars to distinguish him from Cadwaladr, and from another Caedualla or Ceadwalla, a king of the West Saxons; all of whom, inasmuch as they lived within a short time of each other, have been frequently confounded together. + That Cadwallon struck terror into the nation of the Angles is evident from the manner in which Bede describes the havock which he committed, as if he ravaged the country, slaughtering its inhabitants without regard the time had arrived when the Britons should expel the Saxons and Angles, and be restored to the entire possession of the island. Their good fortune, however, received a sudden check. Cadwallon was defeated by Oswald the Bernician, and killed in battle. The return of the Britons to their ancient possessions never became probable again. St. Augustin had gained a firm footing in Kent, and was extending his mission to other parts of the island, when he undertook the design of bringing the Britons to a conformity with the Church of Rome, and reducing them under his own jurisdiction. The following is the narrative of his attempt, as extracted from the works of Bede:† "In the mean time, Augustin, availing himself of the assistance of king Ethelbert (Ædilberct,) summoned to a conference the bishops or doctors of the nearest province of the Britons, at a place which is still called in the language of the Angles Augustinaes ac, or the Oak of Augustin, on the confines of the Huiccii and West Saxons: and he began to advise them with brotherly admonition, that they should enter into a Catholic peace with himself, and undertake for their Lord the common labour of preaching the Gospel to the heathen. For they were not accustomed to celebrate the feast of the Passover of our Lord at its proper time, but from the fourteenth to the twentieth day of the moon, a computation which is comprised in a to age or sex, putting women and children to a cruel death with the ferocity of a brute. Penda, that author says, had not embraced Christianity; but Caedwalla, though a Christian, was a barbarian more savage than a pagan.--Lib. II. 20, and III. 1. *Bede, Nennius, and the Triads.-Caradog of Llancarvan, and the followers of Geoffrey of Monmouth, whose account of Cadwallon is as fabulous as any part of his history, place the death of that prince in 660, while Bede, who was almost a contemporary, fixes it in the year 634.See also Turner's Anglo-Saxons, Book III. Chap. VII. + Hist. Eccl. Lib. II. Cap. II. Situated apparently, within the modern county of Worcester. cycle of eighty four years; and they were wont to perform many other things also contrary to the unity of the Church. Who, after holding a long dispute, were not willing to give assent to the entreaties, the exhortations, and the rebukes of Augustin and his friends, but preferred their own traditions rather than those of all the churches which throughout the world agree in Christ. The holy father, Augustin, therefore put an an end to this laborious and long debate, by saying:'We pray God, who hath made men to be of one mind in the house of their father, that he vouchsafe to signify to us by signs from heaven, which traditions must be followed, by what way we must hasten to the entrance of his kingdom. Let some sick person be brought; and by whosesoever's prayers he shall be healed, let the faith and service of that man be acknowledged as devoted to God and be followed by all.'To which proposal, when the adversaries, though unwillingly, had agreed, a certain person of the nation of the Angles, deprived of the sight of his eyes, was produced; who, when presented to the priests of the Britons, obtained no cure or recovery by their ministry, until Augustin, forced by the necessity of the case, bent his knees to the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying that he would restore to the blind that sight which he had lost, and by the bodily illumination of one man would kindle the grace of spiritual light in the hearts of many believers. Without delay the blind receives his sight, and Augustin is proclaimed by all to be the true herald of light from heaven. Then indeed the Britons confessed that the true way of righteousness was that which Augustin preached, but they could not renounce their ancient customs without the consent and permission of their countrymen. Whence they demanded that a second Synod should be held, at which a greater number of persons should meet." "Which being appointed, there came, as they relate, seven bishops of the Britons, and many very learned men, principally from their most famous monastery, called in the language of the Angles Bancornaburg,* over which Dinoot,† the Abbot, is said to have presided at that time; who, being about to attend the Council just mentioned, came first to a certain holy and prudent man, who was wont to lead the life of an anchorite in that country, to consult him whether they should forsake their traditions at the preaching of Augustin. He answered, 'If he be a man of God, follow him.' They said, 'Whence shall we prove this?' He replied, 'The Lord hath said, Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. If therefore Augustin is meek and lowly in heart, it is to be expected that, because he bears himself the yoke of Christ, he will offer it to be borne by you; but if he is not meek but proud, it is clear that he is not of God, his speech is not to be regarded by us.' They said again, And whence shall we discover this also?' He said, 'Contrive that he come first, with his friends to the place of the Synod; and if he shall rise when you approach, hearken to him obediently, knowing that he is the servant of Christ; but if he shall despise you, and be not willing to rise in your presence when you are more in number, then let him be despised by you.'-They did as he had said, and it was brought to pass, that when they came, Augustin continued to sit in his chair. Seeing which, they were soon moved to anger, and charging him with pride strove to contradict every thing which he said. But he told them, 'Since in many things ye act contrary to our custom, and even to that of the universal Church, yet if ye will obey me in these three points; that ye celebrate the Passover at its proper time; that ye perform the service of Baptism, by which we are born again to God, after the manner of the holy Roman and Apostolic Church; and that ye preach with us the word of God to the nation of the Angles; as for the other things which ye do, although con |