THE MISSION OF AUGUSTINE (597).
Source.—Bede, Eccl. Hist., i. 25, 26. A.D. 731. Translated by J. A. Giles. Bohn’s Library.
Augustine, thus strengthened by the confirmation of the blessed Father Gregory, returned to the work of the word of God, with the servants of Christ, and arrived in Britain. The powerful Ethelbert was at that time king of Kent; he had extended his dominions as far as the great river Humber, by which the Southern Saxons are divided from the Northern. On the east of Kent is the large Isle of Thanet, containing, according to the English way of reckoning, 600 families, divided from the other land by the river Wantsum, which is about three furlongs over, and fordable only in two places, for both ends of it run into the sea. In this island landed the servant of our Lord, Augustine, and his companions, being, as is reported, nearly forty men. They had, by order of the blessed Pope Gregory, taken interpreters of the nation of the Franks, and sending to Ethelbert, signified that they were come from Rome, and brought a joyful message, which most undoubtedly assured to all that took advantage of it everlasting joys in heaven, and a kingdom that would never end, with the living and true God. The king having heard this, ordered them to stay in that island where they had landed, and that they should be furnished with all necessaries, till he should consider what to do with them. For he had before heard of the Christian religion, having a Christian wife of the royal family of the Franks, called Bertha; whom he had received from her parents, upon condition that she should be permitted to practise her religion with the Bishop Luidhard, who was sent with her to preserve her faith. Some days after, the king came into the island, and sitting in the open air, ordered Augustine and his companions to be brought into his presence. For he had taken precaution that they should not come to him in any house, lest, according to an ancient superstition, if they practised any magical arts, they might impose upon him, and so get the better of him. But they came furnished with Divine, not with magic virtue, bearing a silver cross for their banner, and the image of our Lord and Saviour painted on a board; and singing the litany, they offered up their prayers to the Lord for the eternal salvation both of themselves and of those to whom they were come. When he had sat down, pursuant to the king’s commands, and preached to him and his attendants there present, the word of life, the king answered thus:—“Your words and promises are very fair, but as they are new to us, and of uncertain import, I cannot approve of them so far as to forsake that which I have so long followed with the whole English nation. But because you are come from far into my kingdom, and, as I conceive, are desirous to impart to us those things which you believe to be true, and most beneficial, we will not molest you, but give you favourable entertainment, and take care to supply you with your necessary sustenance; nor do we forbid you to preach and gain as many as you can to your religion.” Accordingly he permitted them to reside in the city of Canterbury, which was the metropolis of all his dominions, and, pursuant to his promise, besides allowing them sustenance, did not refuse them liberty to preach. It is reported that, as they drew near to the city, after their manner, with the holy cross, and the image of our sovereign Lord and King, Jesus Christ, they, in concert, sung this litany: “We beseech Thee, O Lord, in all Thy mercy, that Thy anger and wrath be turned away from this city, and from the holy house, because we have sinned. Hallelujah.”
As soon as they entered the dwelling-place assigned them, they began to imitate the course of life practised in the primitive church; applying themselves to frequent prayer, watching and fasting; preaching the word of life to as many as they could; despising all worldly things, as not belonging to them; receiving only their necessary food from those they taught; living themselves in all respects conformably to what they prescribed to others, and being always disposed to suffer any adversity, and even to die for that truth which they preached. In short, several believed and were baptised, admiring the simplicity of their innocent life, and the sweetness of their heavenly doctrine. There was on the east side of the city a church dedicated to the honour of St. Martin, built whilst the Romans were still in the island, wherein the queen, who, as has been said before, was a Christian, used to pray. In this they first began to meet, to sing, to pray, to say mass, to preach, and to baptise, till the king, being converted to the faith, allowed them to preach openly, and build or repair churches in all places.
When he, among the rest, induced by the unspotted life of these holy men, and their delightful promises, which, by many miracles, they proved to be most certain, believed and was baptised, greater numbers began daily to flock together to hear the word, and, forsaking their heathen rites, to associate themselves, by believing, to the unity of the church of Christ. Their conversion the king so far encouraged, as that he compelled none to embrace Christianity, but only showed more affection to the believers, as to his fellow-citizens in the heavenly kingdom. For he had learned from his instructors and leaders to salvation, that the service of Christ ought to be voluntary, not by compulsion. Nor was it long before he gave his teachers a settled residence in his metropolis of Canterbury, with such possessions of different kinds as were necessary for their subsistence.
ETHELBERT’S DOOMS (circa 600).
Source.—Thorpe, Ancient Laws and Institutes of England.
These are the dooms which Ethelbert the King gave forth in Augustine’s days:
1. The property of God and of the church, twelve-fold; a bishop’s property, eleven-fold; a priest’s property, nine-fold; a deacon’s property, six-fold; a clerk’s property, three-fold; right of sanctuary, two-fold.
2. If the king call his people to him, and any one there do them evil, a two-fold amends, and 50 shillings to the king.
5. If a man slay another in the king’s “tun,” let him make amends with 50 shillings.
6. If any one slay a freeman, 50 shillings to the king as a fine.
8. The king’s fine for a breach of the peace, 50 shillings.
9. If a freeman steal from a freeman, let him make three-fold amends, and let the king have the fine and all the chattels.
13. If a man slay another in an eorl’s tun, let him make amends with 12 shillings.
15. A ceorl’s fine for a breach of the peace, 6 shillings.
17. If any one be the first to break into a man’s tun, let him make amends with 6 shillings; let him who follows, with 3 shillings; afterward, each man a shilling.
19. If highway robbery be done, let the amends be 6 shillings.
20. If a man then slay a man, let him make amends with 20 shillings.
28. If any man take indoor-property, let him make a three-fold amends.
33. If there be seizing of the hair, let there be 50 sceatts for amends.
34. If there be an exposure of the bone, let amends be made with 3 shillings.
35. If there be a bite into the bone, let amends be made with 4 shillings.
38. If a shoulder be lamed, let amends be made with 30 shillings.
39. If an ear be struck off, let amends be made with 12 shillings.
43. If an eye be out, let amends be made with 50 shillings.
45. If the nose be pierced, let amends be made with 9 shillings.
50. Let him who breaks the jaw-bone pay for it with 20 shillings.
51. For each of the four front teeth, 6 shillings, for the tooth which stands next to them, 4 shillings; for that which stands next to that, 3 shillings; and then afterwards, for each, a shilling.
52. If the speech be injured, 12 shillings.
53. Let him who stabs through an arm make amends with 6 shillings. If an arm be broken, let him make amends with 6 shillings.
54. If a thumb be struck off, 20 shillings. If a thumb-nail be off, let amends be made with 3 shillings. If the shooting-finger [fore-finger] be struck off, let amends be made with 8 shillings. If the middle finger be struck off, let amends be made with 4 shillings. If the gold-finger [ring-finger] be struck off, let amends be made with 6 shillings. If the little finger be struck off, let amends be made with 11 shillings.
55. For every nail, a shilling.
57. If any one strike another with his fist on the nose, 3 shillings.
69. If a foot be cut off, let 50 shillings be paid.
75. For the “mund” [money paid by a bridegroom to the bride’s father] of a widow of the best class, of an eorl’s degree, let the fine be 50 shillings; of the second, 20 shillings; of the third, 12 shillings; of the fourth, 6 shillings.
86. If one esne slay another unoffending, let him pay for him at his full worth.
87. If an esne’s eye and foot be struck out or off, let him be paid for at his full worth.
89. Let the highway robbery of a slave be 3 shillings.
90. If a slave steal, let him make twofold amends.