But on the very Day on which the Nation receiv'd the Baptifm of Faith, there fell a foft but plentiful Rain; the Earth flourish'd again, and the Verdure being restor'd to the Fields, the Year prov'd pleasant and fruitful. Thus the former Superstition being rejected, and Idolatry exploded, the Hearts and Flesh of all rejoic'd in the Living God, being convinc'd that he who is the true God, had, through his Heavenly Grace enrich'd them with interior and exterior Goods. For the Bishop, when he came into the Province, and found fo great Mifery of Famine, taught them to get their Food by fishing; their Sea and Rivers abounding in Fish, and yet the People had no Skill to take them, except only Eels. The Bishop's Men having gather'd Eel Nets every where, caft them into the Sea, and by the Help of God, took three Hundred Fishes of several forts, the which being divided into three Parts, they gave an Hundred to the Poor, an Hundred to those of whom they had the Nets, and kept an Hundred for their own Ufe. By this Benefit the Bishop gain'd the Affections of them all, and they began the more readily upon his Preaching to hope for Heavenly Goods, by whose Help they had receiv'd the Temporal. At this Time King Edilwalch gave to the most Reverend Prelate Wilfrid Land of eighty seven Families, to maintain his Men that wander'd in Banishment, which Place is call'd Selefeu, that is, The Island b of the Sea Calf. That Place is encompass'd by the Sea on all fides, except the West, where is an Entrance about the Caft of a Sling over; which fort of Place is by the Latins call'd a Peninfula; by the Greeks, a Cherfonefus. Bishop Wilfrid having this Place given him, founded a Monastery therein, and establish'd a regular Course of Life, chiefly of the Brethren he had brought with him, the which his Successors are known to possess to this Day; for he both in Word and Actions perform'd the Function of a Bishop in those Parts during the space of five Years, that is, till the Death of King Ecgfrid. And for as much as the aforesaid King, together with the Poffeffion of the faid Place, gave him all the Goods that were in the fame, with the Lands and Men, he having instructed them in the Faith of CHRIST, baptiz'd them all. Among whom were two Hundred and fifty Men and Women Slaves, all whom he by Baptifm not only rescu'd from the Servitude of the Devil, but giving them their Liberty, exempted them from the Yoke of Human Servitude.

CHAP. CHAP. XIV.

How a Pestilential Mortality ceas'd through the Interceffion of King Ofwald.

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N which Monastary at that Time, some Favours of the Heavenly Grace are faid to have been shown; as in a Place where the Tyranny of the Devil being lately expell'd, CHRIST had then began to reign. Of which Number I have thought it proper to perpetuate the Memory of one, which the most Reverend Bishop Acca was wont to relate to me, affirming it had been told him by most creditable Brothers of the same Monastery. About the same Time, that this Province (of the South Saxons). embrac'd the Faith of CHRIST; a grievous Mortality ran through many Provinces of Britain; the which also, by the Divine Dispensation, reaching the aforesaid Monastery, then govern'd by the most Reverend and most Religious Prieft of CHRIST, Eappa, and many as well of those that came thither with the Bishop, as of those that had been call'd to the Faith of the fame Province of the South-Saxons, being snatch'd away out of this World; the Brethren thought fit to keep a Fast of three Days, and to implore the Divine Goodness, that it would vouchafe to extend Mercy to them, either by delivering those that were in Danger by the Difstemper from Death, or by

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delivering those that departed this Life from eternal Damnation. There was at that Time in the Monastery a little Boy of the Saxon Nation, lately call'd to the Faith, who being feiz'd with the same Distemper, had long kept his Bed. On the second Day of that Fafting and Praying, it hapned that the said Boy was about the fecond Hour of the Day left alone in the Place where he lay fick, to whom, through the Divine Difpofition, the most Blessed Princes of the Apoftles vouchsaf'd to appear; for he was a Lad of an extraordinary mild and innocent Disposition, and with fincere Devotion observ'd the Mysteries of the Faith, which he had receiv'd. The Apostles therefore faluting him in most affectionate manner, said, Do not fear Death, Child, which makes you uneafy; for we will this Day conduct you to the Heavenly Kingdom; but you are first to stay till the Masses are faid, that having receiv'd the Viaticum of the Body and Blood of our Lord, and being so discharg'd through Sickness and Death, you may be carry'd up to the everlafting Joys in Heaven. Call therefore to you the Prieft Eappa, and tell him, that the Lord has heard your Prayers and Devotion, and has favourably accepted of your Fast, and no one more shall die of this Plague, either in the Monastery, or its adjacent Poffeffions; but all your People who any where labour under this Distemper, shall be eas'd of their Pain, and restor'd to their former Health, except you alone, who are this Day to be deliver'd by Death, and to be carry'd into Heaven to behold our Lord CHRIST, whom you have faithfuliy fero'd; the which the Divine Mercy has vouchJaf'd to grant you, through the Interceffion of the Religious and Beloved of God, King Ofwald, who Former

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formerly nobly prefided over the Nation of the Northumbrians, as well by the Authority of the Temporal Kingdom, as the Devotion of Christian Piety, which leads to the Heavenly Kingdom; for this very Day that King, being corporally kill'd in War by the Infidels, was immediately taken up to the everlasting Foys of Souls in Heaven, and afSociated to the Number of the Elect. Let them look in their Books, wherein the Deposition of the Dead is fet down, and they will find that he was this Day, as we have faid, taken out of this World. Let them therefore celebrate Masses in all the Oratories of this Monastery, either in Thanksgiving for their Prayers being heard, or elfe in Memory of the aforesaid King Ofwald, who once govern'd their Nation; and therefore he humbly offer'd up his Prayers to our Lord for them, as for Strangers of his Nation; and let all the Brethren affembling in the Church communicate in the Heavenly Sacrifices, and so giving over the Fast, let them refresh themselves with Food. The Boy having call'd the Prieft, and repeated all these Words to him, he particularly enquir'd after the Habit and Form of the Men that had appear'd to him. He answer'd, Their Habit was noble, and their Countenances most pleasant and beautiful; fuch as I had never seen before, nor did I think there could be any Men so graceful and comely. One of them indeed was fhorn like a Clerk, the other had a long Beard; and they said, that one of them was Peter, the other call'd Paul; and both of them the Servants of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, fent by him from Heaven to protect our Monastery. The Priest believ'd what the Boy faid, and going thence immediately look'd in his Annal, and found that King Ofwald had been

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