، 'us'd, pray, what Chriftian will not immedi ately detest and cast it off with his Magick ? The which looking upon the Top of the 'Forehead, does seem indeed to resemble a 'Crown; but when you come to look upon ' the Neck, you will find the Crown you thought ، you had feen cut off short; that you may 'be fatisfy'd such a Diftinction properly belongs not to Christians but to Simoniacs, such as were indeed in this Life thought worthy * of a perpetual Crown of Glory by Men that were deceiv'd; but in that Life which is to follow this, are not only depriv'd of all Hopes * of a Crown, but are moreover condemned to * eternal Punishment. But do not think that 'I have faid thus much, as judging those who * use this Tonsure, are to be damn'd, in cafe ، they favour the Catholick Unity in Faith and 'Actions; no, I confidently declare, that many of them have been holy and worthy of 'God. Of which Number is Adamannus, the 'Abbat, and renowned Priest of Columb, who, when fent Embaslador by his Nation to King Aldfrid, coming to see our Monastery, and discovering wonderful Wisdom, Humility and Religion in his Words and Behaviour, among other Things I said to him in Discourse, I beseech you, holy Brother, who think you are advancing to the Crown of Life, which knows no Period, why do you contrary to the Habit of your Faith, wear on your Head a. Crown that is terminated, or bounded ? And if you aim at the Society of St. Peter, why do you imitate the Tonsure of him, whom he anathematiz'd; and why do you not rather even now show you, to your utmoft ، * most Affect the Habit of him with whom you *defire to live happy for ever. He answer'd, *Be assur'd, my dear Brother, that tho' I have 'Simon's Tonsure, according to the Custom of my Country, yet I utterly detest and abhor the Simoniacal Wickedness; and I defire, as far as my Littleness is capable of doing it, to follow the Footsteps of the most Blesled 'Prince of the Apostles. I reply'd, I verily believe it is as you say; but let it appear by showing in your Faces such Things as you 'know to be his, that you in your Hearts embrace whatsoever is of Peter the Apostle. 'For I believe your Wisdom does eafily judge, 'that it is much more proper to estrange your 'Countenance already dedicated to God from 'the Resemblance of his Aspect, whom from ، ८ your Heart you abhor, and of whose hideous "Face you would shun the Sight; and, on the 'other hand, that it becomes you to imitate 'the outward Resemblance of him, whom you' 'seek to have your Advocate with God, as you 'defire to follow his Actions, or Instructions. 'This I then faid to Adamannus, who indeed 'show'd how much he had improv'd upon feeing the Statutes of our Churches, when returning into Scotland, he afterwards by his preaching brought great Numbers of that Nation over to the Catholick Obfervance of 'the Pafchal Time; tho he was not yet able ' to reduce to a better Way the Monks that 'liv'd in the Island of Hii, over whom he prefided as their Ruler. He would alfo have been mindful to amend the Tonsure, if his Authority had extended fo far. I also admonish your Wisdom, O King, that you endea ، vour in all Points, with your Nation, over which the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords has plac'd you to observe those Things which appertain to the Unity of the Catholick and 'Apoftolick Church; for by that means it will 'come to pass, that after the Power of your Temporal Kingdom, the most Blessed Prince of the Apostles will readily lay open to you and yours the Entrance into the Heavenly Kingdom, with the rest of the Elect. The • Grace of the eternal King preferve thee in Safety, long reigning, for the Peace of us • all, my most beloved Son in CHRIST.. This Letter having been read in the Prefence of King Naiton, and many more of the best learned, and carefully interpreted into his own Language by those who could understand it, he is said to have much rejoic'd at the Exhortation; infomuch, that rising from among his great Men that sate about him, he knelt on the Ground, giving Thanks to God, for that he had been found worthy to receive such a Present from the Land of the English, and, faid he, I knew indeed before, that this was the true Celebration of Easter, but now, I fo fully know the Reason for observing of this Time, that I seem convinced that I knew little of it before. Therefore I publickly declare, and do protest to you, that are here present, that I will for ever continually observe this Time of Easter, with all my Nation; and I do decree, that this Tonfure, which we have heard is most reasonable, shall be receiv'd by all the Clergy in my Kingdom. Accordingly he immediately perform'd by his Regal Authority, what he had faid. For the nineteen Years Circles : : : Circles or Revolutions were presently, by pub- CHAP. XXIII. How the Monks of Hii, and the Monafte- N OT long after those Monks also of the Scotish Nation, who liv'd in the Ifie of Hii, with the other Monafteries that were fubje& to them, were by the Assistance of our Lord reduc'd to the Canonical Observati on of Easter, and Tonsure. For in the Year after the Incarnation of our Lord 716, when Ofred being flain, Coenred took upon him the Government of the Kingdom of the Northum brians, the Beloved of God, and worthy to be nam'd with all Honour, the Father and Prieft Ecgberht, whom we have often mention'd before, coming to them, he was honourably receiv'd, and with much Joy. Who being a moft most agreeable Teacher, and a most devout Practiser of those Things which he taught, ought to be perform'd, and being most willingly heard by all, by his pious and frequent Exhortations, chang'd that inveterate Tradition of their Ancestors, of whom may be said those Words of the Apostle, That they had the Zeal of God, but not according to Knowledge. He taught them to perform the principal Solemnity after the Catholick and Apoftolical Manner, as has been said, under the Figure of a perpetual Circle; the which appears to have been done through a wonderful Dispensation of the Divine Goodness; to the end, that by reason the same Nation had taken care willingly and without Envy, to communicate to the English People the Knowledge they have of the true Deity, it should afterwards by means of the English Nation be reduc'd where it was defective to the perfect Rule of Life. Even as, on the contrary, the Britons, who would not acquaint the English with the Knowledge they had of the Christian Faith, now the English People do believe, and are thoroughly instructed in the Rule of the Catholick Faith, do ftill continue inveterate and halting in their Ways, expose their Heads without a Crown, and keep the Solemnity of CHRIST without the Society of the Church. The Monks of Hii, by the Instruction of Ecgbert, receiv'd the Catholick Rites of Life, under the Abbat Dunchad, about eighty Years after they had fent Aidan to preach to the English Nation. The Man of God Ecgbercht remain'd thirteen Years in the aforesaid Island, which he had confecrated to CHRIST, as it were with a : new |