Honour of your Confolation, and others inform'd how Brotherly Charity is to be cultivated. And, in regard, that it often happens, that those, who are at a Distance, sooner than others understand the Things that stand in need of Correction, if any Crimes of Priests or others shall happen to be laid before you, do you in Conjunction with him sharply enquire into the same. And do you both act fo Strictly and carefully against those Things which offend God, and provoke his Wrath, that for the Amendment of others, the Punishment may fall upon the Guilty, and the Innocent may not suffer an ill Name. God keep you in Safety, Most Reverend Brother. Given the tenth Day of the Kalends of July, in the 19th Year of the Empire of our Lord, the most pious Emperor Mauritius Tiberius, the 18th Year after the Confulship of our fame Lord. The fourth Indiction.

CHAP. XXIX.

The fame Pope Sends Augustin the Pall, an Epistle, and feveral Ministers of the

Word.

BEfides, the fame Pope Gregory fent to Bi

shop Augustin, intimated to him, that he had a great Harvest, and but few Labourers, together with his aforesaid Messengers, several Fellow Labourers and Minifters of the Word, among whom the prime and principal were Mellitus, Justus, Paulinus, Rufini

Rufinianus, and by them all Things in general that were necessary for the Worship and the Service of the Church, viz. Sacred Veslels and Vestments for Altars, alfo Ornaments for Churches, and Vestments for Priests and Clerks, as likewise Relicks of the Holy Apostles and. Martyrs; besides many Books. He also sent Letters, wherein he signifies that he had tranfmitted the Pall to him, and at the same time directs how he should constitute Bishops in Britain. The which Letters were in these

Words.

To Auguftin

O the Most Reverend and Holy Brother, our Fellow Bishop, Gregory, the Servant of the Servants of God. Tho it be certain, that the ineffable Rewards of the eternal Kingdom are referu'd for those who labour for Almighty God, yet it is requifite that we bestow on them the Advantage of Honours, to the end that they may by the Recompence be enabled the more vigorously to apply themselves to the Care of the Spiritual Work. And, in regard, that the new Church of the English, is through the Goodness of the Lord, and your Labours, brought to the Grace of God, we grant you the Use of the Pall in the Same, only for the performing of the solemn Service of the Mass; So that you in several Places ordain twelve Bishops, who shall be subject to your Furifdiction, so as that the Bishop of London, must for the future be always confecrated by his own Synod, and that he receive the Honour of the Pall from this Holy and Apoftolical See, which I by the Grace of God, now serve. But we will have you send to the City of York Such a Bishop as you shall think fit to ordain; yet so, that if that City, with the

,

the Places adjoining, shall receive the Word of God, that Bishop shall also ordain twelve Bishops, and enjoy the Honour of a Metropolitan; because we defign, if we live, by the Help of God, to bestowo him also the Pall; and yet we will have him to be subservient to your Brotherhood's Dispofition; but after your Decease, he shall fo prefide over the Bishops he shall ordain, as to be no way Subject to the furisdiction of the Bishop of London. But for the future let this Distinction be between the Bishops of the Cities of London and York, that he may have the Precedence, who shall be first ordain'd. But let them unanimously dispose by common Advice and uniform Action, whatsoèver is to be done for the Zeal of CHRIST; let them judge rightly, and not perform what they judge convenient in a Method differing among themSelves. But to your Brotherhood shall, by the Authority of God, our Lord JESUS CHRIST, be Subject not only those Bishops you shall ordain, nor only those that shall be ordain'd by the Bishop of York, but also all the Priests in Britain; to the end that from the Mouth and Life of your Holiness they may learn the Rule of believing rightly, and living well, and fulfilling their Office in Faith and good Manners, they may, when it shall please the Lord, attain the Heavenly Kingdom. God preserve you in Safety, Most Reverend Brother. Dated the thirteenth Day of the Kalends of July, in the 19th Year of the Reign of the most picus Emperor, our Lord, Mauritius Tiberius, the 18th Year after the Confulship of our faid Lord. The fourth Indiction.

CHAP.

1

CHAP. XXX.

A Copy of the Letter, which he (Pope Gregory) sent to the Abbat Mellitus then going into Britain.

T

HE aforesaid Messengers being departed, the Holy Father Gregory sent after them Letters worthy to be preserv'd in Memory, wherein he plainly shows, what Care he took of the Salvation of our Nation: Writing thus,

To the servant
O his most beloved Son the Abbat Mellitus,

God. We have been very much concern'd, fince the Departure of our Congregation that is with you; because we have not receiv'd any Account of the good Success of your Fourney. When therefore Almighty God shall bring you to the most Reverend Man our Brother, Bishop Augustin, tell him, what I have upon mature Deliberation on the Affair of the English, thought of, viz. that the Temples of the Idols in that Nation ought not to be destroy'd; but let the Idols that are in them be destroy'd; let Holy Water be made and Sprinkled in the Said Temples, let Altars be erected, and Relicks plac'd. For if those Temples are well built, it is requisite that they be converted from the Worship of Devils to the Service of the true God; that the Nation, 10t feeing those Temples destroy'd, may remove Er

tor

Yor from their Hearts, and knowing and adoring the true God, may the more familiarly refort to the Same Places they were wont And because they use to flaughter many Oxen in the Sacrifice to Devils, Some Solemnity must be exchang'd for them on this Account, as that on the Day of the Dedication, or the Nativities of the Holy Martyrs, whose Relicks are there depofited, they may build themselves Huts of the Boughs of Trees, about those Churches, which have been turn'd to that Use from Temples, and celebrate the Solemnity with religious Feasting, and no more offer Beasts to the Devil, but that they kill Cattle to the Praise of God in their eating, and return Thanks to the Giver of all Things for their Satiety; to the end that whilst Some Satisfactions are outwardly permitted them, they may the more easily consent to the inward Joys. For there is no doubt but that it is impoffible to retrench all at once from obdurate Minds, because he who endeavours to ascend to the highest Place, rises by Degrees or Steps, and not by Leaps. Thus the Lord indeed made himself known to the People of Ifrael in Egypt; and yet he referu'd to them the Use of the Sacrifices, which they were wont to offer to the Devil, for his own Worship; fo as to command them in his Sacrifice to kill Beasts, to the end, that changing their Hearts, they might lay afide one Part of the Sacrifice, and retain another; that so they might be the fame Beasts which they were wont to offer, but that offering them to God, and not to Idols; they might no longer be the Same Sacrifices. This it behoves your Affection to communicate to our aforesaid Brother, that he being there present, may confider, how he is to order all things. God preserve you in Safety, most beloved Son. Given the thirteenth Day of the Kalends of June, in

the