^ See Wharton's " Historia
Episcoporum
London.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Vita King Penda.
Peada is said to have been
s See ibid. , nn. 2, 3, p. 20. the Northern from the Southern Mercians.
^ See " Church History of Brittany under See Matthew of Westminster, " Flores
S. CeddsesiveCeddiEpiscopi,§§i. toxvi. ,
pp. 18 to 20. wife A. D. 657. The River Trent separated
the Saxon Heptarchy," book xv. , chap.
xvii. , p. 368.
7 See his Life at the 31st of August.
"
Historiarum, pp. 230 to 232.
"• See his Life at the of
9th January.
'S This was near the great northern wall built by the Romans,
^ The Midland English or Middelengli,
as called by Venerable Bede, are distin-
guished by this historian from the Mer- killed 5th of August, a. d. 644, by Penda,
cians. The former inhabited Leicestershire,
according to Ussher. Perhaps, too, they occupied some other adjacent countries. At this time, King Penda had transferred them as subjects to his son Peada.
King of the Mercians. Oswy is said to have
reigned twenty-eight years over the King- dom of the Bernici, and to have died a. d. 670. See Matthew of Westminster, "Flores Historiarum," pp. 224, 235. Oswy's
"
9 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of daughter, Alchfleda, became the wife of
the Saints," vol. i. , pp. 91, 92. Peada.
'°
The Bollandists give his Acts at the 1 7th
nth of February.
^'^ Some writers state his festival was held
on the 22nd of February, and others on the
19thofJuly.
'3 His father was Penda, King of the
Mercians, and he was killed A. D. 655.
murdered through the treachery of his own
'* He succeeded his brother St. Oswald,
JANUARY 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 89
fit to teach and baptize Peada's nation of the Midland EngHsh. This potentate returned home with much joy to prepare for the reception of those priests. Diuma, the last-named, was a Scot/7 while the others belonged to the Angli race. Arriving in the province, with the Prince, these holy mis-
^^
the
by the people. The nobility and the humbler inhabitants, renouncing the
filthofidolatry,weredailybaptizedingreatnumbers. '9 NordidKingPenda offer any obstruction to their^ preaching the Word among his people, the Mercians, if any of these were willing to hear it. ^° But he hated and des- pised such as had received the Gospel of Christ, yet who did not live up to their faith. He most truly declared, that these wretches deserved to be
despised, when they would not obey their God, in whom they professed to believe. ^'^
Saint Cedd was labouring with great success on his midland field of duty, when called away to be sent upon another holy expedition. His next desti- nation was to the Eastern Saxons. ^^ For Sigbercht or Sigebert,^^ the monarch ofthatprovince,hadvisitedOswy,KingofNorthumbria. '^^ Thisreligious
prince, omitting no opportunity for exhorting his friends to embrace the true way of salvation, had induced his guest to accept the sweet yoke of the Christian faith. ^s Sigebert was baptized by Bishop Finan. ^^ Having now become a citizen of the Eternal Kingdom, Sigebert returned to the seat of his temporal kingdom, and requested King Oswy that he would despatch teachers, who might convert his nation to the faith of Christ. Leaving the province of the Midland English, the man of God, Cedda, obtained another priest for his companion. ^7 These went as preachers to the nation of the East Saxons. ^^ After travelling through all the country, when they had gathered a numerous Church to our Lord, Cedda returned to Lindisfarne Church to confer with Bishop Finan. ^9 Finding how successful he had been in the work of the Gospel, after the year 652, Finan constituted him bishop over the Church of the East Saxons, while calling two other bishops to assist at the consecration. 3° Having received the episcopal degree, Cedd returned to his province. Pursuing the work he had begun with more ample authority,
'7 This Venerable Bede states expressly, rated on the 24th of April. See Rev.
sionaries
diligently preached
Gospel.
They
were hearkened to willingly
yet Dr. Lingard calls the four missionaries
Northumbrian priests. See "History and
Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church,"
Alban Butler's
''
Lives of the Fathers, Mar-
chap.
i.
tyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April xxiv.
^3 Sigebert, sumamed the Little, the son
of Siward, over the East Saxons feigned
A. D. 623, according to Matthew of West- minster, "Flores Historiarum," p. 215.
^^Seezizd. , p. 225.
^s See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
Sancta," part L, p. 11.
'^ Abbot of Ingulph,
Croyland,
states, that this prince was disposed to found a monastery at Medishamisted, but his im- timely death frust^-ated his purpose. See "Historia," p. 850. Rerum Anglicarum
Scriptores post Bedam Prsecipui. '9 See Bishop Challoner's
Sancta," parti. , p. Ii.
" ^* Britannia
^°
See Dr. Lingard's "History of Eng-
Matthew of Westminster assigns these
events to A. D. 649. See "Flores Historia-
rum," p. 225.
^7 See Bede's "Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 22. , pp. 221,222.
=^
In "The Circle of the Seasons," at the 7th of January, p. 7, occurs "St. Cedd,
"
Bishop of London.
^ See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap. xv. ,sec. xv. , p. 428.
3° Camden has fallen into an error, in as- signing to A. D. 630 the conversion of the East Saxons. Now King Oswy did not
land," vol. i,, chap, ii. , A. D. 651. , p. 95.
Edition, 1837.
^'
See Bede's "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. xxi. , pp. 218, 219.
^^ St. Mellitus, in the beginning of the seventh century, had partially succeeded in bringing many of them to the true Faith. On the death of their King Sebert, about A. D. 616, his sons banished this holy first bishop of London, and many of the converts lapsed into paganism. St. Mellitus is vene-
90 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [January 7.
the newly-appointed prelate built churches in several places. 3^ He also ordained priests and deacons to assist him in preaching the Word, and in
administering baptism, more especially in that city called by the Saxons Ythancester. 32 This was formerly denominated Othona, once a town of note, but now swallowed up by encroachment of the sea. 33 It was seated on the bank of a river, named Pante, now Froshwell. His mission was
prosecuted, hkewise, in another city called Tillaburg, now Tilbury, 34 near the RiverThames. 35 Inbothoftheseplaces,St. Chadgatheredcommunitiesof devout servants to our Lord. 36 These he instructed in the discipline of a regular life, so far as those rude people, lately reclaimed from paganism, were then capable of learning.
CHAPTER II.
ST, CHAD FREQUENTLY VISITED NORTHUMBRIA—KING ETHELWALD GRANTED HIM LAND, WHEREON TO ERECT A MONASTERY—AUSTERITIES PRACTISED THEREIN—THE RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES OF LINDISFARNE INTRODUCED AT L^STINGA OR LESTIN- GAN—THE HOLY PRELATE RETURNS TO THE EAST SAXONS.
Our saint did not confine his apostolic labours, however, to the province of the East Saxons, or to his diocese of London,^ the capital of that pro- vince. ^ He went several times, as we learn from St. Bede, to visit and exhort his countrymen, living on the north side of the Humber river. Here, Ethelwald, son to King Oswald, who reigned among the Deire, in Yorkshire, finding him to be a holy and a wise man, desired him to accept of some landed possessions, on which to build a monastery. There, the King desired toresort,toofferhispiousprayersandtoheartheWordofGod. Therehe wished to be buried when he died, firmly believing he should receive much benefit from the prayers of those who were to serve God in that place. The King had with him Celin, a brother of the same holy prelate. Celin was a man of great piety, and being a priest, he administered frequently to the King and to his family, the Word of God and the Sacraments of Faith. Through his means. King Ethelwald chiefly came to know and love the bishop. Wherefore, complying with the King's desires, St. Cedd choose a place to build his monastery. He selected a site among the craggy and re- mote mountains. These seemed to be a fitter retreat for robbers, or a lurking place for wild beasts, than a suitable habitation for men. The ser-
begin his reign until 642, and before the
year 652, St. Finan had not been consecrated
bishop,
3' See Matthew of Westminster, " Flores
" Historiarum, p. 225.
3^ It is situated on the Blackwater. An old chapel marks the site, and there are numerous traces of an ancient settlement. It is in the parish of Bradwell. See Rev.
Brittany," book xv. , chap, xvii. , p. 369. 35Xhe monasteries of Ythancester and Til-
bury, in all appearance, were destroyed by the Danes, about the ninth century. We find no further mention of them in history.
3* gee Bede's " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 22. pp.
S. Baring-Gould's vol. i. , p. 91, note.
"
Lives of the Saints,"
saint is called Bishop of London in the Eng-
lish Martyrology, by William of Malms- 33 See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of bury and by other writers, as it was the chief
the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. i. , January 7.
3''
Cressy maintains, however, that the seat of St. Cedd's bishopric among the East Saxons was not at Tilbury, as Camden
city of the East Saxons. See "Acta Sane-
torum Hibernije," vii. , Januarii, n. 14, p. 21.
^ See Wharton's " Historia Episcoporum London. " and Polydore Virgil Urbinatis
"
the kingdom. See "Church History of p. 71.
imagines,
but at
London,
the
Metropolis
of
Anghcse Historiae,"
lib.
xxvii. ,
lib.
iv. ,
222, 223. — Chap. ii.
' that this Colgan remarks,
January 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 91
vant of God desired by prayers and fasting to cleanse this place from crimes, formerly committed there, and thus he prepared to erect a monastic founda- tion. He requested the King, that there he might be permitted to abide in prayer, during the whole of an approaching Lent. This request was granted. According to Ecclesiastical custom, St. Cedd kept fast until the
evening every day, except on Sundays. Then he was content with a small piece of bread, one egg, and a little milk, mingled with water. Such he stated was anciently the custom of those,3 from whom he had learned a rule of regular discipline. '^ They consecrated first to the Lord by prayers and fasting those places, which were given them for the building of monasteries or churches. When only ten days of the Lent remained, a person came inviting St. Cedd to pay a visit to the King. That so religious a work should not be intermitted, even to regulate the King's important affairs, Cedd desired his priest, and his own brother, Cynibil, to continue there those devotions which he had piously begun. Cynibil most willingly consented.
The full time for prayer and fasting having been completed, St. Cedda there built a monastery, which was called Laestinga. s His disciples were furnished with such religious institutes as were observed at Lindisfame, where he had been trained. After this, the holy Prelate returned to his bishopric among the East Saxons. ^ There he diligently carried on God's works, yet so as to keep superintendence over Lestingan Monastery. He placed superiors to govern it, and he visited it from time to time. 7
CHAPTER III.
KING SIGEBERT REJOICES AT THE GOOD BISHOP's WORK—EXCOMMUNICATION OF A NOBLE, AND TRAGIC DEATH OF THE KING—SUIDHELM SUCCEEDS HIM—ST. CHAD ASSISTS AT THE SYNOD OF STREANESHALCH—ON A VISIT TO LESTINGA, HE IS SEIZED WITH HIS LAST ILLNESS—HIS DEATH AND BURIAL—HOLY BROTHERS OF THIS; SAINT—REMARKABLE DEVOTEDNESS OF THE RELIGIOUS OF ESSEX—FEAST OF ST. CHAD—CONCLUSION.
King Sigebert saw with joy the great progress which the Gospel made
amonghispeople,owingtothepreachingofSt. Cedda. Yetbyinstigation of the common enemy to all good deeds, Sigebert was basely murdered by two of his own kinsmen. The murderers could allege no other reason for what they had done than a hatred towards him, because he was too mercifully
inclined, and too easily induced to forgive his enemies. ' Sigebert's death might have entitled the King to some share in the martyr's glory, had there not been a former fault, which drew on him this punishment from Divine
justice.
3 St. Columba's disciples, under whose but to the Bemicians. See " The Church
rule he had received his first education at Lindisfame. Besides the fast days in each
week, there were three particular portions of each year, during which a solemn fast was formerly kept in Ireland. See Rev. P. J. Carew's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," chap. viii. , p. 309, note.
"t See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 13.
s This place is sometimes written Lestin-
gau, and Lestinghen. In the Breviary of Sarum it is said to have belonged to the Isle of Lindisfame. According to Cressy, this island did not pertain to the Deiri province,
History of Brittany under the Saxon Hep- tarchy," book xvi. , chap, xii. , p. 393.
*
This people first received the faith in 604, according to the Chronicler, Ethel- werd. See "ChroniconimEthelwerdi," libri iv. , lib. ii. , cap. L, p. 836. Rerum Angli-
carum Scriptores post Bedam Prrecipui. "
'
' See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 23, pp.
225, 226. — Cap. in.
See Heniy of Huntingdon's Historiarum," libri viii. , lib. iii. , p. 333. Rerum Anglicanmi Scriptores post Bedam
Praecipui.
"
92 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 7.
Venerable Bede thus relates the circumstance. One of those Earls, who murdered him, had contracted an unlawful marriage. Not being able to pre- vent or correct this irregularity, St. Chad excommunicated the noble, and for- bade all under his charge to enter the nobleman's house. On returning, the holy bishop met the King, who began to tremble on seeing St. Cedd. Alighting from his horse, Sigebert prostrated himself at the bishop's feet,
and begged a pardon for his offence. St. Cedd in like manner alighting from the horse he rode touched the King, as he lay thus prostrate, with a rod
" I tell
Sigebert was succeeded in the kingdom by Suidhelm, son to Sexbald, in 661. St. Cedda had regenerated him to Christ through the sacrament of
Baptism. 3 Ethilwald,^KingoftheEastAngles,5assponsor,receivedSuid- helm, when arising^ from the sacred font. 7
St. Cedda continued his apostolic labours, during this reign, and until
664. He was present at the famous conference or synod of Streaneshalch,^ where was discussed the canonical observation of Easter. 9 St. Cedd, with
all the rest of the English, conformed to the more general church usage, upon
hearing the arguments of St. Wilfrid. Notwithstanding, he had been brought up in the Irish or Scottish mode of observing that festival, as followed at
^°
that time by the Lindisfarne monks.
Our saint does not seem to have long survived this synod. A great
plague soon succeeded. " Going to visit his beloved solitude of Lestinga,
which he held. With episcopal authority Cedda spoke these words
thee, O King, because thou wouldst not refrain from the house of that wicked excommunicated person, thou shalt die in that very house. " Thus it happened, that the bishop's words were fulfilled. ^
^ *'
See Nicholas Harpsfeld's Historia
Anglicana Ecclesiastica, 'ssec. vii. , cap. xiii. , p. 69.
3 He was baptized at a place called
spreadinlandtotheheartofConnaught. The contemporaneous notices of this second out-
break of the great "yellow plague" are chiefly confined to its ravages in Great Bri- tain. The advent of the disease in Ireland was characterized by peculiar cosmical phe- nomena, of which the most remarkable were a great fall of snow, the turning of water into blood (as it has been termed), and a very notable eclipse, mentioned in no less than five Irish annals, and which has also been described by Bede. It is confirmed by the calculations given in L'Art de Verifier les Dates, as having occurred upon the 1st
Rendlesham, i. e. , It is in Suffolk.
"" The Mansion of Rendil.
* He was brother to King Anna. See "
Cressy's Church History of Brittany," book xvi. , chap, xii. , p. 394. King Anna was killed by Penda, King of the Mercians, A. D. 654.
5 He began to reign A'. D. 655, and he died A. D. 664, according to Florence of Worcester.
* The word " ascendentem" is introduced of May, 664, while its conclusion was
between brackets. marked by a heavy fall of snow. The se-
"
7 See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica Gen- cond great emigration from Ireland was
tis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 22, pp. 223, caused . by this pestilence. Sir William
224.
* Held in 663, according to Matthew of
" Flores Historiarum,"
9 There is a very full account of these transactions in Cressy's "Church History of
Brittany," book xvi. , chap, xvi. , xvii. ,xviii. , xix. , pp. 397 to 404.
Wilde has very ably treated on this subject in "The Reports of the Irish C—ensus for 1 V. He thus writes: all
Westminster,
"By
p. 233.
85 1," part
accounts this yellow plague spread both epi- demically and by infection ; and as it raged
with, if not before that island was attacked, '° See Bede's "Historia Ecclesiastica we are not surprised to find that it com-
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 25, 26, pp. 233 to 239.
menced in the county of Wexford, a portion of Ireland which then appears to have been in more direct intercourse with England than other parts of Leinster. It seems to
" This seems to have been a form of the
Buidhe Connail, which devastated Ireland
in 664. It swept over Leinster, and again have been particularly fatal to persons of
specially affected that portion of the south now denominated Cork. We have likewise references to its devastations on the sea coast of Ulster, and we read that it even
rank and ecclesiastics ; but, that the mor-
tality must have been very great among all classes may be learned from several entries, but particularly from that in which St, Col-
in Great Britain, at least contemporaneously
:
January 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 93
St. Cedd was there seized with the contagion. '^ This put an end to his mortal career, and set his holy soul loose from the prison of the body. In the regions of eternal light and peace, he was then received. At first, his body was buried without the church. In process of time, a church of stone was built, in connexion with the monastery, which was dedicated in honour of the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of our Lord. Thither his body was re- moved, and laid at the right-hand side of the altar.
This saint had three brothers, eminent for sanctity, and all of these were ordained priests. They were named, Celin, Cynebil and Chad. ^3 This other, St. Chad, governed the Monastery of Laestinga after the death of his brother and namesake. Afterwards, the holy man was created bishop. On the 2nd of March, the Church venerates his memory.
The religious, whom St. Cedda had left behind him in the province of
Essex, soon heard that their holy father was dead. About thirty of them,
leaving their native country, repaired to the Monastery of Lgestinga. These felt desirous to live and die where he had died, and to be buried with him.
Wilhngly were they received by their brethren at Laestinga. These monks did not long survive their holy father. They were all carried off by the same frightful pestilence, which at that time caused great havoc in all places. It was constantly beheved, that one little boy had been preserved from death, owing to the prayers of St. Cedd ; for, it was afterwards found, that boy had not been baptized. This made his preservation seem the more re- markable, because he had been delivered from an eternal as well as from a temporal death. He lived to be a holy priest. Through his labours and preachingafterwards,hebroughtmanysoulstoGod. ^^ TheMonasteryof Laestinga, founded by St. Cedda, flourished in venerable repute for some time. Subsequently, it was destroyed by the Pagan Danes,^5 when they ravaged these parts. At present the place where it stood is not well known. St. Cedda, it is stated, died on the 26th of October. ^^ But his festival is marked in the English Martyrology, at the 7th of January. ^?
Those apostolic husbandmen, who go forth as sowers of that seed, which
is the word of God, find consolation, when it falls on good soil, and pro-
duces fruit abundant, according to the pious dispositions of various souls. Sometimes the seed falls on the wayside, to be picked up by birds, and sometimes on the rock, where it takes no root. Sometimes the thorns choke
its ^^ Thus the growth.
the cares and of passions
the
human life impede those men of good-will. But when multitudes hear the word of God, and understand it. Divine grace often moves the hearts and
man Ua '
states that this
left only every third person in Ire-
"
'^ This is the date
by the Bollandists.
s See ibid. , nn. 2, 3, p. 20. the Northern from the Southern Mercians.
^ See " Church History of Brittany under See Matthew of Westminster, " Flores
S. CeddsesiveCeddiEpiscopi,§§i. toxvi. ,
pp. 18 to 20. wife A. D. 657. The River Trent separated
the Saxon Heptarchy," book xv. , chap.
xvii. , p. 368.
7 See his Life at the 31st of August.
"
Historiarum, pp. 230 to 232.
"• See his Life at the of
9th January.
'S This was near the great northern wall built by the Romans,
^ The Midland English or Middelengli,
as called by Venerable Bede, are distin-
guished by this historian from the Mer- killed 5th of August, a. d. 644, by Penda,
cians. The former inhabited Leicestershire,
according to Ussher. Perhaps, too, they occupied some other adjacent countries. At this time, King Penda had transferred them as subjects to his son Peada.
King of the Mercians. Oswy is said to have
reigned twenty-eight years over the King- dom of the Bernici, and to have died a. d. 670. See Matthew of Westminster, "Flores Historiarum," pp. 224, 235. Oswy's
"
9 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of daughter, Alchfleda, became the wife of
the Saints," vol. i. , pp. 91, 92. Peada.
'°
The Bollandists give his Acts at the 1 7th
nth of February.
^'^ Some writers state his festival was held
on the 22nd of February, and others on the
19thofJuly.
'3 His father was Penda, King of the
Mercians, and he was killed A. D. 655.
murdered through the treachery of his own
'* He succeeded his brother St. Oswald,
JANUARY 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 89
fit to teach and baptize Peada's nation of the Midland EngHsh. This potentate returned home with much joy to prepare for the reception of those priests. Diuma, the last-named, was a Scot/7 while the others belonged to the Angli race. Arriving in the province, with the Prince, these holy mis-
^^
the
by the people. The nobility and the humbler inhabitants, renouncing the
filthofidolatry,weredailybaptizedingreatnumbers. '9 NordidKingPenda offer any obstruction to their^ preaching the Word among his people, the Mercians, if any of these were willing to hear it. ^° But he hated and des- pised such as had received the Gospel of Christ, yet who did not live up to their faith. He most truly declared, that these wretches deserved to be
despised, when they would not obey their God, in whom they professed to believe. ^'^
Saint Cedd was labouring with great success on his midland field of duty, when called away to be sent upon another holy expedition. His next desti- nation was to the Eastern Saxons. ^^ For Sigbercht or Sigebert,^^ the monarch ofthatprovince,hadvisitedOswy,KingofNorthumbria. '^^ Thisreligious
prince, omitting no opportunity for exhorting his friends to embrace the true way of salvation, had induced his guest to accept the sweet yoke of the Christian faith. ^s Sigebert was baptized by Bishop Finan. ^^ Having now become a citizen of the Eternal Kingdom, Sigebert returned to the seat of his temporal kingdom, and requested King Oswy that he would despatch teachers, who might convert his nation to the faith of Christ. Leaving the province of the Midland English, the man of God, Cedda, obtained another priest for his companion. ^7 These went as preachers to the nation of the East Saxons. ^^ After travelling through all the country, when they had gathered a numerous Church to our Lord, Cedda returned to Lindisfarne Church to confer with Bishop Finan. ^9 Finding how successful he had been in the work of the Gospel, after the year 652, Finan constituted him bishop over the Church of the East Saxons, while calling two other bishops to assist at the consecration. 3° Having received the episcopal degree, Cedd returned to his province. Pursuing the work he had begun with more ample authority,
'7 This Venerable Bede states expressly, rated on the 24th of April. See Rev.
sionaries
diligently preached
Gospel.
They
were hearkened to willingly
yet Dr. Lingard calls the four missionaries
Northumbrian priests. See "History and
Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church,"
Alban Butler's
''
Lives of the Fathers, Mar-
chap.
i.
tyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April xxiv.
^3 Sigebert, sumamed the Little, the son
of Siward, over the East Saxons feigned
A. D. 623, according to Matthew of West- minster, "Flores Historiarum," p. 215.
^^Seezizd. , p. 225.
^s See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
Sancta," part L, p. 11.
'^ Abbot of Ingulph,
Croyland,
states, that this prince was disposed to found a monastery at Medishamisted, but his im- timely death frust^-ated his purpose. See "Historia," p. 850. Rerum Anglicarum
Scriptores post Bedam Prsecipui. '9 See Bishop Challoner's
Sancta," parti. , p. Ii.
" ^* Britannia
^°
See Dr. Lingard's "History of Eng-
Matthew of Westminster assigns these
events to A. D. 649. See "Flores Historia-
rum," p. 225.
^7 See Bede's "Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 22. , pp. 221,222.
=^
In "The Circle of the Seasons," at the 7th of January, p. 7, occurs "St. Cedd,
"
Bishop of London.
^ See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap. xv. ,sec. xv. , p. 428.
3° Camden has fallen into an error, in as- signing to A. D. 630 the conversion of the East Saxons. Now King Oswy did not
land," vol. i,, chap, ii. , A. D. 651. , p. 95.
Edition, 1837.
^'
See Bede's "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. xxi. , pp. 218, 219.
^^ St. Mellitus, in the beginning of the seventh century, had partially succeeded in bringing many of them to the true Faith. On the death of their King Sebert, about A. D. 616, his sons banished this holy first bishop of London, and many of the converts lapsed into paganism. St. Mellitus is vene-
90 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [January 7.
the newly-appointed prelate built churches in several places. 3^ He also ordained priests and deacons to assist him in preaching the Word, and in
administering baptism, more especially in that city called by the Saxons Ythancester. 32 This was formerly denominated Othona, once a town of note, but now swallowed up by encroachment of the sea. 33 It was seated on the bank of a river, named Pante, now Froshwell. His mission was
prosecuted, hkewise, in another city called Tillaburg, now Tilbury, 34 near the RiverThames. 35 Inbothoftheseplaces,St. Chadgatheredcommunitiesof devout servants to our Lord. 36 These he instructed in the discipline of a regular life, so far as those rude people, lately reclaimed from paganism, were then capable of learning.
CHAPTER II.
ST, CHAD FREQUENTLY VISITED NORTHUMBRIA—KING ETHELWALD GRANTED HIM LAND, WHEREON TO ERECT A MONASTERY—AUSTERITIES PRACTISED THEREIN—THE RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES OF LINDISFARNE INTRODUCED AT L^STINGA OR LESTIN- GAN—THE HOLY PRELATE RETURNS TO THE EAST SAXONS.
Our saint did not confine his apostolic labours, however, to the province of the East Saxons, or to his diocese of London,^ the capital of that pro- vince. ^ He went several times, as we learn from St. Bede, to visit and exhort his countrymen, living on the north side of the Humber river. Here, Ethelwald, son to King Oswald, who reigned among the Deire, in Yorkshire, finding him to be a holy and a wise man, desired him to accept of some landed possessions, on which to build a monastery. There, the King desired toresort,toofferhispiousprayersandtoheartheWordofGod. Therehe wished to be buried when he died, firmly believing he should receive much benefit from the prayers of those who were to serve God in that place. The King had with him Celin, a brother of the same holy prelate. Celin was a man of great piety, and being a priest, he administered frequently to the King and to his family, the Word of God and the Sacraments of Faith. Through his means. King Ethelwald chiefly came to know and love the bishop. Wherefore, complying with the King's desires, St. Cedd choose a place to build his monastery. He selected a site among the craggy and re- mote mountains. These seemed to be a fitter retreat for robbers, or a lurking place for wild beasts, than a suitable habitation for men. The ser-
begin his reign until 642, and before the
year 652, St. Finan had not been consecrated
bishop,
3' See Matthew of Westminster, " Flores
" Historiarum, p. 225.
3^ It is situated on the Blackwater. An old chapel marks the site, and there are numerous traces of an ancient settlement. It is in the parish of Bradwell. See Rev.
Brittany," book xv. , chap, xvii. , p. 369. 35Xhe monasteries of Ythancester and Til-
bury, in all appearance, were destroyed by the Danes, about the ninth century. We find no further mention of them in history.
3* gee Bede's " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 22. pp.
S. Baring-Gould's vol. i. , p. 91, note.
"
Lives of the Saints,"
saint is called Bishop of London in the Eng-
lish Martyrology, by William of Malms- 33 See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of bury and by other writers, as it was the chief
the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. i. , January 7.
3''
Cressy maintains, however, that the seat of St. Cedd's bishopric among the East Saxons was not at Tilbury, as Camden
city of the East Saxons. See "Acta Sane-
torum Hibernije," vii. , Januarii, n. 14, p. 21.
^ See Wharton's " Historia Episcoporum London. " and Polydore Virgil Urbinatis
"
the kingdom. See "Church History of p. 71.
imagines,
but at
London,
the
Metropolis
of
Anghcse Historiae,"
lib.
xxvii. ,
lib.
iv. ,
222, 223. — Chap. ii.
' that this Colgan remarks,
January 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 91
vant of God desired by prayers and fasting to cleanse this place from crimes, formerly committed there, and thus he prepared to erect a monastic founda- tion. He requested the King, that there he might be permitted to abide in prayer, during the whole of an approaching Lent. This request was granted. According to Ecclesiastical custom, St. Cedd kept fast until the
evening every day, except on Sundays. Then he was content with a small piece of bread, one egg, and a little milk, mingled with water. Such he stated was anciently the custom of those,3 from whom he had learned a rule of regular discipline. '^ They consecrated first to the Lord by prayers and fasting those places, which were given them for the building of monasteries or churches. When only ten days of the Lent remained, a person came inviting St. Cedd to pay a visit to the King. That so religious a work should not be intermitted, even to regulate the King's important affairs, Cedd desired his priest, and his own brother, Cynibil, to continue there those devotions which he had piously begun. Cynibil most willingly consented.
The full time for prayer and fasting having been completed, St. Cedda there built a monastery, which was called Laestinga. s His disciples were furnished with such religious institutes as were observed at Lindisfame, where he had been trained. After this, the holy Prelate returned to his bishopric among the East Saxons. ^ There he diligently carried on God's works, yet so as to keep superintendence over Lestingan Monastery. He placed superiors to govern it, and he visited it from time to time. 7
CHAPTER III.
KING SIGEBERT REJOICES AT THE GOOD BISHOP's WORK—EXCOMMUNICATION OF A NOBLE, AND TRAGIC DEATH OF THE KING—SUIDHELM SUCCEEDS HIM—ST. CHAD ASSISTS AT THE SYNOD OF STREANESHALCH—ON A VISIT TO LESTINGA, HE IS SEIZED WITH HIS LAST ILLNESS—HIS DEATH AND BURIAL—HOLY BROTHERS OF THIS; SAINT—REMARKABLE DEVOTEDNESS OF THE RELIGIOUS OF ESSEX—FEAST OF ST. CHAD—CONCLUSION.
King Sigebert saw with joy the great progress which the Gospel made
amonghispeople,owingtothepreachingofSt. Cedda. Yetbyinstigation of the common enemy to all good deeds, Sigebert was basely murdered by two of his own kinsmen. The murderers could allege no other reason for what they had done than a hatred towards him, because he was too mercifully
inclined, and too easily induced to forgive his enemies. ' Sigebert's death might have entitled the King to some share in the martyr's glory, had there not been a former fault, which drew on him this punishment from Divine
justice.
3 St. Columba's disciples, under whose but to the Bemicians. See " The Church
rule he had received his first education at Lindisfame. Besides the fast days in each
week, there were three particular portions of each year, during which a solemn fast was formerly kept in Ireland. See Rev. P. J. Carew's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," chap. viii. , p. 309, note.
"t See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 13.
s This place is sometimes written Lestin-
gau, and Lestinghen. In the Breviary of Sarum it is said to have belonged to the Isle of Lindisfame. According to Cressy, this island did not pertain to the Deiri province,
History of Brittany under the Saxon Hep- tarchy," book xvi. , chap, xii. , p. 393.
*
This people first received the faith in 604, according to the Chronicler, Ethel- werd. See "ChroniconimEthelwerdi," libri iv. , lib. ii. , cap. L, p. 836. Rerum Angli-
carum Scriptores post Bedam Prrecipui. "
'
' See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 23, pp.
225, 226. — Cap. in.
See Heniy of Huntingdon's Historiarum," libri viii. , lib. iii. , p. 333. Rerum Anglicanmi Scriptores post Bedam
Praecipui.
"
92 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 7.
Venerable Bede thus relates the circumstance. One of those Earls, who murdered him, had contracted an unlawful marriage. Not being able to pre- vent or correct this irregularity, St. Chad excommunicated the noble, and for- bade all under his charge to enter the nobleman's house. On returning, the holy bishop met the King, who began to tremble on seeing St. Cedd. Alighting from his horse, Sigebert prostrated himself at the bishop's feet,
and begged a pardon for his offence. St. Cedd in like manner alighting from the horse he rode touched the King, as he lay thus prostrate, with a rod
" I tell
Sigebert was succeeded in the kingdom by Suidhelm, son to Sexbald, in 661. St. Cedda had regenerated him to Christ through the sacrament of
Baptism. 3 Ethilwald,^KingoftheEastAngles,5assponsor,receivedSuid- helm, when arising^ from the sacred font. 7
St. Cedda continued his apostolic labours, during this reign, and until
664. He was present at the famous conference or synod of Streaneshalch,^ where was discussed the canonical observation of Easter. 9 St. Cedd, with
all the rest of the English, conformed to the more general church usage, upon
hearing the arguments of St. Wilfrid. Notwithstanding, he had been brought up in the Irish or Scottish mode of observing that festival, as followed at
^°
that time by the Lindisfarne monks.
Our saint does not seem to have long survived this synod. A great
plague soon succeeded. " Going to visit his beloved solitude of Lestinga,
which he held. With episcopal authority Cedda spoke these words
thee, O King, because thou wouldst not refrain from the house of that wicked excommunicated person, thou shalt die in that very house. " Thus it happened, that the bishop's words were fulfilled. ^
^ *'
See Nicholas Harpsfeld's Historia
Anglicana Ecclesiastica, 'ssec. vii. , cap. xiii. , p. 69.
3 He was baptized at a place called
spreadinlandtotheheartofConnaught. The contemporaneous notices of this second out-
break of the great "yellow plague" are chiefly confined to its ravages in Great Bri- tain. The advent of the disease in Ireland was characterized by peculiar cosmical phe- nomena, of which the most remarkable were a great fall of snow, the turning of water into blood (as it has been termed), and a very notable eclipse, mentioned in no less than five Irish annals, and which has also been described by Bede. It is confirmed by the calculations given in L'Art de Verifier les Dates, as having occurred upon the 1st
Rendlesham, i. e. , It is in Suffolk.
"" The Mansion of Rendil.
* He was brother to King Anna. See "
Cressy's Church History of Brittany," book xvi. , chap, xii. , p. 394. King Anna was killed by Penda, King of the Mercians, A. D. 654.
5 He began to reign A'. D. 655, and he died A. D. 664, according to Florence of Worcester.
* The word " ascendentem" is introduced of May, 664, while its conclusion was
between brackets. marked by a heavy fall of snow. The se-
"
7 See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica Gen- cond great emigration from Ireland was
tis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 22, pp. 223, caused . by this pestilence. Sir William
224.
* Held in 663, according to Matthew of
" Flores Historiarum,"
9 There is a very full account of these transactions in Cressy's "Church History of
Brittany," book xvi. , chap, xvi. , xvii. ,xviii. , xix. , pp. 397 to 404.
Wilde has very ably treated on this subject in "The Reports of the Irish C—ensus for 1 V. He thus writes: all
Westminster,
"By
p. 233.
85 1," part
accounts this yellow plague spread both epi- demically and by infection ; and as it raged
with, if not before that island was attacked, '° See Bede's "Historia Ecclesiastica we are not surprised to find that it com-
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 25, 26, pp. 233 to 239.
menced in the county of Wexford, a portion of Ireland which then appears to have been in more direct intercourse with England than other parts of Leinster. It seems to
" This seems to have been a form of the
Buidhe Connail, which devastated Ireland
in 664. It swept over Leinster, and again have been particularly fatal to persons of
specially affected that portion of the south now denominated Cork. We have likewise references to its devastations on the sea coast of Ulster, and we read that it even
rank and ecclesiastics ; but, that the mor-
tality must have been very great among all classes may be learned from several entries, but particularly from that in which St, Col-
in Great Britain, at least contemporaneously
:
January 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 93
St. Cedd was there seized with the contagion. '^ This put an end to his mortal career, and set his holy soul loose from the prison of the body. In the regions of eternal light and peace, he was then received. At first, his body was buried without the church. In process of time, a church of stone was built, in connexion with the monastery, which was dedicated in honour of the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of our Lord. Thither his body was re- moved, and laid at the right-hand side of the altar.
This saint had three brothers, eminent for sanctity, and all of these were ordained priests. They were named, Celin, Cynebil and Chad. ^3 This other, St. Chad, governed the Monastery of Laestinga after the death of his brother and namesake. Afterwards, the holy man was created bishop. On the 2nd of March, the Church venerates his memory.
The religious, whom St. Cedda had left behind him in the province of
Essex, soon heard that their holy father was dead. About thirty of them,
leaving their native country, repaired to the Monastery of Lgestinga. These felt desirous to live and die where he had died, and to be buried with him.
Wilhngly were they received by their brethren at Laestinga. These monks did not long survive their holy father. They were all carried off by the same frightful pestilence, which at that time caused great havoc in all places. It was constantly beheved, that one little boy had been preserved from death, owing to the prayers of St. Cedd ; for, it was afterwards found, that boy had not been baptized. This made his preservation seem the more re- markable, because he had been delivered from an eternal as well as from a temporal death. He lived to be a holy priest. Through his labours and preachingafterwards,hebroughtmanysoulstoGod. ^^ TheMonasteryof Laestinga, founded by St. Cedda, flourished in venerable repute for some time. Subsequently, it was destroyed by the Pagan Danes,^5 when they ravaged these parts. At present the place where it stood is not well known. St. Cedda, it is stated, died on the 26th of October. ^^ But his festival is marked in the English Martyrology, at the 7th of January. ^?
Those apostolic husbandmen, who go forth as sowers of that seed, which
is the word of God, find consolation, when it falls on good soil, and pro-
duces fruit abundant, according to the pious dispositions of various souls. Sometimes the seed falls on the wayside, to be picked up by birds, and sometimes on the rock, where it takes no root. Sometimes the thorns choke
its ^^ Thus the growth.
the cares and of passions
the
human life impede those men of good-will. But when multitudes hear the word of God, and understand it. Divine grace often moves the hearts and
man Ua '
states that this
left only every third person in Ire-
"
'^ This is the date
by the Bollandists.
