shop of Yorke) which brought agayne thether the palle that his predecessors had forgone, since the tyme that Paulinus had left the see, and fled to Rochester, as is before declared. The sayd Egbert also elected a noble library in Yorke, whose example I would other byshops now would follow.

MarginaliaEgbert K. of Northūberland.
747.
Ex Mamesber. lib. de gestis Pontifico- Anglorū.
Cutbert Archb. of Caunterbury.

About the beginning of the raygne of this Egbert, was Cutbert Archbishop of Canterbury: who collected a great Synode of bishops and prelates, in the yeare of our Lord. 747. in the moneth of September, nere to the placed called Clonesho. In the which Synode assembled, these decrees were enacted.

1. First, that bishops should be more diligent in seing to their office, and in admonishing the people of theyr faultes.

2. That they should lyue in a peaceable mynde together, notwithstanding they were in place desceauered a sunder.

3. That euery bishop once a yere should go about all the parishes of his Dioces.

4. That þ^e sayd bishops euery one in his dioces should monish their Abbots and Monkes to lyue regularlye: & that Prelates shoulde not oppresse their inferiours, but loue them.

5. That they shoulde teache the monasteries whych the secular men had inuaded, and coulde not then be taken from them, to lyue regularly.

6. That none should be admitted to orders, before his lyfe should be examined.

7. That in monasteries the reading of holy scripture should be more frequented.

8. That Priestes shoulde bee no disposers of secular busynes.

9. That they should take no money for baptising infantes.

10. That they should both learne and teach the Lords prayer and Creede in the English toung.

11. That all should ioyne together in their ministerye after one vniforme rite and maner.

12. That in a modest voyce they shoulde syng in the churche.

13. That al holy and festiual dayes should be celebrate at one tyme together.

14. That the Sabbot day be reuerently obserued and kept.

15. That þ^e. 7. houres canonical euery day be obserued.

MarginaliaThe rogation dayes had not then that superstitiō in them as they had afterward.16. That the rogation dayes both the greater and lesser should not be omitted.

17. That the feast of S. Gregorye, and S. Austen our Patron, should be obserued.

18. That the fast of the. 4. tymes shoulde bee kept and obserued.

19. That Monkes and Nunnes should go regularlye apparelled.

20. That Bishops shoulde see, these decrees not to bee neglected.

21. That the churchmen should not geue them selues to dronkennes.

22. That the Communion shoulde not be neglected of the churchmen.

23. Item, that the same also should be obserued of the laye men, as tyme required.

24. That laye men fyrst shoulde be well tryed, before they enter in Monkery.

25. That almes be not neglected.

26. That Bishops should see these decrees to be notified to their people.

27. They disputed of the profit of Almes.

28. They disputed of the profit of singing Psalmes.

29. That the Congregation shoulde be constitute, after the habilitie of their goods.

30. That Monkes should not dwel amongest lay mē.

31. That publike prayer should bee made for kynges and Princes.

These decrees and ordinances beyng thus amonge the bishops concluded: Cutbert the Archbishop, sendeth the copy therof to Boniface, MarginaliaBoniface an english mā Archbishop of Mētz.which Boniface otherwyse named Winfride, an English man borne, was then the Archbishop of Mentze, and after made a martyr, as the popish stories terme hym.

This Boniface being, as is said, Archbishop of Mentz in the tyme of this foresayd Syonde, wrote a letter to Ethelbald king of Merceland: MarginaliaEthelwold k. of Merceland.which Ethelbald was allso present in the same Synode, of whom Bede making mencion in his historye calleth him proude Ethelbald, and the greatest of the Saxon kings in hys tyme. Fyrst this Ethelbald after the departing of king Ceolulphe into hys Monkerie, inuaded and spoyled þ^e countrey of Northumberland. Moreouer he exercised mortall & horrible warre a longe space with Cudred, otherwyse of some named Cutbert, king of Westsaxons. Furthermore he with other Saxon kings, so impugned the Brytaines, that from þ^t tyme they neuer durste prouoke the Saxons any more. At length the sayd Cudred refusing the intollerable exactions of proude Ethelbald, doth incountre with him in battayle: Where notwithstanding the greate power that Ethelbald had to hym adioyned, of the Mercians, of the Eastsaxones, of the Eastangles, and of Cantuarites: yet the sayd Cudred through Gods power, and the meanes of a certayne valiaunt warriour called MarginaliaEdelhim a strong and valiant warriour.
Pride ouer throwne.Edelhim a consul, ouerthrewe the pryde of Ethelbald, after a sore and terrible conflict. Which Ethelbald notwithstanding repayring his power agayne the next yeare after, renued battaile with the foresayd Cudred. In the which battaile Ethelbald after he had reigned. xlj. yeares in Mercia, was slayne by one Beornered, who after reigned in that dition, but a small tyme. For Offa nephew to the sayd Ethelbald expulsed the sayd Beornered, and succeded king in that prouince of Mercia, where he reigned. xxxix. yeares: of whom more followeth hereafter (the Lord Iesu speding therein our purpose) to be declared, as place and tyme shall requyre. In the meane season not to forget the letter mētioned: before of Boniface Archbishop of Mentze, sent vnto this Ethelbald: I thought þ^e same not vnworthye here to be inserted (at the least the effecte therof,) not so much for the authors sake, as for the same good matter peraduenture maye bee pycked thereout, for other princes to beholde and consider.

MarginaliaA letter of Boniface, otherwyse called Winfride sent to kyng Ethelbald.REgi et filio charissimo, et in Christi amore cæteris regibus Anglorum præberendo Ethelbaldo, Bonifacius archiepiscop⁹ legatus Germanicus Romanæ ecclesiæ perpetuā in Christo charitatis salutem. Cōsistemus coram Deo, qui nouit an vere atq̀ ex animo dicam: Quando prosperitatē vestram, et fidem, et bona opera audimus, lætamur. Quando autem aliquid aduersum vel in euentu bellorum, vel de periculo animarum de vobis cognoscimus, tristamur. Audiuimus enim quod eleemosynis intentus: furta et rapinas prohibes, et pacē diligis, et defensor viduarnm et pauperum es, et inde gracias deo agimus. Quòd verò ligitimum matrimonium Spernis, si pro castitate faceres, esset laudabile. Sed quia in luxu et adulterio et cum sactimonialibus volutaris, est vituperabile, et damnabile. Nam et famā gloriæ vestræ, coram deo et hominibus cōfundit, et inter indololatras cōstituit, quia tēplū Dei violasti. Quapropter fili Charissime pænitere, et memorare oportet, quā turpe sit vt tu qui multis gentibus, dono Dei, dominaris, ad iniuriam eius sis libidinis seruus. Audiuimus præterea quòd optimates pene omnes, gentis Merciorum