[1] [2] [3] _AFter the foresaid Ceowlfe reigned Cinegiscus,Cinegis|cus. or Kin|gils, which was the sonne of Ceola, which was the sonne of Cutha or Cutwin, which was the sonne of Kenricke, which was the sonne of king Cer|ticke.Wil. Malm. saith that O|nichelinus was the bro|ther of Cine|giscus. In the fourth yéere of his reigne, he receiued into fellowship with him in gouernance of the kingdome his sonne Richelinus, or Onichelinus, and so they reigned iointlie togither in great loue and concord (a thing seldome séene or heard of.)Beandune, or Beanton. They fought with the Britains at Bean|dune, where at the first approch of the battels togi|ther, the Britains fled, but too late, for there died of them that were ouertaken 2062.
[1] [2] In this meane time,Beda lib. 2. cap. 4. Laurence archbishop of Can|turburie, who succéeded next after Augustine, admit|ted thereto by him in his life time (as before is said) did his iudeuour to augment and bring to perfection the church of England, the foundation whereof was latelie laid by his predecessor the foresaid Augustine: who studied not onelie for the increase of this new church, which was gathered of the English people, but also he was busie to imploie his pastorlike cure vpon the people that were of the old inhabitants of Britaine, and likewise of the Scots that remained in Ireland. For when he had learned that the Scots there, in semblable wise as the Britains in their countrie, led not their liues in manie points accor|ding to the ecclesiasticall rules, aswell in obseruing the feast of Easter contrarie to the vse of the Ro|mane church, as in other things, he wrote vnto those Scots letters exhortatorie, requiring them most in|stantlie to an vnitie of catholike orders as might be agréeable with the church of Christ, spred and dis|persed through the world. These letters were not written onelie in his owne name, but iointlie togi|ther in the name of the bishops Melitus and Iustus, (as followeth.)
[1] _WHereas the apostolike see (accor|ding to hir maner) had sent vs to preach vnto the heathen people in these west parts, as otherwise throgh the world, and that it chanced to vs to enter into this Ile which is called Britaine, before we knew & vnderstood the state of things, we had in great reuerence both the Scots & Britains, which beleeued, bicause (as we tooke the mat|ter) they walked according to the custome of the vniuersall church: but after we had know|ledge of the Britains, we iudged the Scots to be better. But we haue learned by bishop Daga|nus comming into this Ile, and by Columba|nus the abbat comming into France, that the Scots nothing differ in their conuersation from the Britains: for bishop Daganus com|ming vnto vs, would neither eat with vs, no nor yet come within the house where we did eat.
[1] [2] [3] [4] The said Laurence also with his fellow-bishops, did write to the Britains other letters woorthie of his degree, dooing what he could to confirme them in the vnitie of the Romane church: but it profited litle, as appeareth by that which Beda writeth. About the same time Melitus the bishop of London went to Rome, to common with pope Boniface, for necessa|rie causes touching the church of England, and was present at a synod holden by the same pope at that season, for ordinances to be made touching the state of religious men, and sate in the same synod, that with subscribing he might also by his authoritie con|firme that which was there orderlie decréed. This synod was holden the third kalends of March, in the last yéere of the emperour Phocas, which was about the yeere after the birth of our Sauiour 610. Meli|tus at his returne brought with him from the pope, decrees commanded by the said pope to be obserued in the English church, with letters also directed to archbishop Laurence, and to king Ethelbert.