The narrative of Birin's ministry is thus given by Bede (lib. 3. cap. 7.) "Eo tempore Occidentalium Saxonum qui antiquitus Gevissæ vocabantur, regnante *Cynigilso fidem Christi suscepit, prædicante illis verbum Birino Episcopo, qui cum consilio Pape Honorii venerat Brittaniam; promittens quidem se illo præsente in intimis ultro Anglorum partibus quo nullus Doctor præcessisset, sanctæ fidei semina esse sparsurum. Unde et jussu ejusdem Pontificis per Asterium Genuensem Episcopum in Episcopatus consecratus est gradum. Sed Brittaniam perveniens, ac primum Gevissorum gentem ingrediens, cum omnes ibidem Paganissimos inveniret, utilius esse ratus est ibi potius verbum prædicare, quam ultra progrediens, eos quibus prædicare deberet, inquirere.

"Itaque evangelizante illo in præfata provincia, cum Rex ipse catechizatus, fonte Baptismi cum sua gente ablueretur contigit tunc temporis sanctissimum ac victoriosissimum Regem Nordanhymbrorum (Northumbrians) Osualdum adfuisse, eumque de lavacro exeuntem suscepisse, ac pulcherrimo prorsus et Deo digno consortio, cujus erat filiam accepturus in conjugem ipsum prius secun-la generatione Deo dicatum sibi accepit in filium.” With regard to the episcopal see assigned to Bishop Birin, Bede thus proceeds :

"Donaverunt autem ambo reges eidem Epo civitatem quæ vocatur Dorcic,+ ad faciendum inibi sedem episcopalem, ubi factis dedicatisque ecclesiis, multisque ad Dominum pio ejus labore populis advocatis, migravit ad Dominum, sepultusque est in eadem civitate.”

Here we must express our regret that the historian did not more particularly define the place of the episcopal see, for it has been doubted whether Dorchester in Dorset, or Dorchester in Oxfordshire, be intended. The learned editor of Bede explains it as referring to the latter.

I have already alluded to the dubious traditions of the early existence of Christianity in West-Saxony. The Saxon Chronicle by the adoption of one word, overthrows the opinion at once, that the Christian faith had an earlier

Cynerils beran to reien 611, and filled the throne 31 years, being the 6th. from Cerdic, who founded the kingdom of the Visi-Saxons in 519. +"Iste dedit S. Birino, civitatem Dorcacestriam ut sederet interim in ea, donec conderet ecclesiam tanto pontifice diguam in regia_civitate.” Annales Ecc. W ́int.—Angi. Sac, L. 288

date in those parts than A.D. 634. For the benefit of those who do not understand Saxon, I shall quote the words of the English translation: "This year Bishop Birinus first preached baptism to the West-Saxons under King Cynegils." Now baptism being the initiatory sacrament of Christianity, the "first preaching of baptism is equivalent to the first introduction of the Gospel."

But little more at this distant period can be gleaned respecting Birin. The events with which he was connected are thus stated by the Saxon Chronicle:-"Birinus was sent hither by the command of Pope Honorius, and he was Bishop there to the end of his life."

A.D. 635. This year King Cynegils was baptized by Bishop Birinus, at Dorchester.

A.D. 639. This year Birinus baptized King Cuthred, at Dorchester, and received him as his son.

After this date I find nothing more of him. His day in the Roman Catholic Calendar, is kept December 3. Preferring contemporary to posthumous accounts of miracles (for the reasons given by the excellent Paley) I pass over the wretched fictions related by Malmesbury, which Bede with more sense and taste has omitted. The reader, however, who may have a relish for such absurdities, may find the detail lib. 2. p. 241. De Pontif. and in Capgrave's Legenda Sanct. Angl. Bishop Birin must have died anterior to 650, as we then find him succeeded in that year. "Birinus sepultus Dorcasteriæ." Leland. Itin. 1. p. 93.

II, AGILBERT.

SUCCEEDED A. D. 650.—Ejected A. D. 660.—DieD BISHOP OF PARIS.

"A. D. 650. This year, Egelbert from Gaul, after Birinus the Romish Bishop, obtained the Bishopric of the West-Saxons."-Saxon Chron.

King Cynegils was succeeded by his Son Coinualch in 643. This Coinualch, who at first declined embracing the Christian Faith, was driven from his dominions by Penda, King of the Mercians, whose sister he had married

and repudiated. Having taken refuge with the King of the East-Angles, he through his medium, as it would appear from Bede, was brought to a better way of thinking, and at length, in 650, at once recovered his Kingdom and embraced Christianity; and so great was his attachment to the sacred cause, as to induce him to order that the Old* Church, or rather Pagan Temple, at Winchester, should be re-built in the name of St. Peter. By him we find Agilbert appointed to the Bishopric.

Agilbert was by birth a Frenchman, but had latterly come to this country from Ireland, where he had been studying the Scriptures. It seems he had of his own accord attached himself to the King, in the quality of Chaplain or Confessor, and the latter observing his learning, industry, and talents, promoted him to the Prelacy.

Thus early we may observe, en passant, that though the Church of England derives from that of Rome a genuine episcopal succession from the apostolic source, yet the latter did not, at this early period, intermeddle at all with, much less claim as a right peculiar to the "apostolic see," the nomination to vacant Bishoprics, but left the concerns of the Church, quoad hoc, in the power of the King: thus tacitly recognizing the orthodox and constitutional principle, that the latter is the Head of the Church in these dominions. For had any other idea then prevailed at Rome, doubtless, so accurate an historian and conscientious an individual as Bede, would not have failed to have recorded the fact. But here, without the smallest reservation of any power elsewhere, he candidly says, "Rex rogavit eum, accepta ibi sede episcopali, suæ genti manere Pontificem:" and adds that the Bishop on his part, "precibus ejus adnuens eidem sacerdotali juri præfuit:" Not a syllable of sending to Rome for the papal consent, or even confirmation. So entirely and absolutely were these matters left where they now are and ever ought to be.

But to return. The King who spoke only the Saxon language, at length it seems, grew tired of Bishop

This epithet (old') says the Translator of the Saxon Chronicle, appears to have been inserted in some copies of the Saxon Chronicle, so early as the 10th. Century, to distinguish the old church or minster at Winton from the new, consecrated A.D. 903.

Agilbert's frenchified pronunciation of the Saxon tongue, (pertæsus barbaræ loquclæ, as Bede has it) and being determined to have a more polished preacher for his royal city, he appointed in his place Vini or Wina. The King now divided the Bishopric into two portions, and nominated Wina to the portion called WINCHESTER. consequence of this partition of the Diocese, Agilbert indignantly retired to France, where he became Bishop of Paris and attained to a considerable age.

In

Bede thus relates the foregoing circumstances:"Tandem Rex subintroduxit in provinciam alium suæ linguæ episcopum vocabulo Wini et ipsum in Gallia ordinatum, dividensque in duas parochias, provinciam, huic in civitate Venta, quæ a gente Saxonum Vintancaestri appellatur, sedem episcopalem tribuit: unde offensus graviter Agilberctus, quod hoc, IPSO inconsulto ageret Rex, rediit Galliam et accepto Episcopatu Parisiacæ civitatis ibidem senex ac plenum dierum obiit."

The word 'IPSO,' in the foregoing passage is strong. His indignation arose not, as some modern Roman Catholic writers would have us imagine, from his ejectment being effected by the King on his own authority, and without the consent or approbation of the holy see. Had the Pope arrogated to himself, at this period, the jurisdiction to which in after times he set up a claim, Bede, the accurate and Catholic Bede, would not have said merely ipso inconsulto,' thus making it a matter of individual feeling, but "Sede apostolicâ inconsultâ,” as an insult to and infringement of the divine rights of the Papal dominion. But Bede understood THE CONSTI

TUTION of the Romish Church better than it has since been understood by the aspiring and encroaching members of that communion,

It is really amusing to read the obiter observations of Bishop Milner on Agilbert's retirement to France, and to observe the gravity with which he insinuates the claims of the holy see : "Being well acquainte. with the irregularity and invalidity of this measure," (i. e. the KING'S division of the diocese, which "he ventured to do on his own authority") he resigned his see entirely, and returned to his native country," &c.

BISHOPS OF WINCHESTER.

I. WINA or VINI.

APPOINTED A. D. 660.-EJECTED 663.-DIED BISHOP OF LONDON.

THE Editor of BEDE is in error when he places 664 in the margin as the period of Agilbert's loss of the royal favor, and the substitution of Wina in his room, for the Saxon Chronicle thus records those events under the year 660: "This year Bishop Egelbert departed from Kenwal, and Wina held the Bishopric three years.'

This Prelate, in his turn, lost the Bishopric (pulsus est Vini ab eodem rege de Episcopatu. Bede.) and going over to Wulfere, King of the Mercians, is recorded by Bede to have bought the Bishopric of London, where he sat til his death. Thus the diocese of West-Saxony must have been without a Bishop for some years, viz. from 663 to 670.

Bede (lib. 3. p. 137) has a remarkable passage relative to this Bishop. Speaking of Ceadda, Archbishop of York, he says, "Unde diverterunt ad provinciam occidentalium Saxonum ubi erat Uini Epus et ab illo est vir præfatus (Ceadda) consecratus antistes," &c. Non enim erat tunc ullus excepto illo Uine in tota Britannia canonice ordinatus Epus.

Rudborne in his Hist. Maj. Wint. in Angl. Sacra. vol. 1. p. 192, writes, "Expulso Agilberto, Wynus, natione Anglus ac monachus Wyntoniensis ecclesiæ successit in episcop. A. D. 662,* et anno regis Kynewaldi 14 ut habetur per vigilantiam in libro de Basilica Petri. Qui Winus post biennium† per regem Kynewaldum simi

660. Sax. Chr. ut. sup.

+ The discrepancy in the chronological statements of the monkish historians is unaccountable. The Sax. Chr. says three years.