HumanitiesWeb.org - Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Book III (Chapter XXIX) by Venerable Bede
Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Book III Chapter XXIX
by Venerable Bede
HOW THE PRIEST WIGHARD WAS SENT FROM BRITAIN TO ROME, TO BE CONSECRATED ARCHBISHOP, OF
HIS DEATH THERE, AND OF THE LETTERS OF THE APOSTOLIC POPE GIVING AN ACCOUNT THEREOF. [A.D.
665.]
AT this time the most noble King Oswy, of the province of the Northumbrians, and Egbert
of Kent, having consulted together about the state of the English Church (for Oswy, though
educated by the Scots, perfectly understood that the Roman was the Catholic and Apostolic
Church), with the consent of the holy church of the English nation, accepted of a good
man, and fit priest, to be made a bishop, called Wighard, one of Bishop Deusdedit's
clergy, and sent him to Rome to be ordained bishop, to the end that he, having received
the degree of an archbishop, might ordain Catholic prelates for the churches of the
English nation throughout all Britain. But Wighard, arriving at Rome, was cut off by
death, before he could be consecrated bishop, and the following letter was sent back into
Britain to King Oswy-
"To the most excellent Lord, our son, Oswy, king of the Saxons, Vitalian,
bishop, servant of the servants of God. We have received your excellency's pleasing
letters; by reading whereof we understand your most pious devotion and fervent love to
obtain everlasting life; and that by the protecting hand of God you have been converted to
the true and apostolic faith, hoping that as you reign in your nation, so you will
hereafter reign in Christ. Blessed be the nation, therefore, that has been found worthy to
have such a wise king and worshiper of God; forasmuch as he is not himself alone a
worshiper of God, but also studies day and night the conversion of all his subjects to the
Catholic and apostolic faith, to the redemption of his own soul. Who will not rejoice at
hearing such pleasant things? Who will not be delighted at such good works? Because your
nation has believed in Christ the Almighty God, according to the words of the Divine
prophets, as it is written in Isaiah, ' In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which
shall stand for an ensign of the people; to him shall the Gentiles seek.' And again, '
Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken ye people from afar.' And a little after, 'It is a
light thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to
restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that
thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth.' And again, 'Kings shall see,
princes also shall arise and worship.' And presently after, 'I have given thee for a
covenant of the people, to establish the earth, and possess the desolate heritages; that
thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show
yourselves.' And again, ' I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold
thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a light of the Gentiles, and for a
covenant of the people; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoner from the prison,
and them that sit in darkness From the prison-house.'
"Behold, most excellent son, how plain it is, not only of you, but also of all the
nations of the prophets, that they shall believe in Christ, the Creator of all things.
Wherefore it behooves your highness, as being a member of Christ, in all things,
continually to follow the pious rule of the prince of the apostles, in celebrating Easter,
and in all things delivered by the blessed apostles, Peter and Paul, whose doctrine daily
enlightens the hearts of believers, even as the two heavenly lights, the sun and moon,
daily illumine all the earth."
And after some lines, wherein he speaks of celebrating Easter uniformly throughout all
the world, he adds,-
"We have not been able now to find, considering the length of the journey, a man,
docile, and qualified in all respects to be a bishop, according to the tenor of your
letters. But as soon as such a proper person shall be found, we will send him well
instructed to your country, that he may, by word of mouth, and through the Divine oracles,
with the assistance of God, root out all the enemy's tares throughout your island. We have
received the presents sent by your highness to the blessed prince of the apostles, for an
eternal memorial, and return you thanks, and always pray for your safety with the clergy
of Christ. But he that brought these presents has been removed out of this world, and is
buried at the church of the apostles, for whom we have been much concerned, because he
died here. However, we have ordered the blessed gifts of the holy martyrs, that is, the
relics of the blessed apostles, Peter and Paul, and of the holy martyrs, Laurentius, John,
and Paul, and Gregory, and Pancratius, to be delivered to the bearers of these our
letters, to be by them delivered to you. And to your consort also, our spiritual daughter,
we have by the aforesaid bearers sent a cross, with a gold key to it, made out of the most
holy chains of the apostles, Peter and Paul; at whose pious endeavors all the Apostolic
See rejoices with us, as much as her pious works shine and blossom before God.
"We therefore desire your highness will hasten, according to our wish, to dedicate
all your island to Christ our God; for you certainly have for your protector, the Redeemer
of mankind, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will prosper you in all things, that you may bring
together a new people of Christ; establishing there the Catholic and apostolic faith. For
it is written, ' Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you.' Truly your highness seeks, and shall no doubt obtain, that all
your islands shall be made subject to you, as is our wish and desire. Saluting your
excellency with fatherly affection, we always pray to the Divine Goodness, that it will
vouchsafe to assist you and yours in all good works, that you may reign with Christ in the
world to come. May the Heavenly Grace preserve your excellency in safety!"
In the next book we shall have a more suitable occasion to show you who was found out
and consecrated in Wighard's place.