Chap. IV Concerning Augustine’s Pall of Apostleship Sent Him by Pope Gregory
A. 601. When he had reigned four years, pope Gregory sent to Augustine the pall of apostleship.
Chap. V Of the Faith of the East-Saxons, and of the Decease of the Blessed Pope Gregory
A. 604. After three years, the eastern English27 also received baptism in the reign of Sigebert [Sabert] their king.
A. 606. Two years afterwards, the blessed pope Gregory departed this world, in the eleventh year after he had bestowed baptism on the English by sending among them Christ’s servant Augustine. And the number of years that was completed from the beginning of the world was more than five thousand and eight hundred.28
Footnotes
27 Orientales Angli is the expression of Ethelwerd, but it should be Orientales Saxones, whose king’s name is generally written Sabert. See preceding note.
28 Ethelwerd adopts that system of chronology which makes 5300 to have elapsed before Christ.
Chap. VI.—Of the reign of king Cynegils, his wars; and of the coming of bishop Birinus, of the baptism of the king, and the faith of the East-Saxons,29 and of the baptism of Cuthred. [a.d. 615-639.]
Afterwards Cynegils received the kingdom of the West-Angles, and, in conjunction with Cuichelm, he fought against the Britons at a place called Beandune,30 and having defeated their army, slew more than two thousand and forty of them.
A. 629. Fourteen years after, Cynegils and Cuichelm fought against Penda at Cirencester.
A. 635. After six years bishop Birinus came among the Western Angles, preaching to them the gospel of Christ. And the number of years that elapsed since their arrival in Britain out of Germany, was about one hundred and twenty. At that time Cynegils received baptism from the holy bishop Birinus, in a town called Dorchester.
A. 639. He baptized Cuthred also four years after in the same city, and adopted him as his son in baptism.
Notes
29 Should be West-Saxons.
30 Most probably Bampton in Oxfordshire. This battle took place in 614. See the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for that year.