to the Church, which had been foretold him by the Divine Oracle; nor that Wichert going into those Parts, had met with any Succefs; he ftill attempted to fend fome holy and industrious Men to the Work of the Word, among whom Wilbrod was eminent for the pricftly Degree and Merit. They arriving there, being twelve in number, and going afide to Pepin Duke of the Franks, were gracioutly receiv'd by him; and in regard that he had lately fubdu'd the hither Frifeland, expelling King Rathbed, he fent them thither to preach, fupporting them at the fame time with his Authority, that none might moleft them in their Preaching, and beftowing many Favours on those that would embrace the Faith. Thus it came to pass, that with the Affiftance of the Divine Grace, they in a fhort Time converted many from Idolatry to the Faith of CHRIST. Two other Priefts of the English Nation, who had long liv'd Strangers in Ireland, for the fake of the eternal Country, following the Example of the former, went into the Province of the ancient Saxons, to try whether they could there gain any to CHRIST by preaching. They both bore the fame Name, as they were equal in Devotion, Hewald being the Name of both, with this diftinction, that on account of the difference of their Hair, the one was call'd Black Hewald and the other White Hewald. They were both piously Religious, but black Hewald was more learned in Scripture. These entering that Province, took up their Lodging in a certain Steward's Houfe, and requested that he would conduct them to his Lord, for that they had a Meffage, and fomething to his Advan

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Advantage to communicate to him; for those ancient Saxons have no King, but feveral Lords that rule their Nation; and when any War happens, they caft Lots indifferently, and on whomfoever the Lot falls, him they follow and obey, during the War; but as foon as the War is ended, all thofe Lords are again equal in Power. The Steward receiv'd and entertain'd them in his Houfe fome Days, promifing to fend them to his Lord, as they defir❜d. But being known to the Barbarians to be of another Religion, because they always apply'd themselves to Prayer and finging of Pfalms and Hymns, and daily offer'd the Sacrifice of the faving Oblation, having along with them facred Vellels, and a Table confecrated instead of an Altar, they began to grow jealous of them, left if they fhould come to the Lord, and converse with him, they should turn his Heart from their Gods, and convert him to the new Religion of the Chriftian Faith; and thus by degrees all their Province should be oblig'd to change its old Worship for a new. Hereupon they, on a fudden, laid hold of and put them to death, the White Hewald immediately with the Sword, but the Black they put to tedious Torture and tore Limb from Limb, and then threw them into the Rhine. The Lord whom they had defir'd to fee, hearing of it, was highly incens'd, for that the Strangers defiring to come to him had not been allow'd it; and therefore he fent and put to death all thofe Peafants and burnt their Village. The aforefaid Priests and Servants of CHRIST fuffer'd on the fifth of the Nones of October. Nor did their Martyrdom want the Honour of Miracles; for their dead

Bodies having been caft into the River by the Pagans, as has been faid, it happen'd that they were carry'd against the Stream of the River, which ran down, for the fpace of almost forty Miles, to the Place where their Companions were. Befides a vaft Ray of Light, reaching up to Heaven, fhin'd every Night over the Place where they happen'd to arrive; the very Pagans that had flain them beholding it. Moreover, one of them appear'd in a Vision by Night to one of his Companions, whofe Name was Tilmon, a Man Illuftrious and of Noble Birth, who, of a Soldier was become a Monk, acquainting him, that he might find their Bodies in that Place, where he should see Rays from Heaven give Light to the Earth; which prov'd accordingly; and their Bodies being found, were interr'd with the Honour due to Martyrs; and the Day of their Paffion or Invention is celebrated in thofe Parts with proper Veneration. At length, Pipin, the most glorious General of the Franks, understanding thefe Things, caus'd the Bodies to be brought to him, and bury'd them with much Honour in the Church of the City of Cologn, on the Rhine. It is reported, that a Spring gufh'd out in the Place where they were kill'd, which to this Day affords a plentiful Stream.

CHA P. XII.

How the venerable Men Suitbercht in Britain, and Wilbrod at Rome were ordain'd Bishops for Frifeland.

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T their firft coming into Frifeland, as foon as Wilbrod found he had leave given him by the Prince to preach, he made hafte to Rome, Pope Sergius then prefiding in the Apoftolical See, that he might undertake the defir'd Work of preaching the Gofpel to the Gentils with his Licenfe and Bleffing; and hoping to receive of him fome Relicks of the Bleffed Apoftles and Martyrs of CHRIST; to the end, that when destroying the Idols, he erected Churches in the Nation to which he preach'd, he might have the Relicks of Saints at hand, to put into them, and having depofited them there, he might accordingly dedicate those Places to the Honour of each of thofe whose the Relicks were. He was alfo defirous there to learn, or to receive from thence many other Things, which fo great a Work requir'd. Having obtain'd all that he defir'd, he return'd to preach. At which Time, the Brothers that were in Frifeland attending the Ministry of the Word, chofe out of their own Number a Man, modeft of Behaviour, and meek of Heart, call'd Suidbert to be ordain'd Bifhop for them. He being fent into Britain, was confecrated by

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the me? Reverend Bishop Wid, who hapning to be then drove out of his Country, liv'd a banish'd Man in the Nation of the Merians; for Ke had no Bishop at that Time, Zee being dead, and Berchraald his Succeffor, who was gone beyond the Sea to be ordain'd, not return'd. The faid Salbert being made Buhop, returning from Britain, not long after weat away to the Nation of the Beratiuarians, (or Brufterians,) and by his Preaching brought many of them into the Way of Truth; but the Nation of the Bornarians being not long atter subdu'd by the ancient Saxons, thofe who had receiv'd the Word, were difpers'd abroad; and the Bishop himself repair'd to Pipia, who, at the request of his Wite Blittbruk, gave him a Place of Refidence in a certain and of the Rhine, which in their Tongue is call'd Ilitore; where he having built a Monaftery, which his Heirs ftill poflefs, for a Time led a most continent Life, and there ended his Days. When they who went over had spent fome Years teaching in Frifeland, Pipin, with the confent of them all, fent the venerable Man Wilbrod to Rome, where Sergius was ftill Pope, defiring that he might be confecrated Archbifhop over the Nation of the Frifons; which was accordingly done, in the Year of our Lord's Incarnation 696. He was confecrated in the Ann. 603. Church of the Holy Martyr Cecily, on her Feaft Day; the Pope giving him the Name of Clement; and prefently fent back to the Sce of his Bishoprick, that is, fourteen Days after his Arrival at Rome. Pipin gave him a Place for his Epifcopal Sce, in his famous Caftle, which in the ancient Language of thofe People, is

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call'd,