England

British Churches Before Augustine of Canterbury

Map of the general outlines of some of the Anglo-Saxon peoples about 600
Map of the general outlines of some of the Anglo-Saxon peoples about 600. Source: Wikipedia

Three lectures on the earliest period of English Church History, before Augustine of Canterbury’s mission. Rev. G.F. Browne, formerly Professor of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge. My thanks to Book Aid for making this public domain title available for digitisation and to Hel-Hama for the superb SVG image (above).

George Forrest Browne [1833-1930], The Christian Church in These Islands Before the Coming of Augustine. Three Lectures Delivered at St. Paul’s in January 1894, 2nd edn. London: SPCK, 1895. Hbk. pp.156. [Click to visit the download page]

Contents

LECTURE I.

Importance of the anniversaries connected with the years 1894-1897.—Christianity in Kent immediately before Augustine.—Dates of Bishop Luidhard and Queen Bertha.—Romano-British Churches in Canterbury.—Who were the Britons.—Traditional origin of British Christianity.—St. Paul.—Joseph of Arimathea.—Glastonbury.—Roman references to Britain

LECTURE II.

Early mentions of Christianity in Britain.—King Lucius.—Origin and spread of Christianity in Gaul.—British Bishops at Councils.—Pelagianism.—British Bishops of London.—Fastidius

LECTURE III.

Early Christianity in other parts of these islands.—Ninian in the south-west of Scotland.-Palladius and Patrick in lreland.—Columba in Scotland.—Kentigern in Cumbria.—Wales—-Cornwall.—The fate of the several Churches.-Special rites &c. of the British Church.—General conclusion

Seven Lectures on Medieval Missions by Thomas Smith D.D.

These seven lectures on medieval missions include within their scope material on Clovis and Clotilda, Paternus, Columba, Augustine of Canterbury, Aidan, Columbanus, Brunehilde, Boniface, Willebrord, Anskar and Ramon Llull. They appear on-line thanks to Redcliffe College, who recently asked me to digitise 1,000 mission books from their library. This book is in the Public Domain.

Thomas Smith, Medieval Missions. Duff Missionary Lectures – First Series. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1880. Hbk. pp.279. [Click to download in PDF]

Preface

The Duff Missionary Lectureship has been instituted under the provisions of the will of the late Dr. Alexander Duff. In arranging for its foundation, his son has complied with the dying instructions of his father, deviating from these instructions only to the extent of designating the lectureship by his father’s name,-a deviation which, I venture to think, will be universally approved.

In terms of a trust-deed executed by Mr. Duff, a course of lectures, not fewer than six in number, ‘On some department of Foreign Missions or cognate subjects,’ is to be delivered once in every four years, each lecturer to give only one course. They are to be delivered in Edinburgh and repeated in Glasgow, or delivered in Glasgow and repeated in Edinburgh, or delivered and repeated in such other places as the trustees may direct. The lectures are then to be published, and copies are to be presented to certain libraries in this country, continental Europe, America, India, Africa, and Australia. The trustees are men belonging to different denominations, and the lecturer is to be ‘ a minister, professor, or godly layman of any Evangelical Church.’

In the introduction to the first lecture I have sufficiently explained the circumstances in/ which I was appointed as the first holder of the lectureship, as having been long associated with Dr. Duff in mission work in Bengal, and afterwards in the home-management of the missions of the Free Church of Scotland. While I venture to entertain a humble hope that the present volume may communicate to its readers a considerable portion of information, and may stimulate their interest in the great work of missions, I desire that it may be regarded also as a tribute to the memory of one for whom, during forty years of uninterrupted friendship and constant intercourse, I cherished feelings of tenderest affection, while I shared with the universal church the sentiment of admiration of his gifts and veneration of his graces. [Continue reading]

Early English Church History

The following public domain book is now available on-line in PDF:

William Bright [1824-1901], Chapters of Early English Church History, 2nd Edition. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1888. Hbk. pp.476. 

Click here to download [10.36 MB] View in PDF format

Early English Church History

Contents

Chapter I (Introductory)

The beginning of British Christianity unknown; No proof of an Apostolic visit; Story of Lucius; Tertullia.n on British Christians; First Mission probably from Gaul; St. Alban; British Bishops at Council of Arles; Few traces of British Church; Its orthodoxy; St. Ninian; Pelagianism in Britain; Britons appeal to Gallic Church; Mission of German and Lupus; Discussion with Pelagians; German and Lupus at Verulam; The Allelnia Victory; Second visit of St. German; The Saxon Conquest; Sufferings of Britons; Condition of British Nation and Church; ‘Increpations’ of Gildas; British Church Ritual; British Colleges and Synods; Missionaries and Saints; Dubricius and David; Flight of British Bishops; What opening for a Mission!

Chapter II

Gregory the Great; The Church and Slavery; Gregory and the English boys; Gregory becomes Pope; His plans for an English Mission; Ethelbert and Bertha; Augustine and his companions; Misgivings silenced by Gregory; His commendatory letters; The Missionaries in Gaul; They land in Kent; Augustine before Ethelbert; Ethelbert’s reply; Augustine enters Canterbury; Life of Missionaries in Canterbury; Baptism of Ethelbert; Death of St. Columba; Consecration of Augustine; Foundation of Canterbury Cathedral; Messengers sent to Gregory; Gregory’s answers to Augustine’s questions; His view of the Popedom; Question of Miracles; Scheme for Bishoprics; Letters to Ethelbert and Bertha; Treatment of Pagan Temples; Arrival of Mellitus and his companions.

Chapter Ill

First Conference with British Bishops; Question of Easter; Questions of Baptismal Rites and Tonsure; Second Conference; Advice of the Hermit; Augustine’s terms rejected; His prediction; Battle of Chester; Bishopric of London; Bishopric of Rochester; ‘Church and Realm’ in Kent; Liturgical arrangements; Monastery of SS. Peter and Paul; Date of Augustine’s death; Consecration of Laurence; Archbishopric fixed at Canterbury; Character of St. Augustine; Overtures to the Irish Church fail; St. Columban; His Celtic tenacity; Renewed overtures to Britons fail; Dedication of SS. Peter and Paul’s; Eadbald rejects the Faith; Mellitus expelled from London; Story of Laurence’s dream; Conversion of Eadbald; Redwald’s compromise; Edwin in exile; His mysterious visitant; Edwin, King of all Northumbria; Mellitus, Archbishop; Disappointment of early hopes for the Mission; Paulinus sent to Northumbria.

Chapter IV

Paulinus at York; Attempt on Edwin’s life; Indecision of Edwin; Paulinus prevails with him; Northumbrian Witenagemot; Christianity adopted;Political greatness of Edwin; Bishopric of York; Mission-journeys of St. Paulinus; Estimate of his work;
Honorius, Archbishop; Christianity in East-Anglia; Sigebert and St. Felix; St. Fursey; Cadwallon and Penda; Edwin slain at Hatfield; The ‘ Hateful Year’; Flight of Paulinus; James the Deacon; Battle of Heavenfield; Oswald, King of Northumbria; He sends to Hy for a Bishop; Aidan chosen Bishop; Question as to his consecration; Aidan arrives in Northumbria; He settles at Lindisfarne; His position as independent of Rome

Chapter V

Character of St. Aidan; His work as Bishop; His relations with Oswald; His charity and boldness; His ‘error’ as to Easter; Church-work under him; Mission of St. Birinus; He preaches in Wessex; Baptism of Kynegils; Birinus, Bishop of Dorchester; Erconbert, King of Kent; The Family of King Anna; Battle of Maserfield; Death of St. 0swald; Reverence for his sanctity; Anxiety caused by his death; Oswy, King of Bernicia; Exile and conversion of Kenwalch; He regains his crown; Church of Winchester founded; Learning in Ireland; Agilbert in Wessex; Oswin, King of Deira; His murder; Honours to his memory; Nunneries in Northumbria; Death of Aidan.

Chapter VI

Preparations for organisation of English Church; Finan, Bishop of Lindisfarne; Paschal Question revived; Baptism of Peada; Mission to Mid-Angles; Baptism of Sigebert the Good; Cedd, Bishop of the East-Saxons; Foundation of Lastingham; Deusdedit, Archbishop; Death of Anna; Penda invades Northumbria; Battle of Winwidfield; Mercian Bishopric founded; Murder of Sigebert the Good; St. Botulf; Wulfhere, King of Mercia; Monastery of Peterborough; Wini, Bishop of Winchester; South-Saxons still Heathen; Colman, Bishop of Lindisfarne; Mona.sticism in Northumbria; Cuthbert at Melrose; Beginnings of Wilfrid; Wilfrid at Lindisfarne and at Lyons; His first visit to Rome; He returns to Northumbria; His aims for his native Church; Paschal Question brought to an issue; Conference of Whitby; Colman leaves Lindisfarne; Review of the Scotic Mission

Chapter VII

Tuda, Bishop of Lindisfarne; The ‘ Yellow Pest’; Apostasy of East-Saxons; Cuthbert, Prior of Melrose; Wilfrid elected to York; Consecration of Wilfrid in Gaul; His return from Gaul; Consecration of Chad; Third Mission to East-Saxons; Simony of Wini; Wilfrid in Mercia and Kent; Election and death of Wighard; Pope Vitalian’s letter; Theodore chosen for Canterbury; Monothelite Controversy; Consecration of Theodore; Theodore in Gaul; His arrival at Canterbury; His character; His reception in England.

Chapter VIII

Theodore and St. Chad; Question of Chad’s Consecration; His episcopate at Lichfield; His piety; His death; Egfrid, King of Northurnbria; Wilfrid’s church-building; Grandeur of his position; School at Canterbury; Monasticism in Kent; Lothere, Bishop of Winchester; Council of Hertford

Chapter IX

East-Anglian diocese divided; Queen Etheldred; Foundation of Ely; Disorders at Coldingham followed by ruin; Deposition of Winfrid; Erkenwald, Bishop of London; Aldhelm, Abbot of Malmesbury; Heddi, Bishop of Winchester; Design for a Monastery at Abingdon; Mercian Invasion of Kent; Putta at Hereford; Cuthbert, Prior of Lindisfarne; He retires to Farne; His Hermit-life; Foundation of Wearmouth; Ceolfrid; Hilda at Whitby; Credmon.

Chapter X

Beginning of Wilfrid’s troubles; Theodore and Egfrid; Division of Northumbrian diocese; Wilfrid’s appeal to Rome; Views of Roman See taken by Wilfrid, and by English Church in general; Seizure of Bishop Winfrid; Wilfrid in Frisia and Lombardy; Council of Rome; Return of Wilfrid; Roman decree rejected by Egfrid; Imprisonment of Wilfrid; His release; His stay in Mercia; He withdraws into Sussex; State of the South-Saxons; Wilfrid converts them; His Episcopate at Selsey.

Chaper XI

Mercian diocese divided; Saxon Monastery at Glastonbury; Mission of John the Precentor; Council of Hatfield; Question of Double Procession; Death of John the Precentor; Death of St. Hilda; Bishopric at Abercorn; Foundation of Jarrow; Bede; Invasion of Ireland; Assembly at Twyford; Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne; Egfrid attacks the Picts; Cuthbert at Carlisle; Battle of Dunnechtan; See of Abercorn abandoned; Aldfrid, King of Northumbria; St. Cuthbert’s Episcopate; His Visitations; He returns to Farne; Cuthbert’s last days; His death; Death of Easterwine; Benedict’s last return from Rome; Cad walla and Wilfrid; Cadwalla, King of Wessex; Conquest of the Isle of Wight; Conversion of its people; Theodore reconciled to Wilfrid; Wilfrid restored to York; The first compromise; John, Bishop of Hexham; Eadbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne; Death of Benedict Biscop; Cadwalla. goes to Rome; Baptism and death of Cadwalla; Ine, King of West-Saxons; Death of Theodore.

Chapter XII

State of Church and Kingdoms at Theodore’s death; Laws of King Ine; Renewal of Wilfrid’s troubles; Questions for Wilfrid; Wilfrid in Mercia; Missions to Frisia; St. Willibrord; Swidbert, Missionary Bishop; Martyrdom of the Hewalds; Willibrord’s Episcopate; Bertwald, Archbishop of Canterbury; Death of St. Erkenwald; Death of King Sebbi; Egwin, Bishop of Worcester; Laws of King Wihtred; The ‘Privilege’ of Wihtred; Guthlac at Crowland; Foundation of Evesham.

Chapter XIII

Death of Bishop Eadbert; Letter of Pope Sergius; Council of Easterfield; Wilfrid’s second Appeal; Wilfrid again in Mercia; St. Aldhelm; He writes to encourage ‘ Wilfrid’s clerks’; Acca; Wilfrid’s last journey to Rome; Pope John VI; Council of Rome; Decision of the Council; Letter of Pope John; Wilfrid at Meaux; Wilfrid welcomed by Ethelred; Aldfrid refuses to receive him; Death of Aldfrid; Council of the Nidd; Final compromise in the ’cause of Wilfrid’

Chapter XIV

Aldhelm’s letter to Geraint on British Easter and Tonsure; Gradual surrender of Celtic Easter; Daniel, Bishop of Winchester; Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne; Church-work in Wessex; Death of Aldhelm; Complaint against Bede; Wilfrid’s last arrangements; His journey into Mercia; His death; Retrospect.

Chapter XIV

Aldhelm’s letter to Geraint on British Easter and Tonsure; Gradual surrender of Celtic Easter; Daniel, Bishop of Winchester; Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne; Church-work in Wessex; Death of Aldhelm; Complaint against Bede; Wilfrid’s last arrangements; His journey into Mercia; His death;
Retrospect.

Additional Notes

A. Christian adoption of Pagan sites
B. Bede and Gregory of Tours
C. Theodore and Chad
D. The Council of Hertford
E. The Age of St. Aldhelm
F. Growth of a Parochial System
G. Miscellaneous

Table of Principal Events
Table of Royal and Episcopal Succession, A.D. 597-709
Genealogical Tables
Index