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Ireland and the Making
of Britain
desiring they would send him a bishop, by whose instruc-
tion and ministry the English nation, which he governed,
might be taught the advantages and receive the sacrament
of the Christian faith. They were not slow in granting
his request and sent him Bishop Aidan, a man of singular
meekness, piety and moderation, zealous in the cause of
God. On his arrival the bishop fixed his episcopal see
in the isle of Lindisfarne. King Oswald also humbly
and willingly in all cases gave ear to his admonitions,
industriously applying himself to the workof building and
extending the church of Christ in his kingdom; wherein
when the bishop, who was not skilful in the English
tongue, preached the gospel, it was most delightful to see
the king himself interpreting the word of God to his
commanders and ministers, for Oswald had acquired a
perfect mastery of the Irish tongue during his long
banishment. 1
Oswald's family and the Northumbrian
nobility were in large part fluent Irish speakers and in
some degree representatives of the new Irish learning.
This learning gradually spread.
The varied labors of the Irishmen are indicated by
Bede: "From that time many of the Irish came daily
into Britain and with great devotion preached the word
to those provinces of the English over which King'Oswald
reigned, and those among them that had received priests'
orders administered to them the grace of baptism.
Churches were built in several places; the people joyfully
flocked together to hear the word ; money and lands were
given of the king's bounty to build monasteries; the
English, great and small, were by
their Irish masters
instructed in the rules and observance of regular disci-
pline ; for most of them that came to preach were monks." 2
iHist Eccl. Ill, III.
2 Hist. EccL III. IIL
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