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Ireland and the Making
of Britain
that you were more severe to your unlearned hearers than
you ought to have been and did not at first, conformably
to the apostolic rule, give them the milk of more easy
doctrine, till being by degrees nourished with the word
of God, they should be capable of greater perfection, and
be able to practice God's sublimer precepts." Having
heard these words of Aidan all present began diligently
to weigh what he had said, and presently concluded that
he deserved to be made a bishop, and ought to be sent to
instruct the incredulous and unlearned; since he was
found to be endowed with singular discretion, which is
the mother of other virtues. "Accordingly," says Bede,
"they sent him to their friend, King Oswald, to preach;
and he, as time proved, afterwards appeared to possess
all other virtues as well as the discretion for which he
was before remarkable." 1
Bede draws a pleasing picture of the friendship
between the Irish prelate and the English king, who
under Aidan's influence grew into a beautiful character.
Once when sitting at dinner on Easter Sunday with Bishop
Aidan a silver dish full of dainties was put before the
king and they were just ready to bless the bread, when
the servant who had been appointed to relieve the poor
came in on a sudden and told the king that a great multi-
tude of needy persons from all parts were sitting in the
streets begging some alms of the king; he immediately
ordered the meat set before him to be carried to the poor
and the dish to be cut in pieces and divided among them.
At which sight the bishop, who sat by him, much taken
with such an act of piety, laid hold of his right hand and
said: "May this hand never perish!" Which fell out
according to his prayer, adds Bede, for his arm and hand,
iHist. Eccl. Ill, V.
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