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Ireland and the Making
of Britain
at a noted village belonging to the king called At the
Wall. And having received four priests who for their
erudition and good life were deemed proper to instruct
and baptize his nation, he returned home with much joy.
These priests were Cedd and Adda and Betti and Diuma.
The aforesaid priests, arriving in the province with the
prince, preached the word and were willingly listened to;
and many, as well of the nobility as of the common sort,
renouncing the abominations of idolatry, were baptized
daily.
4.
RE-CONVERTS APOSTATE EAST SAXONS
When King Peada was slain and Oswy succeeded him
Diuma was made a bishop of the Midland Angles, as
also of the Mercians, being ordained by Bishop Finan;
for the scarcity of priests, says Bede, was the occasion that
one prelate was set over two nations. Having in a short
time converted many people, Diuma died among the Midland
Angles in the country called Feppingum; and Ceollach,
also of the Irish nation, succeeded him in the bish-
opric. This prelate not long after left his bishopric and
returned to the island of Hii or lona. Ceollach's suc-
cessor in the bishopric was Trumhere, an Englishman,
taught and ordained bishop by the Irish, being abbot of
the monastery which was called Ingethlingum. 1
At that time also Sigebert, king of the East Saxons, who
had cast off the faith when they expelled Mellitus their
bishop, continues Bede, was baptized with his friends
by Bishop Finan in the same king's village of At the
Wall. King Sigebert returned to the seat of his kingdom
requesting of King Oswy that he would give some teach-
ers, who might convert his nation. Oswy accordingly,
i Leeds, Hist. Eccl. Ill, XXIV.
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