Open [38.2 MB]

First Steps of the English
in Civilization
sending into the province of the Midland Angles, invited
to him the man of God, Cedd, who with his brothers had
been trained in Ireland, and giving him another priest
for his companion, sent them to preach to the East Saxons.
When these two traveling to all parts of the country had
that Cedd
gathered a numerous church it happened
returned home and came to Lindisfarne to confer with
Finan, who, finding how successful he had been in the
work of the gospel, made him bishop of the church of
the East Saxons, calling two other bishops to assist at
the ordination. Cedd, having received the episcopal dignity,
returned to his province, and pursuing the work he
had begun with more ample authority built churches in
several places, ordaining priests and deacons to assist him
in the work of faith and the ministry of baptizing, especially
in the city of Ithancester as also in what is named
Tilaburg, or Tilbury, where gathering a flock of servants
of Christ he taught them to observe the discipline of
regular life.1
Cedd often returned to his own country, Northumbria,
and there built the monastery of Lestingau, or Lastingham,
establishing therein the religious customs of Lindisfarne.
There Cedd died and left the monastery to be governed
after him by his brother Ceadda, or Chad, who was after-
wards made bishop first of York and then of Litchfield.
For the four brothers, Cedd and Cynebil, Celin and Chad,
were all celebrated priests, all educated in Ireland and
at Lindisfarne and two of them became bishops.
5.
RISE OF THE EASTER CONTROVERSY
Prominent also in England in the time of Finan was
a traveled and scholarly Irishman of the name of Ronan.
i Hist. Eccl. Ill, XXII.
227