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74 THE HOMESCOT
Norman conquest. The tradition, which couples
this institution with the name of King o Ina, * is rejected
by Lingard. According to him its origin is
buried in obscurity, only the practice was there, and
must have been established by the royal authority.
Under Edward the Elder, the Eomescot is mentioned
not as a new thing but as a due. Ethelwulph, the
father of King Alfred, distinguished himself by
devotion to the Holy See. During his year's stay
in Rome he made magnificent presents to the Pope,
and distributed gifts in St. Peter's basilica to the
clergy and people of Borne with a royal lavishness.
By will he bequeathed 300 mancuses to be sent
yearly to Rome : one hundred for the Pope's personal
use, one hundred to supply oil for the lamps
in St. Peter's at the evening and midnight service
.
on Easter Eve, and one hundred for the same pur-
pose in the church of St. Paul. i
Gregory was still living for the Angles in the
solicitude of his successors. In the year 787 Pope
Adrian despatched his legates, whose names have
been preserved, to renew " the faith and peace which
St. Gregory had sent by Augustine. They were
worshipfully received." Bishop Gregory of Ostia
and Theophylact of Todi were the first messengers
sent by Rome since Augustine's time. They caused
two synods to be held, one in Northumbria under
Archbishop Eanbald of York and King Alfwald, the
other immediately afterwards in Mercia under King
Lingard, History of the Anglo-Saxon Church, vol. i. p. 260.