york00orns

2 YORK.
the rise and progress of Christianity throughout the
land, Professor Bright ^ has well observed that " the
history of the Church in Northumbria during the
larger part of the seventh century is conspicuously
the backbone of the history of the Church in
England." And as regards learning, York had a
reputation more than insular, when Archbishop
Egbert was founding schools and collecting a library,
and when Alcuin was niagister scholariim within its
walls, at a period when Oxford, as a seat of education,
had achieved no distinction and given no
presage of her future fame.
The object of the following pages is to trace, in as
definite and precise a manner as the limits assigned
to the volume will admit of, the history of the great
diocese which for more than a thousand years has
been the seat of the Northern Primate of England.
The aim of the book is strictly of a diocesan character.
It is not intended to combine, in however
brief a form, any history of the country at large, important
as has often been the part which Yorkshire
has played. However tempting the theme, it must be
left on one side, further than as the actions of a sovereign
or the deliberations of a Parliament have intertwined
themselves with the fortunes of the Church.
We propose to commence our sketch — for it
claims no higher appellation — of the diocese of
York, by an account of the mission-work of Paulinus,
whose name is usually placed at the head of the long
roll of those who have occupied its archiepiscopal
throne. Before proceeding with this, a short account
' " Early English Church History," p. 154.