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KING Edwin's conversion. 17
listened to and his teaching followed. Coifi again
spoke, and expressed an earnest desire to hear somewhat
from Paulinas concerning the God whom he
adored. The king assented, and with a glad and
willing mind Paulinus unfolded to them the wondrous
story of the gospel of Christ. Coifi listened
with absorbed and awe-struck attention, and soon
burst forth into words of strong conviction, acknowledging
in the presence of that gTeat assemblage
that he had hitherto sought for truth, but in vain ;
and that now he had met with teaching which satisfied
all his longing aspirations, with its promises of life
and salvation and eternal blessedness. With all the
earnestness of a new-born zeal, he implored the king
that the idols and their shrines, whose chief guardian
and most devout worshipper he had been, should be
torn down and given to the flames. Edwin's first
utterance was a public acknowledgment of his own
acceptance of the doctrine which Paulinus preached,
and his absolute renunciation of all idol worship.
His second was a question addressed to Coifi :
" Who shall be found," said he, " bold enough to
enter the precincts of those fanes, so long regarded
with veneration and awe, and tear down the images
of Thor and Woden?" "I will," was the chief
priest's reply ; "no one surely is fitter to undertake
the work of destruction than the man who has .so
long fostered a people's ignorance and encouraged
them in a worship which is vanity and folly." He
then besought Edwin to furnish him with sword and
spear, and to mount him on a war-horse. Hi.s
request was granted. It v,-as in itself an abnegation
c