york00orns

i8
YORK.
of the office which he held, for the priest of an idol
shrine was not permitted to carry weapons, and a
mare was the only animal he was allowed to bestride.
Thus armed, and thus mounted, he rode furiously to
Goodmanham, a place of the highest sanctity. He
flung his spear into the sacred enclosure, tore down
the idols, and with joy and gladness and shouts of
thanksgiving to the true God, he commanded those
who accompanied him to join him in the utter destruction
of that which had been the object of their
ignorant but fond veneration. The people stood
awe-struck. They thought Coifi was mad, and
doubtless expected that the gods «-ould avenge the
insult offered to the place where they were enshrined.
" But there was no voice, nor any that answered."
It was the downfall of heathenism in Northumbria.
[a.d. 627.] Edwin's acceptance of Christianity was
followed by its open profession by himself and the
chief men of his kingdom, and a number of his people.
During the period of instruction in the mysteries of
the Christian faith which preceded his baptism, the
erection of a church or oratory within the walls of
York was rapidly carried on by Edwin's orders. It
was of wood, resembling, probably, in its structure a
church which yet survives at Greensted, near Ongar,
and is a most curious and "venerable relic of Saxon
times, "and a visible exponent of the old Anglo-
Saxon word getymbrlan— to build." Under the
shelter of this humble sanctuary Edwin was baptized
by Paulinus on Easter day, the 12th April, 627.
Some of " his nobles were baptized with him, and
among the neophytes was his grand-niece Hilda, the