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40 YORK.
bajjtised. Strange to say, even Penda, the old and
fierce enemy of all that bore the Christian name,
interposed no obstacles to their preaching in Mercia.
In his own person, indeed, he was Pagan still, and
remained so to the end, but his active opposition
ceased for a time. For one class of converts only
was reserved an expression of the most contemptuous
disgust, which has been preserved by Bede, those,
namely, whose Christian profession was contradicted
by an unholy life.