Page:Anglo-Saxon version of the Hexameron of St. Basil.djvu/14

Rh says, "Eadmaro successit Eluricus Abbas decimus hic factus archiepiscopus Cantuariæ: cui successit in Abbatia St. Albani Leofricus abbas undecimus frater ipsius Elurici." See Twysden's decem Scriptores, p. 446.

About the year 987, during the reign of Æthelred, Ælfric was sentas we are informed in his preface to the homiliesby Ælphegus, otherwise Ælpheah, successor to Æthelwold in the bishopric of Winchester, and at the request of thane Æthelmar, son of the before mentioned Æthelweard, to Cernel, otherwise Cerne, in Dorsetshire, to instruct the monks, and to superintend the affairs of that monastery, which had lately been restored and endowed by the saidÆthelmar, (for which see Dugdale's Monasticon, vol. ii. pp. 621-624.) Whilst at Cerne, Ælfric composed a book of forty homilies, more especially for the instruction of the monks of that religious house, which were sent for approval to Sigeric, archbishop of Canterbury.

These homilies, Ælfric says, are not original, but mostly translations from the works of St. Augustine, (bishop of Hippo,) Jerome, Bede, Gregory, Smaragdus, and Haymo. About this time, it is probable, our author composed the "Canons," or an episcopal charge, which he drew up at the request of his neighbour Wulfsinus, bishop of Sherborne. The doctrine contained in this charge respecting the Eucharist is most strongly opposed to that held at the present time by the Roman Catholic Church. This the following extract will clearly shew:

"Man sceal healdan ðæt halige husl mid mycelre gymene.