Page:Elizabeth Elstob - An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory.djvu/112

 ryiib ^epehre peo- which are reckoned to be fcji'ci'S ]?e i^epbon be about Forty, that journied Irpe^ojiiej' h^i*e o^ ]>xx: with him by Gregorys com- hi becomon ^ejrunbpul- mand, proceeded on their lice ro J)if um i^lanbe :• Journey until they arrived On J)am bajum pixoOc profperoufly in this Ifland. jepelbypihc cyning on In thofe days reigned King Eanrpapabypig, "^ hijr JEthelbyriht in the City of pice p2er aprpehr; ppam Canterbury^ whofe Kingdom micclan ea fcumbpe 0^6 was ftretched from the great 3ru^ r^ •• Sguf rinuf River Hurrjher to the South hcepbe genummen pe- Sea. Augujiine had taken alhpr.o5ap on pjiancena 1 Interpreters in the King- pice jpa rpa Eipejopiuf dom of the Franks^ as Gr^- Reception of his Miffioners. From that King's Court they pafson to C&fa.Yodunum Turonum^ now Tours^ to vific the Tomb of St. Martin* Whether or no they turned out of their Road to Medhlamm Santo- num, Sa'inBes^ or XainUes^ to wait upon Falladtus the Bifhop, to whom the Pope had written, it is not eafy to determine : He being much in favour with the Kings of the Frat^t^s^ 'tis poflible they might meet with him at Court, and there prefent him with their Letters. ful St. Gregory was, that nothing (hould be done irregular or indecent, even in the Infancy of a Church. The preaching of the Gofpel being a pecuHar Office of the Miniftry, he permits not the Laity to aifume any fhare in the facred Employment, enjoining, that the very Inter- preters they made ufe of (hould be Men in Orders, and honour'd with the Prie(tly Dignity, as well to avoid all Pretences from a contrary Precedent of the Laity's medling in facred things, as alfo to encreafe the number of the Labourers, in Preaching and Baptizing, ^c. in cafe the Harveft ffaould prove great. That Su Gregory order'd Augujiine td do this, appears from an Epiflle of his to Tbeoderic and Thcodeberti Kings of the Franks* For having recommended Auguftin and hM Companions to them^ he adds ; Quibus etiam injtwximuSy ut dliquos Juum e viclno dsbsanP Fresbytms dncere^ cum quibus mum pofflnt mentes agiif
 * Thefe Interpreters were Presbyters : Which (hews us how care-