Page:Elizabeth Elstob - An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory.djvu/42

 '', it was not to subject them to that Church; but because their Administration of Baptism was best known to him, and to be most safe, and what was allow'd of by all the Orthodox. Thirdly, The Demand of assisting them in preaching to the Saxons, in St. Augustine was highly charitable, and commendable; the refusal of it, in the Britains, inexcusable. This possibly was the true cause of their Opposition to St. Augustine; their inveterate Quarrels and Hatred to the Saxons, proceeded so far, as to make them envy them Christianity. They wou'd not preach the Gospel to them, and, as they resolved not to do it themselves, so they hated Augustine for doing of it.''

This makes it the more to be admir'd, that some of our Ecclesiastical Historians shou'd spend so much Pains, to take the Honour of our Conversion from the Romans, and give it to the Britains; and that so much stress should be laid upon the Relation of Munster, a foreign Author and not much acquainted with our Affairs; of one Offa, they shou'd have said Offo, a Saxon of Royal Blood, who was turned Christian, and endeavoured the Conversion of some of the Germans'', in the Year 603. It is said he was converted at the Instructions of some pious Britains. But Munster says not a Word of the Matter. Sir Henry Spelmans Note upon that History, is much more probable and ingenuous; he says, this Offo seems to have been one of the ''