Page:Historical Works of Venerable Bede vol. 2.djvu/272

 200 reigned with greater glory than any of the kings before him. In the first year of his reign, which was the nine hundred and nineteenth year of our Lord's incarnation, St. Dunstan. was born St. Duustan, who afterwards departed to the Lord in the seventieth year of his age, in the reign of King Ethelred.

§ 16. In the year of our Lord's incarnation nine hundred and twenty-two, Tilred died, after an episcopacy of thirteen years and four months, and Wigred was elected bishop, and consecrated in his stead. In the tenth year of the latter. King Ethelstan, on his way to Scotland, at the head of an army collected out of all Britain, came to St. Cuthbert's tomb to ask his protection, and make many presents, such as beseemed a king, to ornament his church; and these gifts are preserved in this cathedral of Durham to this day, as a record of this pious king's devotion towards the holy saint, and to keep alive his memory for ever. Their nature and quantity will be found described in order in the charter long before mentioned. Besides these ornaments, he added no less than twelve estates, for the support of those who served in the church. The names of these are given elsewhere; therefore I do not think it necessary to state them in this place. He also ratified the laws and customs of the saint, which his grandfather. King Alfred and King Guthred had established; and enacted that they should be preserved inviolate for ever. Moreover, he uttered a dreadful malediction against those who, when an offering had been made, should presume to abstract or diminish aught therefrom; to wit, that on the day of judgment they should take part with Judas, who betrayed our Lord. Besides which the army, by the king's command, bestowed upwards of ninety-six pounds of silver on the tomb of the Holy Confessor. Thus, when they had all commended themselves to the saint's protection, and arranged every thing for their journey, the king departed, having first adjured