Page:The golden days of the early English church from the arrival of Theodore to the death of Bede, volume 1.djvu/198

 692, if not 693. This conclusion is based on a charter (K.C.B., 35; Birch, i. 115), which is doubtful. We have no better support, however. He was commemorated on the 30th of April, and was succeeded by Waldhere, as Bede tells us. Waldhere wrote a letter to Archbishop Beorhtwald in 705. We have no evidence as to how long after this he lived, and all we know is that his successor, Inguald, was Bishop of London in 731, when Bede wrote his history.

In regard to Wessex, Bede does not tell us when its proto-apostle arrived. He merely puts his mission in the reign of King Cynegils. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Florence of Worcester put it in 634, for which there is no real authority. Nor does Bede directly mention the death of Birinus. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Florence merely say under the year 656 that "Agilberht the Frenchman obtained the bishopric of the West Saxons, Birin being then dead." Bede gives no hint on the subject of the date; nor does he tell us when Agilberht resigned the see, but it was clearly some time before or in 664, when he describes Agilberht's presence at the Council of Whitby, he having then resigned. He did not become Bishop of Paris till 666, when his predecessor, Importunus, signs a document. His successor's departure from Wessex and acceptance of the see of London was probably in 666, when Florence of Worcester puts it. The date given for this in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle—namely, 663—is impossible, as Mr. Plummer shows. The Chronicle, which at this period is a mere succession of blunders, puts Wini's accession in 660. Wini's departure was followed by a vacancy of several years. His successor was Chlothaire, who was consecrated by Theodore, and therefore after 669, when the latter first came to England. Bede does not say in which year, but the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Florence of Worcester put it in 670. They both say he reigned seven years, which would put his death in 677. He was succeeded by Hæddi, who, according to Bede, died at the beginning of Osred's reign—that is, in 705.

On his death the see was divided into two: the seat of one, at Winchester, being occupied by Danihel, and that of the other, at Sherborne, held by St. Aldhelm. The former was still bishop when Bede was writing in 731, but Aldhelm died much earlier. Bede does not give the date, but the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and