churches, and his affociates, having fpread themselves over all the country, completed that converfion which was fo happily begun.

The kingdom of the Heptarchy which next embraced the Chriftian faith was that of Northumberland, at that time the moft powerful of the reft: Edwin, a wife, brave, and active prince, then king of the country, was married to Ethelburga, the daughter of Ethelbert, who had been fo lately converted. This princefs, emulating the glory of her mother, who had been the instrument of converting her husband and his fubjects to Chriftianity, carried Paulinus, a learned bishop, with her into Northumberland, having previously ftipulated for the free exercife of her religion. Edwin, whom his queen unceasingly folicited to embrace Christianity, for a long time hefitated on the propofal, willing to examine its doctrines before he declared in their favour. Accordingly he held several conferences with Paulinus, difputed with his counsellors, meditated alone, and, after a serious difcuffion, declared himself a Chriftian. The high priest alfo of the pagan fuperftition foon after declaring himself a convert to the arguments of Paulinus, the whole body of the people unanimoufly followed their example,

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The authority of Edwin, who was thus converted, foon after prevailed upon Earpwold, the king of the Eaft Angles, to embrace Christianity. This monarch, however, after the death of Edwin, relapfed into his former idolatry, at the perfuafion of his wife. But upon his decease, Sigebert, his half-brother, who had been educated in France, restored Christianity, and introduced learning among the Angles.

Mercia, the moft powerful kingdom of all the Saxon heptarchy, owed its converfion, like the former, to a woman, The wife of Peada, who was the daughter of Ofwy, king of Northumberland, having been bred in the Chriftian faith, employed her influence with fuccefs in converting her husband and his fubjects. But it feems the new religion was attended with small influence on the manners of that fierce people, as we find Otto, one of their new converted kings, in a few reigns after, treacherously deftroying Ethelbert, king of the Eaft Angles, at an entertainment to which he had been invited. However, to make atonement for this tranfgreffion, we find him paying great court to the clergy, giving the tenth of his goods to the church, and making a pilgrimage to Rome, where his riches pro

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cured

cured him the papal abfolution. It was upon this occafion, the better to ingratiate himself with the pope, that he engaged to pay him a yearly donation for the fupport of an English college at Rome; and, in order to raise the fum, he impofed a tax of a penny on each houfe poffeffed of thirty-pence a year. This impofition being afterwards generally levied throughout the kingdom, went by the name of Peter-pence, and in fucceeding times gave rife to many ecclefiaftical abuses.

In the kingdom of Effex, Sebert, who was nephew to Ethelbert, king of Kent, of whofe converfion we have already made mention, was alfo prevailed upon by his uncle to embrace the Chriftian religion. His fons, however, relapfed into idolatry, and banished Melitus, the Chriftian bishop, from their territories, because he refufed to let them eat the white bread which was diftributed at the communion. But Chriftianity was restored two or three reigns after, by Sigebert the Good; and fuch was the influence of its doctrines upon. Offa, the third in fucceffion from him, that he went upon a pilgrimage to Rome, and fhut himself up during the reft of his life in a cloister.

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We know but little of the propagation of Christianity in the kingdom of Suffex; but this being the smallest of all the Saxon Heptarchy, it is probable that it was governed in its opinions by fome of its more powerful neighbours. It is faid, that, during the reign of Ciffa, one of its kings, which continued feventy-fix years, the kingdom fell into a total dependence upon that of Weffex, and to this it is probable that it owed its converfion.

The kingdom of Weffex, which in the end fwallowed up all the reft, deferves our more particular attention. This principality, which, as has been already related, was founded by Cerdic, was, of all the Saxon establishments in Britain, the most active and warlike. The great oppofition the invaders of this province originally met from the natives, whom they expelled, not without much bloodshed, ferved to carry their martial spirit to the highest pitch, Cerdic was fucceeded by his fon Kenric, and he by Ceanhin, a prince more ambitious and enterprifing than either of the former. He had, by waging continual war against the Bri tons, added a great part of the counties of Devon and Somerset to his dominions; and, not fatisfied with conquefts over his natural enemies; he attacked the Saxons themselves,

till, becoming terrible to all, he, provoked a general confederacy against him. This combination took place; fo that he was at last expelled the throne, and died in exile and mifery. His two fons fucceeded; and, after a fucceffion of two more, Kynegils inherited the crown. This prince embraced Christianity through the perfuafion of Ofwald, the king of Northumberland, his fon in-law. After fome fucceeding obfcure. reigns, Ceodwalla mounted the throne, an enterprifing, warlike, and fuccefsful prince. He fubdued entirely the kingdom of Suffex, and annexed it to his own dominions. He made also some attempts upon Kent, but was repulfed with vigour. Ina, his fucceffor, was the most renowned and illuftrious of all the kings who reigned in England during the heptarchy. This monarch inherited the military virtues of Ceodwalla, but improved by policy, juftice, and prudence. He made war upon the Britons, who yet remained in Somerfetfhire, and having totally fubdued that province, he treated the vanquished with a humanity hitherto unknown to the Saxon conquerors. In lefs than a year after he mounted "the throne of Weffex, he was declared monarch of the Anglo Saxons, a remarkable proof of the great character he had acquired. He compiled a body of laws, which ferved as the ground,