Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 1.djvu/293

ST. ETHELBURGA 279 faith, lest any should be corrupted by a<%sociating with pagans. The year after Ethelburga's marriage, an assault was made upon Edwin with a poisoned weapon by an assassin sent by Quichelm, king of Wessex. Edwin's faithful ser- vant Lilla interposed his body and died in his master's stead. This was on Easter Day. The same night the queen was safely delivered of a daughter, who was called Eanfleda. The king gave thanks to his gods. Paulinus gave thanks to Christ, saying that it was through His intervention that the queen's life had been spared. Edwin said that if the Christian God would procure him victory over Qnichelm and recovery from his wound, he would be converted ; -as a pledge of his sincerity, he delivered up the new-bom princess to Paulinus to be baptized. The king went with an army against Qnichelm, and returning victorious, renounced the worship of idols. He hesitated still about adopting Christianity, received much instruction on the subject from Paulinus, and consulted also the wisest men of his own kingdom. Pope Boni- face was interested in his conversion, and about this time wrote two letters, one to Edwin, one to Ethelburga, urging the great religious change, and he sent them presents, with the blessing of St. Peter. The king's gifts were a gold ornament and a garment of Ancyra ; the queen received a silver looking-glass and an ivory gilt comb. The letters are given in Bede's History. The turning-point in Edwin's con- version was the recurrence of an appa- rition, which had visited him years before while in exile at Eedwald's court, and promised him success and sove- reignty. This supernatural being now told him that it was the Ood of the Christians who had given him greater power than any of his predecessors, and that he must no longer delay his con- version, Edwin wished that all his people should be converted with him; he therefore convened his Witan. Coiffi, the pagan high priest, declared himself strongly in favour of Christianity, and was the first to begin the destruction of ihe great heathen temple at GU)dmundham (near Wighton, in Yorkshire), with its hideous altars and grim accessories of a barbarous worship. After this, on Easter Day, April 12, 627, in a new wooden church at York, Edwin was baptized with his and Ethelburga's son, Ethelhun, and several of his relations, friends, and officers. Their example was soon fol- lowed by thousands of people of all ages and conditions. Ethelhun died while still wearing his white baptismal robes, and was buried in York Minster. Penda, king of Meroia — a fierce heathen warrior, brother of Edwin's first wife, Quenburga — invaded Edwin's dominions, and defeated the Northum- brians in a great battle at Hatfield Chase, in Yorkshire. Edwin and his son Osfrith were killed. Ethelburga, with Paulinus, and her young children, escaped by sea to Kent, to the court of her brother Eadbald, taking with her many of Edwin's treasures, especially a golden cup and cross, which were pre- served at Canterbury in Bede's time. Eanbald gave Ethelburga a Roman villa at Lyming, between Canterbury and the sea. There she built the first nunnery in England, and there she and her sister St. Edbitrg a ( 1 ) took the veil. Paulinus became Bishop of Rochester. Ethelburga sent her son Wuscfrea, and Uffi — son of her stepson Osfrith — to Dagobert, king of France, to be edu- cated. They died young, and were buried in France with royal honours. Besides Wuscfrea and Eanfleda, she had two children, who died before their father, and were buried in York Minster. Ethelburga lived as abbess of Lyming for several years. Her grave may still be seen there, and a well near the church boars the name of her sister St. Edburga, and was long believed to possess mira- culous healing powers. Ethelburga was the first queen and the first widow of Anglo-Saxon race who took the veil. Edburga was the first virgin princess who did so. The church of St. Ethel- burga, Shoreditch, is thought to be named in commemoration of this saint. Bede. Montalembert, iii. English Marty by a Catholic priest, 1608. Lin- gard. Hist, and Antiquities of Anglo- Saxon Church.