Page:Elizabeth Elstob - An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory.djvu/97

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Birth-Day of S. Gregory.

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þæs Ælmihtigan scyppen- des჻ Gregorius þa eode to þam papam þæs Apo- stolican setles. & hine hæd. ꝥ he Angelcynne sume lareowas asende þe hi to Criste gebigdon mid Godes fultume. & cwæð. ꝥ he sylf geare wære. ꝥ weorc to gefrem- menne. gyf hit þam pa- pam swa gelicode჻ Ða ne miht se papa ꝥ geða-	of the Almighty Crea- tor. Gregory then went to the Bishop of the Apostoli- cal See, and desired him, that he would send some In- structors to the English Peo- ple, that they might be con- verted to Christ by the Grace of God: and said that he himself was ready to under- take that Work, if the Pope should think it fit. But the ^[1] Pope could not consent

Ellison, Allason, &c. Names well known in the Places we have before mention'd, within the Limits of Dieralond. And that which may yet further excuse the tediousness of the Allusion, may be this; that as the Holy Gregory’s Affection to the Subjects of King Ella was the Occasion of bringing Christianity to all the Saxons; so it hath fallen out by Providence, to one not only born within the Circuit of those Dominions, but nearly approaching to his Name, to shew some sort of Gratitude, in restoring to the English this Memorial of their Apostle and Benefactor at so great a distance of time.

↑ The Pope indeed, at the earned and importunate Entreaty of Gregory, tho' very unwillingly, let him go: But the whole City was hereupon immediately in an Uproar and Confusion. And this general Complaint from all places reached the Pope's Ears: Petrum offendisti, Romam destruxisti, quia Gregorium dimisisti. You have offended St. Peter, you have destroy'd Rome, in having parted with Gregory. With which Clamour the Pope was so far terrified, that he was forced to call him back, after he had proceeded three days on his Journey. With this Consent of the Pope, and Gregory’s being recall'd from his Undertaking, which is not mention'd by Bede, we are first made acquainted by Paulus Diaconus, from whom those who mention this Transaction seem to have copied it; as amongst our Historians, John Brompton, p. 726. William Thorne, p. 1758. x. Script. And many likewise of the Circumstances of this whole Narration are

[p17-1] The Pope indeed, at the earned and importunate Entreaty of Gregory, tho' very unwillingly, let him go: But the whole City was hereupon immediately in an Uproar and Confusion. And this general Complaint from all places reached the Pope's Ears: Petrum offendisti, Romam destruxisti, quia Gregorium dimisisti. You have offended St. Peter, you have destroy'd Rome, in having parted with Gregory. With which Clamour the Pope was so far terrified, that he was forced to call him back, after he had proceeded three days on his Journey. With this Consent of the Pope, and Gregory’s being recall'd from his Undertaking, which is not mention'd by Bede, we are first made acquainted by Paulus Diaconus, from whom those who mention this Transaction seem to have copied it; as amongst our Historians, John Brompton, p. 726. William Thorne, p. 1758. x. Script. And many likewise of the Circumstances of this whole Narration are

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