Chap. XXV. How the question arose about the due time of keeping Easter, with those that came out of Scotland. [664 a.d.]

PL 95 CAPUT XXV. Ut quaestio sit mota de tempore Paschae, adversus eos qui de Scottia venerant.

In the meantime, Bishop Aidan being taken away from this life, Finan, who was ordained and sent by the Scots, succeeded him in the bishopric, and built a church in the Isle of Lindisfarne, fit for the episcopal see; nevertheless, after the manner of the Scots, he made it, not of stone, but entirely of hewn oak, and covered it with reeds; and it was afterwards dedicated in honour of the blessed Peter the Apostle, by the most reverend Archbishop Theodore. Eadbert, also bishop of that place, took off the thatch, and caused it to be covered entirely, both roof and walls, with plates of lead.

Interea Aidano episcopo de hac vita sublato, Finan pro illo gradum episcopatus, a Scottis ordinatus ac missus acceperat [DCLII]: qui in insula Lindisfarnensi^[158B] fecit ecclesiam episcopali sedi congruam; quam tamen more Scottorum, non de lapide, sed de robore secto totam composuit, atque harundine texit, quam tempore sequenti reverentissimus archiepiscopus Theodorus in honore beati apostoli Petri dedicavit. Sed episcopus loci ipsius [Al., illius] Eadberct ablata harundine, plumbi laminis eam totam, hoc est, et tectum et ipsos quoque parietes ejus cooperire curavit.

At this time, a great and frequently debated question arose about the observance of Easter; those that came from Kent or Gaul affirming, that the Scots celebrated Easter Sunday contrary to the custom of the universal Church. Among them was a most zealous defender of the true Easter, whose name was Ronan, a Scot by nation, but instructed in the rule of ecclesiastical truth in Gaul or Italy. Disputing with Finan, he convinced many, or at least induced them to make a more strict inquiry after the truth; yet he could not prevail upon Finan, but, on the contrary, embittered him the more by reproof, and made him a professed opponent of the truth, for he was of a violent temper. James, formerly the deacon of the venerable Archbishop Paulinus, as has been said above, observed the true and Catholic Easter, with all those that he could instruct in the better way. Queen Eanfled and her followers also observed it as she had seen it practised in Kent, having with her a Kentish priest who followed the Catholic observance, whose name was Romanus. Thus it is said to have sometimes happened in those times that Easter was twice celebrated in one year; and that when the king, having ended his fast, was keeping Easter, the queen and her followers were still fasting, and celebrating Palm Sunday. Whilst Aidan lived, this difference about the observance of Easter was patiently tolerated by all men, for they well knew, that though he could not keep Easter contrary to the custom of those who had sent him, yet he industriously laboured to practise the works of faith, piety, and love, according to the custom of all holy men; for which reason he was deservedly beloved by all, even by those who differed in opinion concerning Easter, and was held in veneration, not only by less important persons, but even by the bishops, Honorius of Canterbury, and Felix of the East Angles.

His temporibus quaestio facta est frequens et magna, de observatione Paschae ^{(Vid. append., n. 9)}, confirmantibus eis qui de Cantia, vel de Galliis advenerant, quod Scotti Dominicum Paschae diem contra universalis Ecclesiae morem celebrarent. Erat in his acerrimus veri Paschae defensor, nomine Ronan ^[158C] [Al., Sonan], natione quidem Scottus, sed in Galliae vel Italiae partibus regulam ecclesiasticae veritatis edoctus; qui cum Finano confligens, multos quidem correxit, vel ad sollertiorem veritatis inquisitionem accendit: nequaquam tamen Finanum emendare potuit; quin potius, quod esset homo ferocis animi, acerbiorem castigando, et apertum veritatis adversarium reddidit. Observabat autem Jacob diaconus quondam, ut supra docuimus, venerabilis archiepiscopi Paulini, verum et catholicum Pascha, cum omnibus quos ad correctiorem [Al., correptiorem] viam erudire poterat. Observabat et regina Eanfled cum suis, juxta quod in Cantia fieri viderat, habens secum de Cantia presbyterum catholicae observationis, ^[158D] nomine Romanum: unde nonnunquam contigisse fertur illis temporibus, ut bis in anno uno Pascha celebraretur. Et cum rex Pascha dominicum solutis jejuniis faceret, tunc regina cum suis persistens adhuc in jejunio diem Palmarum celebraret. Haec autem dissonantia paschalis observantiae vivente Aedano patienter ab omnibus tolerabatur, qui patenter intellexerant, quia etsi Pascha contra morem eorum qui ipsum miserant facere non potuit, opera tamen fidei, pietatis et dilectionis, juxta morem omnibus sanctis consuetum, diligenter exsequi curavit: unde ab omnibus etiam his qui de Pascha aliter sentiebant, merito ^[159A] diligebatur: nec solum a mediocribus, verum ab ipsis quoque episcopis, Honorio Cantuariorum, et Felice Orientalium Anglorum, venerationi habitus est.

But after the death of Finan, who succeeded him, when Colman, who was also sent from Scotland, came to be bishop, a greater controversy arose about the observance of Easter, and other rules of ecclesiastical life. Whereupon this question began naturally to influence the thoughts and hearts of many who feared, lest haply, having received the name of Christians, they might run, or have run, in vain. This reached the ears of the rulers, King Oswy and his son Alchfrid. Now Oswy, having been instructed and baptized by the Scots, and being very perfectly skilled in their language, thought nothing better than what they taught; but Alchfrid, having for his teacher in Christianity the learned Wilfrid, who had formerly gone to Rome to study ecclesiastical doctrine, and spent much time at Lyons with Dalfinus, archbishop of Gaul, from whom also he had received the crown of ecclesiastical tonsure, rightly thought that this man's doctrine ought to be preferred before all the traditions of the Scots. For this reason he had also given him a monastery of forty families, at a place called Inhrypum; which place, not long before, he had given for a monastery to those that were followers of the Scots; but forasmuch as they afterwards, being left to their choice, preferred to quit the place rather than alter their custom, he gave it to him, whose life and doctrine were worthy of it.

Defuncto autem Finano qui post illum fuit, cum Colmanus in episcopatum succederet [DCLXII], et ipse missus a Scottia, gravior de observatione Paschae necnon et de aliis ecclesiasticae vitae disciplinis controversia nata est: ^[a 1Kb]  unde movit haec quaestio sensus et corda multorum, timentium ne forte accepto Christianitatis vocabulo, in vacuum currerent, aut cucurrissent. Pervenit et ad ipsas principum aures, Osuiu, videlicet, regis, et filii ejus Alchfridi; qui nimirum Osuiu a Scottis edoctus ac baptizatus, illorum etiam lingua optime imbutus, nihil melius quam quod illi docuissent autumabat. Porro Alchfrid magistrum ^[159B] habens eruditionis Christianae Uilfridum virum doctissimum: nam et Romam prius propter doctrinam ecclesiasticam adierat, et apud Dalfinum archiepiscopum Galliarum Lugduni multum temporis egerat, a quo etiam tonsurae ecclesiasticae coronam susceperat, hujus doctrinam omnibus Scottorum traditionibus jure praeferendam sciebat: unde ei etiam donaverat monasterium quadraginta familiarum in loco qui dicitur Inhrypum; quem videlicet locum paulo ante eis qui Scottos sequebantur in possessionem monasterii dederat. Sed quia illi postmodum data sibi optione, magis loco cedere quam suam mutare consuetudinem volebant, dedit eum illi qui dignam loco et doctrinam haberet, et vitam.

Agilbert, bishop of the West Saxons, above-mentioned, a friend of King Alchfrid and of Abbot Wilfrid, had at that time come into the province of the Northumbrians, and was staying some time among them; at the request of Alchfrid, he made Wilfrid a priest in his aforesaid monastery. He had in his company a priest, whose name was Agatho. The question being raised there concerning Easter and the tonsure and other ecclesiastical matters, it was arranged, that a synod should be held in the monastery of Streanaeshalch, which signifies the Bay of the Lighthouse, where the Abbess Hilda, a woman devoted to the service of God, then ruled; and that there this question should be decided. The kings, both father and son, came thither, and the bishops, Colman with his Scottish clerks, and Agilbert with the priests Agatho and Wilfrid. James and Romanus were on their side; but the Abbess Hilda and her followers were for the Scots, as was also the venerable Bishop Cedd, long before ordained by the Scots, as has been said above, and he acted in that council as a most careful interpreter for both parties.

Venerat eo tempore Agilberctus, Occidentalium Saxonum episcopus, cujus ^[159C] supra meminimus, amicus Alchfridi regis, et Uilfridi abbatis, ad provinciam Nordanhymbrorum, et apud eos aliquandiu demorabatur; qui etiam Uilfridum, rogatu Alchfridi, in praefato suo monasterio presbyterum fecit. Habebat autem secum ipse presbyterum nomine Agathonem. Mota ergo ibi quaestione de Pascha, vel tonsura ^{(Vid. append., n. 9)}, vel aliis rebus ecclesiasticis, dispositum est ut in monasterio quod dicitur Strenaeshalch, quod interpretatur Sinus fari, cui tunc Hild abbatissa Deo devota femina praefuit, synodus fieri et haec quaestio terminari deberet. Veneruntque illo reges ambo, pater scilicet et filius; episcopi, Colman cum clericis suis de Scottia, Agilberctus cum Agathone et Uilfrido presbyteris. Jacobus ^[159D] et Romanus in horum parte erant: Hild abbatissa cum suis in part Scottorum, in qua erat etiam venerabilis episcopus Cedd, jamdudum ordinatus a Scottis, ut supra docuimus, qui et interpres in eo concilio vigilantissimus utriusque partis exstitit.

King Oswy first made an opening speech, in which he said that it behoved those who served one God to observe one rule of life; and as they all expected the same kingdom in heaven, so they ought not to differ in the celebration of the heavenly mysteries; but rather to inquire which was the truer tradition, that it might be followed by all in common; he then commanded his bishop, Colman, first to declare what the custom was which he observed, and whence it derived its origin. Then Colman said, “The Easter which I keep, I received from my elders, who sent me hither as bishop; all our forefathers, men beloved of God, are known to have celebrated it after the same manner; and that it may not seem to any contemptible and worthy to be [pg 196] rejected, it is the same which the blessed John the Evangelist, the disciple specially beloved of our Lord, with all the churches over which he presided, is recorded to have celebrated.” When he had said thus much, and more to the like effect, the king commanded Agilbert to make known the manner of his observance and to show whence it was derived, and on what authority he followed it. Agilbert answered, “I beseech you, let my disciple, the priest Wilfrid, speak in my stead; because we both concur with the other followers of the ecclesiastical tradition that are here present, and he can better and more clearly explain our opinion in the English language, than I can by an interpreter.”

Primusque rex Osuiu praemissa praefatione, quod oporteret eos qui una Deo servirent, unam vivendi regulam tenere, nec discrepare in celebratione Sacramentorum caelestium, qui unum omnes in caelis regnum exspectarent; inquirendum potius quae esset verior traditio, et hanc ab omnibus communiter esse sequendam: jussit primo dicere episcopum suum Colmanum, qui esset ritus, et unde originem ducens ille quem ipse sequeretur. Tunc Colmanus: «Pascha,^[160A] inquit, hoc quod agere soleo, a majoribus meis accepi, qui me huc episcopum miserunt, quod omnes Patres nostri, viri Deo dilecti, eodem modo celebrasse noscuntur [Al., cognoscuntur]. Quod ne cui contemnendum et reprobandum esse videatur, ipsum est quod beatus evangelista Johannes discipulus specialiter Domino dilectus, cum omnibus quibus praeerat Ecclesiis, celebrasse legitur.» Quo haec et his similia dicente, jussit rex et Agilberctum proferre in medium morem suae observationis, unde initium haberet, vel qua hunc auctoritate sequeretur. Respondit Agilberctus: «Loquatur, obsecro, vice mea discipulus meus Uilfrid presbyter, quia unum ambo sapimus cum caeteris qui hic adsident ecclesiasticae traditionis ^[160B] cultoribus; et ille melius ac manifestius ipsa lingua Anglorum, quam ego per interpretem, potest explanare quae sentimus.»

Then Wilfrid, being ordered by the king to speak, began thus:—“The Easter which we keep, we saw celebrated by all at Rome, where the blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul, lived, taught, suffered, and were buried; we saw the same done by all in Italy and in Gaul, when we travelled through those countries for the purpose of study and prayer. We found it observed in Africa, Asia, Egypt, Greece, and all the world, wherever the Church of Christ is spread abroad, among divers nations and tongues, at one and the same time; save only among these and their accomplices in obstinacy, I mean the Picts and the Britons, who foolishly, in these two remote islands of the ocean, and only in part even of them, strive to oppose all the rest of the world.” When he had so said, Colman answered, “It is strange that you choose to call our efforts foolish, wherein we follow the example of so great an Apostle, who was thought worthy to lean on our Lord's bosom, when all the world knows him to have lived most wisely.” Wilfrid replied, “Far be it from us to charge John with folly, for he literally observed the precepts of the Mosaic Law, whilst the Church was still Jewish in many points, and the Apostles, lest they should give cause of offence to the Jews who were among the Gentiles, were not able at once to cast off all the observances of the Law which had been instituted by God, in the same way as it is necessary that all who come to the faith should forsake the idols which were invented by devils. For this reason it was, that Paul circumcised Timothy, that he offered sacrifice in the temple, that he shaved his head with Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth; for no other advantage than to avoid giving offence to the Jews. Hence it was, that James said to the same Paul, ‘Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the Law.’ And yet, at this time, when the light of the Gospel is spreading throughout the world, it is needless, nay, it is not lawful, for the faithful either to be circumcised, or to offer up to God sacrifices of flesh. So John, according to the custom of the Law, began the celebration of the feast of Easter, on the fourteenth day of the first month, in the evening, not regarding whether the same happened on a Saturday, or any other week-day. But when Peter preached at Rome, being mindful that our Lord arose from the dead, and gave to the world the hope of resurrection, on the first day of the week, he perceived that Easter ought to be kept after this manner: he always awaited the rising of the moon on the fourteenth day of the first month in the evening, according to the custom and precepts of the Law, even as John did. And when that came, if the Lord's day, then called the first day of the week, was the next day, he began that very evening to celebrate Easter, as we all do at the present time. But if the Lord's day did not fall the next morning after the fourteenth moon, but on the sixteenth, or the seventeenth, or any other moon till the twenty-first, he waited for that, and on the Saturday before, in the evening, began to observe the holy solemnity of Easter. Thus it came to pass, that Easter Sunday was only kept from the fifteenth moon to the twenty-first. Nor does this evangelical and apostolic tradition abolish the Law, but rather fulfil it; the command being to keep the passover from the fourteenth moon of the first month in the evening to the twenty-first moon of the same month in the evening; which observance all the successors of the blessed John in Asia, since his death, and all the Church throughout the world, have since followed; and that this is the true Easter, and the only one to be celebrated by the faithful, was not newly decreed by the council of Nicaea, but only confirmed afresh; as the history of the Church informs us.

Tunc Uilfrid, jubente rege ut diceret, ita exorsus est: «Pascha quod facimus, inquit, vidimus Romae ubi beati apostoli Petrus et Paulus vixere, docuere, passi sunt et sepulti, ab omnibus celebrari: hoc in Italia, hoc in Gallia, quas discendi vel orandi studio pertransivimus, ab omnibus agi conspeximus: hoc Africam, Asiam, Aegyptum, Graeciam, et omnem orbem, quacumque Christi Ecclesia diffusa est, per diversas nationes et linguas, uno ac non diverso temporis ordine gerere [Al., geri] comperimus: praeter hos tantum, et obstinationis eorum complices, Pictos dico et Brittones, cum quibus de duabus ultimis Oceani insulis, et his non totis, ^[160C] contra totum orbem stulto labore pugnant.» Cui haec dicenti respondit Colmanus: «Mirum quare stultum appellare velitis laborem nostrum, in quo tanti apostoli qui super pectus Domini recumbere dignus fuit, exempla sectamur; cum ipsum sapientissime vixisse omnis mundus noverit.» At Uilfridus: «Absit, inquit, ut Johannem stultitiae reprehendamus, cum scita legis Mosaicae juxta literam servaret, judaizante adhuc in multis Ecclesia, nec subito valentibus apostolis omnem legis observantiam quae a Deo instituta est, abdicare. Quomodo simulacra quae a daemonibus inventa sunt, repudiare omnes qui ad fidem veniunt, necesse est: videlicet ne scandalum facerent eis qui inter gentes erant Judaeis. Hinc est enim quod Paulus Timotheum circumcidit, quod hostias ^[160D] in templo immolavit, quod cum Aquila et Priscilla caput Corinthi totondit: ad nihil videlicet utile, nisi ad scandalum vitandum Judaeorum. Hinc quod eidem Paulo Jacobus ait: Vides, frater, quot millia sunt in Judaeis qui crediderunt? et omnes hi aemulatores sunt legis. Nec tamen hodie clarescente per mundum Evangelio necesse est, immo nec licitum fidelibus vel circumcidi, vel hostias Deo victimarum offerre carnalium. Itaque Johannes secundum legis consuetudinem quarta decima die mensis primi ad vesperam, incipiebat celebrationem festi Paschalis, nil curans haec Sabbato, an alia qualibet feria proveniret. At vero Petrus cum Romae praedicaret, memor quia Dominus prima Sabbati resurrexit a mortuis,^[161A] ac mundo spem resurrectionis contulit, ita Pascha faciendum intellexit, ut secundum consuetudinem ac praecepta legis, quartam decimam lunam primi mensis, aeque sicut Johannes Orientem ad vesperam semper exspectaret: et hac exorta, si Dominica dies, quae tunc prima Sabbati vocabatur, erat mane ventura, in ipsa vespera Pascha Dominicum celebrare incipiebat, quomodo et nos [Al., nos omnes] hodie facere solemus. Sin autem Dominica non proximo mane post lunam quartam decimam, sed sexta decima, aut septima decima, aut alia qualibet luna, usque ad vicesimam primam esset ventura, exspectabat eum, et praecedente Sabbato, vespere, sacrosancta Paschae sollemnia inchoabat; sicque fiebat, ut Dominica Paschae dies nonnisi a quinta decima ^[161B] luna usque ad vicesimam primam servaretur. Neque haec evangelica et apostolica traditio legem solvit, sed potius adimplet, in qua observandum Pascha a quarta decima luna primi mensis ad vesperam, usque ad vicesimam primam lunam ejusdem mensis ad vesperam praeceptum est: in quam observantiam imitandam, omnes beati Johannis successores in Asia post obitum ejus, et omnis per orbem Ecclesia conversa est. Et hoc esse verum Pascha, hoc solum fidelibus celebrandum, Nicaeno concilio non statutum noviter, sed confirmatum est, ut ecclesiastica docet Historia.

“Thus it is plain, that you, Colman, neither follow the example of John, as you imagine, nor that of Peter, whose tradition you oppose with full knowledge, and that you neither agree with the Law nor the Gospel in the keeping of your Easter. For John, keeping the Paschal time according to the decree of the Mosaic Law, had no regard to the first day of the week, which you do not practise, seeing that you celebrate Easter only on the first day after the Sabbath. Peter celebrated Easter Sunday between the fifteenth and the twenty-first moon, which you do not practise, seeing that you observe Easter Sunday from the fourteenth to the twentieth moon; so that you often begin Easter on the thirteenth moon in the evening, whereof neither the Law made any mention, nor did our Lord, the Author and Giver of the Gospel, on that day either eat the old passover in the evening, or deliver the Sacraments of the New Testament, to be celebrated by the Church, in memory of His Passion, but on the fourteenth. Besides, in your celebration of Easter, you utterly exclude the twenty-first moon, which the Law ordered to be specially observed. Thus, as I have said before, you agree neither with John nor Peter, nor with the Law, nor the Gospel, in the celebration of the greatest festival.”

Unde constat vos, Colmane, neque Johannis, ut autumatis, exempla sectari, neque Petri, cujus traditioni scientes contradicitis, neque legi, neque Evangelio in observatione vestri Paschae congruere. Johannes^[161C] enim ad legis Mosaicae decreta tempus paschale custodiens, nil de prima Sabbati curabat; quod vos non facitis, qui nonnisi prima Sabbati Pascha celebratis. Petrus a quinta decima luna usque ad vicesimam primam diem Paschae Dominicum celebrabat; quod vos non facitis, qui a quarta decima usque ad vicesimam lunam diem Dominicum Paschae observatis; ita ut tertia decima luna ad vesperam saepius pascha incipiatis, cujus neque lex ullam fecit mentionem, neque auctor ac dator Evangelii Dominus in ea, sed in quarta decima vel vetus Pascha manducavit ad vesperam, vel novi testamenti sacramenta in commemorationem suae passionis, Ecclesiae celebranda tradidit. Item [Al., itemque], ^[161D] lunam vicesimam primam, quam lex maxime celebrandam commendavit, a celebratione vestri Paschae funditus eliminatis: sicque, ut dixi, in celebratione summae festivitatis, neque Johanni, neque Petro, neque Legi, neque Evangelio concordatis.»

To this Colman rejoined: “Did the holy Anatolius, much commended in the history of the Church, judge contrary to the Law and the Gospel, when he wrote, that Easter was to be celebrated from the fourteenth to the twentieth moon? Is it to be believed that our most reverend Father Columba and his successors, men beloved by God, who kept Easter after the same manner, judged or acted contrary to the Divine writings? Whereas there were many among them, whose sanctity was attested by heavenly signs and miracles which they wrought; whom I, for my part, doubt not to be saints, and whose life, customs, and discipline I never cease to follow.”

His contra Colmanus: «Numquid, ait, Anatolius vir sanctus, et in praefata Historia ecclesiastica multum laudatus, legi vel Evangelio contraria sapuit, qui a quarta decima usque ad vicesimam Pascha celebrandum scripsit? Numquid reverentissimum Patrem nostrum Columbam [Al., Columban], et successores ejus viros Deo dilectos, qui eodem modo Pascha fecerunt, divinis paginis contraria sapuisse, vel egisse credendum est? cum plurimi fuerint in eis, quorum sanctitati caelestia signa, et virtutum ^[162A] quae fecerunt miracula, testimonium praebuerunt: quos ipse sanctos esse non dubitans, semper eorum vitam, mores et disciplinam sequi non desisto.»

“It is evident,” said Wilfrid, “that Anatolius was a most holy, learned, and commendable man; but what have you to do with him, since you do not observe his decrees? For he undoubtedly, following the rule of truth in his Easter, appointed a cycle of nineteen years, which either you are ignorant of, or if you know it, though it is kept by the whole Church of Christ, yet you despise it as a thing of naught. He so computed the fourteenth moon in our Lord's Paschal Feast, that according to the custom of the Egyptians, he acknowledged it to be the fifteenth moon on that same day in the evening; so in like manner he assigned the twentieth to Easter-Sunday, as believing that to be the twenty-first moon, when the sun had set. That you are ignorant of the rule of this distinction is proved by this, that you sometimes manifestly keep Easter before the full moon, that is, on the thirteenth day. Concerning your Father Columba and his followers, whose sanctity you say you imitate, and whose rule and precepts confirmed by signs from Heaven you say that you follow, I might answer, then when many, in the day of judgement, shall say to our Lord, that in His name they have prophesied, and have cast out devils, and done many wonderful works, our Lord will reply, that He never knew them. But far be it from me to speak thus of your fathers, for it is much more just to believe good than evil of those whom we know not. Wherefore I do not deny those also to have been God's servants, and beloved of God, who with rude  simplicity, but pious intentions, have themselves loved Him. Nor do I think that such observance of Easter did them much harm, as long as none came to show them a more perfect rule to follow; for assuredly I believe that, if any teacher, reckoning after the Catholic manner, had come among them, they would have as readily followed his admonitions, as they are known to have kept those commandments of God, which they had learned and knew.

At Uilfridus: «Constat, inquit, Anatolium virum sanctissimum, doctissimum, ac laude esse dignissimum; sed quid vobis cum illo, cum nec ejus decreta servetis? Ille enim in Pascha suo regulam utique veritatis sequens, circulum decem et novem [Al., novemdecim] annorum posuit, quem vos aut ignoratis, aut agnitum et a tota Christi Ecclesia custoditum, pro nihilo contemnitis. Ille sic in Pascha dominico quartam decimam lunam computavit, ut hanc eadem ipsa die more Aegyptiorum quintam decimam lunam ad vesperam esse fateretur. Sic item vicesimam die [Al., idem . . . . diem] Dominico Paschae ^[162B] adnotavit, ut hanc declinata eadem die esse vicesimam primam crederet. Cujus regulam distinctionis vos ignorasse probat, quod aliquoties [Al., aliquotiens] Pascha manifestissime ante plenilunium, id est, in tertia decima luna facitis. De Patre autem vestro Columba et sequacibus ejus, quorum sanctitatem vos imitari, et regulam ac praecepta caelestibus signis confirmata sequi perhibetis, possem [Al., possum] respondere; quia multis in judicio dicentibus Domino, quod in nomine ejus prophetaverint, et daemonia ejecerint, et virtutes multas fecerint, responsurus sit Dominus quia nunquam eos noverit. Sed absit ut de patribus vestris hoc dicam: quia justius multo est de incognitis bonum credere, quam malum. Unde et illos Dei famulos, ac Deo ^[162C] dilectos esse non nego, qui simplicitate rustica, sed intentione pia Deum dilexerunt. Neque illis multum obesse reor talem Paschae observantiam, quandiu nullus advenerat, qui eis instituti perfectioris decreta quae sequerentur, ostenderet: quos utique credo, si qui tunc ad eos catholicus calculator adveniret, sic ejus monita fuisse secuturos, quomodo ea quae noverant ac didicerant, Dei mandata probantur fuisse secuti.

“But as for you and your companions, you certainly sin, if, having heard the decrees of the Apostolic see, nay, of the universal Church, confirmed, as they are, by Holy Scripture, you scorn to follow them; for, though your fathers were holy, do you think that those few men, in a corner of the remotest island, are to be preferred before the universal Church of Christ throughout the world? And if that Columba of yours, (and, I may say, ours also, if he was Christ's servant,) was a holy man and powerful in miracles, yet could he be preferred before the most blessed chief of the Apostles, to whom our Lord said, ‘Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven?’ ”

Tu autem et socii tui, si audita decreta sedis apostolicae, immo universalis Ecclesiae, et haec literis sacris confirmata sequi contemnitis, absque ulla dubitatione [Al., dubietate] peccatis. Etsi enim patres tui sancti fuerunt, numquid universali quae per orbem est Ecclesiae, Christi, eorum [Al., horum] est ^[162D] paucitas uno de angulo extremae insulae praeferenda? Et si sanctus erat ac potens virtutibus ille Columba vester, immo et noster si Christi erat, numquid [Al., num] praeferri potuit beatissimo apostolorum principi, cui Dominus ait: Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam, et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum?»

When Wilfrid had ended thus, the king said, “Is it true, Colman, that these words were spoken to Peter by our Lord?” He answered, “It is true, O king!” Then said he, “Can you show any such power given to your Columba?” Colman answered, “None.” Then again the king asked, “Do you both agree in this, without any controversy, that these words were said above all to Peter, and that the keys of the kingdom of Heaven were given to him by our Lord?” They both answered, “Yes.” Then the king concluded, “And I also say unto you, that he is the door-keeper, and I will not gainsay him, but I desire, as far as I know and am able, in all things to obey his laws, lest haply when I come to the gates of the kingdom of Heaven, there should be none to open them, he being my adversary who is proved to have the keys.”

Haec perorante Uilfrido, dixit rex: «Verene, Col. mane, haec illi Petro dicta sunt a Domino?» Qui ait; «Vere, rex.» At ille: «Habetis, inquit, vos proferre aliquid tantae potestatis vestro Columbae datum?» At ait ille: «Nihil.» Rursum [Al. add. autem) rex: «Si utrique vestrum, inquit, in hoc sine ulla controversia consentiunt, quod haec principaliter ^[163A] [Al., principaliter haec] Petro dicta, et ei claves regni caelorum sint datae a Domino? Responderunt: Etiam, utique.» At ille ita conclusit: «Et ego vobis dico, quia hic est ostiarius ille cui ego contradicere nolo; sed in quantum novi vel valeo, hujus cupio in omnibus obedire statutis; ne forte me adveniente ad fores regni caelorum, non sit qui reseret [Al., reserat], averso [Al. adverso] illo qui claves tenere probatur.»

The king having said this, all who were seated there or standing by, both great and small, gave their assent, and renouncing the less perfect custom, hastened to conform to that which they had found to be better.

Haec dicente rege [Al. add. elevatis in caelum manibus], faverunt adsidentes quique sive adstantes, majores una cum mediocribus; et abdicata minus perfecta institutione, ad ea quae meliora cognoverant, sese transferre festinabant.