In the year of our Lord 582, Maurice, fifty-fourth in succession from Augustus, became Emperor, and ruled for twenty-one years. In the tenth year of his reign, Gregory, an eminent scholar and administrator, was elected Pontiff of the apostolic Roman see, and ruled it for thirteen years, six months, and ten days. In the fourteenth year of this Emperor, and about the one hundred and fiftieth year after the coming of the English to Britain, Gregory was inspired by God to send his servant Augustine with several other God-fearing monks to preach the word of God to the English nation.1 Having undertaken this task in obedience to the Pope’s command and progressed a short distance on their journey, they became afraid, and began to consider returning home. For they were appalled at the idea of going to a barbarous, fierce, and pagan nation, of whose very language they were ignorant. They unanimously agreed that this was the safest course, and sent back Augustine – who was to be consecrated bishop in the event of their being received by the English – so that he might humbly request the holy Gregory to recall them from so dangerous, arduous, and uncertain a journey. In reply, the Pope wrote them a letter of encouragement, urging them to proceed on their mission to preach God’s word, and to trust themselves to his aid. This letter ran as follows:
‘Gregory, servant of the servants of God, to the servants of our Lord. My very dear sons, it is better never to undertake any high enterprise than to abandon it when once begun. So with the help of God you must carry out this holy task which you have begun. Do not be deterred by the troubles of the journey or by what men say. Be constant and zealous in carrying out this enterprise which, under God’s guidance, you have undertaken: and be assured that the greater the labour, the greater will be the glory of your eternal reward. When Augustine your leader returns, whom we have appointed your abbot,2 obey him humbly in all things, remembering that whatever he directs you to do will always be to the good of your souls. May Almighty God protect you with His grace, and grant me to see the result of your labours in our heavenly home. And although my office prevents me from working at your side, yet because I long to do so, I hope to share in your joyful reward. God keep you safe, my dearest sons.
‘Dated the twenty-third of July, in the fourteenth year of the reign of the most pious Emperor Maurice Tiberius Augustus, and the thirteenth year after his Consulship: the fourteenth indiction.’3
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Although earlier chapters provide the general context, this one marks the ‘real subject’ (Plummer) of Bede’s work. Its Kentish inspiration is certain. Some or all of the letters of Gregory used by Bede were inserted at a late stage; but it should be noted that Bede did not use or did not have access to all of Gregory’s letters which relate to England. These still provide a useful check on, and supplement to Bede: their author died over a century before Bede wrote. ↩
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Gregory here clarifies Augustine’s authority as of an abbot over his monks. Bede did not know of Gregory’s letter to Eulogius referring to the consecration of Augustine as bishop in Germania before he reached England. Instead (i. 27) he deduced wrongly that Augustine returned to Arles for consecration. ↩
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Indictions were cycles of fifteen years used by Roman and papal administrations in reckoning dates. Bede says elsewhere of this system: ‘If you wish to find the indiction, take the year of Our Lord, add three and divide by fifteen; the remainder gives you the indiction for the current year.’ (L.S.P.) ↩