A.D. 603. ETHELRED SLATS THE MONKS OP BANGOR. 279 time said to them, " If you are willing to comply with me in three things only, namely, so as to celebrate Easter at its proper time, to fulfil the ministry of baptism, by which we are regenerated to God, according to the customs of the Roman Church, and to preach the word of God to the nation of the Angles in union with us, we will submit patiently to all your other practices, although they are contrary to our customs." Bat they declared that they would do none of these things, and that they would not consider him as archbishop, arguing with one another—c« If he would not rise up to us before, how much more will he despise us when we are once actually subject to him ? " And the man of God, Augustine, is related to have said to them, " If they would not have peace with their brethren, would they accept war from their enemies ? And if they were unwilling to preach the way of life to the nation of the Angles, he told them they would endure the revenge of death at their hands." And this happened in every respect as he had foretold, the divine judgment so ruling events. And not long afterwards, Ethelred, long of Northumberland, a man of great courage and a most ferocious pagan, having collected a great army in the city of Legions, which is called by the Britons Caerleon, and which was called the city of the Legions, because the Roman Legions used to be stationed there, made a great slaughter of them. For being shout to engage in battle with the Britons, when he saw that their priests, who had come together to address their prayers to God on behalf of the soldiers who were occupied in war, were stationed in a safe place; he asked who they were, or what they were going to do there. For there were a great many of them from the monastery of Bangor, which is said to have contained such a number of monks that they were divided into seven classes with seven rectors, and no division contained fewer than three hundred religious brethren. And the greater part of them having kept a fast for three days, met together with other priests also for the sake of praying to God, having Brochimallus for their defender, to protect them from the swords of the barbarians while they themselves were engaged in praying. And when the tyrant Ethelred had learnt the object of their presence, he said, " And if these men invoke the aid of their God against us, then, although they do not bear arms, they are fighting against us, inasmuch as they