A .D. 509.Ί ESCAPE OP OCTA AND EOSA. A sophism. In the year of grace 505, Alamundus, king of the Saracens, who had received baptism from the orthodox, when the Eutychians were trying to seduce him, confuted them by the following fictitious argument. Alleging that he had received a letter informing him of the death of the archangel Michael, they replied that that was impossible, inasmuch as the nature of angels cannot suffer. " How, then," he rejoined, " do you say that Christ was stripped and crucified, if he had not two natures, when not even an angel is subject to death ?" " Gloria in excelsis." In the year of grace 506, pope Symmachus ordered, that on every Lord's day and on the nativity of the martyrs, the hymn "Gloria in excelsis," should be sung at mass, whereas pope Telesphorus directed it to be sung only on the night of our Lord's nativity, and he added the words of the angels which follow. In the year of grace 507, St. Sampson, archbishop of York, and Dubricius, archbishop of the City of Legions, flourished in Britain. Hormisda, pope of Rome. In the year of grace 508, Hormisda sat in the Roman chair nine years and seventeen days, after which the see was vacant for six days. At this time Cerdic and his son Kineric defied the Britons to battle; for king TJther was infirm, and could not turn himself to any side ; wherefore he made Nathanlioth his general. A severe battle was fought; but the Saxons, penetrating the squadrons of the Britons, slew Nathanlioth, their leader.* There fell with him five thousand men of the Britons, and the Saxons departed in triumph. Escape of Octa and Eosa from prison. In the year of grace 509, the keepers of the prison in which Octa and Eosa were passing their days in miserable confinement, were corrupted by them and joined them in their flight into Germany, whence, to the misfortune of Britain, they returned with a very great fleet. His ill health * Natanleod is called the greatest king of the Britons by Henry of Huntingdon.