60 ROGER OF AVENDOVEU. [A.D. 603. believed that he both bears Christ's yoke himself, and offers the same to you to take upon you. But if he be stern and haughty, it is plain that he is not of God, nor are you to regard his words." On their again asking, " And how are Ave to discern this ?" " Contrive," said he, " that he shall come before you to the place of meeting, and if, on your approach, he shall rise up to you, you may be assured that he is a servant of Christ, and should hear him submissively ; but if he shall slight you, and rise not up to you, since you are the more numerous, let him also be slighted by you." It happened that when they came to the meeting, Augustine was sitting in a chair, which, when they observed, they presently fell into a passion, and taxing him with haughtiness, set themselves to contradict every thing he said. Augustine said to them, " If you will only comply with me in these three points at least,—if you will keep Easter at the proper time ; if you will administer baptism, whereby we are born again unto God, according to the rite of the holy Roman church; and will, together with us, preach the word of God to the English nation ; we will patiently tolerate your other customs, though contrary to ours." They, however, declared that they would do neither of them, nor have him for their archbishop ; alleging among themselves, " If he would not rise up to us, how much more will he slight us, if we once become subject to him!" The servant of the Lord then threatened them, as it is said, that if they would not be at peace with them as brethren, they should have Avar from them as enemies ; and if they Avould not preach the Avord of life to the English nation, they should, at their hands, undergo the vengeance of death. All this came to pass in every respect as he had foretold, through the working of God's vengeance. How Ethel/rid, king of the Northumbrians, massacred twelve hundred monks. Not long after this, Ethelfrid, a most powerful king of the Northumbrians, and a fierce pagan, having assembled a large army at the city of Legions, Avhich is called by the Britons Kaerlegion, because the Roman legions were in time past stationed there, made a terrible slaughter of the Britons. For, as he Avas about to commence an engagement with them, observing their priests, Avho had assembled to offer