A.D. 668.] THEODORE ARCHBISHOP OP CANTERBURY. 99 mortality in England, that the people crowded to the seaside, and threw themselves from the cliifs into the sea, choosing rather to be cut off by a speedy death, than to die by the lingering torments of the pestilence. A bishopric purchased with money. In the year of grace 666, Wina, bishop of Winchester, having been expelled from the prelacy by king Kinewalc, purchased the bishopric of London of Wulfhere, king of the Mercians, at a great price ; for which cause, he was not worthy to be reckoned after his death among the bishops of London. Contention between the Romans and Constans. In the year of grace 667, the emperor Constans, wishing to make Rome the capital of the empire, was opposed by the inhabitants of Constantinople, and so his design was frustrated. He afterwards went to Rome, and presented to St. Peter a mantle wrought with gold, which pope Vitalian received with due honour, and conveyed to the doors of St. Peter's in the midst of a vast concourse of people. After a sojourn of twelve days in the city, he was moved by his excessive cupidity to have conveyed down the Tiber, in order to take them with him to Constantinople, all sorts of decorations of brass and of marble with which the city was embellished ; among the rest, he stripped of its brazen roof the church of the blessed Mary, the mother of God, and of the martyrs, which was formerly called the Pantheon, and carried it away with him to Constantinople. Theodore is consecrated archbishop of Canterbury, and having expelled Cedda, archbishop of York, he recalls Wilfrid. In the year of grace 668, pope Vitalian ordained Theodore bishop of the church of Canterbury. After two years he came into Britain, and degraded Cedda, a holy and modest man, who, he was informed, had been improperly promoted to the archbishopric of York, and recalled Wilfrid who had been unjustly expelled. Cedda humbly acquiesced and accepted the bishopric of Lichfield. H 2