same year this Athelhard fought against young Oswald, who was of the royal race of the kings of the West-Saxons, and was endeavouring to subdue that kingdom to himself; but finding himself not a match for the king, the young man fled, leaving Athelhard in peaceful possession of the kingdom. Miserable death of a certain brother. In the year of grace 728, pope Gregory, finding the emperor Leo incorrigible, withdrew Eome, Italy, and Spam from his rule, and forbade the payment of taxes to him. The same year, a certain brother, whom I forbear to name, lived a disgraceful life among the brethren in a noble monastery. He was frequently reproved by the brethren and elders of the place, and admonished to apply himself to amend his life, and although he would not give heed to them, he was nevertheless endured for the advantage they had from his works, for he was singularly skilful in the mechanical arts. He was much given to drunkenness and other dissolute pleasures, and preferred sitting in his workshop day and night, to singing psalms, or praying in church, or hearing the word of life. At length, falling siek, and reduced to extremity, he called the brethren, and told them how he saw hell open, and Satan sunk in the depths thereof; as also Caiaphas, with the rest who slew our Lord delivered up to avenging flames ; " and in their neighbourhood," said he, " I see a place of eternal damnation provided for me, miserable wretch ! " On hearing this, the brethren began earnestly to exhort him even then to repent, while he was yet in the flesh ; but he answered in despair, " I have no time now to change my life, when I have myself seen my judgment passed ;" and so saying, he died without having received the viaticum. The report of this, spreading far and wide, stirred up many to repent of their sins without delay. Stars appear about the sun. In the year of grace 729, there appeared about the sun two terrible stars ; one of which went before the rising sun, the other followed him when he set, as it were presaging destruction to the east and west; or at least, since one of them was the forerunner of the day, and the other of the night, signifying that mortals were threatened with calamities