A.D. 611.] COUNCIL OP ITALY. 65 The Roman church is made the head of all churches. In the year of grace 609, Boniface the fourth* sat in the Roman chair six years, eight months, and twelve days ; after which the see remained vacant for seven months and twentyfive days. A t his request, the emperor Phocas decreed that the Roman church should be the head and mistress of all churches ; for, in times past, the church of Constantinople styled herself the chief of all churches. The same pope obtained also from the aforesaid prince a grant of the temple at Rome, which, in times past, was called the Pantheon, because in it were formerly worshipped, not all the gods, but all the devils. Casting out thence a multitude of idols of various kinds, he converted it into a church of God Almighty, and of the blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, that like as, in times past, the worship of all the devils was there maintained, so from that time forth the memory of all the saints might be therein preserved. Of the Icings of the English. In the year of grace 610, on the death of Ceolwolf, king of the West-Saxons, he was succeeded by Cinegils, son' of Ceola, who reigned thirty-one years. At this time, Penda reigned in Mercia ; Reodwald in the kingdom of the East-Angles; Athelbert in Kent; Sebert in Essex; in Northumberland the proud and vain-glorious Ethelfrid. A council in Italy. In the year of grace 611, pope Boniface held a council in Italy, on the 3rd of March,| and made many decrees for the good of the church. There was present Mellitus, bishop oi London, who had been sent there by Laurence, archbishop of Canterbury, that on his return to Britain he might deliver the decrees of the council to the English churches, and with the authority of the supreme pontiff enjoin the observance of them. At this time flourished John, bishop of Alexandria, who, for his singular liberality to Christ's poor, obtained the name of the " Alms-giver," [_Eleemosynarius.~\ Nowit happened that * The text reads erroneously, Boniface V. t This council was held, not on the 3rd of March, but on the 3rd before the calends of March, i. e. on the 27th of February, 610. VOL. I. Ρ