73 The Life and Times of Aldhelm. 



which he enlarged his gift to Malmesbury — he went accompanied by 

 Aldhelm to Rome, and was there baptized by the Pope Sergius. 

 We seem almost to infer from this circumstance, that the conversion 

 of the king was owing to the efforts of his earnest-minded kinsman, 

 the Abbot of Malmesbury. 



Of other gifts to this monastery we need only mention the estate 

 at Sumreford (one of the Somerfords, in North Wilts) given by 

 Berhtwald, in 685, with the consent of Ethelred, King of Mercia; 

 and those at Garsdon, and Rodbourne, bestowed in 701 by Ina, King 

 of Wessex.^ As far as a rough calculation can be made, Aldhelm 

 acquired during his life-time hardly more than one fourth of the 

 property, that afterwards, by the benefactions of various kings and 

 nobles, came into the possession of the monastery. 



Aldhelm succeeded to his office in most eventful times, and no 

 doubt did his part in the great work that was going on, under Arch- 

 bishop Theodore, in giving a permanent character to the Christianity 

 of England. Previous labourers had done much towards the con- 

 version of the various kingdoms of the Heptarchy, and effects that 

 might be deemed almost marvellous, did we not remember how many 

 circumstances rendered the people willing to receive the Gospel, 

 followed their efforts. The ancient British church, crushed, as far 

 as might be, by the heathen Saxon, still held forth, though with 

 feeble hands, the lamp of truth. The Christianity of the native 

 Britons, even in their state of subjection to their cruel oppressors, 

 was still faithfully, though often secretly, maintained. There 

 is a vitality in the religion we profess, so that, though it may 

 seem well nigh extinguished at times by the hand of persecution, 

 from its smouldering embers the flame soon bursts forth again, 

 when, in God's Providence, the tyrant's hand is loosed, or his heart 

 is softened. So it is in Madagascar now ; — " cast down, but not 

 destroyed," — such is a description of the Christians there, forced as 

 they were, not many years ago, to succumb to the cruel edict of a 

 Queen who would fain have extirpated every trace of the religion 

 of Christ from her island. But even there, as the journal of the 



> Cod : Dipl : 26, 48. 



