6 SCANDO-GOTHIC ART IN WESSEX. 



And it is true that the eminent antiquary Kemble, in Appendix 

 C to his work on The Saxons of England, * assigns the 

 Dorceceastre, of the three years just mentioned, to Dorset, 

 although he remarks of the Dorceceastre in Oxfordshire that 

 " it was for some time a bishop's see for Wessex." 



Any doubt as to Kemble 's error is dissipated by a reference 

 to Beda, who records that " the two Kings (Oswald of 

 Northumbria and Cynegils the subregulus, after his con- 

 version) gave to the Bishop Berinus (who had come to this 

 country from Pope Honorius in the year 634) the city called 

 Dorcic, there to settle his episcopal see." f Stevenson, the 

 editor of the Latin translation of Beda for the " English 

 Historical Society," as well as of the English translation of 

 " The Church Historians," together with Bishop Stubbs, both 

 agree that this Dorchester was in Oxfordshire. 



Beortric succeeded to the Kingdom of the West Saxons in 

 784. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle relates that, in the follow- 

 ing year, " Pope Adrian [the First], in order to renew, in 

 " England, the Faith and the Peace, sent messengers from 

 " Rome, who were received with honour. And in 787 there 

 " came in three ships for the first time [to Wessex] Danish 

 " men. And the Reeve rode to meet them, thinking to drive 

 " them to the King's Vill, but they slew him." 



With this account, which names no places, that by Florence 

 of Worcester agrees ; but Ethel ward } tells us that ' : the 

 " Northmen landed on Portland, and that Beaduheard the 

 " King's Reeve happened to be staying in Dorchester. 

 " Apprised of the invasion he rode hastily to the port, thinking 

 " the Danes to be traders rather than pirates, and ordered 

 " that they should be forcibly conducted to the King's Vill. 



* Vol. II., p. 553. 



f Da sealdom him & geafon Jam B. (isceope) began Fa 

 cyningaseardung stowe & biscop setl on Dorceceastre [Beda 

 III., 7]. 



J Proem to Book III. 



