KIRKDALE CMURClf. 153 



to Christ and St. Gregory, in the days of Edward 

 the King, in the days of Tosti, the Earl. 

 The second part reads thus : 



THIS IS DJGGES SOL MERCA 

 ^ETILCUMTIDE, 



signifying this is a sun-dial for every hour ; or this 

 is the day's sun mark. 



The third part of the inscription is, 



AND HAWARTH ME WROHTE AND 

 BRAND PRESBYTER. 



which is, And Hawarth made me, and Brand the 

 minister. 



From the first part of the inscription, we learn, 

 that the church was dedicated to St. Gregory,* 



* The Romans having left Biitain in thebeginning of 

 the fifth century, the inhabitants were soon reduced to 

 deplorable circumstances, from their exposure to the at- 

 tacks of the northern powers. The Picts and Scots so 

 harrassed them, that they resolved to call in the Saxons 

 to their assistance ; who coming, routed the Picts, and 

 gained a complete victory over them. After this, 5000 

 more Saxons came over, with ther wives and children; 

 \vho were followed by others ; until they formed the reso- 

 lution of falling upon the Britons, and taking their coun- 

 try from them. They fell upon the British provinces, 

 wasting them in a terrible manner ;--taking towns, de- 

 molishing fortifications, burning churches and houses, and 

 putting great numbers of the clergy and people to the 

 sword : so as not to leave the least vestige of Christianity. 

 Thus these wicked barbarians triumphed over every thing; 

 which was sacred and dear to the people of this country; 

 and things remained thus, as it respects religion, till 

 Ethelbert had in A D. 560, succeeded his fat her, Krmenric, 

 in the kingdom of Kent; who had mairied, in his father's 

 life-time, Berthi, the only daughter of Caribert, king off 

 Paris, who was a Christian, and well instructed in her 

 religion j which by the articles of marriage she bad free 



