ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 423 



Eadbert was chofen to fucceed him. This prelate is recorded to 

 have been a very pious man, to have underftood the holy fcrip- 

 tures well, to have drawn them into his life and practice, and 

 to have been a liberal father to the helplefs ftranger, the poor 

 and indigent. In March, 698, he removed St. Cutbbert's body 

 from the ifland of Farn to that of Lindisfarn. He furvived that 

 act of kindnefs for his venerable friend and predeceffor but a 

 few days, and was buried in the fame tomb with him, having 

 been a bifhop ten years. 



Egfrith, or Eadfrith, was elected to fucceed him in the fame 

 year. He was a monk of Lindisfarn^ of which his father was 

 abbot. In that retirement he tranflated the Gofpcls into Latin, 

 decorated after his death with gilding and jewels by his fuccef- 

 ibr, with painting by Bilfrid^ an anchorite, and with an inter- 

 lineary Saxon verfion by Aldred, a prieft. This book fell into the 

 hands of Sir Robert Cotton, whom few fuch curiofities efcaped, 

 and is now in his library in the Britifh Mufeum. He was emi- 

 nent for his learning in the age he lived, and loved to encourage 

 it in others. By his advice, Bede wrote the Life of St. Cuthbert in 

 profe and verfe, whofe memory he fo much revered, that one 

 of his firft epifcopal acts was, the repairing of his chapel or ora- 

 tory in the ifland of Farn. Yet, though he venerated that exem- 

 plary and pious prelate, he did not altogether imitate him. He 

 attended not the cares of his high office fo flriclly as became him. 

 For this he was warmly expoflulated with by his friend Bede, in 

 a letter full of fpirit, piety, and good fenfe. He put him in mind 

 of the weight of his charge, the duties of a Chriftian bifhop. 

 He earneftly preffed him to remetnber his Saviour's commiflion, 

 how he was to admonifh, even the higheft orders within his jurif- 

 diction, and remind them of their duty 5 exhort them not to 



bujjd. 



