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 

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

 although he remarks of the Doreeceastre 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 

 Northv;mbria 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, AA'ho 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 Ethelward { 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 Jjam B. (isceopo) began ^a 

 cyningaseardung stowe & biscop set! on Doreeceastre [Beda 

 III., 7]. 



J Proem to Book III. 



