182. THE BISHOPRIC OF CORNWALL. 



The error is therefore due to WilHam of Malmesbury, who has 

 mistaken Corvinensem for Coniuhiemem, and this notwithstanding 

 that in the very next sentence the words Cornubia and CornuUensem 

 are used. 



■ Immediately after the mention of the appointment of Eadulf 

 to the See of Crediton, both the Bodleian and the Canterbury 

 Manuscripts inform us, that there were also conferred upon Eadulf 

 three Manors in Cornwall, namely, PoUtun, Cselling, and Land- 

 withan,* " that from thence he might every year visit the Cornish 

 " race to extirpate their errors ; for they had previously to the 

 " utmost of their power resisted the truth, and had not obeyed 

 " the Apostolic decrees." Is it conceivable that a separate Bishop 

 should have been appointed for Cormvall, whilst at the same time 

 an additional endowment was conferred upon the Bishop of 

 Crediton, in order that he might visit the province of Cornwall, 

 and perform Episcopal functions therein 1 It is possible that the 

 Bishop of Crediton might have had charge of that small portion 

 of Cornwall which was then subject to the Saxons : but until the 

 conquest of the whole province by the Saxon King, the appoint- 

 ment of a Bishop for Cornwall alone would have been useless, and 

 in the highest degree improbable. 



On these grounds we agree with Mr. Pedler in rejecting the 

 authority of William of Malmesbury for the supposed creation of 

 the Cornish See by King Edward the Elder, and for the appoint- 

 ment of Athelstan as it's first Bishop. Athelstan was in reahty 

 the first Bishop of Eamsbury, and has a place in all the lists of the 

 early Wiltshire Bishops. 



The words relating to Bishop Eadulf, already quoted from the 

 Bodleian Manuscript, point in our opinion to an independent British 

 Church then existing in Cornwall, and refusing obedience to the Roman 

 See. Whilst Cornwall was still under British Government, it's 

 Church was ruled by native Bishops : but when King Athelstan 

 had overrun the whole County,t and had received the submission 

 of Howel, it's last native King, % it was very natural that steps 



* The present Pawton, Callington, and La-wbitton ; the last is still the 

 property of the See of Exeter. 



fA.D. 927. 



+ A.D.928. 



