276 



Inaugural Address of the 



Even in these days of express trains we should not hesitate about 

 the reply. When we consider the labours and dangers of journeys 

 then, and the large amount of time which they cost, it is quite 

 inconceivable that he would pass by the nearest Britons, those in 

 immediate contact with the Saxons along a very extended frontier, 

 and push on a long way further to a very remote branch of the 

 British race. Bede settles the matter for us. By the help of the 

 King of Kent, who had a sort of over-lordship of the West Saxons, 

 Augustine set out for an interview with the people of " the nearest 

 province of the Britons." This was certainly not the inhabitants 

 of modern Wales. It was certainly the people of the nearer parts 

 of Damnonia. As a matter of geography it cannot be disputed 

 that the British inhabitants of that part of Selwood which lay 

 north of Frome, up as far as Cricklade, were to Augustine " the 

 nearest province of the Britons/' 



The Britons were of course bitterly hostile to the pagan West 

 Saxons, and a place must be found for the interview to which both 

 Britons and Augustine's Saxon party could safely go. Ethelbert's 

 over-lordship made it safe for Augustine to go to any Saxon 

 territory, and the Britons' recent and successful alliance with the 

 Hwiccas made it safe for the Britons to visit any suitable place in 

 Hwiccian territory. There you have all the conditions of the 

 problem stated. You only have to turn upon it the further question, 

 what about the roads ? The answer settles the whole thing. The 

 Ermine Street stared Augustine in the face. He went along it till he 

 crossed from West Saxon territory to Hwiccian territory at the 

 bridge or ford of Cricklade. There, on ground safe to him and his 

 escort as being Saxon soil, and safe to the Britons as being in the 

 land of the friendly Hwiccas, he met his fellow Christians. They no 

 doubt had collected at Malmesbury, and emerged from their forest 

 by ways known to themselves on to the open ground held by their 

 Hwiccian allies. This is really the only spot in the world which 

 fulfils all the conditions of the problem, without any forced in- 

 terpretation or any departure from common-sense considerations. 



We have got into the way of supposing that " Britons," in the 

 time of which we are speaking, must of course mean what we now 



