ST. ETHELREDA 281 Ethelburga was associated with her hus- band in these pious labours, and took part also in more warlike deeds. In 722, Aldbryht, or Albert, a hostile prince of Wessez, took the fortress of Taunton, which Ina had built. He being engaged in fighting a distant foe, Ethelburga, with what troops she could gather, made a vigorous assault on the fort, razed it to the ground, and compelled Aldbryht to flee. During many years of prosperity and glory, Ina and his wife had been fnends to the Church and the poor. They had often talked of withdrawing from the cares and pomp of royalty, and of passing their remaining years in religions retire- ment Ina, however, put off the decisive step from month to month, from year to year, until at last Ethelburga, finding her arguments and lectures of no avail, with the feminine zeal which ignores defeat, resorted to stratagem to impress upon him the corruptible nature of all worldly things, also that the time had come for them to turn their attention exclusively to things spiritual, in pre- paration for death and eternity. They made a party of pleasure to one of the king's villas, with every luxury and splendour that the age and nation could command. After spending a night or more in feasting and revelry, the king and queen set out for another of their residences; but when they had ridden a few hours, Ethelburga begged her husband to go back to the villa where they had been so happy. He agreed, and they returned. By the queen's orders, the hours of their absence had been employed in destroying and disfiguring the place, dirt and squalor taking the place of riches and splendour. Everything was made as revolting as possible — ^pigs were lying in the very bed where the royal couple had slept. Ina understood the lesson his queen in- tended to convey, and agreed with her to forego the pleasures of this world, and devote himself to preparation for the next. He assembled the Witan, resigned his crown, and recommended as his successors Ethclhord, the brother of Ethelburga, and Oswald, another prince of the house of Cedric. In 728, Ina and Ethelburga went to Eome, where they lived among the poorest of the pilgrims, wearing the dress of the com- mon people, and Ina supported himself by the labour of his hands. They never betrayed their lofty origin. Within a year Ina died at Rome, and was buried there, not as a king, but as a poor pil- grim. After his death, Ethelburga, the first English queen to visit Home, re- turned to England, and became a nun at Barking. There she died about 740. St. Ina is commemorated on Feb. 6, his wife, either on the same day or on the day of one of the other three sainted princesses of her name. Montalembert, v., English edition. The English Mart.^ July 9, does not say that Ethelburga went to Rome, but implies that when Ina went there, she went to Barking. St. Etheldreda (l) or Etheldrytha, Ethildbitha, Ediltbudk, one of the three sainted sisters of Erhenburqa. St. Etheldreda (2), Ethelbkda. Etheldritha, Alfbeda. St. Ethelflaed, Elfleda (3). St Ethelfleda, Eloiva (3). St. Ethelfleta, Elfleda (1). St. Ethelgiva, Elgiva (3). St. Ethelreda, June 23 (Edeldbud, Elidbu, Etheldbeda, ^theldbyth, Edilthbyda, Etheldrita, Ediltbude, AuDBEY, Awdry). 636-679. Queen of Northumbria. First Abbess of Ely. Daughter of Anna, king of the East Angles (635-664). Represented with the emblems of royalty, and of her rank as abbess, sometimes with a book, and sometimes a crown of flowers, or crowned, with a crosier and budding staff. At Ely Cathedral, lantern columns represent her asleep, her head in a nun's lap, a book in her hand, with a tree blossoming above her. Anna was of the family of the Uffings, descendants of Odin. He was a Christian, and did much for the con- version of his own kingdom, and that of Weesex, his chief enemy being the savago Penda, heathen king of Mercia. St. Ethelreda was the third daughter of Anna, by his wife St. Hereswitha, though some authorities say that St. Hereswitha was married to Ethelhero,
