The Monks and the Conversion of the Germans 1 03 high priest answered, " I ; for who can more properly than myself destroy those things which I worshiped through igno- rance, for an example to all others, through the wisdom which has been given me by the true God ? " Then immediately, in contempt of his former superstitions, he desired the king to furnish him with arms and a stallion, and mounting the latter, he set out to destroy the idols ; for it was not lawful before for the high priest either to carry arms or to ride on any beast but a mare: Having, therefore, girt on a sword and carrying a spear in his hand, he mounted the king's stallion and proceeded to the idols. The multitude, beholding him, concluded he was distracted ; but he lost no time, for as soon as he drew near the temple he profaned the same, casting into it the spear which he held. And rejoicing in the knowledge of the worship of the true God, he com- manded his companions to destroy the temple, with all its inclosures, by fire. This place where the idols were is still shown, not far from York, to the eastward, beyond the river Derwent, and is now called Godmundingham ; where the high priest, by the inspiration of the true God, profaned and destroyed the altars which he had himself consecrated. The Roman monks, sent by Gregory the Great, found that the Christian missionaries from Ireland observed Easter at a different time from that appointed by the Roman church. After years of controversy it was agreed that a synod should be held where the difficulty might be settled. Bede thus describes the arguments advanced by both sides and the victory of the Roman party : . [Bishop Colman spoke for the Scots (i.e. Irish) and said:] " The Easter which I keep I received from my elders, who sent me hither as bishop ; all our forefathers, men beloved of God, are known to have kept it after the same manner; and that this may not seem to any contemptible or worthy to be rejected, it is the same which St. John the Evangelist, the 42. Thecon- troversy between the Roman and Irish missionaries in regard to the time of Easter.
