When he had spent some time at Melrose he was removed by Abbot Eata to Lindisfarne,[1] as prior, to teach the rules of monastic perfection with the authority of a superior. This shows that, as before at Ripon and Melrose, the practice of the Irish mission was contrary to the rule in Benedictine houses, for Eata presided over both monasteries. On his arrival Cuthberht immediately began his reforms, and urged the monks who clung to St. Aidan's ideals, both by his example and teaching, to adopt the Roman view, while he also worked assiduously at evangelising the common people in the neighbourhood, and became very famous for his alleged miracles—curing sickness, easing men's troubles and torments, and confounding evil spirits when present, by his touch, his prayers, his commands, or by exorcism, and, when absent, by prayer only.
His new discipline was not welcome to some of the monks, who preferred the ancient customs to the new Rule, but he won them over by tactful patience, and by daily practice brought them gradually round to his view. In the Chapter of the brethren he frequently discussed his " Rule," and when angry comments were made he would dismiss the assembly with some gentle words; and would then depart, and resume his appeal the following day as if nothing had happened,
- ↑ Lindisfarne is now known as Holy Island. It received the latter name, according to Archbishop Eyre, in the time of Bishop Carilef, and it first occurs in a charter of 1093 (op. cit. 16).
