54

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

Chat, that there was a mile's distance from one gate okI. it to another; and it contained two thousand onehundred monks, who are said to have been theremaintained by their own labour *\

Notwithstanding Adelfrid’s success in war,he lived in inquietude on account of young Ed-win , whom he had unjustly dispossessed of thecrown of Deiri. This prince, now grown toman’s estate, wandered from place to place, incontinual danger from the attempts of Adelfrid;and received at last protection in the court of Red-wald , king of the East-Angles; where his engag-ing and gallant deportment procured him generalesteem and affection. Redwald , however, wasstrongly solicited by the king of Northumberlandto kill or deliver up his guest: Rich presentswere promised him, if he would comply; andwar denounced against him , in case of his re-fusal. After rejecting several messages of thiskind , his generosity began to yield to the moti-ves of interest; and he retained the last ambassador,till he should come to a resolution in a case ofsuch importance. Edwin, informed of his friend’sperplexity, was yet determined at all hazards toremain in East-Anglia; and thought, that, if theprotection of that court failed him, it were bet-ter to die than prolong a life so much exposed tothe persecutions of his powerful rival. This con-fidence in Redwald’s honour and friendship,with his other accomplishments, engaged the

Bede, lib. 2. cap. 2. "W. Maltnes. lib. 1. cap. 3.