gitor.--Chron. Sax. 123 Bed. Hist.
Eccl. Lib. IV. c. 29.

CHAPTER II.

ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY--OF MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS--AND OF THEIR
EFFECTS.

The marriage of Ethelbert to a Christian princess was, we have seen, a
means of introducing Christianity into his dominions. The same influence
contributed to extend it in the other kingdoms of the Heptarchy, the
sovereigns of which were generally converted by their wives. Among the
ancient nations of Germany, the female sex was possessed not only of its
natural and common ascendant, but it was believed peculiarly sacred,[37]
and favored with more frequent revelations of the Divine will; women
were therefore heard with an uncommon attention in all deliberations,
and particularly in those that regarded religion. The Pagan superstition
of the North furnished, in this instance, a principle which contributed
to its own destruction.

In the change of religion, care was taken to render the transition from
falsehood to truth as little violent as possible. Though the first
proselytes were kings, it does not appear that there was any
persecution. It was a precept of Pope Gregory, under whose auspices this
mission was conducted, that the heathen temples should not be destroyed,
especially where they were well built,--but that, first removing the
idols, they should be consecrated anew by holier rites and to better
purposes,[38] in order that the prejudices of the people might not be
too rudely shocked by a declared profanation of what they had so long
held sacred, and that, everywhere beholding the same places to which
they had formerly resorted for religious comfort, they might be
gradually reconciled to the new doctrines and ceremonies which, were
there introduced; and as the sacrifices used in the Pagan worship were
always attended with feasting, and consequently were highly grateful to
the multitude, the Pope ordered that oxen, should as usual be
slaughtered near the church, and the people indulged in their ancient
festivity.[39] Whatever popular customs of heathenism were found to be
absolutely not incompatible with Christianity were retained; and some of
them were continued to a very late period. Deer were at a certain season
brought into St. Paul's church in London, and laid on the altar;[40] and
this custom subsisted until the Reformation. The names of some of the
Church festivals were, with a similar design, taken from those of the
heathen which had been celebr