[55] Factumque est ut venientibus illis sederet Augustinus in sella. Ibid. [56] Si pacem cum fructibus accipere nollent, bellum ab hostibus forent accepturi ... Ibid. [57] Ipsum Augustinum hujus belli non modo conscium sed et _impulsorem_ exstitisse. Wilkins adds, that the expression found in Bede, concerning the death of Augustine, is a parenthesis foisted in by Romanist writers, and not found in the Saxon manuscripts. (Conc. Brit. p. 26.) Augustine himself was not only accessory to that war, but he was even its instigator. [Sidenote: MASSACRE.] Shortly after the death of Augustine, Edelfrid, one of the Anglo-Saxon kings, and who was still a heathen, collected a numerous army, and advanced towards Bangor, the centre of British Christianity. Alarm spread through those feeble churches. They wept and prayed. The sword of Edelfrid drew nearer. To whom can they apply, or where shall they find help? The magnitude of the danger seemed to recall the Britons to their pristine piety: not to men, but to the Lord himself will they turn their thoughts. Twelve hundred and fifty servants of the living God, calling to mind what are the arms of Christian warfare, after preparing themselves by fasting, met together in a retired spot to send up their prayers to God.[58] A British chief, named Brocmail, moved by tender compassion, stationed himself near them with a few soldiers; but the cruel Edelfrid, observing from a distance this band of kneeling Christians, demanded: "Who are these people, and what are they doing?" On being informed, he added: "They are fighting then against us, although unarmed;" and immediately he ordered his soldiers to fall upon the prostrate crowd. Twelve hundred of them were slain.[59] They prayed and they died. The Saxons forthwith proceeded to Bangor, the chief seat of Christian learning, and razed it to the ground. Romanism was triumphant in England. The news of these massacres filled the country _with weeping and great mourning_; but the priests of Romish consecration (and the venerable Bede shared their sentiments) beheld in this cruel slaughter the accomplishment of the prophecy of the _holy pontiff_ Augustine;[60] and a national tradition among the Welsh for many ages pointed to him as the instigator of this cowardly butchery. Thus did Rome loose the savage Pagan against the primitive church of Britain, and fastened it all dripping with blood to her triumphal car. A great mystery of iniquity was accomplishing. [58] Ad memoratam aciem, peracto jejunio triduano, cum aliis orandi causa convenerant. (Beda, ii, cap. ii.) At the aforesaid engagement, after three days had been spent in fasting, they met together with others for prayer. [59] Extinctos in ea pugna ferunt de his qui ad orandum venerunt viros circiter mille ducentos. Beda, lib. ii, cap. ii. [60] Sic completum est presagium sancti pontificis Augustini. Ibid.