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Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England, ed. by A.M. Sellar, [1907], at sacred-texts.com


CHAP. XX. How, when Honorius died, Deusdedit became Archbishop of Canterbury; and of those who were at that time bishops of the East Angles, and of the church of Rochester. [653 A.D.]

IN the meantime, Felix, bishop of the East Angles, dying, when he had held that see seventeen years, Honorius ordained Thomas his deacon, of the province of the Gyrwas,in his place; and he being taken from this life when he had been bishop five years, Bertgils, surnamed Boniface,of the province of Kent, was appointed in his stead. Honoriushimself also, having run his course, departed this life in the year of our Lord 653, on the 30th of September; and when the see had been vacant a year and six months, Deusdedit of the nation of the West Saxons, was chosen the sixth Archbishop of Canterbury. To ordain him, Ithamar,bishop of Rochester, came thither. His ordination was on the 26th of March, and he ruled the church nine years, four months, and two days; and when Ithamar died, he consecrated in his place Damian,who was of the race of the South Saxons.


Next: XXI. How the province of the Midland Angles became Christian under King Peada. [653 A.D.]