Dommoc - Early Chronology

Early Chronology

The date of the foundation of Dommoc is estimated from the foregoing events and from the duration of tenure of the first three bishops. Edwin of Northumbria was baptised by Paulinus of York at Easter 626 and they then undertook the conversion of Lindsey and of Eorpwald and his kingdom. Eorpwald was slain soon after his baptism, after which there was a reversal of faith for three years. Felix was bishop for seventeen years, his successor Thomas for five, and his successor Berhtgisl Boniface for a further seventeen (a total of 39 episcopal years). Both Thomas and Berhtgisl were consecrated by Archbishop Honorius, who died in 653 (Historia Ecclesiastica iii.20). After Berhtgisl's death Archbishop Theodore, who reached Canterbury in 668-9, appointed Bisi to Dommoc, and Bisi attended the Council of Hertford in 673. By then Bisi's health was declining so that he was unable to administer the diocese and soon afterwards Theodore divided the see (Historia Ecclesiastica, iv.5). Since Berhtgisl cannot have died later than 670, the foundation of Dommoc should date to c. 630-31 and the assassination of Eorpwald to c. 627. This would place the death of Felix at c. 647 and of Thomas c. 652. That would accord with the Liber Eliensis tradition that Felix baptized Saint Etheldreda in or soon after 631 at Exning and with William of Malmesbury's statement that he baptized Cenwalh of Wessex in East Anglia before that king was restored to Wessex by King Anna in c. 647.