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54 II. CONVERSION OF SWEDEN (A.D. 8301130).
Sueones," of which a portion has been preserved to us.
Rabanus counts up a great number of presents, which he
sends to Simon, including a missal "cum lectionibus et
evangeliis," a psalter, a copy of the Acts of the Apostles,
three altar cloths, three sets of vestments, two chasubles
and two tunics (camisae) or albs, a corporal and a pal
lium.4
These presents must have been of great
value to the infant Church, but we know nothing
further of their history. Gautbert s mission seems to
have been, on the whole, ineffective, and he was driven out
by a local conspiracy, in which his nephew, Nithard, was
murdered or martyred. For seven years the few con
verts were left without a shepherd. Gautbert became
Bishop of Osnabriick, and was unwilling to return.
Anskar then sent a hermit, Ardgar, who was able to sup
port those who had remained firm, including, besides
Herigar, a noble lady, Frideburg, and her daughter. A
rather interesting incident is reported concerning Fride
burg, that, after the departure of Bishop Simon or Gaut
bert, she reserved a little wine 5
in her house in order that
she might have a death-bed communion in case no priest
was at hand (V. A., ch. 32). She had so kept it three
years when Ardgar arrived. Clearly communion of the
dying was at this time in both kinds as Anskar s own was.
Anskar, whose personal interest in the mission still con
tinued, came again to Sweden, in 848 A.D., in the time of a
king called Olof, and remained for about the same time
as before. He arrived at a critical moment, when much
discussion on matters of religion was going on amongst
the people; and had he been able to remain or been better
supported, the conversion of the province of Upland might
more speedily have followed. Two tendencies have been
observed in Scandinavian heathenism about this period, a
tendency to monotheism of a somewhat sceptical character
4
See H. Holmquist :
Kallorna, etc., p. 271.
5&lt;&lt;
Aliquantulum vini," which I believe to be the right read
ing, as it is in Mabillon s text and the Swedish version.
Fabricius and the S. R. S. read
**
aliquid emptum vini."
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