have been.

{18}

Who first lived there, what kind of a dwelling-place they had, we do
not really know. In later days the monks, whose home it then was, said
that once the temple of a Roman god had stood there, and that when the
Britons became Christians a good King built in its place a Christian
church called the Abbey of St. Peter. Do you remember that, after the
Romans left Britain, the English, who were still heathen, came over the
North Sea and conquered the Britons and settled on their lands? The
monks said that in those days of war and trouble the little Abbey of
St. Peter was destroyed. Early in the seventh century, when the
English also had learnt the Christian Faith, Sebert, King of the East
Saxons, rebuilt the little abbey, and when he died he was buried there.
So said the monks, and to this very day there is a grave in Westminster
Abbey which is said to be Sebert's.

There is a strange story told about this ancient church. It was just
finished, and the first Bishop of London, Mellitus, was to come on a
certain Monday to consecrate it--that is, to set it apart for the
service of God. The evening before a man called Edric was fishing in
the river. Suddenly, on the southern bank, he saw a bright light; he
pulled his little boat towards it, and saw standing by the water a
strange-looking stately man, who pointed towards Thorney and said,
"Ferry me, I pray thee, across to yonder place"; and Edric did so. As
the stranger landed and went to the new church the air was filled with
heavenly light, the church was "without darkness or shadow," and
through the light angels came flying from the skies, and with their
help the stranger held the solemn service of {19} consecration. All
this Edric heard and saw. Do you wonder that he forgot all about his
fishing?

When the service was ended and, I suppose, the heavenly light had faded
away and darkness again covered the place, the stranger came to Edric
and asked for food. "Alas!" he answered, "I have none. I have not
caught a single fish."

Then said the stranger, "I am Peter, Keeper of the Keys of Heaven.
When the Bishop comes to-morrow, tell him that I, St. Peter, have
consecrated my own church of St. Peter. Go thou out into the river;
thou wilt catch many a fish, whereof the most part will be salmon.
This I grant thee if thou wilt promise two things;--first, that never
again wilt thou fish on Sunday; and, secondly, that thou wilt give
one-tenth of thy