Paulinus

Paulinus, missionary to Northumbria, counted as the first of the archbishops of York. He was a native of Rome, and may have been named Rum before his conversion. He was sent on his mission by Gregory in 601, and first laboured under Augustine in the evangelisation of Kent. By him he was consecrated bishop in 625, when he accompanied Ethelburga on her marriage to the still heathen Edwin, king of Northumbria. For a long time he made no progress in his mission beyond baptising the infant princess; but at length a great gathering was held at Goodmanham, near York, to consider the matter, and in consequence Edwin and his court submitted to baptism at York, in a wooden chapel dedicated to St Peter, the foundation of the Minster, Easter Sunday 627. Paulinus now carried the gospel over Northumbria, but after six years' constant labour the death of Edwin in battle at Hatfield put a sudden end to his work. He did not wait for the honour of martyrdom, but went back with the widowed queen to Kent. In the same year he received the pallium as Archbishop of York from Rome, but he never returned, dying on October 10, 644. He was buried in the chapter-house at Rochester. See Dr Bright's Chapters of Early English History, and vol. i. of the Lives of the Archbishops of York.