Cantwaraburh, 731 AD
The sainted Berhtwald, ninth Archbishop of Cantwaraburh, died in his eighties. On hearing the news, Æthelbald made all haste to Kent to appoint a successor. Once arrived, he discovered a conclave of the cathedral canons and southern bishops meeting in the cathedral to elect one of their number. This, he announced, was unacceptable.
Bursting unheralded into a room annexed to the body of the church, Æthelbald boomed, “What is going on in here?”
Tired and irritated, armed in spite of being in a sacred edifice, his voice and appearance terrified the clergymen.
“Sire, we are come together to elect the most worthy among us to succeed the late, lamented Berhtwald.”
“It cannot be,” Æthelbald raged, glowering at the dismayed gathering. He let his words hang without any des
