Bede’s Ecclesiastical history of England

Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England
by
The Venerable Bede

A REVISED TRANSLATION

WITH INTRODUCTION, LIFE, AND NOTES BY

A. M. SELLAR
LATE VICE-PRINCIPAL OF LADY MARGARET HALL, OXFORD

LONDON

GEORGE BELL AND SONS
1907

Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England The Venerable Bede

EDITOR’S PREFACE

The English version of the "Ecclesiastical History" in the following pages is a revision of the
translation of Dr. Giles, which is itself a revision of the earlier rendering of Stevens. In the present
edition very considerable alterations have been made, but the work of Dr. Giles remains the basis
of the translation. The Latin text used throughout is Mr. Plummer’s. Since the edition of Dr. Giles
appeared in 1842, so much fresh work on the subject has been done, and recent research has brought
so many new facts to light, that it has been found necessary to rewrite the notes almost entirely,
and to add a new introduction. After the appearance of Mr. Plummer’s edition of the Historical
Works of Bede, it might seem superfluous, for the present at least, to write any notes at all on the
"Ecclesiastical History." The present volume, however, is intended to fulfil a different and much
humbler function. There has been no attempt at any original work, and no new theories are advanced.
The object of the book is merely to present in a short and convenient form the substance of the
views held by trustworthy authorities, and it is hoped that it may be found useful by those students
who have either no time or no inclination to deal with more important works.

Among the books of which most use has been made, are Mr. Plummer’s edition of the
Ecclesiastical History, Messrs’ Mayor and Lumby’s edition of Books III and IV, Dr. Bright’s "Early
English Church History," and Dr. Hunt’s "History of the English Church from its foundation to the
Norman Conquest." Many of the articles in the "Dictionary of Christian Biography " and the
"Dictionary of Christian Antiquities," Dr. Mason’s "Mission of St. Augustine," Dr. Rhys’s "Celtic
Britain," and a number of other books, mentioned in the notes, have been consulted.

For help received in different ways I wish to express my gratitude to various correspondents
and friends. I am particularly indebted to Mr. Edward Bell, who has kindly revised my proofs and
made many valuable suggestions. For information on certain points I have to thank the Rev. Charles
Plummer, Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, Professor Lindsay of St. Andrews University,
Miss Wordsworth, Principal, and Miss Lodge, Vice-Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford; and
in a very special sense I wish to acknowledge my obligations to Miss Paterson, Assistant Librarian
at the University Library, St. Andrews, whose unfailing kindness in verifying references, and
supplying me with books, has greatly lightened my labours.

 

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

There are, it has been estimated, in England and on the Continent, in all about 140 manuscripts
of the "Ecclesiastical History." Of these, four date from the eighth century: the Moore MS.
(Cambridge), so called, because, after being sold by auction in the reign of William III, it came
into the possession of Bishop Moore, who bequeathed it to the University of Cambridge; Cotton,
Tiberius A, xiv; Cotton, Tiberius C, ii; and the Namur MS. A detailed account of these, as well as
of a great number of other manuscripts, will be found in Mr. Plummer’s Introduction to his edition
of Bede’s Historical Works. He has been the first to collate the four oldest MSS., besides examining
numerous others and collating them in certain passages. He has pointed out that two of the MSS.
dating from the eighth century (the century in which Bede died), the Moore MS. and Cotton, Tiberius
A, xiv, point to a common original which cannot be far removed from Bede’s autograph. We are
thus brought very near to our author, and may have more than in most cases the assurance that we
have before us what he actually meant to say.

The earliest editions were printed on the Continent; the "editio princeps" is believed to date
from 1475. A number of editions followed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; the first in
England was published by Abraham Whelock at Cambridge in 1643-4. Smith’s edition in 1722
marked a new era in the history of the book. It was the first critical edition, the text being based on
the Moore MS. collated with three others, of which two were eighth century MSS.; and succeeding
editors, Stevenson (1841), Giles (1842), Hussey (1846), the editor in the "Monumenta Historica
Britannica" (1848), Moberly (1869), Holder (1882), base their work mainly on Smith’s. Mr. Mayor
and Mr. Lumby together edited Books III and IV with excellent notes in 1878. Their text "reproduces
exactly the Moore MS." which they collated with some other Cambridge MSS. (cf. Mayor and
Lumby, Excursus II). In 1896 the Rev. C. Plummer published his edition of Bede’s Historical
Works, the first critical edition since Smith’s, and "the very first which exhibits in an apparatus
criticus the various readings of the MSS. on which the text is based." For the student of Bede this
admirable book is of the highest value, and the labours of all succeeding editors are made
comparatively light. Besides the most minute and accurate work on the text, it contains a copious
and interesting commentary and the fullest references to the various sources upon which the editor
has drawn.

The first translation of the "Ecclesiastical History" is the Anglo-Saxon version, executed either
by Alfred himself or under his immediate supervision. Of this version Dr. Hodgkin says: "As this
book had become a kind of classic among churchmen, Alfred allowed himself here less liberty than
in some of his other translations. Some letters, epitaphs, and similar documents are omitted, and
there is an almost complete erasure of the chapters relating to the wearisome Paschal controversy.
In other respects the king’s translation seems to be a fairly accurate reproduction of the original
work." Mr. Plummer, however, finds it "very rarely available for the settlement of minute differences
of reading."

The first modern English translation is Thomas Stapleton’s (1565), published at Antwerp. It is
a controversial work, intended to point out to Queen Elizabeth "in how many and weighty pointes
the pretended refourmers of the Church . . . have departed from the patern of that sounde and
Catholike faith planted first among Englishmen by holy S. Augustine, our Apostle, and his vertuous
company, described truly and sincerely by Venerable Bede, so called in all Christendom for his
passing vertues and rare lerning, the Author of this History." To save Elizabeth’s time "in espying out the particulars," the translator has "gathered out of the whole History a number of diversities
between the pretended religion of Protestants and the primitive faith of the English Church." If
charm and appropriateness of style were the only qualities to be aimed at in a translation, we might
well content ourselves with this rendering, which fills with despair the translator of to-day, debarred
by his date from writing Elizabethan English.

The work was again translated by John Stevens (1723), and a third time (with some omissions)
by W. Hurst in 1814. In 1840 Dr. Giles published a new edition of Stevens’s translation with certain
alterations; and a second edition of the same volume was published in 1842, and incorporated in
the collected works of Bede, edited by Dr. Giles. In 1870 a literal translation by the Rev. L. Gidley
was published. The present volume is a revision of the translation of Dr. Giles.

A brief analysis of the work may be of some use to the student in keeping distinct the different
threads of the narrative, as owing to the variety of subjects introduced, and the want of strict
chronological order, it is difficult to grasp the sequence of events as a coherent whole.

The sources from which Bede draws his material are briefly indicated in the dedication to King
Ceolwulf which forms the Preface, and in it he acknowledges his obligations to the friends and
correspondents who have helped and encouraged him. For the greater part of Book I (cc. 1-22),
which forms the introduction to his real subject, he depends on earlier authors. Here he does not
specify his sources, but indicates them generally as priorum scripta. These authors are mainly
Pliny, Solinus, Orosius, Eutropius, and the British historian Gildas. In the story of Germanus and
Lupus he follows closely the Life of Germanus by Constantius of Lyons. Prosper of Aquitaine also
supplies him with some materials. When he comes to his main subject, the History of the English
Church, he appears to rely but little upon books. Only a very few are referred to here and there,
e.g., The Life of St. Fursa, The Life of St. Ethelburg, Adamnan’s work on the Holy Places, and the
Anonymous Life of St. Cuthbert. That some form of annalistic records existed before his time, and
that these were consulted by him, we may infer from some of his chronological references (cf. iii,
I, 9). Local information with regard to provinces other than Northumbria he obtains from his
correspondents in various parts of England, and these are expressly mentioned in the Preface.

For the history of the Roman mission and of Kent generally, as well as some particulars with
regard to the conversion of other provinces, his chief source is the Church of Canterbury, which
apparently possessed, besides oral tradition, written documents relating to the first beginnings of
the Church. Moreover, Nothelm, who was the bearer of much important material, had been to Rome
and had permission to search the papal archives. But it is in dealing with the history of Northumbria,
as is natural, that Bede’s information is most varied and copious. Much of it is apparently obtained
directly from eye-witnesses of the events, much would doubtless be preserved in the records of the
Church of Lindisfarne, to which he had access, perhaps also in his own monastery. We know that
the monasteries kept calendars in which the death-days of saints and others were entered, and other
records of similar nature (cf. iv, 14), and that these were used as materials for history.

Passing to the history itself, we may trace a division of subjects or periods roughly analogous
to the division into books. Book I contains the long introduction, the sending of the Roman mission,
and the foundation of the Church; Books II and III, the period of missionary activity and the
establishment of Christianity throughout the land. Book IV may be said to describe the period of
organization. In Book V the English Church itself becomes a missionary centre, planting the faith
in Germany, and. drawing the Celtic Churches into conformity with Rome.

 

BOOK I.— In Book I, cc. 1-22, Bede sketches the early history of Britain, describing the
country and giving some account of the various races by whom it was inhabited. The story of the
Roman occupation is narrated at some length, the invasions of the Picts and Scots and consequent
miseries of the Britons, their appeals for help to the Romans, the final departure of their protectors,
and the coming of the ,Saxons are described. We have some shadowy outlines of British Church
History in the legendary account of the conversion of King Lucius, in the story of St. Alban,
affording evidence of a great persecution of Christians during the Roman occupation, in the allusions
to the Arian and Pelagian heresies, and in the mission of Germanus and Lupus. A brief allusion to
the mission of Palladius is all that we hear of the Irish Church at this period.

These chapters are introductory to the main subject, the History of the English Church, which
begins in Chapter 23 with the mission of St. Augustine in 597 AD. The reception of the Christian
faith in the kingdom of Kent and the foundation of a national Church occupy the remaining chapters
of the book. Various letters of Pope Gregory relating to the mission and his answers to the questions
of Augustine are given at length ;and the Book concludes with a piece of Northumbrian history,
Ethelfrid’s conquests of the Britons and the defeat of Aedan, king of the Dalriadic Scots, at Degsastan
in 603 A.D.

BOOK II.— Book II opens with a biographical sketch of Gregory the Great, the founder of
the Mission. This is followed by an account of Augustine’s negotiations with the leaders of the
British Church with regard to the Paschal question and some other matters, his failure to win them
over (a failure apparently largely due to his own want of tact in dealing with the susceptible Celtic
temperament), his alleged prophecy of disaster and its fulfilment some time after at the battle of
Chester. Then we have the consecration of Mellitus to London, as Bishop of the East Saxons, and
Justus to Rochester (604 A.D.); the evangelization of the East Saxons by Mellitus; the death of
Augustine and succession of Laurentius as Archbishop (no date is given; it may have been in 605);
fresh attempts at union with the Celtic Churches, in which again we can perceive a failure of courtesy
on the one side met by an obstinate pride on the other. The death of Ethelbert in Kent (616 A.D.)
and that of Sabert in Essex, soon after, lead to a pagan reaction in both provinces; Mellitus apd
Justus take refuge on the Continent; Laurentius, intending to follow them, is stopped by a vision
which leads to the conversion of King Eadbald and the recovery of Kent for Christianity. Essex,
however, continues to be pagan. On the death of Laurentius (619 A.D.), Mellitus succeeds to
Canterbury and is himself succeeded by Justus (in 624). In Chapter 9 we enter upon a new
development of the highest importance in the work of the mission. The marriage of Edwin, king
of Northumbria, and the Kentish princess, Ethelberg, brings about the conversion of Northumbria
through the preaching of Paulinus. The story is told in detail. Letters from Pope Boniface to Edwin
and his consort are quoted at length, Edwin’s early history with its bearing on the great crisis of
his life is related; finally we have the decisive debate in the Witenagemot at Goodmanham and the
baptism of the king at Easter, 627 A.D. Through the influence of Edwin on Earpwald, king of East
Anglia, that province is next converted, but on the death of Earpwald the people lapse into paganism
for three years, till Christianity is finally established by the labours of Bishop Felix, under the
enlightened King Sigbert, who had himself been drawn to the faith in Gaul.

Meanwhile, peace and prosperity reign in Northumbria, and Paulinus extends his preaching to
Lindsey. He receives the pall from Pope Honorius, in accordance with the original intention of
Gregory that the Bishop of York should rank as a metropolitan. At Canterbury, Justus is succeeded
by Archbishop Honorius. Parenthetically we have extracts from letters, probably of the year 640

A.D., addressed by the Roman see to the Irish clergy on the Paschal question and the Pelagian
heresy.

In Chapter 20 we have a dramatic climax to the book in the overthrow and death of Edwin at
the battle of Hatfield in 633 A.D.; the devastation of Northumbria by the British king, Caedwalla,
and Penda of Mercia; and the flight of Paulinus, taking with him Ethelberg and Eanfled to Kent,
where he ends his life in charge of the Church of Rochester. His work in Northumbria seems for
the time, at least, wholly overthrown. Only James the Deacon remains heroically at his post to keep
alive the smouldering embers of the faith.

BOOK III.—Book III opens with the story of the apostasy of the Northumbrian kings and the
miseries of the "Hateful Year," terminated by the victory of Oswald at Heavenfield in 634 A.D.
Christianity is brought again to Northumbria (635 A.D.) by the Celtic Mission, sent from lona at
the request of Oswald, who nobly cooperates with Aidan in the work of evangelization. Aidan fixes
his see at Lindisfarne. The mention of lona leads to a short account of the mission of St. Columba
to the Northern Picts in 565 A.D., and incidentally of St. Ninian’s mission to the Southern Picts
"long before the grant of Iona to St. Columba, and its constitution, the character of its monks and
their error with regard to Easter. The characters of Aidan and Oswald are described; and the union
of Deira and Bernicia under Oswald is briefly mentioned.

In Chapter 7 we pass to a fresh missionary enterprise. Birinus, sent to Britain by Pope Honorius,
converts the West Saxons. Their king, Cynegils, is baptized, and a see is established at Dorchester,
in Oxfordshire. Under Coinwalch, the successor of Cynegils, the province passes through various
vicissitudes, political and ecclesiastical, and finally the West Saxon see is fixed at Winchester.

In Kent, Earconbert succeeds Eadbald in 640 A.D., and takes vigorous measures for the
suppression of idolatry. His daughter, Earcongota, and many other high-born English ladies enter
the religious life in Gaul, for convents are still scarce in England.

In Chapter 9, reverting to the history of Northumbria, Bede tells us of the death of Oswald at
Maserfelth in 642, and relates at length various miracles wrought by his relics. Oswald is succeeded
by Oswy in Bernicia and in Deira by Oswin. The latter is treacherously murdered by Oswy; his
character is described. The death of Aidan (in 651) immediately follows that of his beloved king;
Aidan’s miracles are related, and a warm tribute is paid to his character, in spite of the inevitable
error with regard to Easter, which is severely condemned.

In Chapter 18, passing again to East Anglian history, we hear of King Sigbert’s services to
education, and of his retirement to a monastery from which he was forcibly drawn to fall in battle
against the Mercians. (The chronology is here very vague.) A vision of the Irish St. Fursa, who
founded the monastery of Cnobheresburg in East Anglia is told in detail. Changes in the episcopate
in East Anglia and elsewhere are mentioned. Deusdedit succeeds Honorius as Archbishop of
Canterbury in 654.

Again, a Northumbrian prince gives a fresh impulse to the spread of Christianity. In 653 the
Middle Angles (who occupied a part of Mercia) are converted, their prince, Peada, being persuaded
chiefly by his brother-in-law, Alchfrid, a son of Oswy. Four priests are sent to them to preach and
baptize, Cedd, Adda, Betti, and Diuma, and Diuma becomes bishop of the Middle Angles and
Mercians. Similarly, at this time, King Sigbert of Essex listens to the exhortations of his friend,
King Oswy, and, at the preaching of Cedd, the East Saxons receive the faith a second time. Cedd
becomes their bishop. Sigbert’s tragic death is related. His successor, Suidhelm, receives baptism at the hands of Cedd. The foundation of Lastingham by Ethelwald of Deira and its consecration by
Cedd are described. Cedd dies of the plague of 664.

Meanwhile, important political changes have taken place in the north: the defeat and death of
Penda at the Winwaed in 655 are followed by Oswy’s rule, which established Christianity in Mercia,
in spite of a successful rebellion after three years, when the Mercians threw off the yoke of
Northumbria and set up Penda’s son, Wuifhere, as their king.

In Chapter 25 we come to the Synod of Whitby (664 A.D.), which settled the Easter question
for the English Church. Wilfrid comes to the front as a champion of the Catholic rules. The opposing
party either retire or conform. The self-denial and devotion of the Celtic missionaries are highly
praised, and some account of the life led by English students in Ireland follows, with the story of
the self-dedication of Egbert, who is destined to play a prominent part afterwards in the history of
the Church.

The consecration of both Wilfrid and Ceadda (664 A.D.), as bishops of Northumbria leads to
complications in the episcopate. An important step towards the unity of the English nation in
ecclesiastical matters is taken when Wighard is sent to Rome by the kings Oswy and Egbert, acting
in concert, to be consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury (667 A.D.). Wighard dies there, and
Pope Vitalian undertakes to find an archbishop for the English Church.

The book ends with a fresh apostasy in Essex during the miseries of the great plague of 664.
Mercia, so lately itself evangelized, becomes a new missionary centre, King Wulfhere sending
Bishop Jaruman to recall the East Saxons to the faith.

BOOK IV.—In all but one of the kingdoms of England Christianity is now, at least in name,
established, and the Church settles down to the work of organization. The man for this task is found
in Theodore of Tarsus, consecrated Archbishop of the English in 668. He arrives at Canterbury in

669. We hear at once of the vigorous impulse given by him and Abbot Hadrian to the various
departments of education there. Finding an irregularity in Ceadda’s orders, he completes his
ordination and makes him Bishop of the Mercians (probably in 669), with his see at Lichfield.
Ceadda’s death (672 A.D.), his character, and the miracles and visions connected with him are
described. Parenthetically we get an account of Colman’s activity in Ireland after his retirement,
in consequence of the decision at Whitby. The most important political events at this time are the
death of Oswy and succession of Egfrid in Northumbria in 670 or 671, and the death of Egbert and
succession. of Hlothere in Kent in 673.
In the same year the Council of Hertford, the first English provincial council, is held, and marks
the strength and independence of the Church. Theodore proceeds with his reforms in the episcopate.
Various events of ecclesiastical importance follow; the East Anglian diocese is divided about this
time, and other changes are effected.

Essex, so long prone to lapses into paganism, becomes at this time a centre of religious life
under its Bishop Earconwald and its king Sebbi. Earconwald, whose holiness is attested by many
miraculous circumstances, was the founder of the monasteries of Chertsey and Barking, the latter
of which was ruled by his sister, the saintly Ethelburg. Various miracles are related in connection
with her and her monastery. The king of the East Saxons, Sebbi, is a man of unusual piety who
resigns his kingdom and receives the tonsure.

After a brief allusion to West Saxon history, the devastation of Kent by Ethelred of Mercia in
676, and certain changes in the episcopate, we come to an important step in the organization of the
Church taken by Theodore. In pursuance of his policy of increasing the number of bishops, he subdivides the great Northumbrian diocese. Wilfrid is expelled (678 AD.). From these events we
pass summarily to the evangelization of the South Saxons by Wilfrid, who extends his labours to
the Isle of Wight, and thus the last of the English provinces is won for the faith.

In the Council of Hatfield (68o A.D.) the English Church asserts its orthodoxy and unites with
the continental Churches in repudiating the heresy of the Monothelites. Turning to Northumbrian
history, we have the story of Egfrid’s queen, Ethelthryth, and a hymn composed in her honour by
Bede. The war between Mercia and Northumbria in 679 is ended by the mediation of Theodore,
and a miracle in connection with the battle of the Trent is related.

The remainder of the book is occupied mainly with Northumbrian history, the life and death
of Hilda, Abbess of Whitby, the story of the poet Caedmon, the destruction of Coldingham,
prophesied by the monk Adamnan, Egfrid’s invasion of Ireland (684 A.D.) and of the country of
the Picts (685 A.D.), his defeat and death in that year, the decline of Northumbria, the flight of
Bishop Trumwine from Abercorn, and the succession of Aldfrid to the kingdom. The death of
Hlothere of Kent (685 A.D.) is followed by anarchy in that province, till Wictred succeeds and
restores peace.

In Chapters 27-32 we have an account of the life of St. Cuthbert and stories of the miracles
wrought by his relics.

Book V.—Book V opens with the story of the holy Ethelwald, who succeeded Cuthbert as
anchorite at Fame, and a miracle wrought through his intercession. This is followed (cc. 2-6) by
an account of John of Beverley, Bishop of Hexham, and the miracles attributed to him. In Chapter
7 we have a piece of West Saxon history: Caedwalla, King of Wessex, after a life of war and
bloodshed, goes to Rome to receive baptism there, and dies immediately after his admission into
the Church (689 A.D.). He is succeeded by Ini, who in 725 likewise ended his days at Rome.

In 690 Theodore dies, after an episcopate of twenty-two years. Bertwald succeeds him at
Canterbury in 693.

At this time Englishmen begin to extend their missionary enterprise abroad. Various missions
are undertaken by men who have lived long in Ireland and caught the Celtic zeal for the work of
evangelization. The story is told of the attempted mission of Egbert to Germany and the unsuccessful
venture of Witbert. Wilbrord (in 690) and others plant the faith among the German tribes.

The vision of Drytheim is inserted here, probably on chronological grounds ("his temporibus"),
and other visions of the future world follow.

Apparently about the same time a change is effected in the attitude of the greater part of the
Celtic Church towards the Paschal question. The Northern Irish are converted to the Roman usages
by Adamnan, Abbot of lona, whose book on the "Holy Places" is here described.

The death of Aldfrid and succession of Osred in Northumbria in 705 are the next events narrated.

About this time the division of the West Saxon diocese is carried out, Aldhelm being appointed
to Sherborne and Daniel to Winchester; the South Saxons receive a bishop of their own for the first
time. In 709 A.D. Coenred of Mercia and Offa of Essex receive the tonsure at Rome, and in the
same year Bishop Wilfrid dies. The story of his life is told.

Not long after, Hadrian dies and is succeeded by Albinus as Abbot of St. Augustine’s. Bede’s
friend, Acca, succeeds Wilfrid as Bishop of Hexham. His services to the Church are enumerated.

An important step is taken at this time by the Northern Picts in the acceptance of the Roman
rules with regard to Easter and the tonsure. The letter of Abbot Ceolfrid of Wearmouth and Jarrow
to the Pictish king Naiton on this subject is quoted at length. Soon after, lona yields to the preaching of Egbert, and receives the Catholic usages. Egbert dies in 729. In Chapter 23 a number of events
are briefly mentioned; the death of Wictred of Kent in 725, and the succession of his sons, the death
of the learned Tobias, Bishop of Rochester, in 726, the appearance of two comets in 729, followed
by the devastation of Gaul by the Saracens, the death of the Northumbrian king Osric, and succession
of Ceolwulf in 729; finally, the death of Archbishop Bertwald in 731 and the succession of Tatwine.
Then follows an account of the state of the English episcopate in 731, the year in which Bede
finished the History. The relations of the English with Picts, Scots, and Britons are described, and
some allusion is made to the growth of monasticism in this time of external peace.

The book closes in Chapter 24 with a chronological summary of the whole work, an
autobiographical sketch of the author, and a list of his works.

 

LIFE OF BEDE

Few lives afford less material for the biographer than Bede’s; few seem to possess a more
irresistible fascination. Often as the simple story has been told, the desire to tell it afresh appears
to be perennial. And yet it is perhaps as wholly devoid of incident as any life could be. The short
autobiographical sketch at the end of the "Ecclesiastical History" tells us practically all: that he
was born in the territory of the twin monastery of Wearmouth and Jarrow; that at the age of seven
he was sent by his kinsfolk to be brought up, first under the Abbot Benedict, afterwards under
Ceolfrid; that in his nineteenth year (the canonical age was twenty-five) he was admitted to the
diaconate, and received priest’s orders in his thirtieth year, in both instances at the hands of John,
Bishop of Hexham, and by order of the Abbot Ceolfrid; that he spent his whole life in the monastery
in learning, in teaching, and in writing, and in the observance of the monastic rule and attendance
at the daily services of the Church. Of his family we know nothing; the name Beda appears to have
been not uncommon. The fact that he was handed over by kinsmen ("cura propinquorum&quot to Abbot
Benedict would seem to imply that he was an orphan when he entered the monastery at the age of
seven, but it was not unusual for parents to dedicate their infant children to the religious life, in
many cases even at an earlier age than Bede’s. We may compare the story of the little boy, Aesica,
at Barking, related by Bede, and of Elfied, the daughter of Oswy, dedicated by her father before
she was a year old.

The epithet "Venerable," commonly attached to his name, has given rise to more than one
legend. It was apparently first applied to him in the ninth century, and is said to have been an
appellation of priests. The best known of these legends is Fuller’s story of a certain "dunce monk"
who set about writing Bede’s epitaph, and being unable to complete the verse, "Hic sunt in fossa
Bedae . . . ossa," went to bed with his task unfinished. Returning to it in the morning, he found that
an angel had filled the gap with the word "venerabilis." Another account tells how Bede, in his old
age, when his eyes were dim, was induced by certain "mockers" to preach, under the mistaken
belief that the people were assembled to hear him. As he ended his sermon with a solemn invocation
of the Trinity, the angels (in one version it is the stones of a rocky valley) responded "Amen, very
venerable Bede."

The land on which Bede was born was granted by Egfrid to Benedict Biscop for the foundation
of the monasteries a short time after the birth of Bede. Wearmouth was founded in 674, Jarrow in
681 or 682. Bede was among those members of the community who were transferred to Jarrow
under Abbot Ceolfrid, and under his rule and that of his successor, Huaetbert, he passed his life.
With regard to the chief dates, the authorities differ, Simeon of Durham and others placing his birth
as late as 677. Bede himself tells us that he was in his fifty-ninth year when he wrote the short
autobiography at the end of the History. That work was finished in 731, and there seems to be no
good reason to suppose that the autobiographical sketch was written at a later time. We may infer
then that he was born in 673, that he was ordained deacon in 691 and priest in 702. For his death,
735, the date given in the "Continuation," seems to be supported by the evidence of the letter of
Cuthbert to Cuthwin (v. infra). From this it appears that he died on a Wednesday, which nevertheless
is called Ascension Day, implying, doubtless, that his death occurred on the eve, after the festival
had begun, according to ecclesiastical reckoning. It is further explained that Ascension Day was
on the 26th of May ("VII Kal. Junii&quot which was actually the case in the year 735.

Beyond the testimony borne to his exceptional diligence as a student in a letter from Alcuin to
the monks of Wearmouth and Jarrow, we hear nothing of his childhood and early youth. One
anecdote in the Anonymous History of the Abbots may perhaps refer to him, though no name is
given. It tells how, when the plague of 686 devastated the monastery, the Abbot Ceolfrid, for lack
of fit persons to assist at the daily offices, decided to recite the psalms without antiphons, except
at vespers and matins. But after a week’s trial, unable to bear it any longer, he restored the antiphons
to their proper place, and with the help of one little boy carried on the services in the usual manner.
This little boy is described as being, at the time the History was written, a priest of that monastery
who "duly, both by his words and writings, commends the Abbot’s praiseworthy deeds to all who
seek to know them," and he has generally been supposed to be Bede.

In the "Ecclesiastical History" (IV, 3) there is an allusion to Bede’s teachers, one of whom,
Trumbert, educated at Lastingham under Ceadda, is mentioned by name. The monastery of
Wearmouth and Jarrow must have offered exceptional facilities for study. Benedict had enriched
it with many treasures which he brought with him from his travels. Chief among these was the
famous library which he founded and which was enlarged by Abbot Ceolfrid. Here Bede acquired
that wide and varied learning revealed in his historical, scientific, and theological works. He studied
with particular care and reverence the patristic writings; his theological treatises were, as he says,
"compiled out of the works of the venerable Fathers." He must have had a considerable knowledge
of Greek, probably he knew some Hebrew. Though he is not wholly free from the mediaeval
churchman’s distrust of pagan authors, he constantly betrays his acquaintance with them, and the
sense of form which must unconsciously influence the student of classical literature has passed into
his own writings and preserved him from the barbarism of monkish Latin. His style is singularly
clear, simple, and fluent, as free from obscurity as from affectation and bombast.

Thus was the foundation laid of that sound learning upon which his widespread influence both
as a teacher and writer was reared. "I always took delight," he tells us, "in learning, or teaching, or
writing." Probably his writing was, as is so often the case, the outcome of his teaching; his object
in both is to meet "the needs of the brethren." One of his pupils was Archbishop Egbert, the founder
of the school of York, which gave a fresh impulse to learning, not only in England, but through
Alcuin in France, at a time when a revival was most to be desired.

It was to Egbert that he paid one of the only two visits which he records. In the "Epistola ad
Ecgbertum" he alludes to a short stay he had made with him the year before, and declines, on
account of the illness which proved to be his last, an invitation to visit him again. He visited
Lindisfarne in connection with his task of writing the life of Cuthbert. Otherwise we have no
authentic record of any absence from the monastery. The story that he went to Rome at the request
of Pope Sergius, founded on a statement of William of Malmesbury, is now regarded as highly
improbable. The oldest MS. of the letter of Sergius, requesting Ceolfrid to send one of his monks
to Rome, has no mention of the name of Bede. If such an event had ever disturbed his accustomed
course of life, it is inconceivable that he should nowhere allude to it. Still less is the assertion that
he lived and taught at Cambridge one which need be seriously debated by the present generation.
We may fairly assume that, except for a few short absences such as the visits to York and Lindisfarne,
his whole life was spent in the monastery. It must have been a life of unremitting toil. His writings,
numerous. as they are, covering a wide range of subjects and involving the severest study, can only
have been a part of his work; he had, besides, his duties as priest, teacher, and member of a religious
community to fulfil. Even the manual labour of his literary work must have been considerable. He did not employ an amanuensis, and he had not the advantages with regard to copyists which a
member of one of the larger monasteries might have had. "Ipse mihi dictator simul notarius
(=shorthand writer) et librarius (=copyist)," he writes. Yet he never flags. Through all the outward
monotony of his days his own interest remains fresh. He "takes delight" ("dulce habui&quot in it all. It
is a life full of eager activity in intellectual things, of a keen and patriotic interest in the wider life
beyond the monastery walls, which shows itself sadly enough in his reflections on the evils of the
times, of the ardent charity which spends itself in labour for the brethren, and, pervading the whole,
that spirit of quiet obedience and devotion which his own simple words describe as "the observance
of monastic rule and the daily charge of singing in the Church." We can picture him, at the appointed
hours, breaking off his absorbing occupations to take his place at the daily offices, lest, as he
believed, he should fail to meet the angels there. Alcuin records a saying of his, "I know that angels
visit the canonical hours and the congregations of the brethren. What if they do not find me among
the brethren? May they not say, ‘Where is Bede?’"

It is probably here, in this harmony of work and devotion, that we may find the secret of the
fascination in the record of his uneventful days. It reconciles the sharp antithesis between the active
and the contemplative life. It seems to attain to that ideal of "toil unsever’d from tranquillity" which
haunts us all, but which we have, almost ceased to associate with the life of man under present
conditions. Balance, moderation, or rather, that rare quality which has been well called "the sanity
of saintliness," these give a unity to the life of Bede and preserve him from the exaggerations of
the conventual ideal. With all his admiration for the ascetic life, he recognizes human limitations.
It is cheering to find that even he felt the need of a holiday. "Having completed," he writes, "the
third book of the Commentary on Samuel, I thought I would rest awhile, and, after recovering in
that way my delight in study and writing, proceed to take in hand the fourth." Intellectual power
commands his homage, but his mind is open to the appreciation of all forms of excellence. It is the
unlearned brother, unfit for study and occupied in manual labour, to whom, in his story, it is
vouchsafed to hear the singing of the angels who came to summon Ceadda to his rest. The life of
devotion ranks highest in his estimation, but he records with approval how St. Cuthbert thought
"that to afford the weak brethren the help of his exhortation stood in the stead of prayer, knowing
that He Who said ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,’ said likewise, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself.’" He tells us how St. Gregory bewailed his own loss in being forced by his office to be
entangled in worldly affairs. "But," adds the human-hearted biographer, "it behoves us to believe
that he lost nothing of his monastic perfection by reason of his pastoral charge, but rather that he
gained greater profit through the labour of converting many, than by the former calm of his private
life." Yet he holds that this immunity from the evil influence of the world was chiefly due to
Gregory’s care in organizing his house like a monastery and safeguarding the opportunities for
prayer and devotional study, even while he was immersed in affairs at the court of Constantinople,
and afterwards, when he held the most onerous office in the Church.

This quality of sanity shows itself again in an unusual degree of fairness to opponents. The
Paschal error, indeed, moves his indignation in a manner which is incomprehensible and distasteful
to the modern reader, but even in the perverse and erring Celts he can recognize "a zeal of God,
though not according to knowledge." Aidan’s holiness of life wins from him a warm tribute of
admiration. In the monks of lona, the stronghold of the Celtic system, he can perceive the fruit of
good works and find an excuse for their error in their isolated situation. In the British Church it is the lack of missionary zeal, rather than their attitude towards the Easter question, which calls forth
his strongest condemnation.

A characteristic akin to this is his love of truth. As a historian, it shows itself in his scrupulous
care in investigating evidence and in acknowledging the sources from which he draws. Nowhere
is his intellectual honesty more apparent than in dealing with what he believes to be the miraculous
element in his history. In whatever way we may regard these anecdotes, there can be no doubt that
Bede took the utmost pains to assure himself of their authenticity. He is careful to acquire, if
possible, first-hand evidence; where this cannot be obtained, he scrupulously mentions the lack of
it. He admits only the testimony of witnesses of high character and generally quotes them by name.

These are but a few of the glimpses afforded us of the personality of Bede, a personality never
obtruded, but everywhere unconsciously revealed in his work. Everywhere we find the impress of
a mind of wide intellectual grasp, a character of the highest saintliness, and a gentle refinement of
thought and feeling. The lofty spirituality of Bede, his great learning and scholarly attainment are
the more striking when we reflect how recently his nation had emerged from barbarism and received
Christianity and the culture which it brought with it to these shores.

The letter in which he declines Egbert’s invitation on the plea of illness is dated November,

734. If we may assume that his death took place on the eve of Ascension Day in 735, no long period
of enfeebled health clouded the close of his life, and weakness never interrupted his work. His
death has been described by his pupil, Cuthbert, who afterwards became Abbot of Wearmouth and
Jarrow in succession to Huaetbert, in the letter quoted below. He was first buried at Jarrow but,
according to Simeon of Durham, his relics were stolen by the priest, Elfred, and carried to Durham.
In 1104, when the bones of Cuthbert were translated to the new Cathedral, those of Bede were
found with them. Not long after, Hugh de Puisac erected a shrine of gold and silver, adorned with
jewels, in which he placed them, along with the relics of many other saints. The shrine disappeared
at the Reformation, and only the stone on which it rested remains.
Letter of Cuthbert to Cuthwin.

"To his fellow-lector, Cuthwin, beloved in Christ, Cuthbert, his fellow-student, greeting and
salvation for ever in the Lord. I have very gladly received the gift which thou sentest to me, and
with much joy have read thy devout and learned letter, wherein I found that which I greatly desired,
to wit, that masses and holy prayers are diligently offered by you for our father and master Bede,
beloved of God. Wherefore I rejoice, rather for love of him than from confidence in my own power,
to relate in few words after what manner he departed out of this world, understanding also that thou
hast desired and asked this of me. He was troubled with weakness and chiefly with difficulty in
breathing, yet almost without pain, for about a fortnight before the day of our Lord’s Resurrection;
and thus he afterwards passed his time, cheerful and rejoicing, giving thanks to Almighty God
every day and night, nay, every hour, till the day of our Lord’s Ascension, to wit, the twenty-sixth
day of May, and daily gave lessons to us, his disciples; and whatsoever remained of the day he
spent in singing psalms, as far as he was able; he also strove to pass all the night joyfully in prayer
and thanksgiving to God, save only when a short sleep prevented it; and then he no sooner awoke
than he straightway began again to repeat the well-known sacred songs, and ceased not to give
thanks to God with uplifted hands. I declare with truth that I have never seen with my eyes, or heard
with my ears, any man so earnest in giving thanks to the living God. O truly blessed man! He
repeated the words of St. Paul the Apostle, ‘It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God,’ and much more out of Holy Scripture; wherein also he admonished us to think of our last hour, and to arise out of the sleep of the soul; and being learned in our native poetry, he said also
in our tongue, concerning the dread parting of souls from the body:

Fore then neidfaerae
naenig uiuurthit
thonc suotturra
than him tharf sie
to ymb hycggannae
aer his hin iongae
huaet his gastae
godaes aeththa yflaes
aefter deothdaege
doemid uueorthae.

Which being interpreted is: ‘Before the inevitable journey hence, no man is wiser than is needful
that he may consider, ere the soul departs, what good or evil it hath done and how it shall be judged
after its departure.’

"He also sang antiphons for our comfort and his own. One of these is, ‘O King of Glory, Lord
of all power, Who, triumphing this day, didst ascend above all the heavens, leave us not comfortless,
but send to us the promise of the Father, even the Spirit of Truth—Hallelujah.’ And when he came
to the words, ‘leave us not comfortless,’ he burst into tears and wept much. And an hour after, he
fell to repeating what he had begun. And this he did the whole day, and we, hearing it, mourned
with him and wept. Now we read and now we lamented, nay, we wept even as we read. In such

rapture we passed the fifty days’ festival till the aforesaid day; and he rejoiced greatly and gave
God thanks, because he had been accounted worthy to suffer such weakness. And he often said,
‘God scourgeth every son whom He receiveth; and the words of St. Ambrose, ‘I have not so lived
as to be ashamed to live among you; but neither do I fear to die, because we have a merciful Lord.’
And during those days, besides the lessons we had daily from him, and the singing of the Psalms,
there were two memorable works, which he strove to finish; to wit, his translation of the Gospel
of St. John, from the beginning, as far as the words, ‘But what are they among so many?’ into our
own tongue, for the benefit of the Church of God; and some selections from the books of Bishop
Isidore, saying, ‘I would not have my boys read a lie, nor labour herein without profit after my
death.’

"When the Tuesday before the Ascension of our Lord came, he began to suffer still more in his
breathing, and there was some swelling in his feet. But he went on teaching all that day and dictating
cheerfully, and now and then said among other things, ‘Learn quickly, I know not how long I shall
endure, and whether my Maker will not soon take me away.’ But to us it seemed that haply he
‘knew well the time of his departure; and so he spent the night, awake, in giving of thanks. Andwhen the mornino dawned, that is, on the Wednesday, he bade us write with all speed what we had
begun. And this we did until the third hour. And from the third hour we walked in procession with
the relics of the saints, according to the custom of that day. And there was one of us with him who
said to him, ‘There is still one chapter wanting of the book which thou hast been dictating, but I
deem it burdensome for thee to be questioned any further.’ He answered, ‘Nay, it is light, take thy
pen and make ready, and write quickly.’ And this was done. But at the ninth hour he said to me, ‘I
have certain treasures in my coffer, some spices, napkins and incense; run quickly and bring the
priests of our monastery to me; that I may distribute among them the gifts which God has bestowed
on me.’ And this I did trembling, and when they were come, he spoke to every one of them,
admonishing and entreating them that they should diligently offer masses and prayers for him, and
they promised readily. But they all mourned and wept, sorrowing most of all for the words which
he spake, because they thought that they should see his face no long time in this world. But they
rejoiced for that he said, ‘It is time for me, if it be my Maker’s will, to be set free from the flesh,
and come to Him Who, when as yet I was not, formed me out of nothing. I have lived long; and
well has my pitiful judge disposed my life for me; the time of my release is at hand; for my soul
longs to see Christ my King in His beauty.’ Having said this and much more for our profit and
edification, he passed his last day in gladness till the evening; and the aforesaid boy, whose name
was Wilbert, still said, ‘Dear master, there is yet one sentence not written.’ He answered, ‘It is well,
write it.’ Soon after, the boy said, ‘Now it is written.’ And he said, ‘It is well, thou hast said truly,
it is finished. Take my head in thy hands, for I rejoice greatly to sit facing my holy place where I
was wont to pray, that I too, sitting there, may call upon my Father.’ And thus on the pavement of
his little cell, chanting ‘Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,’ and the rest,
he breathed his last.

"And without doubt we must believe that inasmuch as he had always been devout and earnest
on earth in the praise of God, his soul was carried by angels to the joys of Heaven which he desired.
And all who heard him or beheld the death of our father Bede, said that they had never seen any
other end his life in so great devotion and peace. For, as thou hast heard, so long as the soul abode
in the body, he chanted the ‘Gloria Patri’ and other words to the glory of God, and with outstretched
hands ceased not to give thanks to God.

"But know this, that much could be told and written concerning him, but my want of learning
cuts short my words. Nevertheless, with the help of God, I purpose at leisure to write more fully
concerning him, of those things which I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears."

 

BOOK I

CHAP. I. Of the Situation of Britain and Ireland, and of their ancient inhabitants

Britain, an island in the Atlantic, formerly called Albion, lies to the north-west, facing, though
at a considerable distance, the coasts of Germany, France, and Spain, which form the greatest part
of Europe. It extends 800 miles in length towards the north, and is 200 miles in breadth, except
where several promontories extend further in breadth, by which its compass is made to be 4,875
miles. To the south lies Belgic Gaul. To its nearest shore there is an easy passage from the city of
Rutubi Portus, by the English now corrupted into Reptacaestir. The distance from here across the
sea to Gessoriacum, the nearest shore in the territory of the Morini, is fifty miles, or as some writers
say, 450 furlongs. On the other side of the island, where it opens upon the boundless ocean, it has
the islands called Orcades. Britain is rich in grain and trees, and is well adapted for feeding cattle
and beasts of burden. It also produces vines in some places, and has plenty of land and water fowl
of divers sorts; it is remarkable also for rivers abounding in fish, and plentiful springs. It has the
greatest plenty of salmon and eels; seals are also frequently taken, and dolphins, as also whales;
besides many sorts of shell-fish, such as mussels, in which are often found excellent pearls of all
colours, red, purple, violet and green, but chiefly white. There is also a great abundance of snails,
of which the scarlet dye is made, a most beautiful red, which never fades with the heat of the sun
or exposure to rain, but the older it is, the more beautiful it becomes. It has both salt and hot springs,
and from them flow rivers which furnish hot baths proper for all ages and both sexes, in separate

places, according to their requirements. For water, as St. Basil says, receives the quality of heat,
when it runs along certain metals, and becomes not only hot but scalding. Britain is rich also in
veins of metals, as copper, iron, lead, and silver; it produces a great deal of excellent jet, which is
black and sparkling, and burns when put to the fire, and when set on fire, drives away serpents;
being warmed with rubbing, it attracts whatever is applied to it, like amber. The island was formerly
distinguished by twenty-eight famous cities, besides innumerable forts, which were all strongly
secured with walls, towers, gates, and bars. And, because it lies almost under the North Pole, the
nights are light in summer, so that at midnight the beholders are often in doubt whether the evening
twilight still continues, or that of the morning has come; since the sun at night returns to the east
in the northern regions without passing far beneath the earth. For this reason the days are of a great
length in summer, and on the other hand, the nights in winter are eighteen hours long, for the sun
then withdraws into southern parts. In like manner the nights are very short in summer, and the
days in winter, that is, only six equinoctial hours. Whereas, in Armenia, Macedonia, Italy, and other
countries of the same latitude, the longest day or night extends but to fifteen hours, and the shortest
to nine.

There are in the island at present, following the number of the books in which the Divine Law

was written, five languages of different nations employed in the study and confession of the one
self-same knowledge, which is of highest truth and true sublimity, to wit, English, British, Scottish,
Pictish, and Latin, the last having become common to all by the study of the Scriptures. But at first
this island had no other inhabitants but the Britons, from whom it derived its name, and who, coming over into Britain, as is reported, from Armorica, [Editor’s note: In Caesar’s time, the whole district
lying along the northwestern coast of Gaul, afterwards narrowed down to the modern Brittany.
That the Britons (or Brythons)came from Gaul is doubtless a fact. Another branch of the Celtic
race, the Goidels or Gaels, appears to have been in possession in Britain before them. They possessed
themselves of the southern parts thereof. Starting from the south, they had occupied the greater

part of the island, when it happened, that the nation of the Picts, putting to sea from Scythia, as is
reported, in a few ships of war, and being driven by the winds beyond the bounds of Britain, came
to Ireland and landed on its northern shores. [Editors note: By Scythia Bede means Scandinavia.
He only mentions this account as a tradition. The problem of the Picts has not been solved yet.
According to one view, they belonged to the pre-Aryan inhabitants of Britain, pushed westward
and northward by the Celtic invaders. In Scotland they held their own for a considerable time in a
wide tract of country, and they may have to some extent amalgamated with the Celts who
dispossessed them (Rhys). Others regard them as Celts of the same branch as Welsh, Cornish, and
Britons, being probably nearest to Cornish. The absence of all but the scantiest remains of their
language makes the question of their origin one of great difficulty.] There, finding the nation of
the Scots, they begged to be allowed to settle among them, but could not succeed in obtaining their
request. Ireland is the largest island next to Britain, and lies to the west of it; but as it is shorter than
Britain to the north, so, on the other hand, it runs out far beyond it to the south, over against the
northern part of Spain, though a wide sea lies between them. The Picts then, as has been said,
arriving in this island by sea, desired to have a place granted them in which they might settle. The
Scots answered that the island could not contain them both; but "We can give you good counsel,"
said they, "whereby you may know what to do; we know there is another island, not far from ours,
to the eastward, which we often see at a distance, when the days are clear. If you will go thither,
you can obtain settlements; or, if any should oppose you, we will help you." The Picts, accordingly,
sailing over into Britain, began to inhabit the northern parts thereof, for the Britons had possessed
themselves of the southern. Now the Picts had no wives, and asked them of the Scots; who would
not consent to grant them upon any other terms, than that when any question should arise, they
should choose a king from the female royal race rather than from the male: which custom, as is
well known, has been observed among the Picts to this day. In process of time, Britain, besides the
Britons and the Picts, received a third nation, the Scots, who, migrating from Ireland under their
leader, Reuda, either by fair means, or by force of arms, secured to themselves those settlements
among the Picts which they still possess. From the name of their commander, they are to this day
called Dalreudini; for, in their language, Dal signifies a part.

Ireland is broader than Britain and has a much healthier and milder climate; for the snow scarcely
ever lies there above three days: no man makes hay in the summer for winter’s provision, or builds
stables for his beasts of burden. No reptiles are found there, and no snake can live there; for, though
snakes are often carried thither out of Britain, as soon as the ship comes near the shore, and the
scent of the air reaches them, they die. On the contrary, almost all things in the island are efficacious
against poison. In truth, we have known that when men have been bitten by serpents, the scrapings
of leaves of books that were brought out of Ireland, being put into water, and given them to drink,
have immediately absorbed the spreading poison, and assuaged the swelling. The island abounds
in milk and honey, nor is there any lack of vines, fish, or fowl; and it is noted for the hunting of stags and roe-deer. It is properly the country of the Scots, who, migrating from thence, as has been
said, formed the third nation in Britain in addition to the Britons and the Picts.

There is a very large gulf of the sea, which formerly divided the nation of the Britons from the
Picts; it runs from the west far into the land, where, to this day, stands a strong city of the Britons,

called Alcluith. The Scots, arriving on the north side of this bay, settled themselves there.

CHAP. II. How Caius Julius Caesar was the first Roman that came into Britain. [54 AD]

Now Britain had never been visited by the Romans, and was entirely unknown to them before
the time of Caius Julius Caesar, who, in the year 693 after the foundation of Rome, but the sixtieth
year before the Incarnation of our Lord, was consul with Lucius Bibulus. While he was making
war upon the Germans and the Gauls, who were divided only by the river Rhine, he came into the
province of the Morini, whence is the nearest and shortest passage into Britain. Here, having
provided about eighty ships of burden and fast-sailing vessels, he sailed over into Britain; where,
being first roughly handled in a battle, and then caught in a storm, he lost a considerable part of his
fleet, no small number of foot-soldiers, and almost all his cavalry. Returning into Gaul, he put his
legions into winter-quarters, and gave orders for building six hundred sail of both sorts. With these
he again crossed over early in spring into Britain, but, whilst he was marching with the army against
the enemy, the ships, riding at anchor, were caught in a storm and either dashed one against another,
or driven upon the sands and wrecked. Forty of them were lost, the rest were, with much difficulty,
repaired. Caesar’s cavalry was, at the first encounter, defeated by the Britons, and there Labienus,
the tribune, was slain. In the second engagement, with great hazard to his men, he defeated the
Britons and put them to flight. Thence he proceeded to the river Thames, where a great multitude
of the enemy had posted themselves on the farther side of the river, under the command of

Cassobellaunus, and fenced the bank of the river and almost all the ford under water with sharp
stakes: the remains of these are to be seen to this day, apparently about the thickness of a man’s
thigh, cased with lead, and fixed immovably in the bottom of the river. This being perceived and
avoided by the Romans, the barbarians, not able to stand the charge of the legions, hid themselves
in the woods, whence they grievously harassed the Romans with repeated sallies. In the meantime,

the strong state of the Trinovantes, with their commander Androgius, surrendered to Caesar, giving
him forty hostages. Many other cities, following their example, made a treaty with the Romans.

Guided by them, Caesar at length, after severe fighting, took the town of Cassobellaunus, situated
between two marshes, fortified by sheltering woods, and plentifully furnished with all necessaries.
After this, Caesar returned from Britain into Gaul, but he had no sooner put his legions into winter
quarters, than he was suddenly beset and distracted with wars and sudden risings on every side.

CHAP. III. How Claudius, the second of the Romans who came into Britain, brought the
islands Orcades into subjection to the Roman empire; and Vespasian, sent by hint, reduced
the Isle of Wight under the dominion of the Romans. [44 AD]

In the year of Rome 798, Claudius, fourth emperor from Augustus, being desirous to approve
himself a prince beneficial to the republic, and eagerly bent upon war and conquest on every side,
undertook an expedition into Britain, which as it appeared, was roused to rebellion by the refusal
of the Romans to give up certain deserters. No one before or after Julius Caesar had dared to land
upon the island. Claudius crossed over to it, and within a very few days, without any fighting or
bloodshed, the greater part of the island was surrendered into his hands. He also added to the Roman

empire the Orcades, which lie in the ocean beyond Britain, and, returning to Rome in the sixth
month after his departure, he gave his son the title of Britannicus. This war he concluded in the
fourth year of his reign, which is the forty-sixth from the Incarnation of our Lord. In which year
there came to pass a most grievous famine in Syria, which is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles
to have been foretold by the prophet Agabus.

Vespasian, who was emperor after Nero, being sent into Britain by the same Claudius, brought
also under the Roman dominion the Isle of Wight, which is close to Britain on the south, and is
about thirty miles in length from east to west, and twelve from north to south; being six miles distant
from the southern coast of Britain at the east end, and three at the west. Nero, succeeding Claudius
in the empire, undertook no wars at all; and, therefore, among countless other disasters brought by
him upon the Roman state, he almost lost Britain; for in his time two most notable towns were there
taken and destroyed.

CHAP. IV. How Lucius, king of Britain, writing to Pope Eleutherus, desired to be made a
Christian.

In the year of our Lord 156, Marcus Antoninus Verus, the fourteenth from Augustus, was made
emperor, together with his brother, Aurelius Commodus. [Editor’s note: Marcus Antoninus Verus,
commonly called Marcus Aurelius, succeeded in 161 A.D. His colleague in the empire was his
adopted brother, Lucius Verus, whose full adoptive name was Lucius Aurelius Antoninus Verus
Commodus. He died in 169. Eleutherus became Pope between 171 and 177. Bede’s chronology is
therefore wrong.] In their time, whilst the holy Eleutherus presided over the Roman Church, Lucius,
king of Britain, sent a letter to him, entreating that by a mandate from him he might be made a

Christian. He soon obtained his pious request, and the Britons preserved the faith, which they had
received, uncorrupted and entire, in peace and tranquillity until the time of the Emperor Diocletian.

CHAP. V. How the Emperor Severus divided from the rest by a rampart that part of Britain
which had been recovered.

In the year of our Lord 189, Severus, an African, born at Leptis, in the province of Tripolis,
became emperor. He was the seventeenth from Augustus; and reigned seventeen years. Being
naturally of a harsh disposition, and engaged in many wars, he governed the state vigorously, but
with much trouble. Having been victorious in all the grievous civil wars which happened in his
time, he was drawn into Britain by the revolt of almost all the confederated tribes; and, after many
great and severe battles, he thought fit to divide that part of the island, which he had recovered,

from the other unconquered nations, not with a wall, as some imagine, but with a rampart. For a
wall is made of stones, but a rampart, with which camps are fortified to repel the assaults of enemies,
is made of sods, cut out of the earth, and raised high above the ground, like a wall, having in front
of it the trench whence the sods were taken, with strong stakes of wood fixed above it. Thus Severus
drew a great trench and strong rampart, fortified with several towers, from sea to sea. And there,
at York, he fell sick afterwards and died, leaving two sons, Bassianus and Geta; of whom Geta
died, adjudged an enemy of the State; but Bassianus, having taken the surname of Antonius, obtained
the empire.

CHAP. VI. Of the reign of Diocletian, and how he persecuted the Christians. [286 AD]

In the year of our Lord 286, Diocletian, the thirty-third from Augustus, and chosen emperor by
the army, reigned twenty years, and created Maximian, surnamed Herculius, his colleague in the

empire. In their time, one Carausius, of very mean birth, but a man of great ability and energy,
being appointed to guard the sea-coasts, then infested by the Franks and Saxons, acted more to the
prejudice than to the advantage of the commonwealth, by not restoring to its owners any of the
booty taken from the robbers, but keeping all to himself; thus giving rise to the suspicion that by
intentional neglect he suffered the enemy to infest the frontiers. When, therefore, an order was sent
by Maximian that he should be put to death, he took upon him the imperial purple, and possessed
himself of Britain, and having most valiantly conquered and held it for the space of seven years,

he was at length put to death by the treachery of his associate Allectus. The usurper, having thus
got the island from Carausius, held it three years, and was then vanquished by Asclepiodotus, the
captain of the Praetorian guards, who thus at the end of ten years restored Britain to the Roman
empire.

Meanwhile, Diocletian in the east, and Maximian Herculius in the west, commanded the churches
to be destroyed, and the Christians to be persecuted and slain. This persecution was the tenth since
the reign of Nero, and was more lasting and cruel than almost any before it; for it was carried on
incessantly for the space of ten years, with burning of churches, proscription of innocent persons,
and the slaughter of martyrs. Finally, Britain also attained to the great glory of bearing faithful
witness to God.

CHAP. VIII. How, when the persecution ceased, the Church in Britain enjoyed peace till the

time of the Arian heresy. [325 AD]

When the storm of persecution ceased, the faithful Christians, who, during the time of danger,
had hidden themselves in woods and deserts and secret caves, came forth and rebuilt the churches
which had been levelled to the ground; founded, erected, and finished the cathedrals raised in honour
of the holy martyrs, and, as if displaying their conquering standards in all places, celebrated festivals
and performed their sacred rites with pure hearts and lips. This peace continued in the Christian
churches of Britain until the time of the Arian madness, which, having corrupted the whole world,
infected this island also, so far removed from the rest of the world, with the poison of its error; and
when once a way was opened across the sea for that plague, straightway all the taint of every heresy
fell upon the island, ever desirous to hear some new thing, and never holding firm to any sure belief.

At this time Constantius, who, whilst Diocletian was alive, governed Gaul and Spain, a man of
great clemency and urbanity, died in Britain. This man left his son Constantine [Constantine the
Great] born of Helena, his concubine, emperor of the Gauls. Eutropius writes that Constantine,
being created emperor in Britain, succeeded his father in the sovereignty. In his time the Arian

heresy broke out, and although it was exposed and condemned in the Council of Nicaea, nevertheless,
the deadly poison of its evil spread, as has been said, to the Churches in the islands, as well as to
those of the rest of the world.

CHAP. IX. How during the reign of Gratian, Maximus, being created Emperor in Britain,
returned into Gaul with a mighty army. [377 AD]

In the year of our Lord 377, Gratian, the fortieth from Augustus, held the empire for six years
after the death of Valens; though he had long before reigned with his uncle Valens, and his brother
Valentinian. Finding the condition of the commonwealth much impaired, and almost gone to ruin,
and impelled by the necessity of restoring it, he invested the Spaniard, Theodosius, with the purple

at Sirmium, and made him emperor of Thrace and the Eastern provinces. At that time, Maximus,
a man of energy and probity, and worthy of the title of Augustus, if he had not broken his oath of
allegiance, was made emperor by the army somewhat against his will, passed over into Gaul, and
there by treachery slew the Emperor Gratian, who in consternation at his sudden invasion, was
attempting to escape into Italy. His brother, the Emperor Valentinian, expelled from Italy, fled into
the East, where he was entertained by Theodosius with fatherly affection, and soon restored to the
empire, for Maximus the tyrant, being shut up in Aquileia, was there taken by them and put to
death.

CHAP. X. How, in the reign of Arcadius, Pelagius, a Briton, insolently impugned the Grace
of God. [395 AD]

In the year of our Lord 394, Arcadius, the son of Theodosius, the forty-third from Augustus,
succeeding to the empire, with his brother Honorius, held it thirteen years. In his time, Pelagius,
[Pelagius, the founder of the heresy known as Pelagianism, was probably born in 370 A.D., and is
said to have been a Briton. His great opponent, St. Augustine, speaks of him as a good and holy
man; later slanders are to be attributed to Jerome’s abusive language. The cardinal point in his
doctrine is his denial of original sin, involving a too great reliance on the human will in achieving
holiness, and a limitation of the action of the grace of God] a Briton, spread far and near the infection
of his perfidious doctrine, denying the assistance of the Divine grace, being seconded therein by

his associate Julianus of Campania, who was impelled by an uncontrolled desire to recover his
bishopric, of which he had been deprived. St . Augustine, and the other orthodox fathers, quoted
many thousand catholic authorities against them, but failed to amend their folly; nay, more, their
madness being rebuked was rather increased by contradiction than suffered by them to be purified

through adherence to the truth; which Prosper, the rhetorician, has beautifully expressed thus in
heroic" verse :—

"They tell that one, erewhile consumed with gnawing spite, snake-like attacked Augustine in
his writings. Who urged the wretched viper to raise from the ground his head, howsoever hidden
in dens of darkness? Either the sea-girt Britons reared him with the fruit of their soil, or fed on
Campanian pastures his heart swells with pride."

CHAP. XI. How during the reign of Honorius, Gratian and Constantine were created tyrants
in Britain; and soon after the former was slain in Britain, and the latter in Gaul. [407 A.D.]

IN the year of our Lord 407, Honorius, the younger son of Theodosius, and the forty-fourth
from Augustus, being emperor, two years before the invasion of Rome by Alaric, king of the Goths,
when the nations of the Alani, Suevi, Vandals, and many others with them, having defeated the
Franks and passed the Rhine, ravaged all Gaul, Gratianus, a citizen of the country, was set up as
tyrant in Britain and killed. In his place, Constantine, one of the meanest soldiers, only for the hope
afforded by his name, and without any worth to recommend him, was chosen emperor. As soon as
he had taken upon him the command, he crossed over into Gaul, where being often imposed upon by the barbarians with untrustworthy treaties, he did more harm than good to the Commonwealth.

Whereupon Count Constantius, by the command of Honorius, marching into Gaul with an army,
besieged him in the city of Arles, took him prisoner, and put him to death. His son Constans, a
monk, whom he had created Caesar, was also put to death by his own follower Count Gerontius,
at Vienne.

Rome was taken by the Goths, in the year from its foundation, 1164. Then the Romans ceased
to rule in Britain, almost 470 years after Caius Julius Caesar came to the island. They dwelt within
the rampart, which, as we have mentioned, Severus made across the island, on the south side of it, as the cities, watch-towers, bridges, and paved roads there made testify to this day; but they had a
right of dominion over the farther parts of Britain, as also over the islands that are beyond Britain.

CHAP. XII. How the Britons, being ravaged by the Scots and Picts, sought succour from the
Romans, who coming a second time, built a wall across the island; but when this was broken
down at once by the aforesaid enemies, they were reduced to greater distress than before.
[410-420 AD]

FROM that time, the British part of Britain, destitute of armed soldiers, of all military stores,
and of the whole flower of its active youth, who had been led away by the rashness of the tyrants
never to return, was wholly exposed to rapine, the people being altogether ignorant of the use of
weapons. Whereupon they suffered many years from the sudden invasions of two very savage
nations from beyond the sea, the Scots from the west, and the Picts from the north. We call these
nations from beyond the sea, not on account of their being seated out of Britain, but because they
were separated from that part of it which was possessed by the Britons, two broad and long inlets
of the sea lying between them, one of which runs into the interior of Britain, from the Eastern Sea,
and the other from the Western, though they do not reach so far as to touch one another. The eastern has in the midst of it the city Giudi. On the Western Sea, that is, on its right shore, stands the city of Alcluith, which in their language signifies the Rock Cluith, for it is close by the river of that
name.

On account of the attacks of these nations, the Britons sent messengers to Rome with letters
piteously praying for succour, and promising perpetual subjection, provided that the impending
enemy should be driven away. An armed legion was immediately sent them, which, arriving in the
island, and engaging the enemy, slew a great multitude of them, drove the rest out of the territories
of their allies, and having in the meanwhile delivered them from their worst distress, advised them
to build a wall between the two seas across the island, that it might secure them by keeping off the
enemy. So they returned home with great triumph. But the islanders building the wall which they
had been told to raise, not of stone, since they had no workmen capable of such a work, but of sods,
made it of no use. Nevertheless, they carried it for many miles between the two bays or inlets of

the sea of which we have spoken; to the end that where the protection of the water was wanting,
they might use the rampart to defend their borders from the irruptions of the enemies. Of the work
there erected, that is, of a rampart of great breadth and height, there are evident remains to be seen

at this day. It begins at about two miles distance from the monastery of Aebbercurnig, west of it,
at a place called in the Pictish language Peanfahel, but in the English tongue, Penneltun, and running
westward, ends near the city of Aicluith.

But the former enemies, when they perceived that the Roman soldiers were gone, immediately
coming by sea, broke into the borders, trampled and overran all places, and like men mowing ripe
corn, bore down all before them. Hereupon messengers were again sent to Rome miserably imploring aid, lest their wretched country should be utterly blotted out, and the name of a Roman province,
so long renowned among them, overthrown by the cruelties of foreign races, might become utterly
contemptible. A legion was accordingly sent again, and, arriving unexpectedly in autumn, made
great slaughter of the enemy, obliging all those that could escape, to flee beyond the sea; whereas
before, they were wont yearly to carry off their booty without any opposition. Then the Romans
declared to the Britons, that they could not for the future undertake such troublesome expeditions
for their sake, and advised them rather to take up arms and make an effort to engage their enemies,
who could not prove too powerful for them, unless they themselves were enervated by cowardice.
Moreover, thinking that it might be some help to the allies, whom they were forced to abandon,
they constructed a strong stone wall from sea to sea, in a straight line between the towns that had
been there built for fear of the enemy, where Severus also had formerly built a rampart. This famous
wall, which is still to be seen, was raised at public and private expense, the Britons also lending
their assistance. It is eight feet in breadth, and twelve in height, in a straight line from east to west,
as is still evident to beholders. This being presently finished, they gave the dispirited people good
advice, and showed them how to furnish themselves with arms. Besides, they built towers to
command a view of the sea, at intervals, on the southern coast, where their ships lay, because there
also the invasions of the barbarians were apprehended, and so took leave of their allies, never to
return again.

After their departure to their own country, the Scots and Picts, understanding that they had
refused to return, at once came back, and growing more confident than they had been before,
occupied all the northern and farthest part of the island, driving out the natives, as far as the wall.
Hereupon a timorous guard was placed upon the fortification, where, dazed with fear, they became
ever more dispirited day by day. On the other side, the enemy constantly attacked them with barbed
weapons, by which the cowardly defenders were dragged in piteous fashion from the wall, and
dashed against the ground. At last, the Britons, forsaking their cities and wall, took to flight and
were scattered. The enemy pursued, and forthwith followed a massacre more grievous than ever
before; for the wretched natives were torn in pieces by their enemies, as lambs arc torn by wild
beasts. Thus, being expelled from their dwellings and lands, they saved themselves from the
immediate danger of starvation by robbing and plundering one another, adding to the calamities
inflicted by the enemy their own domestic broils, till the whole country was left destitute of food
except such as could be procured in the chase.

CHAP. XIII. How in the reign of Theodosius the younger, in whose time Palladius was sent
to the Scots that believed in Christ, the Britons begging assistance of Aetius, the consul, could
not obtain it. [446 A.D.]

In the year of our Lord 423, Theodosius, the younger, the forty-fifth from Augustus, succeeded
Honorius and governed the Roman empire twenty-six years. In the eighth year of his reign, Palladius
was sent by Celestinus, the Roman pontiff, to the Scots that believed in Christ, to be their first

bishop. In the twenty-third year of his reign, Aetius, a man of note and a patrician, discharged his
third consulship with Symmachus for his colleague. To him the wretched remnant of the Britons sent a letter, which began thus :—"To Aetius, thrice Consul, the groans of the Britons." And in the
sequel of the letter they thus unfolded their woes:—" The barbarians drive us to the sea; the sea
drives us back to the barbarians: between them we are exposed to two sorts of death; we are either
slaughtered or drowned." Yet, for all this, they could not obtain any help from him, as he was then
engaged in most serious wars with Bledla and Attila, kings of the Huns. And though the year before

this Bledla had been murdered by the treachery of his own brother Attila, yet Attila himself remained
so intolerable an enemy to the Republic, that he ravaged almost all Europe, attacking and destroying
cities and castles. At the same time there was a famine at Constantinople, and soon after a plague
followed; moreover, a great part of the wall of that city, with fifty-seven towers, fell to the ground.
Many cities also went to ruin, and the famine and pestilential state of the air destroyed thousands
of men and cattle.

CHAP. XIV. How the Britons, compelled by the great famine, drove the barbarians out of
the their territories, and soon after there ensued, along with abundance of corn, decay of
morals, pestilence, and the downfall of the nation.

IN the meantime, the aforesaid famine distressing the Britons more and more, and leaving to
posterity a lasting memory of its mischievous effects, obliged many of them to submit themselves
to the depredators; though others still held out, putting their trust in God, when human help failed.
These continually made raids from the mountains, caves, and woods, and, at length, began to inflict
severe losses on their enemies, who had been for so many years plundering the country. The bold
Irish robbers thereupon returned home, intending’ to come again before long. The Picts then settled
down in the farthest part of the island and afterwards remained there; but they did not fail to plunder
and harass the Britons from time to time.

Now, when the ravages of the enemy at length abated, the island began to abound with such
plenty of grain as had never been known in any age before; along with plenty, evil living increased,
and this was immediately attended by the taint of all manner of crime; in particular, cruelty, hatred
of truth, and love of falsehood; insomuch, that if any one among them happened to be milder than
the rest, and more inclined to truth, all the rest abhorred and persecuted him unrestrainedly, as if
he had been the enemy of Britain. Nor were the laity only guilty of these things, but even our Lord’s
own flock, with its shepherds, casting off the easy yoke of Christ, gave themselves up to drunkenness,
enmity, quarrels, strife, envy, and other such sins. In the meantime, on a sudden, a grievous plague
fell upon that corrupt generation, which soon destroyed such numbers of them, that the living
scarcely availed to bury the dead: yet, those that survived, could not be recalled from the spiritual
death, which they had incurred’ through their sins, either by the death of their friends, or the fear
of death. Whereupon, not long after, a more severe vengeance for their fearful crimes fell upon the
sinful nation. They held a council to determine what was to be done, and where they should seek
help to prevent or repel the cruel and frequent incursions of the northern nations; and in concert

with their King Vortigern, it was unanimously decided to call the Saxons to their aid from beyond
the sea, which, as the event plainly showed, was brought about by the Lord’s will, that evil might
fall upon them for their wicked deeds.

CHAP. XV. How the Angles, being invited into Britain, at first drove off the enemy; but not
long after, making a league with them, turned their weapons against their allies.

In the year of our Lord 449, Marcian, the forty-sixth from Augustus, being made emperor with

Valentinian, ruled the empire seven years. Then the nation of the Angles, or Saxons, being invited
by the aforesaid king, arrived in Britain with three ships of war and had a place in which to settle
assigned to them by the same king, in the eastern part of the island, on the pretext of fighting in
defence of their country, whilst their real intentions were to conquer it. Accordingly they engaged
with the enemy, who were come from the north to give battle, and the Saxons obtained the victory.
When the news of their success and of the fertility of the country, and the cowardice of the Britons,
reached their own home, a more considerable fleet was quickly sent over, bringing a greater number
of men, and these, being added to the former army, made up an invincible force. The newcomers
received of the Britons a place to inhabit among them, upon condition that they should wage war
against their enemies for the peace and security of the country, whilst the Britons agreed to furnish
them with pay. Those who came over were of the three most powerful nations of Germany—Saxons,
Angles, and Jutes. From the Jutes are descended the people, of Kent, and of the Isle of Wight,
including those in the province of the West-Saxons who are to this day called Jutes, seated opposite
to the Isle of Wight. From the Saxons, that is, the country which is now called Old Saxony, came
the East-Saxons, the South-Saxons, and the West Saxons. From the Angles, that is, the country
which is called Angulus, and which is said, from that time, to have remained desert to this day,
between the provinces of the Jutes and the Saxons, are descended the East-Angles, the
Midland-Angles, the Mercians, all the race of the Northumbrians, that is, of those nations that dwell
on the north side of the river Humber, and the other nations of the Angles. The first commanders
are said to have been the two brothers Hengist and Horsa. Of these Horsa was afterwards slain in

battle by the Britons, and a monument, bearing his name, is still in existence in the eastern parts of
Kent. They were the sons of Victgilsus, whose father was Vitta, son of Vecta, son of Woden; from
whose stock the royal race of many provinces trace their descent. In a short time, swarms of the
aforesaid nations came over into the island, and the foreigners began to increase so much, that they
became a source of terror to the natives themselves who had invited them. Then, having on a sudden
entered into league with the Picts, whom they had by this time repelled by force of arms, they began
to turn their weapons against their allies. At first, they obliged them to furnish a greater quantity
of provisions; and, seeking an occasion of quarrel, protested, that unless more plentiful supplies
were brought them, they would break the league, and ravage all the island; nor were they backward
in putting their threats into execution. In short, the fire kindled by the hands of the pagans, proved
God’s just vengeance for the crimes of the people; not unlike that which, being of old lighted by
the Chaldeans, consumed the walls and all the buildings of Jerusalem. For here, too, through the
agency of the pitiless conqueror, yet by the disposal of the just Judge, it ravaged all the neighbouring
cities and country, spread the conflagration from the eastern to the western sea, without any
opposition, and overran the whole face of the doomed island. Public as well as private buildings
were overturned; the priests were everywhere slain before the altars; no respect was shown for
office, the prelates with the people were destroyed with fire and sword; nor were there any left to
bury those who had been thus cruelly slaughtered. Some of the miserable remnant, being taken in the mountains, were butchered in heaps. Others, spent with hunger, came forth and submitted
themselves to the enemy, to undergo for the sake of food perpetual servitude, if they were not killed
upon the spot. Some, with sorrowful hearts, fled beyond the seas. Others, remaining in their own
country, led a miserable life of terror and anxiety of mind among the mountains, woods and crags.

CHAP. XVI. How the Britons obtained their first victory over the Angles, under the command
of Ambrosius, a Roman. [456 A.D.]

When the army of the enemy, having destroyed and dispersed the natives, had returned home to their own settlements, the Britons began by degrees to take heart, and gather strength, sallying
out of the lurking places where they had concealed themselves, and with one accord imploring the
Divine help, that they might not utterly be destroyed. They had at that time for their leader,

Ambrosius Aurelianus, a man of worth, who alone, by chance, of the Roman nation had survived
the storm, in which his parents, who were of the royal race, had perished. Under him the Britons
revived, and offering battle to the victors, by the help of God, gained the victory. From that day,

sometimes the natives, and sometimes their enemies, prevailed, till the year of the siege of Badon-hill,
when they made no small slaughter of those enemies, about forty-four years after their arrival in
England. But of this hereafter.

CHAP. XVII. How Germanus the Bishop, sailing into Britain with Lupus, first quelled the
tempest of the sea, and afterwards that of the Pelagians, by Divine power. [429 A.D.]

Some few years before their arrival, the Pelagian heresy, brought over by Agricola, the son of
Severianus, a Pelagian bishop, had corrupted with its foul taint the faith of the Britons. But whereas
they absolutely refused to embrace that perverse doctrine, and blaspheme the grace of Christ, yet
were not able of themselves to confute the subtilty of the unholy belief by force of argument, they
bethought them of wholesome counsels and determined to crave aid of the Gallican prelates in that
spiritual warfare. Hereupon, these, having assembled a great synod, consulted together to determine
what persons should be sent thither to sustain the faith, and by unanimous consent, choice was
made of the apostolic prelates, Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, and Lupus of Troyes, to go into
Britain to confirm the people’s faith in the grace of God. With ready zeal they complied with the
request and commands of the Holy Church, and put to sea. The ship sped safely with favouring
winds till they were halfway between the coast of Gaul and Britain. There on a sudden they were
obstructed by the malevolence of demons, who were jealous that men of such eminence and piety
should be sent to bring back the people to salvation. They raised storms, and darkened the sky with
clouds. The sails could not support the fury of the winds, the sailors’ skill was forced to give way,
the ship was sustained by prayer, not by strength, and as it happened, their spiritual leader and
bishop, being spent with weariness, had fallen asleep. Then, as if because resistance flagged, the tempest gathered strength, and the ship, overwhelmed by the waves, was ready to sink. Then the
blessed Lupus and all the rest, greatly troubled, awakened their elder, that he might oppose the
raging elements. He, showing himself the more resolute in proportion to the greatness of the danger,
called upon Christ, and having, in the name of the Holy Trinity, taken and sprinkled a little water,
quelled the raging waves, admonished his companion, encouraged all, and all with one consent
uplifted their voices in prayer. Divine help was granted, the enemies were put to flight, a cloudless
calm ensued, the winds veering about set themselves again to forward their voyage, the sea was
soon traversed, and they reached the quiet of the wished-for shore. A multitude flocking thither
from all parts, received the bishops, whose coming had been foretold by the predictions even of
their adversaries. For the evil spirits declared their fear, and when the bishops expelled them from
the bodies of the possessed, they made known the nature of the tempest, and the dangers they had
occasioned, and confessed that they had been overcome by the merits and authority of these men.

In the meantime the bishops speedily filled the island of Britain with the fame of their preaching
and miracles; and the Word of God was by them daily preached, not only in the churches, but even
in the streets and fields, so that the faithful and Catholic were everywhere confirmed, and those
who had been perverted accepted the way of amendment. Like the Apostles, they acquired honour
and authority through a good conscience, learning through the study of letters, and the power of
working miracles through their merits. Thus the whole country readily came over to their way of
thinking; the authors of the erroneous belief kept themselves in hiding, and, like evil spirits, grieved
for the loss of the people that were rescued from them. At length, after long deliberation, they had
the boldness to enter the lists. They came forward in all the splendour of their wealth, with gorgeous
apparel, and supported by a numerous following; choosing rather to hazard the contest, than to
undergo among the people whom they had led astray, the reproach of having been silenced, lest
they should seem by saying nothing to condemn themselves. An immense multitude had been
attracted thither with their wives and children. The people were present as spectators and judges;
the two parties stood there in very different case; on the one side was Divine faith, on the other
human presumption; on the one side piety, on the other pride; on the one side Pelagius, the founder
of their faith, on the other Christ. The blessed bishops permitted their adversaries to speak first,
and their empty speech long took up the time and filled the ears with meaningless words. Then the
venerable prelates poured forth the torrent of their eloquence and showered upon them the words
of Apostles and Evangelists, mingling the Scriptures with their own discourse and supporting their
strongest assertions by the testimony of the written Word. Vainglory was vanquished and unbelief
refuted; and the heretics, at every argument put before them, not being able to reply, confessed
their errors. The people, giving judgement, could scarce refrain from violence, and signified their
verdict by their acclamations.

CHAP. XVIII. How the same holy man gave sight to the blind daughter of a tribune, and
then coming to St. Alban, there received of his relics, and left other relics of the blessed
Apostles and other martyrs. [429 A.D.]

After this, a certain man, who held the office of tribune, came forward with his wife, and brought
his blind daughter, a child of ten years of age, to be healed of the bishops. They ordered her to be brought to their adversaries, who, being rebuked by their own conscience, joined their entreaties
to those of the child’s parents, and besought the bishops that she might be healed. They, therefore,
perceiving their adversaries to yield, poured forth a short prayer, and then Germanus, full of the
Holy Ghost, invoking the Trinity, at once drew from his side a casket which hung about his neck,
containing relics of the saints, and, taking it in his hands, applied it in the sight of all to the girl’s
eyes, which were immediately delivered from darkness and filled with the light of truth. The parents
rejoiced, and the people were filled with awe at the miracle; and after that day, the heretical beliefs
were so fully obliterated from the minds of all, that they thirsted for and sought after the doctrine
of the bishops.

This damnable heresy being thus suppressed, and the authors thereof confuted, and all the people
settled in the purity of the faith, the bishops went to the tomb of the martyr, the blessed Alban, to
give thanks to God through him. There Germanus, having with him relics of all the Apostles, and
of divers martyrs, after offering up his prayers, commanded the tomb to be opened, that he might
lay therein the precious gifts; judging it fitting, that the limbs of saints brought together from divers
countries, as their equal merits had procured them admission into heaven, should find shelter in
one tomb. These being honourably bestowed, and laid together, he took up a handful of dust from
the place where the blessed martyr’s blood had been shed, to carry away with him. In this dust the
blood had been preserved, showing that the slaughter of the martyrs was red, though the persecutor
was pale in death.’ In consequence of these things, an innumerable multitude of people was that
day converted to the Lord.

CHAP. XIX. How the same holy man, being detained there by sickness, by his prayers
quenched a fire that had broken out among the houses, and was himself cured of his infirmity
by a vision. [429 A.D.]

AS they were returning thence, the treacherous enemy, having, as it chanced, prepared a snare,
caused Germanus to bruise his foot by a fall, not knowing that, as it was with the blessed Job, his
merits would be but increased by bodily affliction. Whilst he was thus detained some time in the
same place by his infirmity, a fire broke out in a cottage neighbouring to that in which he was; and
having burned down the other houses which were thatched with reed, fanned by the wind, was
carried on to the dwelling in which he lay. The people all flocked to the prelate, entreating that they
might lift him in their arms, and save him from the impending danger. But he rebuked them, and
in the assurance of his faith, would not suffer himself to be removed. The whole multitude, in terror
and despair, ran to oppose the conflagration; but, for the greater manifestation of the Divine power,
whatsoever the crowd endeavoured to save, was destroyed; and what the sick and helpless man
defended, the flame avoided and passed by, though the house that sheltered the holy man lay open
to it, and while the fire raged on every side, the place in which he lay appeared untouched, amid
the general conflagration. The multitude rejoiced at the miracle, and was gladly vanquished by the
power of God. A great crowd of people watched day and night before the humble cottage; some to
have their souls healed, and some their bodies. All that Christ wrought in the person of his servant,
all the wonders the sick man performed cannot be told. Moreover, he would suffer no medicines
to be applied to his infirmity; but one night he saw one clad in garments as white as snow, standing by him, who reaching out his hand, seemed to raise him up, and ordered him to stand firm upon
his feet; from which time his pain ceased, and he was so perfectly restored, that when the day came,
with good courage he set forth upon his journey.

CHAP. XX. How the same Bishops brought help from Heaven to the Britons in a battle, and
then returned home. [430 A.D.]

IN the meantime, the Saxons and Picts, with their united forces, made war upon the Britons,
who in these straits were compelled to take up arms. In their terror thinking themselves unequal to
their enemies, they implored the assistance of the holy bishops; who, hastening to them as they had
promised, inspired so much confidence into these fearful people, that one would have thought they
had been joined by a mighty army. Thus, by these apostolic leaders, Christ Himself commanded
in their camp. The holy days of Lent were also at hand, and were rendered more sacred by the
presence of the bishops, insomuch that the people being instructed by daily sermons, came together
eagerly to receive the grace of baptism. For a great multitude of the army desired admission to the
saving waters, and a wattled church was constructed for the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord,
and so fitted up for the army in the field as if it were in a city. Still wet with the baptismal water
the troops set forth; the faith of the people was fired; and where arms had been deemed of no avail,
they looked to the help of God. News reached the enemy of the manner and method of their
purification, who, assured of success, as if they had to deal with an unarmed host, hastened forward
with renewed eagerness. But their approach was made known by scouts. When, after the celebration
of Easter, the greater part of the army, fresh from the font, began to take up arms and prepare for
war, Germanus offered to be their leader. He picked out the most active, explored the country round

about, and observed, in the way by which the enemy was expected, a valley encompassed by hills
of moderate height. In that place he drew up his untried troops, himself acting as their general. And
now a formidable host of foes drew near, visible, as they approached, to his men lying in ambush.
Then, on a sudden, Germanus, bearing the standard, exhorted his men, and bade them all in a loud
voice repeat his words. As the enemy advanced in all security, thinking to take them by surprise,
the bishops three times cried, "Hallelujah." A universal shout of the same word followed, and the
echoes from the surrounding hills gave back the cry on all sides, the enemy was panic-stricken,
fearing, not only the neighbouring rocks, but even the very frame of heaven above them; and such
was their terror, that their feet were not swift enough to save them. They fled in disorder, casting
away their arms, and well satisfied if, even with unprotected bodies, they could escape the danger;
many of them, flying headlong in their fear, were engulfed by the river which they had crossed.
The Britons, without a blow, inactive spectators of the victory they had gained, beheld their
vengeance complete. The scattered spoils were gathered up, and the devout soldiers rejoiced in the
success which Heaven had granted them. The prelates thus triumphed over the enemy without
bloodshed, and gained a victory by faith, without the aid of human force. Thus, having settled the
affairs of the island, and restored tranquillity by the defeat of the invisible foes, as well as of enemies
in the flesh, they prepared to return home. Their own merits, and the intercession of the blessed martyr Alban, obtained for them a calm passage, and the happy vessel restored them in peace to
the desires of their people.

CHAP. XXI. How, when the Pelagian heresy began to spring up afresh, Germanus, returning
to Britain with Severus, first restored bodily strength to a lame youth, then spiritual health
to the people of God, having condemned or converted the Heretics [447 A.D.]

NOT long after, news was brought from the same island, that certain persons were again
attempting to teach and spread abroad the Pelagian heresy, and again the holy Germanus was
entreated by all the priests, that he would defend the cause of God, which he had before maintained.
He speedily complied with their request; and taking with him Severus, a man of singular sanctity,
who was disciple to the blessed father, Lupus, bishop of Troyes, and at that time, having been
ordained bishop of the Treveri, was preaching the Word of God to the tribes of Upper Germany,
put to sea, and with favouring winds and calm waters sailed to Britain.

In the meantime, the evil spirits, speeding through the whole island, were constrained against
their will to foretell that Germanus was coming, insomuch, that one Elafius, a chief of that region,
without tidings from any visible messenger, hastened to meet the holy men, carrying with him his
son, who in the very flower of his youth laboured under a grievous infirmity; for the sinews of the
knee were wasted and shrunk, so that the withered limb was denied the power to walk. All the
country followed this Elafius. The bishops arrived, and were met by the ignorant multitude, whom
they blessed, and preached the Word of God to them. They found the people constant in the faith
as they had left them; and learning that but few had gone astray, they sought out the authors of the
evil and condemned them. Then suddenly Elafius cast himself at the feet of the bishops, presenting
his son, whose distress was visible and needed no words to express it. All were grieved, but especially
the bishops, who, filled with pity, invoked the mercy of God; and straightway the blessed Germanus,
causing the youth to sit down, touched the bent and feeble knee and passed his healing hand over
all the diseased part. At once health was restored by the power of his touch, the withered limb
regained its vigour, the sinews resumed their task, and the youth was, in the presence of all the
people, delivered whole to his father. The multitude was amazed at the miracle, and the Catholic
faith was firmly established in the hearts of all; after which, they were, in a sermon, exhorted to
amend their error. By the judgement of all, the exponents of the heresy, who had been banished
from the island, were brought before the bishops, to be conveyed into the continent, that the country
might be rid of them, and they corrected of their errors. So it came to pass that the faith in those
parts continued long after pure and untainted. Thus when they had settled all things, the blessed
prelates returned home as prosperously as they had come.

But Germanus, after this, went to Ravenna to intercede for the tranquillity of the Armoricans,
where, after being very honourably received by Valentinian and his mother, Placidia, he departed
hence to Christ; his body was conveyed to his own city with a splendid retinue, and mighty works
attended his passage to the grave. Not long after, Valentinian was murdered by the followers of

Aetius, the patrician, whom he had put to death, in the sixth year of the reign of Marcian, and with
him ended the empire of the West.

CHAP. XXII. How the Britons, being for a time at rest from foreign invasions, wore themselves
out by civil wars, and at the same time gave themselves up to more heinous crimes.

IN the meantime, in Britain, there was some respite from foreign, but not from civil war. The
cities destroyed by the enemy and abandoned remained in ruins; and the natives, who had escaped
the enemy, now fought against each other. Nevertheless, the kings, priests, private men, and the
nobility, still remembering the late calamities and slaughters, in some measure kept within bounds;
but when these died, and another generation succeeded, which knew nothing of those times, and
was only acquainted with the existing peaceable state of things, all the bonds of truth and justice
were so entirely broken, that there was not only no trace of them ‘remaining, but only very few
persons seemed to retain any memory of them at all. To other crimes beyond description, which
their own historian, Gildas, mournfully relates, they added this—that they never preached the faith
to the Saxons, or English, who dwelt amongst them. Nevertheless, the goodness of God did not
forsake his people, whom he foreknew, but sent to the aforesaid nation much more worthy heralds
of the truth, to bring it to the faith.

CHAP. XXIII. How the holy Pope Gregory sent Augustine, with other monks, to preach to
the English nation, and encouraged them by a letter of exhortation, not to desist from their
labour. [596 A. D.]

IN the year of our Lord 582, Maurice, the fifty-fourth from Augustus, ascended the throne, and
reigned twenty one years. In the tenth year of his reign, Gregory, a man eminent in learning and
the conduct of affairs, was promoted to the Apostolic see of Rome, and presided over it thirteen
years, six months and ten days. He, being moved by Divine inspiration, in the fourteenth year of
the same emperor, and about the one hundred and fiftieth after the coming of the English into

Britain, sent the servant of God, Augustine, and with him divers other monks, who feared the Lord,
to preach the Word of God to the English nation. They having, in obedience to the pope’s commands,
undertaken that work, when they had gone but a little way on their journey, were seized with craven
terror, and began to think of returning home, rather than proceed to a barbarous, fierce, and
unbelieving nation, to whose very language they were strangers; and by common consent they
decided that this was the safer course. At once Augustine, who had been appointed to be consecrated
bishop, if they should be received by the English, was sent back, that he might, by humble entreaty,
obtain of the blessed Gregory, that they should not be compelled to undertake so dangerous, toilsome,
and uncertain a journey. The pope, in reply, sent them a letter of exhortation, persuading them to
set forth to the work of the Divine Word, and rely on the help of God. The purport of which letter
was as follows:

"Gregory, the servant of the servants of God, to the servants of our Lord. Forasmuch as it had
been better not to begin a good work, than to think of desisting from one which has been begun, it
behoves you, my beloved sons, to fulfil with all diligence the good work, which, by the help of the
Lord, you have undertaken. Let not, therefore, the toil of the journey, nor the tongues of evil-speaking
men, discourage you; but with all earnestness and zeal perform, by God’s guidance, that which you have set about; being assured, that great labour is followed by the greater glory of an eternal reward.
When Augustine, your Superior, returns, whom we also constitute your abbot, humbly obey him
in all things; knowing, that whatsoever you shall do by his direction, will, in all respects, be profitable
to your souls. Almighty God protect you with His grace, and grant that I may, in the heavenly
country, see the fruits of your labour, inasmuch as, though I cannot labour with you, I shall partake
in the joy of the reward, because I am willing to labour. God keep you in safety, my most beloved
sons. Given the 23rd of July, in the fourteenth year of the reign of our most religious lord, Mauritius
Tiberius Augustus, the thirteenth year after the consulship of our lord aforesaid, and the fourteenth
indiction."

CHAP. XXIV. How he wrote to the bishop of Arles to entertain them. [596 A.D.]

THE same venerable pope also sent at the same time a letter to Aetherius, archbishop of Arles,’
exhorting him to give favourable entertainment to Augustine on his way to Britain; which letter
was in these words:

‘To his most reverend and holy brother and fellow bishop Aetherius, Gregory, the servant of
the servants of God. Although religious men stand in need of no recommendation with priests who
have the charity which is pleasing to God; yet because an opportunity of writing has occurred, we
have thought fit to send this letter to you, Brother, to inform you, that with the help of God we have
directed thither, for the good of souls, the bearer of these presents, Augustine, the servant of God,
of whose zeal we are assured, with other servants of God, whom it is requisite that your Holiness
readily assist with priestly zeal, affording him all the comfort in your power. And to the end that
you may be the more ready in your help, we have enjoined him to inform you particularly of the
occasion of his coming; knowing, that when you are acquainted with it, you will, as the matter
requires, for the sake of God, dutifully dispose yourself to give him comfort. We also in all things

recommend to your charity, Candidus, the priest, our common son, whom we have transferred to
the administration of a small patrimony in our Church. God keep you in safety, most reverend
brother. Given the 23rd day of July, in the fourteenth year of the reign of our most religious lord,
Mauritius Tiberius Augustus, the thirteenth year after the consulship of our lord aforesaid, and the
fourteenth indiction."

CHAP. XXV. How Augustine, coming into Britain, first preached in the Isle of Thanet to the
King of Kent, and having obtained licence from him, went into Kent, in order to preach
therein. [597 A. D.]

Augustine, thus strengthened by the encouragement of the blessed Father Gregory, returned to
the work of the Word of God, with the servants of Christ who were with him, and arrived in Britain.
The powerful Ethelbert was at that time king of Kent; he had extended his dominions as far as the
boundary formed by the great river Humber, by which the Southern Saxons are divided from the
Northern. On the east of Kent is the large Isle of Thanet, containing, according to the English way of reckoning, 600 families, divided from the mainland by the river Wantsum, which is about three
furlongs in breadth, and which can be crossed only in two places; for at both ends it runs into the

sea. On this island landed the servant of the Lord, Augustine, and his companions, being, as is
reported, nearly forty men. They had obtained, by order of the blessed Pope Gregory, interpreters

of the nation of the Franks, and sending to Ethelbert, signified that they were come from Rome,
and brought a joyful message, which most undoubtedly assured to those that hearkened to it
everlasting joys in heaven, and a kingdom that would never end, with the living and true God. The
king hearing this, gave orders that they, should stay in the island where they had landed, and be
furnished with necessaries, till he should consider what to do with them. For he had before heard
of the Christian religion, having a Christian wife of the royal family of the Franks, called Bertha;
whom he had received from her parents, upon condition that she should be permitted to preserve

inviolate the rites of her religion with the Bishop Liudhard, who was sent with her to support her
in the faith. Some days after, the king came into the island, and sitting in the open air, ordered
Augustine and his companions to come and hold a conference with him. For he had taken precaution
that they should not come to him in any house, lest, by so coming, according to an ancient
superstition, if they practised any magical arts, they might impose upon him, and so get the better
of him. But they came endued with Divine, not with magic power, bearing a silver cross for their
banner, and the image of our Lord and Saviour painted on a board; and chanting litanies, they
offered up their prayers to the Lord for the eternal salvation both of themselves and of those to
whom and for whom they had come. When they had sat down, in obedience to the king’s commands,
and preached to him and his attendants there present the Word of life, the king answered thus:
"Your words and promises are fair, but because they are new to us, and of uncertain import, I cannot
consent to them so far as to forsake that which I have so long observed with the whole English
nation. But because you are come from far as strangers into my kingdom, and, as I conceive, are
desirous to impart to us those things which you believe to be true, and most beneficial, we desire
not to harm you, but will give you favourable entertainment, and take care to supply you with all
things necessary to your sustenance; nor do we forbid you to preach and gain as many as you can
to your religion." Accordingly he gave them an abode in the city of Canterbury, which was the
metropolis of all his dominions, and, as he had promised, besides supplying them with sustenance,
did not refuse them liberty to preach. It is told that, as they drew near to the city, after their manner,
with the holy cross, and the image of our sovereign Lord and King, Jesus Christ, they sang in concert
this litany: "We beseech thee, Lord, for Thy great mercy, that Thy wrath and anger be turned away
from this city, and from Thy holy house, for we have sinned. Hallelujah."

CHAP. XXVI. How St. Augustine in Kent followed the doctrine and manner of life of the
primitive Church, and settled his episcopal see in the royal city. [597 A. D.]

AS soon as they entered the dwelling-place assigned to them, they began to imitate the Apostolic
manner of life in the primitive Church; applying themselves to constant prayer, watchings, and fastings; preaching the Word of life to as many as they could; despising all worldly things, as in
nowise concerning them; receiving only their necessary food from those they taught; living
themselves in all respects conformably to what they taught, and being always ready to suffer any
adversity, and even to die for that truth which they preached. In brief, some believed and were
baptized, admiring the simplicity of their blameless life, and the sweetness of their heavenly doctrine.
There was on the east side of the city, a church dedicated of old to the honour of St. Martin, (Note:
St. Martin was regarded with special reverence in Britain and Ireland. Possibly some of the earliest
missionaries may have been his disciples, e.g., St. Ninian and, St. Patrick. The Roman church of
St. Martin at Canterbury has been frequently altered and partly rebuilt, so that "small portions only
of the Roman walls remain. Roman bricks are used as old materials in the parts rebuilt&quot built whilst
the Romans were still in the island, wherein the queen, who, as has been said before, was a Christian,
was wont to pray. In this they also first began to come together, to chant the Psalms, to pray, to
celebrate Mass, to preach, and to baptize, till when