Book IV

Book IV

B O O K I V

These are the contents of the fourth book of the church of the English people.

1. How, when Deusdedit died, Wigheard was sent to Rome to be made archbishop; but, on his death there, Theodore was con secrated and sent to Britain with Abbot Hadrian.

2. How Theodore made a general visitation and how the English churches began to receive instruction in the study of the holy

Scriptures as well as in catholic truth; and how Putta was made bishop of the church at Rochester in place of Damian.

3. How Chad, already mentioned, was appointed bishop of the Mercian kingdom, and about his life, death, and burial.

4. How Bishop Colman left Britain and founded two monasteries in Ireland, one for the Irish and the other for the English whom he had taken with him.

5. About the deaths of Kings Oswiu and Egbert; and about the synod held at Hertford over which Archbishop Theodore presided.

6. How when Winfrith was deposed, Seaxwulf took his place and Eorcenwold was made bishop of the East Saxons.

7. How a heavenly light showed where the bodies of the nuns of Barking were to be buried.

8. How a little boy, when dying there, called upon the nun who was to follow him; and how another mm, when on the point of departure from the body, had a glimpse of the light to come.

9. O f the signs which were revealed from heaven and how the mother of that congregation departed this life.

10. How a blind woman who prayed in the cemetery of the monas tery received her sight.

1 1 . How Sebbi, the king of that land, ended his life as a monk.

12. How Hædde was made bishop of the West Saxons in place of Leuthere; how Cwichelm succeeded Putta as bishop of Rochester while Gefrnund succeeded Cwichelm; and who were then bishops of Northumbria.

The. Ecclesiastical History iv 13. How Bishop Wilfrid converted the kingdom of the South Saxons to Christ.

14. (16).* How the Isle of Wight received Christian settlers; and how two young princes of the island were put to death immediately after baptism.

15. (17). About a synod held in the plain called Hatfield, Archbishop Theodore presiding.

16. (18). About John, the precentor of the apostolic see, who came to Britain to teach.

17. (19). How Queen Æthelthryth always preserved her virginity and how her body could suffer no corruption in the grave.

18. (20). A hymn about her.

19. (21). How Archbishop Theodore made peace between Kings Ecgfrith and Æthelred.

20. (22). How the bonds of a certain captive were loosed when masses were sung on his behalf.

21. (23). About the life and death of Abbess Hild.

22. (24). How there was a brother in her monastery who received a divine gift of song.

23. (25). How a vision appeared to a certain man of God before the monastery at Coldingham was destroyed by fire.

24. (26). About the deaths of Kings Ecgfrith and Hlothhere.

25. (27). How Cuthbert the man of God was made a bishop; and how up to that time he had lived and taught as a monk.

26. (28). How, when living as a hermit, he produced a fountain of water from dry soil and how he won a crop from seed which he himself had sown out of season with his own hands.

27. (29). How this bishop predicted his own imminent death to Herbert the anchorite.

28. (30). How his body was found free from corruption eleven years after his death; and how, soon afterwards, his successor in the bishopric departed this life.

29. (31). How a certain man was healed of paralysis at his tomb.

30. (32). How another man was lately cured of a disease of the eye at his shrine.

B E G I N N I N G O F B O O K IV

CHAPTER 1

I n the year of the eclipse already mentioned and of the pestilence which quickly followed, Colman, defeated by the unanimous decision of the catholic party, returned to his own people; and Deusdedit, the sixth bishop of the church at Canterbury, died on 14 July. Eorcenberht, king of Kent, died on the same day, leaving his throne to his son Egbert, who held it for nine years. As the see had remained vacant for a considerable time, a priest named Wigheard was sent to Rome by Egbert and also by Oswiu, king of the Northumbrians, with the request that he might be con secrated archbishop of the English Church. This was briefly mentioned in the preceding book. He was a man of English race and very learned in Church affairs. At the same time they sent presents to the pope and no small number of gold and silver vessels. When he arrived in Rome, Vitalian was presid ing over the apostolic see; but not long after Wigheard had explained the object of his journey, he and almost all the companions who had travelled with him were carried off by a visitation of the plague.

The pope took advice about the matter and tried very hard to find someone to send out as archbishop of the English

Church. Now there was in the monastery of Hiridanum,* not far from Naples in Campania, a certain Abbot Hadrian,* a man of African race and well versed in the holy Scriptures, trained both in monastic and ecclesiastical ways and equally skilled in the Greek and Latin tongues. The pope sent for him and ordered him to accept the bishopric and go to Britain.

Hadrian answered that he was unworthy of so exalted a rank, adding that he could point to another who was much better fitted both by age and learning to undertake the office of bishop. He suggested to the pope a certain monk named

Andrew, attached to a neighbouring convent of women, who was considered by all who knew him to be worthy of the rank; but his bodily infirmities prevented him from being conse-

The Ecclesiastical History iv. I crated bishop. So Hadrian was again urged to accept the bishopric.

Hadrian then asked for a respite to see if he could, in the time, find a man suitable to be consecrated bishop. Just then there was in Rome a monk known to Hadrian whose name was Theodore. He was a native of Tarsus in Cilicia,* a man well trained in secular and divine literature, both Greek and Latin. He was of upright character and of venerable age, being sixty-six years old. Hadrian proposed his name to the pope, who agreed to consecrate him but on one condition, that Hadrian himself should take Theodore to Britain, because he had already travelled twice through Gaul on vari ous missions and was therefore better acquainted with the road and had an adequate number of followers;* also, being a fellow labourer in his teaching work, he would take great care to prevent Theodore from introducing into the church over which he presided any Greek customs* which might be contrary to the true faith. So he was ordained subdeacon, waiting for four months until his hair grew, in order that he might receive the tonsure in the shape of a crown; for he had received the tonsure of the holy apostle Paul, after the Eastern manner. He was consecrated by Pope Vitalian in the year of our Lord 668, on Sunday, 26 March. He was sent to Britain in company with Hadrian on 27 May. They came together by sea to Marseilles and then by land to Arles and handed to John,* the archbishop of that town, the commendatory letters of Pope Vitalian. They were kept back by John until Ebroin,* the king's mayor of the palace, gave them leave to go where they pleased. Thereupon Theodore went to Agilbert, the bishop of Paris, of whom we have spoken before. He was kindly received and entertained by the bishop for a long period. Hadrian went first to Emme,* bishop of Sens, and dien to Faro,* bishop of Meaux, and lived comfortably with them for a long time; for the approach of winter compelled them to stay quietly wherever they could. When King Egbert had been told that a bishop, the one they had asked for from the bishop of Rome, was in the kingdom of the Franks, he at once sent his reeve named Rædfrith to bring Theodore to him. When Rædfrith arrived, he took Theodore with the 1 7 1

iv. 1-2 The Ecclesiastical History permission of Ebroin and brought him to the port called

Quœntavic* Here he was delayed for some time owing to sickness, but when he had begun to recover, he sailed to Britain. Ebroin kept Hadrian because he suspected him of having some mission from the emperor* to the kings of Britain, which might be directed against the kingdom over which at that time he held the chief charge. But when he discovered the truth, that Hadrian had never had any such mission at any time, he freed him and allowed him to go after Theodore.* As soon as he arrived, Theodore gave him the monastery of the blessed apostle Peter, where, as I have said, the archbishops of Canterbury are buried. The pope had instructed Theodore at his departure to provide for Hadrian in his province and to give him a suitable place to live with his followers.

C H A P T E R 2

T h e o d o r e came to his church on Sunday, 27 May, in the second year after his consecration, and there he spent twentyone years, three months, and twenty-six days. Soon after he arrived, he visited every part of the island where the English peoples lived and was gladly welcomed and listened to by all.

He was accompanied everywhere and assisted by Hadrian, as he gave instruction on the ordering of a holy life and the canonical custom of celebrating Easter. He was the first of the archbishops whom the whole English Church consented to obey. And because both of them were extremely learned in sacred and secular literature, they attracted a crowd of students into whose minds they daily poured the streams of wholesome learning. They gave their hearers instruction not only in the books of holy Scripture but also in the art of metre, astronomy, and ecclesiastical computation. As evidence of this, some of their students still survive who know Latin and Greek just as well as their native tongue. Never had there been such happy times since the English first came to Britain; for having such brave Christian kings, they were a terror to all

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 2 the barbarian nations, and the desires of all men were set on the joys of the heavenly kingdom of which they had only lately heard; while all who wished for instruction in sacred studies had teachers ready to hand.

From that time also the knowledge of sacred music, which had hitherto been known only in Kent, began to be taught in all the English churches. With the exception of James already mentioned, the first singing master in the Northumbrian churches was Æddi* sumamed Stephen, who was invited from Kent by the most worthy Wilfrid, who was the first bishop* of the English race to introduce the catholic way of life to the English churches.

So Theodore journeyed to every district, consecrating bishops in suitable places and, with their help, correcting whatever he found imperfect. Among these he made it clear to Bishop Chad that his consecration had not been regular, whereupon the latter humbly replied, 'If you believe that my consecration was irregular, I gladly resign from the office; indeed I never believed myself to be worthy of it. But I consented to receive it, however unworthy, in obedience to the commands I received.' When Theodore heard his humble reply, he said that he ought not to give up his office; but he completed his consecration a second time after .the catholic manner. At the same time, when Deusdedit was dead and while a bishop for the church at Canterbury was being sought for, consecrated, and sent, Wilfrid was also sent to Gaul from Britain to be consecrated and, since he returned before Theodore's arrival, he ordained priests and deacons even in Kent until such time as the archbishop arrived at his own see. When Theodore came soon after wards to the city of Rochester, where the bishopric had long been vacant after the death of Damian, he consecrated a man whose name was Putta.* The latter was very learned in ecclesiastical matters but showed little interest in secular af fairs and was content with a simple life. He was especially skilled in liturgical chanting after the Roman manner, which he had learned from the disciples of the blessed Pope

Gregory.

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 3

C H A P T E R 3

A t this time King Wulfhere was ruling over the kingdom of Mercia and, since Jaruman was dead, he asked Theodore to provide him and his people with a bishop; as Theodore did not wish to consecrate a new bishop for them, he asked King

Oswiu to give them Bishop Chad, who was then living in retirement* in his own monastery of Lastingham. Wilfrid was administering the see of the church at York and of all the Northumbrians and Piets, as far as Oswiu's power extended.

And because it was the custom of the reverend Bishop Chad to carry out his evangelistic work on foot rather than on horseback, Theodore ordered him to ride whenever he was faced with too long a journey; but Chad showed much hesi tation, for he was deeply devoted to this religious exercise, so the archbishop lifted him on to the horse with his own hands since he knew him to be a man of great sanctity and he determined to compel him to ride a horse when necessity arose. Chad accepted the position of bishop of the Mercian race and of the people of Lindsey and, following the example of the early fathers, he administered the diocese in great holiness of life. King Wulfhere gave him fifty hides of land to build a monastery, in a place called Adbaruae, that is At the Grove (Barrow),* in the province of Lindsey, where up to the present day traces of the monastic Rule which he established still survive.

He had his episcopal seat at a place called Lichfield, where he also died and was buried, and where the succeeding bish ops of the kingdom have their see to this day. He built himself a more retired dwelling-place not far from the church, in which he could read and pray privately with a few of his brothers, that is to say, seven or eight of them; this he did as often as he was free from his labours and from the ministra tion of the word. After he had ruled the Church in that kingdom with great success for two and a half years, divine providence ordained a time such as Ecclesiastes speaks of, 'a time for scattering stones and a time for gathering them together'. A plague sent from heaven came upon them which,

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 3 through the death of the body, translated the living stones* of the church from their earthly sites to the heavenly building.

After many from the church of this most reverend bishop had been taken from the flesh, his own hour was at hand when he must pass from this world to be with the Lord. Now it happened one day that he was in the dwelling already mentioned, with one brother only, whose name was Owine, since their other companions had had occasion to return to the church. This Owine was a monk of great merit who had left the world with the sole object of winning a heavenly reward, and therefore in every respect a fit person to receive a special revelation of the mysteries of the Lord and worthy too of being believed by such as heard his story. He had come with Queen Æthelthryth* from the kingdom of the East

Angles, being the chief of her officers and the head of her household. As his faith and zeal increased, he decided to renounce the world and this he did in no half-hearted way: he stripped himself so completely of his worldly possessions that he left all that he had and, dressed only in a plain garment and carrying an axe and an adze in his hands, he came to the most reverend father's monastery at Lastingham. He did this to show that he was not entering the monastery for the sake of ease, as some did, but to work hard. This he also proved by his deeds; for as he was less capable of the study of the Scriptures, he applied himself more earnestly to manual labour. In fact, although because he was so reverent and devout he was received into the company of the bishop and the brothers and into their house, yet when they were engaged in reading inside the house, he used to work outside at what ever seemed necessary. To resume my narrative: on one such day he was occupied with some task outside and his brothers had gone to the church, while the bishop was engaged alone in the oratory in reading or prayer; suddenly, as Owine after wards related, he heard the sound of sweet and joyful singing descend from the sky to the earth. He said he heard the sound first of all from the south-east, that is, from the highest point of the rising of the winter sun; from there it gradually ap proached him until it reached the roof of the oratory where the bishop was; it entered in, filling it and all its surroundings.

iv. 3

The Ecclesiastical History He listened with close attention to what he heard and then, after the space of half an hour, he heard the same joyful song ascend from the roof of the oratory and return with unspeak able sweetness to the sky in the same way as it had come. He had been standing for some time amazed and earnestly con sidering what this could mean, when the bishop opened the window of the oratory, clapping his hands to make a signal as he was accustomed to do, to call the attention of anyone outside, and told him to come in. As Owine hurried in, the bishop said to him, 'Go at once to the church and bid those seven brothers come here and you also come with them.'

When they had come, he first of all urged them to live virtu ously in love and peace with each other and with all the faithful; also to follow with unwearied constancy the Rule of life which he had taught them and which they had seen him carry out, or had learned from the words and deeds of the fathers who had gone before. Then he added that the day of his death was close at hand. 'For', he said, 'the beloved guest* who has been in the habit of visiting our brothers has deigned to come today to me also, to summon me from this world. So return to the church and tell the brothers to commend my departure to the Lord by their prayers and that they also remember to prepare for their own departure, the hour of which is uncertain, by fasting and prayers and good works.'

When he had said this and much more in the same strain and when they had received his blessing and gone away in great sorrow, the man who had heard the heavenly song returned alone, threw himself to the ground, and said, 'Father, I beg you to let me ask you something.' 'Ask what you wish', Chad replied. Then Owine said, 'I pray you tell me what was the song of joyful voices which I heard descending from heaven upon the oratory and, after a time, returning to heaven again.'

He answered, 'If you heard the sound of singing and saw a heavenly company come down, I command you in the name of the Lord to tell no one before my death. They were indeed angel spirits come to summon me to the heavenly joys which I have always loved and longed for; and they have promised to return in seven days and take me with them.' This was ful filled just as he had been told, for he was immediately afflicted

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 3 with bodily weakness which daily grew worse until, on the seventh day as he had been promised, after he had prepared for death by receiving the body and blood of the Lord, his holy soul was released from the prison-house of the body and in the company of angels, as one may rightly believe, sought the joys of heaven.

Nor is it any wonder that he joyfully beheld the day of his death or rather the day of the Lord, whose coming he had always anxiously awaited. For in addition to all his merits of temperance, humility, zeal in teaching, prayers, and voluntary poverty and other virtues too, he was greatly filled with the fear of the Lord and mindful of his last end in all he did. One of his brothers named Trumberht, a monk educated in his monastery and under his Rule and one of those who taught me the Scriptures, used to tell me this about him: if he happened to be reading or doing something else and suddenly a high wind arose, he would at once invoke the mercy of the Lord and beg Him to have pity upon the human race. If the wind increased in violence he would shut his book, fall on his face, and devote himself still more earnestly to prayer.

But if there were a violent storm of wind and rain or if lightning and thunder brought terror to earth and sky, he would enter the church and, with still deeper concentration, eamesdy devote himself to prayers and psalms until the sky cleared. When his people asked him why he did it he replied,

'Have you not read, " The Lord also thundered in the heavens and the Highest gave His voice. Yea, He sent out His arrows and scattered them and He shot out lightnings and discom fited them"? For the Lord moves the air, raises the winds, hurls the lightnings, and thunders forth from heaven so as to rouse the inhabitants of the world to fear Him, to call them to remember the future judgement in order that He may scatter their pride and confound their boldness by bringing to their minds that dread time when He will come in the clouds in great power and majesty, to judge the living and the dead, while the heavens and the earth are aflame. And so', said he, 'we ought to respond to His heavenly warning with due fear and love; so that as often as He disturbs the sky and raises His hand as if about to strike, yet spares us still, we i l l

iv. 3

The Ecclesiastical History should implore His mercy, examining the innermost recesses of our hearts and purging out the dregs of our sins, and behave with such caution that we may never deserve to be struck down.'

This brother's account of the bishop's death also agrees with the story of a vision related by the most reverend father

Egbert already mentioned, who had lived the monastic life with Chad, when they were both youths in Ireland, diligently engaged in prayer and fasting and meditating on the divine

Scriptures. But while Chad returned to his native land, Egbert remained there until the end of his life, an exile for the Lord's sake. A long time afterwards, a very holy and abstemi ous man named Higebald, who was abbot in the province of Lindsey, came to visit him. As was fitting for holy men they were talking about the lives of the early fathers and saying how gladly they would imitate them, when mention was made of the revered Bishop Chad; whereupon Egbert said, 'I know a man in this island, still in the flesh, who saw the soul of Chad's brother Cedd descend from the sky with a host of angels and return to the heavenly kingdom, taking Chad's soul with him.' Whether he was speaking of himself or of another is uncertain, but what cannot be uncertain is that whatever such a man said must be true.

Chad died on 2 March and was first of all buried close to the church of St Mary; but when the church of St Peter, the most blessed chief of the apostles, was later built, his bones were translated there. In each place frequent miracles of healing occur as a sign of his virtue. For example, quite recently a madman, who had been wandering from one place to another, came there one evening unknown to or unregarded by the guardians of the church, and spent the whole night there. The next morning he came out in his right mind and, to the amazement and joy of all, demonstrated how he had regained his health there through the goodness of God. Chad's place of burial is a wooden coffin in the shape of a little house, having an aperture in its side, through which those who visit it out of devotion can insert their hands and take out a little of the dust. When it is put in water and given either to cattle or men who are ailing, they get their wish and

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 3 -4 are at once freed from their ailments and rejoice in health restored.

In Chad's place Theodore consecrated Winfrith, a good and discreet man, who, like his predecessors, presided as bishop over the kingdoms of Mercia, the Middle Angles, and Lindsey, over all which King Wulfhere, who was still alive, held sway. Winfrith was one of the clergy of the bishop and had been his deacon for some considerable time.

C H A P T E R 4

M e a n w h il e Colman, who was a bishop from Ireland, left Britain and took with him all the Irish whom he had gathered together on the island of Lindisfame. He also took about thirty men of English race, both companies having been in structed in the duties of monastic life. Leaving some of the brothers in the church at Lindisfame, he went first to the island of Iona, from which he had been sent to preach the word to the English. From there he went on to a small island some distance off the west coast of Ireland, called in Irish

Inisboufinde (Inishbofin), the island of the white heifer.

When he reached this island, he built a monastery and placed in it monks whom he had brought from both nations. But they could not agree together because the Irish, in summer time when the harvest had to be gathered in, left the monas tery and wandered about, scattering into various places with which they were familiar; then when winter came, they re turned and expected to have a share in the things which the English had provided. Colman sought to put an end to this dispute and at last, having travelled about far and near, he found a place suitable for building a monastery on the Irish mainland called in the Irish tongue Mag éo (Mayo). He bought a small part of the land from the chief to whom it belonged, on condition that the monks who settled there were to pray to the Lord for him as he had provided them with the land. A monastery was forthwith built with the help of the chief and all the neighbours and in it he placed the English monks, leaving the Irishmen on the island. This monastery is

The Ecclesiastical History IV. 4-5 still occupied by Englishmen; from small beginnings it has now become very large and is commonly known as Muig éo

(Mayo). All these monks have adopted a better Rule and it now contains a remarkable company gathered there from England, living after the example of the venerable fathers under a Rule, having an abbot elected canonically, in great devotion and austerity and supporting themselves by the labour of their own hands.

C H A P T E R 5

I n the year of the incarnation of our Lord 670, the second year after Theodore came to Britain, Oswiu, king of the Northumbrians, was struck down by a sickness from which he died, being fifty-eight years of age. By this time he was so greatly attached to the Roman and apostolic customs that he had intended, if he recovered from his illness, to go to Rome* and end his life there among the holy places. He had asked

Bishop Wilfrid to act as his guide, promising him no small gift of money. He died on 15 February, leaving his son Ecgfrith* as heir to the kingdom.

In the third year of Ecgfrith's reign, Theodore summoned a council of bishops together with many teachers of the church who knew and loved the canonical institutions of the fathers. When they were assembled he began, as befitted an archbishop, by charging them to observe diligently all those things which were conducive to the unity and peace of the church. The text of the decisions of the synod is as follows:

In the name of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Under the perpetual reign and governance over His Church of that sovereign, the Lord Jesus Christ: it was thought proper that we should assemble in accordance with the custom laid down by our venerated canon law, to deal with the necessary business of the Church. We met on 24 September, in the first indiction, at a place called Hertford: I, Theodore, though unworthy, appointed bishop of the Church at Canterbury by the apostolic see, and our fellow bishop and brother the

The Ecclesiastical History rv. 5 worthy Bisi,* bishop of the East Angles; while our brother and fellow bishop Wilfrid, bishop of the Northumbrian race, was represented by his proctors. There were also present our brothers and fellow priests Putta, bishop of the Kentish town* known as Rochester, Leuthere, bishop of the West Saxons, and Winfrith, bishop of the Mercian kingdom. When we had all met together and had sat down each in his own place, I said: 'Beloved brethren, I beseech you, for the fear and love of our Redeemer, that we should all deliberate in common for the benefit of the faith; so that whatever has been decreed and defined by holy fathers of proved worth may be preserved incorrupt by us all.' This and much more I added on the need to preserve charity and unity in the Church. When I had completed my preliminary discourse, I asked each of them in turn if they were willing to keep the canonical decrees which had been laid down by the fathers in ancient times. All our fellow bishops answered, 'Most gladly and readily do we all agree to keep such canons as were laid down by the holy fathers.' I produced forthwith the said book of canons and from this book I put before them ten chapters which I had marked in certain places as being specially necessary for us to know and I asked them all to devote particular attention to them.

Chapter I.* That we all keep Easter Day at the same time, namely on the Sunday after the fourteenth day of the moon of the first month.

Chapter II. That no bishop intrude into the diocese of another bishop, but that he should be content with the government of the people committed to his charge.

Chapter III. That no bishop shall in any way interfere with any monasteries dedicated to God nor take away forcibly any part of their property.

Chapter IV. That monks shall not wander from place to place, that is, from monastery to monastery, unless they have letters dimissory from their own abbot; but they are to remain under that obedience which they promised at the time of their profession.

Chapter V. That no clergy shall leave their own bishop nor wander about at will; nor shall one be received anywhere

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The Ecclesiastical History without letters commendatory from his own bishop. If he has once been received and is unwilling to return when sum moned, both the receiver and the received shall suffer excommunication.

Chapter VI. That both bishops and clergy when travelling shall be content with the hospitality afforded them. Nor shall they exercise any priesdy function without the permission of the bishop in whose diocese they are known to be.

Chapter VII. That a synod shall be summoned twice yearly. (But on account of various hindrances, it was unani mously decided that we should meet once a year on i August at the place known as Clofceshoh.*) Chapter VIII. That no bishop claim precedence over an other bishop out of ambition; but all shall take rank according to the time and the order of their consecration.

Chapter IX. That more bishops shall be created as the number of the faithful increases. (This chapter received general discussion, but at the time we came to no decision on the matter.) Chapter X. On marriage. That nothing be allowed but lawful wedlock. Let none be guilty of incest, and let none leave his own wife except for fornication, as the holy gospel teaches. If anyone puts away his own wife who is joined to him by lawful matrimony, he may not take another if he wishes to be a true Christian; but he must either remain as he is or be reconciled to his own wife.

After these chapters had been discussed in common and resolved upon, and in order that no scandalous controversy should arise among us or any matter be inaccurately pub lished abroad, it was decided that each one should ratify our decisions by attaching his own signature. I dictated to Titill the notary the wording of the decisions for him to write down.

This was done in the month and indiction above mentioned.

If anyone therefore shall attempt in any way to oppose or disobey the decisions confirmed by our consent and ratified by our signatures, according to the canonical decrees, let him know that he is excluded from exercising any priestly office and from our fellowship. May the grace of God preserve us all who live in the unity of His holy Church.

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 5 -6 This synod took place in the year of our Lord 673, the year in which Egbert king of Kent died, in the month of July. He was succeeded by his brother Hlothhere* who reigned for eleven years and seven months. Bisi, bishop of the East

Angles, who is known to have been present at this synod, was the successor of Boniface already mentioned, and a man of great sanctity and devotion. When Boniface died after being bishop for seventeen years, Bisi was made bishop in his place and consecrated by Theodore. He was prevented from administering his diocese by a serious illness so, while he was still alive, two bishops were chosen and consecrated in his place, namely Æcci and Baduwine;* and from then until this day the kingdom has had two bishops.

C H A P T E R 6

N ot long afterwards, Archbishop Theodore, displeased by some act of disobedience of Winffith, bishop of the Mercians, deposed him* from the bishopric which he had held only a few years. In his place he consecrated Seaxwulf as bishop, the founder and abbot of the monastery known as Medeshamstede

(Peterborough) in the land of the Gyrwe. Winfrith after his deposition retired to his own monastery of Barrow and there lived a very holy life until his death.

Theodore then appointed Erconwald* bishop in London, for the East Saxons. Sebbi and Sighere, already mentioned, were the reigning monarchs. Both before and after his consecration, Eorcenwold lived so holy a life that even now miracles bear witness to it. To this day the horse-litter in which he used to be carried when ill is preserved by his followers and continues to cure many people afflicted with fevers and other complaints. Not only are people cured who are placed in or near the litter but splinters cut from it and taken to the sick bring speedy relief.

Before he was made bishop, he founded two famous mon asteries, one for himself and the other for his sister

Æthelburh, and established an excellent form of monastic Rule and discipline* in both. His own was in the kingdom of

iv. 6 -7 The Ecclesiastical History Surrey near the river Thames at a place called Chertsey,* that is, the island of Ceorot. His sister's monastery he established at a place called Barking in the kingdom of the East Saxons where she was to live as mother and nurse of a company of women devoted to God. When she had undertaken the rule of this monastery, she proved herself worthy in all things of her brother the bishop, both by her own holy life and by her sound and devoted care for those who were under her rule; and of this heavenly miracles were the witness.

C H A P T E R 7

I n this monastery many signs and miracles* were performed which have been written down by those who were acquainted with them as an edifying memorial for succeeding generations and copies are in the possession of many people. Some of these we have taken care to insert in this History. The plague which has been so often referred to and which was ravaging the country far and wide had also attacked that part of the monastery occupied by the men, and they were daily being carried away into the presence of the Lord. The mother of the congregation was anxiously concerned as to when the plague would strike that part of the monastery, separated from the men's community, in which dwelt the company of the handmaidens of the Lord. So when the sisters met together, she took to asking in what part of the monastery they would like their bodies to be buried and where they desired a cem etery to be made when they were snatched away from the world by the same catastrophe as the rest. Although she often inquired she received no definite answer from the sisters, but she and all of them received a most definite reply from the divine providence. On a certain night when the servants of Christ had finished their mattin psalms, they went out of the oratory to the tombs of the brothers who had already died.

While they were singing their accustomed praises to the Lord, suddenly a light appeared from heaven like a great sheet and came upon them all, striking such terror into them that they broke off the chant they were singing in alarm. This resplen

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 7 -8 dent light, in comparison with which the noonday sun seemed dark, soon afterwards rose from the place and moved to the south side of the monastery, that is, to the west of the oratory.

There it remained for some time, covering that area until it was withdrawn from their sight into the heavenly heights.

So no doubt remained in their minds that this light was not only intended to guide and receive the souls of Christ's handmaidens into heaven, but was also pointing out the spot where the bodies were to rest, awaiting the resurrection day.

This beam of light was so brilliant that one of the older brothers, who was in the oratory at the time with another younger brother, declared in the morning that the rays of light which penetrated the cracks of the doors and windows seemed brighter than the brightest daylight.

C H A P T E R 8

I n the same monastery there was a boy named Æsica, not more than three years of age, who, because of his extreme youth, was being looked after and was learning his lessons in the dwelling of the maidens dedicated to God. He was attacked by the plague and, when at the point of death, he called out three times for one of the maidens consecrated to Christ, calling her by name as though she were present,

'Edith, Edith, Edith!' And so he ended this temporal life and passed to the life eternal. The maiden whom he called upon as he died was, on that very day, attacked by the same sick ness in the place where she was and carried from this world, following him who had called her to the kingdom of heaven.

Another of these handmaidens of God, when attacked by the same disease and approaching her end, suddenly began about midnight to call out to those who were attending on her, asking them to put out the light which was burning in the room. She repeated her request frequently and, as no one attended to her, she said at last, 'I know that you think I am raving when I ask this; but I assure you that it is not so. I tell you the truth: I see this house filled with a light so bright that that lamp of yours seems to me to be utterly dark.' But still no

iv. 8 - 9 The Ecclesiastical History one replied or did her bidding, so she said again, 'Let your lamp bum then as long as you like; but be sure of this, it gives me no light; when dawn breaks, my light will come to me.'

She went on to describe how a certain man of God who had died that year had appeared to her, telling her that at daybreak she would depart to the eternal light. Her vision was speedily proved to be true for the maiden died as day dawned.

C H A P T E R 9

W h en Æthelburh, the devout mother of that devoted com munity, was herself about to be taken from the world, a marvellous vision appeared to one of the sisters whose name was Torhtgyth. She had lived for many years in the monastery, always seeking to serve God herself in all humility and sincerity and endeavouring to help the mother to keep the discipline of the Rule by teaching or reproving the younger ones. Now in order that her strength, like the apostle's, might be made perfect in weakness, she was suddenly afflicted with a most serious bodily disease and for nine years was sorely tried, under the good providence of our Redeemer, so that any traces of sin remaining among her virtues through ignor ance or carelessness might be burnt away by the fires of prolonged suffering. One evening, at dusk, as she left the little cell in which she lived, she saw distinctly what seemed to be a human body, wrapped in a shroud and brighter than the sun, being apparently raised up from within the house in which the sisters used to sleep. She looked closely to see how this glorious visionary body was raised up and saw that it was lifted as it were by cords, brighter than gold, until it was drawn up into the open heavens and she could see it no longer. As she thought over the vision there remained no doubt in her mind that some member of their community was about to die whose soul would be drawn up to the skies by the good deeds she had done, as though by golden cords. And so it came to pass. Not many days afterwards the mother of the congregation, Æthelburh, beloved of God, was taken from the prison-house of the flesh; and such was her record that

The Ecclesiastical History rv. 9 none who knew her can doubt that, as she departed this life, the gates of her heavenly country were opened for her.

In the same monastery there was a certain nun, of noble family in this world and still nobler in her love for the world to come; for many years her whole body had been so disabled that she could not move a single limb. When she learned that the body of the venerable abbess had been borne into the church to await burial, she asked to be carried in and placed leaning up against it in the attitude of prayer. When this was done she asked Æthelburh, as though she were addressing a living person, to plead on her behalf with the merciful and pitiful Creator that she might be delivered from the cruel tortures which she had endured so long. Nor was it long before her prayers were heard; for twelve days afterwards she too was taken from the body and exchanged her temporal afflictions for an eternal reward.

For three years after the death of the lady abbess Torhtgyth, the handmaid of Christ, remained alive but was so wasted away by the infirmities already described that 'her bones scarcely held together'; at last when the time of her release approached, she lost the use not only of her limbs but also of her tongue. She continued in this state for three days and nights when she was suddenly restored by a spiritual vision and her eyes and mouth were opened. Looking up to heaven she began to speak to the vision she beheld: 'Your coming', she said, 'is most acceptable to me and you are indeed welcome.' When she had said this she was silent for a short time as if she were waiting for an answer from the one whom she saw and was addressing. Again she added as if slightly displeased: 'I cannot be happy to hear this.' Then after another short silence she said for the third time: 'If it cannot be today I beg that there may not be a long delay.'

After this there was again a short silence as before, and then she uttered these final words: 'If this is definitely fixed and the decree is unalterable, then I pray that it may not be put off beyond the following night.' When she had finished speaking, those who were sitting around asked her with whom she had been talking. She answered: 'With my beloved mother*

Æthelburh.' Thus they realized that Æthelburh had come to

iv. 9-10 The Ecclesiastical History announce to her that the time of her departure was near. As she requested, after a night and a day, she was loosed from the bonds of the flesh and her infirmities and entered upon the joys of eternal salvation.

C H A P T E R 10

A d e v o t e d servant of God named Hildelith* succeeded Æthelburh in the office of abbess and presided over the monastery for many years until she was extremely old. She was most energetic in the observance of the discipline of the Rule and in the provision of all such things as were necessary for the common use. As the site on which the monastery was built was very limited, she decided that the bones of the servants and handmaidens of Christ which had been buried there should all be taken up and transferred to the church of the blessed Mother of God and buried there in one place.

How often the brightness of a heavenly light, how often a wonderful fragrance and other signs also appeared— all these things the reader will find in the book from which I have made these extracts.

I think, however, that it would be far from fitting to pass over a miracle of healing which the book describes as having taken place at the cemetery of this congregation dedicated to God. There lived in the neighbourhood a certain gesith whose wife was attacked by a sudden dimness of the eyes; her affliction increased so greatly from day to day that she could not see the faintest glimmer of light. After remaining for some time wrapt in the darkness of night, it suddenly occurred to her that, if she were taken to the monastery of the holy virgins and prayed before the relics of the saints, she might recover her lost sight. She carried out her plan forthwith. Her maidens led her to the monastery, which was close at hand, and there she was taken to the cemetery, declaring how complete was her assurance that she would be healed. After she had prayed at length on bended knees, she earned a speedy answer to her prayers; as she rose she received the gift of sight which she was seeking, even before she left the place. Though her maids had

The Ecclesiastical History

IV. I O - I I

led her thither by hand, she joyfully returned home without help. It seemed as if she had lost the light of this world in order to show by her recovery how bright is the light and how great the grace of healing with which the saints of Christ in heaven are endowed.

CHAPTER 11

A t this time, as this book relates, there ruled over the king dom of the East Saxons a very devout man named Sebbi,* already mentioned. He was given to religious exercises, con stant prayers, and the holy joys of almsgiving. He would long before have given up his throne, preferring a private life in a monastery to all the riches and honours of a kingdom, had not his wife obstinately refused to be separated from him. For this reason, many people thought and often said that a man of his disposition ought to have been a bishop rather than a king.

After a reign of thirty years, this soldier of the kingdom of heaven was afflicted by a very serious bodily infirmity from which he eventually died. He therefore urged his wife that since neither of them could enjoy or serve the world any longer, they should devote themselves to the service of God. Having obtained her reluctant consent, he came to Waldhere,* bishop of London, Erconwald's successor, and received with his blessing the religious habit which he had long desired. He brought the bishop no small sum of money to be given to the poor, keeping nothing for himself but desiring to remain poor in spirit for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

As his sickness increased he felt that the day of his death was approaching; and his disposition being such as befitted a king, he feared that, if he felt great pain in the hour of death, he might by his words or his gestures act in a way unworthy of his character. So summoning the bishop of London, the city in which the king was then living, he asked him that there should be no others present at his deathbed except the bishop and two of his servants. This the bishop gladly prom ised; but not long afterwards, while sleeping, the king saw a

iv. 11—12 The Ecclesiastical History comforting vision which removed all his uneasiness on this score and also made known to him on what day he was to die.

He saw, as he later described, three men approaching clad in shining robes; one of them sat down by his bed while his companions, standing by, inquired after the condition of the sick man whom they had come to visit. The man who was seated said that his soul would leave his body without any pain and in a great splendour of light; he also declared that the king would die in three days' time. Both these things were fulfilled just as he had learned from the vision. For he died three days afterwards, at three in the afternoon, when he seemed to fall suddenly into a light sleep and breathed his last without feeling any pain. They had prepared a stone sarcophagus* for his burial, but when they came to lay his body in it they found that it was longer than the sarcophagus by a hand's breadth. So they chipped the stone so far as they could, adding about two inches, space. But still it would not take the body. So in view of the difficulty of burying him they debated whether they should look for another coffin or by bending the knees shorten the body so that it would fit the coffin. But an amazing thing happened, certainly the work of heaven which made both of these alternatives unnecessary.

Suddenly as the bishop stood by, together with Sigeheard (who reigned after Sebbi with his brother Swæfred* and was the son of the royal monk) as well as a large crowd of men, the sarcophagus was found to be of the right length to fit the body, so that a pillow could even be put in behind the head while, at the feet, the coffin was four inches longer than the body. He was buried in the church of the blessed doctor of the Gentiles, through whose teachings he had learned to aspire to heavenly things.

C H A P T E R 12

T h e fourth bishop of the West Saxons was Leuthere.* The first was Birinus, the second Agilbert, and the third Wine.

When Cenwealh* was dead, during whose reign Leuthere had been made bishop, subkings took upon themselves the

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 12 government of the kingdom, dividing it up and ruling for about ten years. While they were reigning Leuthere died and was succeeded by Hædde,* who had been consecrated in London by Theodore. During his episcopate the sub-kings were conquered and removed and Cædwalla* became king.

After he had reigned two years he renounced the throne, while the same bishop was still in the see, urged on by his love for the kingdom of heaven. He went to Rome and died there, as will be told more fully later on.

In the year of our Lord 676 Æthelred,* king of the Mercians, at the head of a cruel army, devastated Kent, profaning churches and monasteries without respect for religion or fear of God. In the general devastation he also destroyed Rochester, Putta's see, though the bishop was ab sent at the time. When Putta found that his church was destroyed and all its contents removed, he went to Seaxwulf, bishop of the Mercians, who granted him a church and a small estate, where he ended his life in peace, making no attempt whatever to re-establish his bishopric; for, as was said before, he was more concerned with ecclesiastical than with worldly affairs. So he served God in this church and went round wherever he was invited, teaching church music.

Instead of him Theodore consecrated Cwichelm as bishop of Rochester. But when the latter left the bishopric soon after wards for lack of means and went elsewhere, Theodore appointed Gefmund* in his place.

In the year of our Lord 678, the eighth year of the reign of King Ecgfrith, there appeared during the month of August a star which is known as a comet.* It remained for three months, rising in the early hours of each morning and emit ting a kind of lofty column of bright flame. In the same year there arose a dissension* between King Ecgfrith and the most reverend bishop Wilfrid with the result that the bishop was driven from his see while two bishops were put in his place to rule over the Northumbrian race; one was Bosa, who administered the kingdom of Deira, and the other Eata, who presided over Bemicia. The former had his episcopal see in York and the latter at Hexham or else in Lindisfame; both of them were promoted to the rank of bishop from a monastic

iv. 12-13 The Ecclesiastical History community. In addition Eadhæd was consecrated bishop of the kingdom of Lindsey,* which King Ecgfrith had recently won by conquering Wulfhere and putting him to flight. This was the first bishop of its own which the kingdom had had, the second one being Æthelwine, the third Edgar, and the fourth Cyneberht, the present bishop. Before Eadhæd,

Seaxwulf was its bishop, being at the same time bishop of the Mercians and the Middle Angles; when he was driven out of Lindsey he continued to administer these provinces. Eadhæd,

Bosa, and Eata were consecrated at York by Archbishop Theodore. Three years after Wilfrid's departure he added two more* to their number, Tunberht to the church at Hexham— Eata remaining at Lindisfame— and Trumwine to the kingdom of the Piets, which at that time was subject to the English. When Æthelred had recovered the kingdom of Lindsey, Eadhæd returned and was placed by Theodore over the church at Ripon.

C H A P T E R 13

W h e n Wilfrid had been expelled from his see he spent a long time travelling in many lands, going to Rome and afterwards returning to Britain. Though he could not be received back into his own native land and his diocese, owing to the hostility of King Ecgfrith, yet nothing could hinder him from the ministry of preaching the gospel. So he turned to the kingdom of the South Saxons, which stretches south and west from Kent as far as the land of the West Saxons and contains

7,000 hides. At that time it was still in the bonds of heathen practices. Here Wilfrid taught them the faith and adminis tered the baptism of salvation. The king of this people was

Æthelwealh,* who not long before had been baptized in the kingdom of Mercia at the suggestion and in the presence of Wulfhere, who, when Æthelwealh came forth from the font, received him as a son. As a token of his adoption Wulfhere gave him two provinces, namely the Isle of Wight and the province of the Meonware* in the land of the West Saxons.

So the bishop, with the king's consent and indeed to his great

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 13 joy, cleansed his ealdormen and his gesiths in the holy fount of baptism; the priests Eappa and Padda, Burghelm and Eddi baptized the rest of the common people either then or later on. The queen, whose name was Eafe, had been baptized in her own country, the kingdom of the Hwicce. She was the daughter of Eanfrith, Eanhere's brother, both of whom were

Christians, as were their people. Apart from her, all the South Saxons were ignorant of the divine name and of the faith.

There was, however, in their midst a certain Irish monk named Dicuill who had a very small monastery in a place called Bosham surrounded by woods and sea, in which five or six brothers served the Lord in humility and poverty; but none of the natives cared to follow their way of life or listen to their preaching.

In evangelizing this nation, Bishop Wilfrid rescued them not only from the misery of everlasting damnation but also from temporal death and cruel destruction. For three years before his coming into the kingdom no rain had fallen in those parts, so that a most terrible famine assailed the populace and pitilessly destroyed them. For example it is said that forty or fifty men, wasted with hunger, would go together to some precipice or to the seashore where in their misery they would join hands and leap into the sea, perishing wretchedly either by the fall or by drowning. But on the very day on which the people received the baptism of faith, a gentle but ample rain fell; the earth revived, the fields once more became green, and a happy and fruitful season followed. So, casting off their ancient superstitions and renouncing their idolatry, 'the heart and flesh of all rejoiced in the living God'; for they realized that He who is the true God had, by His heavenly grace, endowed them with both outward and inward blessings.

When the bishop first came into the kingdom and saw the suffering and famine there, he taught them how to get their food by fishing: for both the sea and the rivers abounded in fish but the people had no knowledge of fishing except for eels alone. So the bishop's men collected eel-nets from every quarter and cast them into the sea so that, with the help of divine grace, they quickly captured 300 fish of all kinds. These were divided up into three parts: a hundred were given to the 1 9 3

iv. 13-14 The Ecclesiastical History poor, a hundred to those who had supplied the nets, while they kept the other hundred for their own use. By this good turn the bishop won the hearts of all and they had the greater hope of heavenly blessings from the preaching of one by whose aid they had gained temporal blessings.

At this time King Æthelwealh gave the most reverend bishop Wilfrid eighty-seven hides of land to maintain his exiled followers. The land was called Selsey, that is, the island of the seal. This place is surrounded on all sides by the sea except on the west where it is approached by a piece of land about a sling's throw in width. Such a place is called in Latin peninsula and in Greek cherronesos. When Bishop Wilfrid had received this land he founded a monastery there, consist ing chiefly of the brothers he had brought with him, and established a Rule of life; his successors, as is well known, occupy the place to this day. For five years, that is, until the death of King Ecgfrith, he carried out the duties of a bishop in those parts both in words and works, being deservedly honoured by all. Since the king had given them the land together with all the stock on it, along with fields and men, he instructed them all in the faith of Christ and washed them in the waters of baptism; among these were 250 male and female slaves,* all of whom he released from the slavery of the devil, at the same time releasing them from the yoke of human slavery by granting them their liberty.

C H A P T E R 1 4 *

It is related that about this time certain special manifestations of heavenly grace were revealed in this monastery; for the tyranny of the devil had been recently overthrown and the reign of Christ had now begun. I have thought it fitting to preserve the memory of one of these manifestations often related to me by the most reverend Bishop Acca,* who declared that it had been told him by some trustworthy brothers from the very monastery.

Almost at the same time that this kingdom had accepted the name of Christ, many of the kingdoms of Britain were

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 14 attacked by a virulent plague. By divine dispensation and will it reached this monastery which was at the time ruled over by a most devoted priest of Christ named Eappa; many of those who had come with the bishop as well as those who had been recently called to the faith from the South Saxon kingdom were indiscriminately snatched away from this world. So it seemed right to the brothers to observe a three-day fast and humbly implore God in His mercy to show pity on them, either by delivering those who were threatened by this disease from instant death or by preserving the souls of those who died from everlasting damnation.

At this time there was a little boy of the Saxon race in the monastery who had been lately converted to the faith and who had been afflicted by the disease and confined to his bed for a long time. On the second day of fasting and prayer it chanced that the boy was left alone at the second hour of the day in the place where he was lying sick. Suddenly, by divine dispensation, the most blessed chiefs of the apostles deigned to appear to him. Now he was a boy of very simple and gentle disposition and sincerely devoted to the mysteries of the faith which he had received. The apostles greeted him with holy words and said, 'Son, do not let the fear of death trouble you, for we are going to take you today to the heavenly kingdom.

But you will first have to wait until mass has been celebrated and then when you have received the viaticum of the body and blood of Christ, you will be taken to the everlasting joys of heaven and set free from sickness and death. Call the priest

Eappa and say to him, "The Lord has heard your prayers and has looked favourably upon your devotions and your fasts; therefore not one more from this monastery nor from the adjacent lands nor any of its possessions shall die of the plague. But all those people who are now suffering from the sickness shall be raised up from their sickbeds and restored to their former health—all except you alone, for you will today be freed by death and taken to heaven to behold the Lord Christ whom you have faithfully served. This the divine mercy has deigned to grant the brethren by the intercession of the saintly King Oswald,* beloved of God, who once reigned gloriously over the Northumbrian people with the authority of

rv. 14

The Ecclesiastical History a temporal kingship and with the devotion and Christian virtue which brought him to the everlasting kingdom. It was on this very day that the king was slain in battle by the heathen and was forthwith carried to the everlasting joys of the souls in heaven, joining the ranks of the elect. Let them seek in their books in which the deposition of the dead is noted down and they will find that it was on this day that he was taken from the world. So let them celebrate masses in all the chapels of this monastery, both in thankfulness for answered prayers and in memory of King Oswald, who once ruled over this people and who prayed to the Lord for them as if of his own race though strangers; let all the brethren come to the church and join in offering the heavenly sacrifices; then let them end their fast and refresh their bodies with the food they need." '

The boy asked for the priest and told him all these things.

The priest questioned him carefully about the dress and the looks of the men who had appeared to him. He answered,

'Their robes were magnificent and their faces joyful and beautiful, such as I have never seen before; nor did I think that any men could have such grace and beauty. One was tonsured* like a cleric and the other had a flowing beard.

They told me that one was named Peter and the other Paul and that they were the servants of our Lord and Saviour Jesus

Christ sent by Him from heaven to watch over our monas tery.' The priest believed the boy's words and went out at once to search in his calendar and found that King Oswald had been slain on that very day. So he called the brothers and ordered a meal to be prepared and masses to be said, and all to communicate in their accustomed way. At the same time he ordered a small portion of the sacrifice and oblation of the Lord to be carried to the sick boy.

Soon after this, on the same day, the boy died, proving by his own death the truth of what he had heard from Christ's apostles. As further confirmation of his words no one except himself was carried off at that time from the monastery. Many who heard of the vision were wonderfully encouraged to pray to the divine mercy in times of adversity and to submit to the wholesome remedy of fasting. From that time, not only in this

1 9 6

The Ecclesiastical History rv. 14-16 monastery but in many other places, the heavenly birthday of this king and soldier of Christ began to be observed yearly by the celebration of masses.

C H A P T E R 15

M e a n w h i l e Cædwalla, a young and vigorous prince of the Gewisse, being an exile from his own land, came with an army and slew King Æthelwealh, wasting the kingdom with fierce slaughter and devastation. But he was quickly driven out by two of the king's ealdormen, Berhthun and Andhun, who from that time held the kingdom. The former was afterwards killed by Cædwalla when he was king of the Gewisse and the kingdom reduced to a worse state of slavery. Ine,* who ruled after Cædwalla, also oppressed the country in the same harsh way for many years. So it came about that during all this time it could have no bishop of its own. When Wilfrid its first bishop was called home they became subject to the bishop of the Gewisse, that is, the West Saxons, whose see was in the city of Winchester.

C H A P T E R 16 ( 14)

A f t e r Cædwalla had gained possession of the kingdom of the Gewisse he also captured the Isle of Wight, which until then had been entirely given up to idolatry, and endeavoured to wipe out all the natives* by merciless slaughter and to replace them by inhabitants from his own kingdom, binding himself, or so it is said, by a vow, though he was not yet Christian, that if he captured the island he would give a fourth part of it and of the booty to the Lord. He fulfilled his vow by giving it for the service of the Lord to Bishop Wilfrid, who happened to have come there from his own people at that time. The size of the island is 1,200 hides according to the English way of reckoning, so the bishop was given 300 hides.

Wilfrid entrusted the portion he had received to one of his clergy named Beomwine, who was his sister's son, assigning

iv. 16

The Ecclesiastical History to him a priest called Hiddila, to teach the word and admin ister baptism to all who sought salvation.

I think that I must not pass over in silence the fact that among the first fruits of the island who believed and were saved were two young princes, brothers of Arwald, king of the island, who were specially crowned with God's grace. When the enemy was approaching the island they escaped by flight and crossed over into the neighbouring realm of the Jutes.

They were taken to a place called Ad Lapidem (Stoneham?)* where they thought they could remain concealed from the victorious king; but they were betrayed and condemned to death. On hearing this, Cyneberht,* an abbot and priest whose monastery was not far away at a place called Hreutford, that is, the ford of the reed (Redbridge), came to the king', who was living secretly in those parts while he recovered from the wounds which he had received during the fighting on the Isle of Wight. The abbot asked the king whether, if the boys must needs be killed, they might first be instructed in the mysteries of the Christian faith. The king agreed, so Cyneberht instructed them in the word of truth and baptized them in the fount of salvation and thus made sure of their entry into the eternal kingdom. When the executioner arrived, they gladly submitted to temporal death through which they were assured that they would pass to the eternal life of the soul. In this way after all the kingdoms of Britain had received the faith of Christ, the Isle of Wight received it too, yet because it was suffering under the affliction of alien rule, it had no bishop nor see until the time of Daniel, who is now bishop of the West Saxons.

The Isle of Wight lies opposite the borders of the South Saxons and of the Gewisse, with three miles of sea between, which is called the Solent. In this sea the two ocean tides which break upon Britain from the boundless northern ocean meet daily in conflict beyond the mouth of the river Hamble, which enters the same sea, flowing through those Jutish lands which belong to the kingdom of the Gewisse. When their conflict is over they flow back into the ocean whence they came.

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 17

C H A P T E R 17 ( 15)

A b o u t this time Theodore heard that the faith of the church at Constantinople had been greatly shaken by the heresy of Eutyches.* As he wished to keep the English churches over which he presided free from any such taint, he convened an assembly of venerable bishops and many learned men and carefully inquired of each of them as to their belief. He discovered that they were all united in the catholic faith. So he took care to have this recorded in a synodal book to serve as a guide and a record to their successors. This is the beginning of the synodal book:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, and in the reign of our most religious lords, namely Ecgfrith, king of the Northumbrians, in the tenth year of his reign— 17 September and the eighth indiction*— in the sixth year of the reign of Æthelred, king of the Mercians: in the seventeenth year of the reign of Ealdwulf,* king of the East Angles; and in the seventh year of the reign of Hlothhere, king of Kent; Theodore, by the grace of God archbishop of the island of Britain and of the city of Canterbury presiding; and sitting with him the other reverend bishops of the island of Britain, having the most holy gospels before us in the place which in the Saxon tongue is called Hcethfelth (Hatfield)*; we united in declaring the true and orthodox faith as our Lord Jesus Christ delivered it in the flesh to the disciples who saw Him face to face and heard His words, and as it was handed down in the creed of the holy fathers and by all the holy and universal councils* in general and the whole body of the ac credited fathers of the catholic Church. Following these in all devo tion and orthodoxy, we likewise believe and confess their divinely inspired doctrines and confess the Father and the Son and the Holy

Spirit to be rightly and truly a Trinity consubstantial in Unity and the Unity in Trinity, that is, one God in three substances or consubstantial persons equal in glory and honour.

After much more to this effect concerning the confession of the true faith, the holy synod added this to its synodal book:

We acknowledge the five holy and universal councils of the blessed fathers who were acceptable to God: that is, of the 318 who met at Nicaea to condemn the impious Arius and his teachings; and of the

iv. 17-18 The Ecclesiastical History 150 in Constantinople who condemned the madness of Macedonius and Eudoxius and their teachings; of the 200, in the first council at Ephesus, who condemned the worthless Nestorius and his teachings; and of the 630 in Chalcedon who condemned Eutyches and Nestorius and their teachings; and again the fifth council which met in Constantinople in the time of Justinian the second to condemn

Theodore and the letters of Theodoret and Ibas and their teachings in opposition to Cyril.

And a little further on it reads:

And we acknowledge the council which was held in the city of Rome in the time of the blessed Pope Martin,* in the eighth indiction, in the ninth year of the reign of the most religious Emperor

Constantine. We glorify our Lord Jesus Christ as they glorified Him, adding and subtracting nothing: we anathematize with heart and lips those whom they anathematized and we accept those whom they accepted, glorifying God the Father, who is without beginning, and His only begotten Son, begotten of the Father before all worlds, and the Holy Spirit, ineffably proceeding from the Father and the Son, as proclaimed by all whom we have mentioned above, holy apostles and prophets and doctors. And all we who with Archbishop

Theodore have thus set forth the catholic faith subscribe our names to it.

C H A P T E R 18 ( 16)

A m o n g those who were present at the synod and assented to the decrees of the catholic faith was the esteemed John, pre centor* of the church of the holy apostle Peter and abbot of the monastery of the blessed Martin, who had lately come from Rome at the command of Pope Agatho and under the guidance of the most reverend abbot Biscop,* sumamed

Benedict, who has already been mentioned.* After Benedict had built a monastery in Britain, in honour of the blessed chief of the apostles, near the mouth of the river Wear, he visited Rome as he had often done before, this time with Ceolfrith* his companion and fellow worker, who became abbot of the same monastery after him. Benedict was honour ably received by Pope Agatho of blessed memory, from whom he asked and obtained a letter of privileges confirmed by the

The Ecclesiastical History i v . i 8 apostolic authority, protecting the liberty of the monastery he had founded; for he knew that Ecgfrith, who had given per mission and granted land for the founding of the monastery, desired and approved of this.

Benedict received this Abbot John and brought him to Britain in order that he might teach the monks of his monas tery the mode of chanting throughout the year as it was practised at St Peter's in Rome. Abbot John carried out the pope's instructions and taught the cantors of the monastery the order and manner of singing and reading aloud and also committed to writing all things necessary for the celebration of festal days throughout the whole year; these writings have been preserved to this day in the monastery and copies have now been made by many others elsewhere. Not only did John instruct the brothers in this monastery, but all who had any skill in singing flocked in from almost all the monasteries in the kingdom to hear him, and he had many invitations to teach elsewhere.

In addition to his task of teaching chanting and reading, he had also been commissioned by the pope to inquire carefully into the beliefs of the English church, and report on them on his return to Rome. He had also brought with him the deci sion made by the synod called by the blessed Pope Martin which had recently* been held in Rome and at which 105 bishops were present. It was chiefly directed against those who declared that only one will operated in Christ. He ar ranged for a copy* of the decree to be made in the monastery of the holy Abbot Benedict. Those who held this belief had greatly disturbed the faith of the church at Constantinople at that time, but by the grace of God they were exposed and overwhelmed. Pope Agatho therefore, wishing to know what was the state of the church in England as well as in other kingdoms, and how far it was free from heretical contagion, entrusted the task to the reverend Abbot John who had already been appointed to go to Great Britain. When the synod we have mentioned was called in Britain for this pur pose, it was found, as we have said, that all held the catholic faith untainted and a copy of the proceedings was given to John to take back to Rome.

iv. 18 -1 9 The Ecclesiastical History As he was returning to his own land, not long after he had crossed the Ocean, he was attacked by illness and died.

Because of his great affection for St Martin over whose monastery he presided, his body was taken by his friends to Tours and honourably buried there. He had been hospitably entertained by the church in that place on his way to Britain and had been earnestly asked by the brothers to take that road on his return to Rome and to stay at the same church.

In fact they provided him with men to accompany him on his journey and to assist him in his appointed task. Though he died on the way, nevertheless the testimony of the English to the catholic faith was carried to Rome and most gladly received by the pope and by all those who heard it or read it.

C H A P T E R 19 ( 17)

K in g E c g f r i t h married a wife named Æthelthryth, the daughter of Anna, king of the East Angles, who has often been referred to, a very religious man and noble both in mind and deed. She had previously been married to an ealdorman* of the South Gyrwe, named Tondberht. But he died shortly after the marriage and on his death she was given to King

Ecgfrith. Though she lived with him for twelve years she still preserved the glory of perfect virginity. When I asked Bishop

Wilfrid of blessed memory whether this was true, because certain people doubted it, he told me that he had the most perfect proof of her virginity; in fact Ecgfrith had promised to give him estates and money if he could persuade the queen to consummate their marriage, because he knew that there was none whom she loved more than Wilfrid himself. Nor need we doubt that this which often happened in days gone by, as we learn from trustworthy accounts, could happen in our time too through the help of the Lord, who has promised to be with us even to the end of the age. And the divine miracle whereby her flesh would not corrupt after she was buried was token and proof that she had remained uncorrupted by contact with any man.

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 19

For a long time she had been asking the king to allow her to relinquish the affairs of this world and to serve Christ, the only true King, in a monastery; when at length and with difficulty she gained his permission, she entered the monas tery of the Abbess Æbbe,* Ecgfrith's aunt, which is situated in a place called Coldingham, receiving the veil and habit of a nun from Bishop Wilfrid. A year afterwards she was herself appointed abbess in the district called Ely,* where she built a monastery and became, by the example of her heavenly life and teaching, the virgin mother of many virgins dedicated to God. It is related of her that, from the time she entered the monastery, she would never wear linen but only woollen garments and would seldom take a hot bath except just before the greater feasts, such as Easter, Pentecost, and Epiphany, and then last of all, after the other handmaidens of Christ who were present had washed themselves, assisted by herself and her attendants. She rarely ate more than once a day except at the greater festivals or because of urgent necessity; she always remained in the church at prayer from the time of the office of mattins until dawn, unless prevented by serious illness. There are indeed some who say that, by the spirit of prophecy, she not only foretold the plague that was to be the cause of her death but also openly declared, in the presence of all, the number of those of the monastery who were to be taken from the world by the same pestilence. She was taken to the Lord in the midst of her people, after holding the rank of abbess for seven years. When she died she was buried by her own command in a wooden coffin, in the ranks of the other nuns, as her turn came.

She was succeeded in the office of abbess by her sister Seaxburh, who had been the wife of Eorcenberht, king of Kent. After Æthelthryth had been buried for sixteen years, the abbess decided that her bones should be raised and placed in the church in a new coffin; she therefore ordered some of the brothers to look for some blocks of stone from which to make a coffin for this purpose. So they got into a boat (for the district of Ely is surrounded on all sides by waters and marshes and has no large stones) and came to a small de serted fortress not far away which is called Grantaccestir

iv. 19

The Ecclesiastical History (Grantchester) in English, and near the walls of the fortress they soon found a coffin beautifully made of white marble, with a close-fitting lid of the same stone. Realizing that the Lord had prospered their journey, they brought it back to the monastery.

When the tomb of the sacred virgin and bride of Christ was opened and the body brought to light, it was found to be as uncorrupt as if she had died and been buried that very day.

Bishop Wilfrid and many others who knew about it testify to this; but more certain proof is given by a doctor named

Cynefrith, who was present at her deathbed and at her elev ation from the tomb. He used to relate how, during her illness, she had a very large tumour beneath her jaw. 'I was ordered', he said, 'to cut this tumour so as to drain out the poisonous matter within it. After I had done this she seemed to be easier for about two days and many thought that she would recover from her sickness. But on the third day she was attacked by her former pains and was soon taken from the world, exchanging pain and death for everlasting health and life. When, some years later, her bones were to be taken out of the sepulchre, a tent was erected over it and the whole congregation stood round singing, the brothers on one side and the sisters on the other. The abbess herself had gone inside with a few others, for the purpose of raising and wash ing the bones, when we suddenly heard the abbess cry out from within in a loud voice, " Glory be to the name of the Lord!" Shortly afterwards they called me in, lifting the en trance to the tent; then I saw the body of God's holy virgin raised from the tomb and laid on a bed like one asleep. They drew back the cloth which covered her face and showed me the wound I had made by my incision, now healed, so that instead of the open gaping wound which she had when she was buried, there now appeared, marvellous to relate, only the slightest traces of a scar. Besides this, all the linen clothes in which her body was wrapped appeared as whole and fresh as on the very day when they had been put around her chaste limbs.' It is also related that when she was afflicted with this tumour and by the pain in her neck and jaw, she gladly welcomed this sort of pain and used to say, 'I know well

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 19-20 enough that I deserve to bear the weight of this affliction in my neck, for I remember that when I was a young girl I used to wear an unnecessary weight of necklaces; I believe that God in His goodness would have me endure this pain in my neck in order that I may thus be absolved from the guilt of my needless vanity. So, instead of gold and pearls, a fiery red tumour now stands out upon my neck.' It happened also that, by the touch of the linen clothes, devils were expelled from the bodies of those who were possessed by them, and other diseases were healed from time to time. The coffin also in which she was first buried is said to have healed some who suffered from eye troubles; after they had prayed with their heads resting on the coffin, they were quickly relieved of the pain and dimness of their eyes. So the maidens washed her body, wrapped it in new robes, carried it into the church, and placed it in the sarcophagus which they had brought, where it is held in great veneration to this day. This sarcophagus was found to fit the virgin's body in a wonderful way, as if it had been specially prepared for her; and the place for the head, which was cut out separately, seemed to be exactly shaped to its size.

Ely is a district of about 600 hides in the kingdom of the East Angles and, as has already been said, resembles an island in that it is surrounded by marshes or by water. It derives its name from the large number of eels which are caught in the marshes. This servant of Christ wished to have her monastery here because, as has also been said, she sprang from the race of the East Angles.

C H A P T E R 20 ( 18)

I t seems fitting to insert in this history a hymn on the subject of virginity which I composed many years ago in elegiac metre in honour of this queen and bride of Christ, and therefore truly a queen because the bride of Christ; imitating the method of holy Scripture in which many songs are inserted into the history and, as is well known, these are composed in metre and verse.

The Ecclesiastical History IV. 2 0 All-bounteous Three in One, Lord of all time,

Bless mine emprise, all-bounteous Three in One.

Battle be Maro's* theme, sweet peace be mine; Christ's gifts for me, battle be M aro's theme.

Chaste is my song, not wanton Helen's rape.

Leave lewdness to the lewd! Chaste is my song.

Divine the gifts I tell, not Troy's sad siege; Source of earth's joys, divine the gifts I tell.

Eternal God comes down to Virgin's womb; To set men free eternal God comes down.

From Virgin-mother springs (God's wicket-gate) The Sire of all, from Virgin-mother springs.

Glad the bright virgin-choir to know God bom Of Virgin's womb, glad the bright virgin-choir.

Her glory made it grow, that holy plant; Those virgin flowers, her glory made them grow.

In furnace fierce stood virgin Agatha, Eulalia stands firm in furnace fierce.

Keen lions yield to Th eda's spirit high, T o chaste Euphemia keen lions yield.

Laughs at the sword (of finer temper she) Agnes, and Cecily laughs at the sword.

Many the laurels won by holy hearts O 'er the wide world many the laurels won.

Nor lacks our age its Æ T H E L T H R Y T H as well; Its virgin wonderful nor lacks our age.

O f royal blood she sprang, but nobler far God's service found than pride of royal blood.

Proud is she, queening it on earthly throne; In heaven established far more proud is she.

Queen, wherefore seek a mate, with Christ thy groom?

To Him betrothed, queen, wherefore seek a mate?

Royal Mother of Heaven's King your leader now; You too, maybe, a mother of Heaven's King.

She, pledged to God her spouse, twelve years had reigned, When in the cloister was she pledged to God.

To heaven devoted, there she won new fame, And breathed her last, to heaven devoted there.

Veiled in the tomb sixteen Novembers lay, Nor rots her virgin flesh veiled in the tomb.

X T , Thine the power! even in the sepulchre Her vesture spotless gleams. X T , Thine the power!

Yields to those holy weeds each frightful plague;

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 2 0 -2 2 Disease aghast yields to those holy weeds.

Zeal frenzied tears the foe that conquered Eve; Triumphs the saint, zeal frenzied tears the foe.

Affianced to the Lamb, now famed on earth!

Soon famed in heaven, affianced to the Lamb!

Many thy wedding gifts while torches blaze.

The Bridegroom comes; many thy wedding gifts.

Ever on sweetest harp thou sing'st new songs.

Hymning thy Spouse ever on sweetest harp; N e'er parted from the Lam b's high company,

Whom earthly love ne'er parted from the Lamb.

C H A P T E R 21 ( 19)

I n the ninth year of King Ecgfrith's reign a great battle* was fought between him and Æthelred, king of the Mercians, near the river Trent, and Ælfwine,* brother of King Ecgfrith, was killed, a young man of about eighteen years of age and much beloved in both kingdoms; for King Æthelred had married his sister whose name was Osthryth. Although there was good reason for fiercer fighting and prolonged hostilities between the kings and between these warlike peoples, Archbishop

Theodore, beloved of God, trusting in God's help, com pletely extinguished this great and dangerous fire by his wholesome advice. As a result, peace was restored between the two kings and between their peoples and no further lives were demanded for the death of the king's brother, but only the usual money compensation which was paid to the king to whom the duty of vengeance belonged. So peace was maintained for a long period between these kings and their respective kingdoms.

C H A P T E R 22 (2 0 )

I n this battle in which King Ælfwine was killed, a remarkable incident is known to have happened which in my opinion should certainly not be passed over in silence, since the story may lead to the salvation of many. During the battle one of

iv. 22

The Ecclesiastical History the king's retainers, a young man named Imma* was struck down amongst others; he lay all that day and the following night as though dead, amongst the bodies of the slain, but at last he recovered consciousness, sat up, and bandaged his wounds as best he could; then, having rested for a short time, he rose and set out to find friends to take care of him. But as he was doing so, he was found and captured by men of the enemy army and taken to their lord, who was a gesith of King

Æthelred. On being asked who he was, he was afraid to admit that he was a thegn; but he answered instead that he was a poor peasant and married; and he declared that he had come to the army in company with other peasants to bring food to the soldiers. The gesith took him and had his wounds attended to. But when Imma began to get better, he ordered him to be bound at night to prevent his escape. However, it proved impossible to bind him, for no sooner had those who chained him gone, than his fetters were loosed.

Now he had a brother whose name was Tunna, a priest and abbot of a monastery in a city which is still called Tunnaccestir after him. When Tunna heard that his brother had perished in the fight, he went to see if he could find his body; having found another very like him in all respects, he concluded that it must be his brother's body. So he carried it to the monas tery, buried it with honour, and took care to offer many masses* for the absolution of his soul. It was on account of these celebrations that, as I have said, no one could bind

Imma because his fetters were at once loosed. Meanwhile the gesith who kept him captive grew amazed and asked him why he could not be bound and whether he had about him any loosing spells such as are described in stories. But Imma answered that he knew nothing of such arts. 'However,' said he, 'I have a brother in my country who is a priest and I know he believes me to be dead and offers frequent masses on my behalf; so if I had now been in another world, my soul would have been loosed from its punishment by his intercessions.'

When he had been a prisoner with the gesith for some time, those who watched him closely realized by his appearance, his bearing, and his speech that he was not of common stock as he had said, but of noble family. Then the gesith called him

The Ecclesiastical History rv. 22 aside and asked him very earnestly to declare his origin, promising that no harm should come to him, provided that he told him plainly who he was. The prisoner did so, reveal ing that he had been one of the king's thegns. The gesith answered, 'I realized by every one of your answers that you were not a peasant, and now you ought to die because all my brothers and kinsmen were killed in the battle: but I will not kill you for I do not intend to break my promise.'

As soon as Imma had recovered, the gesith sold him to a Frisian in London;* but he could neither be bound on his way there nor by the Frisian. So after his enemies had put every kind of bond on him and as his new master realized that he could not be bound, he gave him leave to ransom himself if he could. Now the bonds were most frequently loosed from about nine in the morning, the time when masses were usually said. So having sworn that he would either return or send his master the money for his ransom, he went to King Hlothhere of Kent, who was the son of Queen Æthelthryth's sister* already mentioned, because he had once been one of Æthelthryth's thegns; he asked for and received the money from him for his ransom and sent it to his master as he had promised.

He afterwards returned to his own country, where he met his brother and gave him a full account of all his troubles and the comfort that had come to him in those adversities; and from what his brother told him, he realized that his bonds had generally been loosed at the time when masses were being celebrated on his behalf; so he perceived that the other comforts and blessings which he had experienced during his time of danger had been bestowed by heaven, through the intercession of his brother and the offering up of the saving

Victim. Many who heard about this from Imma were inspired to greater faith and devotion, to prayer and almsgiving and to the offering up of sacrifices to God in the holy oblation, for the deliverance of their kinsfolk who had departed from the world; for they realized that the saving sacrifice availed for the everlasting redemption of both body and soul.

This story was told me by some of those who heard it from the very man to whom these things happened; therefore since

The Ecclesiastical History

IV. 2 2 - 2 3

I had so clear an account of the incident, I thought that it should undoubtedly be inserted into this History.

C H A P T E R 23 (2 1 )

I n the following year, that is, the year of our Lord 68o, Hild* who, as previously stated, was abbess at the monastery called

Whitby and a most devoted servant of Christ, departed on 17 November, after having done many heavenly deeds on earth, to receive the rewards of the heavenly life, at the age of sixtysix. Her career falls into two equal parts, for she spent her first thirty-three years very nobly in the secular habit, while she dedicated an equal number of years still more nobly to the Lord, in the monastic life. She was of noble birth, being the daughter of Hereric, King Edwin's nephew. It was in company with Edwin that she received the faith and the mysteries of Christ through the teaching of Paulinus of blessed memory, the first bishop of the Northumbrians, and she preserved that faith inviolate until she was counted worthy to behold Him.

When she had decided to give up the secular habit and serve the Lord alone, she withdrew to the kingdom of the East Angles, for she was a relation of a king of that land. It was her wish, if possible, to cross over to Gaul, leaving her home and all that she had, to live as a stranger for the Lord's sake in the monastery of Chelles,* so that she might the more easily attain to her eternal home in heaven. Her sister

Hereswith,* mother of Ealdwulf, king of the East Angles, was at that time living in the monastery under the discipline of the Rule and awaiting her heavenly crown. Inspired by her sister's example, Hild continued a whole year in the kingdom of the East Angles with the intention of going abroad; but then Bishop Aidan called her home and she received a hide* of land on the north side of the river Wear, where, for another year, she lived the monastic life with a small band of companions.

After this she was made abbess in the monastery called Heruteu (Hartlepool) which had been founded not long before

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 23 by Heiu, a devoted handmaid of Christ, who is said to have been the first woman in the Northumbrian kingdom to take the vows and habit of a nun, having been ordained by Bishop

Aidan. But soon after she founded the monastery, she retired to the town of Calcaria which the English call Kcelcaccestir

(Tadcaster?)* and there she made her dwelling. Hild, the handmaiden of Christ, was appointed to rule the monastery and at once set about establishing there a Rule of life in all respects like that which she had been taught by many learned men; for Bishop Aidan and other devout men who knew her visited her frequently, instructed her assiduously, and loved her heartily for her innate wisdom and her devotion to the service of God.

When she had ruled over the monastery for some years,* wholly occupied in establishing a Rule of life there, it hap pened that she undertook either to found or to set in order a monastery at a place called Streanceshalch (Whitby), a task imposed upon her which she carried out with great industry.

She established the same Rule of life as in the other monas tery, teaching them to observe strictly the virtues of justice, devotion, and chastity and other virtues too, but above all things to continue in peace and charity. After the example of the primitive church, no one was rich, no one was in need, for they had all things in common and none had any private property. So great was her prudence that not only ordinary people but also kings and princes sometimes sought and received her counsel when in difficulties. She compelled those under her direction to devote so much time to the study of the holy Scriptures and so much time to the performance of good works, that there might be no difficulty in finding many there who were fitted for holy orders, that is, for the service of the altar.

We have in fact seen five from this monastery who after wards became bishops, all of them men of singular merit and holiness; their names are Bosa,* Ætla,* Oftfor,* John,* and Wilfrid.* The first, as already related, was consecrated bishop of York: of the second it may be briefly stated that he was consecrated bishop of Dorchester: of the last two it will later be told that John became bishop of Hexham and Wilfrid,

2 1 1

iv. 23

The Ecclesiastical History bishop of York. Of Oftfor it may be said that after he had devoted himself to the reading and observance of the Scriptures in both of Hild's monasteries, being anxious to reach still greater heights, he went to Kent to join Archbishop

Theodore of blessed memory. After he had spent some fur ther time in sacred studies there, he decided to go to Rome too, which in those days was considered to be an act of great merit. After his return to Britain he went to the kingdom of the Hwicce of which Osric was then king; there he re mained for a long time, preaching the word of faith and setting an example of holy life to all who saw and heard him. At that time the bishop of the kingdom, whose name was Bosel,* was greatly troubled by ill-health so that he could not carry out his episcopal duties himself; so Oftfor was appointed bishop in his place with universal approval and was consecrated at Æthelred's command by Bishop Wilfrid of blessed memory, who was at that time acting as bishop of the Middle Angles; for Archbishop Theodore was now dead* and no one had been appointed bishop in his place.

Shortly before Bosel became bishop, a most energetic and learned man of great ability named Tatfrith, who was also from Hild's monastery, had been appointed to the see; but he was carried off before his consecration by an untimely death.

All who knew Hild, the handmaiden of Christ and abbess, used to call her mother because of her outstanding devotion and grace. She was not only an example of holy life to all who were in the monastery but she also provided an opportunity for salvation and repentance to many who lived far away and who heard the happy story of her industry and virtue. This was bound to happen in fulfilment of the dream which her mother Breguswith had during the child's infancy. While her husband Heretic was living in exile under the British king

Cerdic,* where he was poisoned, Breguswith had a dream that he was suddenly taken away, and though she searched most earnestly for him, no trace of him could be found anywhere. But suddenly, in the midst of her search, she found a most precious necklace under her garment and, as she gazed closely at it, it seemed to spread such a blaze of light that it

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 23 filled all Britain with its gracious splendour. This dream was truly fulfilled in her daughter Hild; for her life was an example of the works of light, blessed not only to herself but to many who desired to live uprightly.

After she had presided over the monastery for many years, it pleased the blessed Author of our salvation to subject her holy soul to the trial of a long bodily sickness so that, like the apostle, her strength might be made perfect in weakness. She was attacked by a fever which tortured her with its burning heat, and for six years the sickness afflicted her continually; yet during all this time she never ceased to give thanks to her

Maker and to instruct the flock committed to her charge both in public and private. Taught by her own experience she warned them all, when health of body was granted to them, to serve the Lord dutifully and, when in adversity or sickness, always to return thanks to the Lord faithfully. In the seventh year of her illness she began to suffer internal pain and her last day came. About cockcrow she received the viaticum of the most holy communion and, summoning the handmaidens of Christ who were in the monastery, she urged them to preserve the gospel peace among themselves and towards all others; even while she was still exhorting them, she joyfully saw death approach or rather, to use the words of the Lord, she 'passed from death into life'.

One the same night it pleased Almighty God by a vision to reveal her death in another monastery some distance away called Hackness,* which she had built that very year. In this monastery there was a nun named Begu who for thirty or more years had been dedicated to the Lord in virginity and had served Him in the monastic life. As she was resting in the sisters' dormitory, she suddenly heard in the air the wellknown sound of the bell with which they used to be aroused to their prayers or called together when one of them had been summoned from the world. On opening her eyes she seemed to see the roof of the house rolled back, while a light which poured in from above filled the whole place. As she watched the light intently, she saw the soul of the handmaiden of the Lord being borne to Heaven in the midst of that light, attended and guided by angels. Then awaking and seeing the

iv. 23

The Ecclesiastical History other sisters lying around her, she realized that what she had seen had been revealed to her either in a dream or in a vision.

Greatly afraid, she rose at once and ran to the maiden named Frigyth, who was then presiding over the monastery in place of the abbess. With many tears and lamentations and sighing deeply, she announced that the Abbess Hild, mother of them all, had departed from this world and that she had seen her ascend in the midst of a great light and escorted by angels to the abode of eternal light, to join the company of the citizens of heaven. When Frigyth heard this, she aroused all the sisters, called them to church and ordered them to devote themselves to prayer and psalm-singing on behalf of the soul of their mother. This they did diligently for the rest of the night and, at early dawn, there came brothers from the place where she had died to announce her death. The maid ens answered that they already knew of it and, when they explained in detail how and when they had heard of it, it was found that her death had been revealed to them in a vision at the very hour at which the brothers said that she had died.

By a beautiful harmony of events, it was divinely ordained that while some of them watched her departure from this life, others watched her entrance into the everlasting life of the spirit. Now these two monasteries are nearly thirteen miles apart.

It is also related that, on the same night and in the same monastery in which this servant of God died, her death was seen in a vision by one of the devoted virgins of God, who had been deeply attached to her. She saw Hild's soul ascend to heaven in the company of angels. She related this openly to the servants of Christ who were with her at the very hour it happened and aroused them to pray for her soul, and this before the rest of the congregation knew of her death, for it was only made known to them as soon as they met next morning. This nun was at the time with some other handmaidens of Christ in the remotest part of the monas tery, where the women who had lately entered the monastic life used to spend their time of probation until they were fully instructed and admitted into the fellowship of the community.

2 1 4

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 24

C H A P T E R 24 (22)

I n the monastery of this abbess there was a certain brother who was specially marked out by the grace of God, so that he used to compose godly and religious songs; thus, whatever he learned from the holy Scriptures by means of interpreters, he quickly turned into extremely delightful and moving poetry, in English, which was his own tongue. By his songs the minds of many were often inspired to despise the world and to long for the heavenly life. It is true that after him other

Englishmen attempted to compose religious poems, but none could compare with him. For he did not learn the art of poetry from men nor through a man but he received the gift of song freely by the grace of God. Hence he could never compose any foolish or trivial poem but only those which were concerned with devotion and so were fitting for his devout tongue to utter. He had lived in the secular habit until he was well advanced in years and had never learned any songs. Hence sometimes at a feast, when for the sake of providing entertainment, it had been decided that they should all sing in turn, when he saw the harp approaching him, he would rise up in the middle of the feasting, go out, and return home.

On one such occasion when he did so, he left the place of feasting and went to the cattle byre, as it was his turn to take charge of them that night. In due time he stretched himself out and went to sleep, whereupon he dreamt that someone stood by him, saluted him, and called him by name: 'Caedmon,' he said, 'sing me something.' Caedmon answered, 'I cannot sing; that is why I left the feast and came here because I could not sing.' Once again the speaker said,

'Nevertheless you must sing to me.' 'What must I sing?' said Caedmon. 'Sing', he said, 'about the beginning of created things.' Thereupon Caedmon began to sing verses which he had never heard before in praise of God the Creator, of which this is the general sense: 'Now we must praise* the Maker of the heavenly kingdom, the power of the Creator and his counsel, the deeds of the Father of glory and how He, since he

iv. 24

The Ecclesiastical History is the eternal God, was the Author of all marvels and first created the heavens as a roof for the children of men and then, the almighty Guardian of the human race, created the earth.'

This is the sense but not the order of the words which he sang as he slept. For it is not possible to translate verse, however well composed, literally from one language to another without some loss of beauty and dignity. When he awoke, he remem bered all that he had sung while asleep and soon added more verses in the same manner, praising God in fitting style.

In the morning he went to the reeve who was his master, telling him of the gift he had received, and the reeve took him to the abbess. He was then bidden to describe his dream in the presence of a number of the more learned men and also to recite his song so that they might all examine him and decide upon the nature and origin of the gift of which he spoke; and it seemed clear to all of them that the Lord had granted him heavenly grace. They then read to him a passage of sacred history or doctrine, bidding him make a song out of it, if he could, in metrical form. He undertook the task and went away; on returning next morning he repeated the passage he had been given, which he had put into excellent verse. The abbess, who recognized the grace of God which the man had received, instructed him to renounce his secular habit and to take monastic vows. She and all her people received him into the community of the brothers and ordered that he should be instructed in the whole course of sacred history. He learned all he could by listening to them and then, memorizing it and ruminating over it, like some clean animal chewing the cud, he turned it into the most melodious verse: and it sounded so sweet as he recited it that his teachers became in turn his audience. He sang about the creation of the world, the origin of the human race, and the whole history of Genesis, of the departure of Israel from Egypt and the entry into the promised land and of many other of the stories taken from the sacred Scriptures: of the incarnation, passion, and resur rection of the Lord, of His ascension into heaven, of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the teaching of the apostles. He also made songs about the terrors of future judgement, the horrors of the pains of hell, and the joys of the heavenly

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 24 kingdom. In addition he composed many other songs about the divine mercies and judgements, in all of which he sought to turn his hearers away from delight in sin and arouse in them the love and practice of good works. He was a most religious man, humbly submitting himself to the discipline of the Rule; and he opposed all those who wished to act other wise with a flaming and fervent zeal. It was for this reason that his life had a beautiful ending.

When the hour of his departure drew near he was afflicted, fourteen days before, by bodily weakness, yet so slight that he was able to walk about and talk the whole time. There was close by a building to which they used to take those who were infirm or who seemed to be at the point of death. On the night on which he was to die, as evening fell, he asked his attendant to prepare a place in this building where he could rest. The attendant did as Caedmon said though he wondered why he asked, for he did not seem to be by any means at the point of death. They had settled down in the house and were talking and joking cheerfully with each of those who were already there and it was past midnight, when he asked whether they had the Eucharist in the house. They answered, 'What need have you of the Eucharist? You are not likely to die, since you are talking as cheerfully with us as if you were in perfect health.' 'Nevertheless,' he repeated, 'bring me the Eucharist.'

When he had taken it in his hand he asked if they were all charitably disposed towards him and had no complaint nor any quarrel nor grudge against him. They answered that they were all in charity with him and without the slightest feeling of anger; then they asked him in turn whether he was charitably disposed towards them. He answered at once, 'My sons, I am in charity with all the servants of God.' So, fortifying himself with the heavenly viaticum, he prepared for his entrance into the next life. Thereupon he asked them how near it was to the time when the brothers had to awake to sing their nightly praises to God. They answered, 'It will not be long.' And he answered, 'Good, let us wait until then.' And so, signing himself with the sign of the holy cross, he laid his head on the pillow, fell asleep for a little while, and so ended his life quietly. Thus it came about that, as he had served the Lord

iv. 24-25 The Ecclesiastical History with a simple and pure mind and with quiet devotion, so he departed into His presence and left the world by a quiet death; and his tongue which had uttered so many good words in praise of the Creator also uttered its last words in His praise, as he signed himself with the sign of the cross and commended his spirit into God's hands; and from what has been said, it would seem that he had foreknowledge of his death.

C H A P T E R 25 (2 3 )

A b o u t this time, the monastery of virgins at Coldingham, which has previously been mentioned, was burned down through carelessness. However, all who knew the truth were easily able to judge that it happened because of the wicked ness of those who dwelt there and especially of those who were supposed to be its leaders. But God in His mercy did not fail to give warning of approaching punishment so that they might have been led to amend their ways and, by fasting, tears, and prayers, to have averted the wrath of the just Judge from themselves as did the people of Nineveh.

Now in this monastery there was an Irishman named Adamnan who led a life so devoted to God in austerity and prayer that he never took food or drink except on Sundays and Thursdays and often spent whole nights in vigils and prayers. He had first adopted this strict and austere way of life because of the necessity of atoning for the evil he had committed, but in course of time what he was once compelled to do as a penance became a habit.

In his youth he had been guilty of a certain sin but when he came to his senses he was utterly horrified and feared that he would be punished for it by the righteous Judge. So he went to a priest who, he hoped, could show him the way of sal vation. He confessed his guilt and asked for advice as to how he could flee from the wrath to come. When the priest heard his offence he said, 'A severe wound calls for an even more severe remedy: so give yourself up to fastings, psalmody, and prayer to the utmost of your ability, so that, when you come

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 25 before the presence of the Lord with your confession, you may deserve to find mercy.' But as he was in great grief because of his guilty conscience, and because he longed to get free as quickly as possible from the inward bonds of sin which weighed him down, he said, 'I am still young in years and strong in body; so I can easily endure whatever penance you place upon me, if only I may be saved in the day of the Lord, even though you bid me remain standing in prayer all night or fast for a whole week.' The priest said, 'It is too much to endure a whole week without food:* it is enough to fast for two or three days. Do this until I return to you in a short time, when I will show you more fully what you must do and how long you must persevere in your penance.' So with these words the priest went away, having prescribed the measure of his penance, and for some reason he suddenly went to Ireland, which was his native country, and did not come back again to keep his appointment. The man who remembered his injunction as well as his own promise, gave himself up entirely to penitential tears and holy vigils and austerity. So, as has been said, he ate only on Thursdays and Sundays and re mained fasting all the rest of the week. When he heard that the priest had gone to Ireland and had died there, he ever afterwards, in accordance with his promise, maintained this same standard of austerity; and though he had begun this way of life in the fear of God and in penitence for his guilt, he now continued it unweariedly for the love of God and because he delighted in its rewards.

When he had practised this diligently for a long time he happened to go one day on a journey of some distance from the monastery, accompanied by one of the brothers. On the return journey, as they approached the monastery and beheld its lofty buildings, the man of God burst into tears, while his face betrayed the sorrow of his heart. When his companion saw this, he asked Adamnan the reason and he replied, 'All these buildings which you now see, both communal and private, will shortly be burnt to ashes.' Thereupon the other monk made it his business, as soon as they entered the monastery, to tell Æbbe,* the mother of the congregation.

She was naturally disturbed by this prophecy, summoned

iv. 25

The Ecclesiastical History Adamnan to her, and carefully questioned him about this matter and how he came to know of it. He answered, 'I was recently occupied in vigils and singing psalms when I sud denly saw someone standing by me whom I did not recognize.

I was greatly startled at his presence, but he told me not to be afraid and added in a friendly kind of manner, "You do well to choose to employ the night hours of rest in vigil and prayer instead of indulging in sleep." I answered, " I know that I have great need to employ my time in salutary vigils and in praying earnestly to the Lord to pardon my sins." "You speak truly," he replied, "but many besides yourself need to atone for their sins by good works and, by setting themselves free from worldly occupations, to labour more eagerly to cultivate a desire for their eternal welfare; yet there are very few who do this. I have just visited every part of this monastery in tum: I have examined their cells and their beds, and I have found no one except you concerned with his soul's welfare; but all of them, men and women alike, are sunk in slothful slumbers or else they remain awake for the purposes of sin. And the cells that were built for praying and for reading have become haunts of feasting, drinking, gossip, and other delights; even the virgins who are dedicated to God put aside all respect for their profession and, whenever they have leisure, spend their time weaving elaborate garments with which to adorn them selves as if they were brides, so imperilling their virginity, or else to make friends with strange men. So it is only right that a heavy vengeance from heaven should be preparing for this place and for its inhabitants in the form of raging fire." ' The abbess said, 'Why were you unwilling to reveal these facts to me earlier?' He answered, 'I was afraid to do so out of respect for you, fearing you would be too greatly perturbed; nevertheless you may have this consolation that the calamity will not happen in your time.' When this vision became known, those who lived in the monastery were somewhat afraid for a few days and began to give up their sins and do penance. But after the death of the abbess, they returned to their old defilement and committed even worse crimes; and when they said 'peace and safety', suddenly the predicted punishment and vengeance fell upon them.

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 25-26 It was my revered fellow priest Eadgisl, who then lived in the monastery, who told me of all these happenings. After most of the inhabitants had left Coldingham because it was in ruins, he lived a long time in our monastery and died here. It seemed desirable to include this story in our History so as to warn the reader about the workings of the Lord and how terrible He is in His dealings with the children of men, in order that we should not at any time indulge in fleshly delights nor pay so little heed to the judgement of God that His wrath should come suddenly upon us and He should in His right eous anger afflict us with temporal loss or, it may be, judge us still more sternly and bear us away to everlasting perdition.

C H A P T E R 26 (2 4 )

I n the year of our Lord 684 Ecgfrith, king of Northumbria, sent an army to Ireland* under his ealdorman Berht, who wretchedly devastated a harmless race that had always been most friendly to the English, and his hostile bands spared neither churches nor monasteries. The islanders resisted force by force so far as they were able, imploring the merciful aid of God and invoking His vengeance with unceasing im precations. And although those who curse cannot inherit the kingdom of God, yet one may believe that those who were justly cursed for their wickedness quickly suffered the penalty of their guilt at the avenging hand of God. Indeed the very next year the king rashly took an army to ravage the kingdom of the Piets, against the urgent advice of his friends and particularly of Cuthbert,* of blessed memory, who had re cently been made bishop. The enemy feigned flight and lured the king into some narrow passes in the midst of inaccessible mountains; there he was killed* with the greater part of the forces he had taken with him, on 20 May, in the fortieth year of his age and the fifteenth of his reign. As I have said, his friends urged him not to undertake this campaign; but in the previous year he had refused to listen to the holy father

Egbert, who had urged him not to attack the Irish who had done him no harm; and the punishment for his sin was that he

iv. 26

The Ecclesiastical History would not now listen to those who sought to save him from his own destruction.

From this time the hopes and strength of the English kingdom began to 'ebb and fall away'.* For the Piets recov ered their own land which the English had formerly held, while the Irish who lived in Britain and some part of the British nation recovered their independence, which they have now enjoyed for about forty-six years. Many of the English were either slain by the sword or enslaved or escaped by flight from Pictish territory; among these latter was Trumwine, a reverend man of God who had been made bishop over them and who retired with his companions from the monastery of Abercom, which was in English territory but close to the firth which divides the lands of the English from that of the Piets.

He commended his own people to his friends in such monas teries as he could find and chose his own place of retirement in the monastery, so often mentioned, of the servants and handmaidens of God which is called Whitby. There, with a few of his own people, he lived for many years a life of austerity in the monastery to the benefit of many others besides himself. When he died he was buried in the church of the blessed Apostle Peter, with the honours due to his life and rank. At that time the royal virgin Ælfflæd* presided over the monastery with her mother Eanflæd, both of whom have been mentioned before. But when the bishop came, that devout teacher Ælfflæd found him a very great help in the govern ment of the monastery as well as a comfort in her own life.

Aldfrith* succeeded Ecgfrith on the throne; he was a man most learned in the Scriptures, who was said to be the brother of Ecgfrith and son of King Oswiu. He ably restored the shattered state of the kingdom although within narrower bounds.

On 6 February in this year of our Lord 685 Hlothhere, king of Kent, died after a reign of twelve years, having succeeded his brother Egbert, who had reigned nine years. He was wounded in battle with the South Saxons whom Eadric, son of Egbert, had raised against him. He died while his wounds were being attended to. Eadric ruled for a year and a half after Hlothhere and, when Eadric died, various usurpers or foreign

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 2 6 -2 7 kings* plundered the kingdom for a certain space of time until the rightful king, Wihtred,* son of Egbert, established himself on the throne and freed the nation from foreign invasion by his devotion and zeal.

C H A P T E R 27 (2 5 )

K in g E c g f r i t h , in the year that he died, caused the holy and venerable Cuthbert* to be consecrated bishop of Lindisfame as we have said. Cuthbert had for many years been living a solitary life, in great austerity of mind and body, on a small island called Fame which is in the Ocean, about nine miles away from the church of Lindisfame. From his earliest years he had always longed for life under a Rule, and it was as a young man that he assumed both the name and the habit of a monk. He first of all entered the monastery of Melrose which is on the banks of the Tweed and was then ruled over by the Abbot Eata, the gentlest and simplest of men who, as has already been mentioned, was afterwards made bishop of Hexham or rather of Lindisfame. The prior at that time was Boisil, a priest of great virtue and endowed with a spirit of prophecy. Cuthbert humbly submitted himself to Boisil's instruction and received from him a knowledge of the Scriptures and the example of a life of good works.

After Boisil died, Cuthbert was made prior of the monas tery and trained many in life under a Rule, both in his ca pacity as teacher and by his own example. Not only did he teach those in the monastery how to live under the Rule and show them an example of it at the same time, but he also sought to convert the neighbouring people far and wide from a life of foolish customs to a love of heavenly joys. For many of them profaned the creed they held by wicked deeds and some of them too, in times of plague, would forget the sacred mysteries of the faith into which they had been initiated and take to the false remedies of idolatry, as though they could ward off a blow inflicted by God the Creator by means of incantations or amulets or any other mysteries of devilish art.

So he frequently went forth from the monastery to correct the

iv. 27

The Ecclesiastical History errors of those who sinned in both these ways, sometimes on horseback but more often on foot; he came to the neighbour ing villages and preached the way of truth to those who had gone astray, just as Boisil had been accustomed to do in his time. Now it was the custom amongst the English people at that time, when a clerk or a priest came to a village, for all to gather at his command to hear the Word, gladly listening to what was said and still more gladly carrying out in their lives whatever they heard and could understand. So great was

Cuthbert's eloquence, so keen his desire to drive home what he had begun to teach, so bright the light of his angelic countenance, that none of those present would presume to hide from him the secrets of their hearts, but they all made open confession of their sins because they realized that these things could certainly never be hidden from him; and they cleansed themselves from the sins they had confessed by fruits worthy of repentance, as he bade them do. Now he used especially to make for those places and preach in those villages that were far away on steep and rugged mountains, which others dreaded to visit and whose poverty and ignor ance kept other teachers away. Giving himself up gladly to this devoted labour, he attended to their instruction with such industry that he would leave the monastery and often not return home for a whole week, sometimes even for two or three weeks and even occasionally for a whole month; but he would linger among the hill folk, calling the peasants to heavenly things both by the words he said and by his virtuous deeds.

So when the venerable servant of the Lord had passed many years in the monastery at Melrose and had dis tinguished himself by great tokens of his spiritual powers, the worthy Abbot Eata transferred him to the island of Lindisfame so that there also, by his authority as prior, he might teach the brothers how to keep the discipline of the Rule and illustrate it by his own behaviour; for the reverend father Eata ruled this place also as abbot at the time. In fact in this monastery, even from ancient times, the bishop had been accustomed to live with his clergy and the abbot to live with the monks, who none the less belonged to the bishop's house

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 27-28 hold, because Aidan who was die first bishop of this place came as a monk and established monastic life there. This also, still earlier, the blessed Father Augustine is known to have done in Kent, when the most reverend Pope Gregory wrote to him as has been related above: 'You, my brother, being conversant with monastic rules, ought not to live apart from your clergy in the English Church, which, by the guidance of God, has lately been converted to the faith; but you ought to institute that manner of life which our fathers followed in the earliest beginning of the Church: none of them said that anything he possessed was his own but they had all things in common.'

C H A P T E R 28 (2 6 )

L a t e r on, as Cuthbert grew in merit and in the intensity of his devotion, as has been said before, he attained also to the silence and secrecy of the hermit's life of contemplation. But since I wrote some years ago at length about his life and virtues, both in heroic verse and also in prose, it is enough here merely to mention that when he was about to go to the island, he made this declaration to his brothers: 'If by divine grace it is permitted to me to be able to support myself in this place by the work of my hands, I will gladly stay there; but if matters turn out otherwise, I intend, God willing, to return to you forthwith.' Now this place was utterly lacking in water, com and trees; and as it was frequented by evil spirits, it was ill suited for human habitation; but it became in all respects habitable as the man of God wished, since at his coming the evil spirits departed. Having driven out the foe, with the help of the brothers he built a small dwelling-place surrounded by a rampart which contained the necessary buildings, namely an oratory and a living-room for common use. He asked the brothers to dig a well in the floor of the living-room, though as the ground was hard and rocky, there seemed to be no hope whatever of a spring. They did so relying upon the faith and prayers of the servant of God, and the next day it was found to be full of water, so that to this day it provides an abundance

The Ecclesiastical History IV. 2 8 of its heavenly bounty to all who come there. He also asked for agricultural implements to be brought as well as wheat, and when he had prepared the ground he sowed it at the proper time. But by summer not a single blade, not to men tion ears, had sprouted from it. So when the brothers were making their accustomed visit, he ordered them to bring barley to see if perhaps the nature of the soil or the will of the heavenly Giver demanded rather that a crop of this kind should grow there. Though the barley was brought long after the proper time of sowing, he put it in the same ground, when there seemed no hope of any harvest, yet an abundant crop quickly appeared, providing the man of God with the means of supporting himself by his own labour.

He served God in solitude for many years on this island and so high was the rampart that surrounded his dwelling that he could see nothing else but the heavens which he longed to enter. It happened that a synod of no small size was gathered together in the presence of King Ecgfrith near the river Ain in a place called Adtuifyrdi* (which means 'at the two fords') over which Archbishop Theodore of blessed memory pre sided, and there Cuthbert was elected to the bishopric of the church of Lindisfame by the unanimous consent of all. But he could by no means be dragged from his monastery, though many messengers and letters were sent to him. Finally the king himself sailed to the island together with the holy Bishop

Trum wine, as well as many other religious and powerful men.

Many of the brothers from the island of Lindisfame came too for the same purpose. They all knelt down and adjured him in the name of the Lord, with tears and prayers, until at last they drew him, also in tears, from his sweet retirement and dragged him to the synod. When he arrived there, he was reluctantly overcome by their unanimous desire and com pelled to submit his neck to the yoke of the bishopric. But he was chiefly prevailed upon by the words of Boisil the servant of God, who with prophetic insight had foretold all that was to happen to him and had predicted that he would become a bishop. His consecration, however, was not arranged immedi ately but only after winter, which was then just beginning. It took place at York, at the Easter festival, in the presence of

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 2 8 -2 9 King Ecgffith; seven bishops attended the consecration, among whom Theodore of blessed memory held precedence.

Cuthbert was first of all elected to the bishopric of the church at Hexham in the place of Tunberht, who had been deposed from the episcopate; but because Cuthbert preferred to rule over the church of Lindisfame in which he had lived, it was arranged that Eata should return to the church at Hexham to which he had originally been consecrated and Cuthbert was to undertake the government of the church at Lindisfame.

After Cuthbert had been consecrated bishop, his works of virtue, like those of the apostles, became an ornament to his episcopal rank. He protected the people who had been com mitted to his charge with his constant prayers and summoned them to heavenly things by his most wholesome admonitions.

He taught them what should be done but first showed them how to do it by his own example, as it is most helpful for a teacher to do. He was before all things fired with divine love, sober-minded and patient, diligent and urgent in devotion and prayer, and friendly to all who came to him for comfort.

He held that to give the weak brethren help and advice was a fit substitute for prayer, for he knew that He who said, 'Thou shaft love the Lord thy God', also said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour'. He was outstanding in his use of penitential absti nence and, through the grace of contrition, he was always intent on heavenly things. For example, when he offered up the saving Victim as a sacrifice to God, he offered his prayer to the Lord not by raising his voice but by shedding tears which sprang from the depths of his heart.

C H A P T E R 29 (2 7 )

A f t e r he had spent two years in the bishopric, he returned to his island monastery, for he had been warned by a divine oracle that the day of his death was approaching or rather the day of his entrance into that life which alone can be called life.

This he made known to certain people with his usual candour but in obscure language which they only clearly understood at a later time; to others, however, he revealed it openly.

iv. 29

The Ecclesiastical History Now there was a priest of holy life named Herbert,* who had long been bound to Cuthbert, the man of God, by the bonds of spiritual friendship. He had been living a solitary life in an island of that large mere from which spring the sources of the river Derwent.* He used to come to Cuthbert every year and listen to his teaching concerning everlasting sal vation. When he heard that Cuthbert was visiting the city of Lugubalia (Carlisle), he went there according to his custom, hoping to be inspired more and more to heavenly desires by his helpful advice.* While they were refreshing each other with draughts of heavenly living waters, Cuthbert said,

'Brother Herbert, remember to ask me now whatever you need to know and to discuss with me, because after we have parted we shall never again see each other in this world with the eyes of the flesh. For I am certain that the time of my departure and of laying aside my earthly tabernacle is at hand.' When Herbert heard this, he fell at his feet and with sighs and tears he said, 'I beseech you by the Lord not to desert me but to remember your most faithful companion and ask the merciful Lord that, as we served Him together on earth, we may journey together to the skies to behold His grace in heaven. For you know that I have always sought to live in accordance with your spoken commands and whatever

I have done amiss through ignorance and weakness, I have taken equal care to amend at once according to your judge ment and will.' The bishop gave himself up to prayer and forthwith, having learned in spirit that he had gained what he sought from the Lord, he said, 'Rise up, brother, and do not weep but be very glad because the Lord in His mercy has granted what we asked of Him.'

The issue of events confirmed the truth of the prophecy for, after they had separated, they did not see each other in the flesh but their spirits left their bodies on one and the same day, namely 20 March; together they beheld the beatific vision and together they were borne to the heavenly kingdom by ministering spirits. But Herbert was first wasted by a long illness, as we may well believe, by the decree of the divine grace, so that if in any way he had less merit than the blessed

Cuthbert, the punishment and pain of a long illness might make up for it; and being made equal in grace to his inter-

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 2 9 -3 0 cessor, he might be counted worthy to depart from the body with him at one and the same hour, and also to be received into one and the same dwelling of perpetual bliss.

The most reverend father died on the island of Fame, having urgently prayed his brothers that he might be buried in the place where he had fought for the Lord for no small space of time. At length, however, he yielded to their entreaties and consented to be carried back to the island of Lindisfame and buried in the church there. After this was done the reverend

Bishop Wilfrid* held the bishopric at that church for a year until the consecration of Cuthbert's successor.

Afterwards Eadberht* was consecrated, a man renowned as well for his knowledge of the divine Scriptures as for his observance of the heavenly commands, especially in alms giving: in accordance with the law he gave to the poor every year a tenth part, not only of his beasts but also of his com and fruit and his garments as well.

C H A P T E R 30

B u t the divine providence wished to show still further in what glory Saint Cuthbert lived after his death, whose sub lime life had been attested before his death by frequent signs and miracles; so He put it into the heart of the brothers, eleven years after his burial, to take his bones—which they expected to find quite dry, the rest of the body, as is usual with the dead, having decayed away and turned to dust— and to put them in a new coffin in the same place, but above the floor, so that they might be worthily venerated. When they reported their decision to Eadberht their bishop, he con sented to their plan and ordered them to carry it out on the anniversary of his burial. They did so and, opening the grave, they found the body intact* and whole as if it were still alive, the joints of the limbs flexible and much more like a sleeping than a dead man. Moreover all his garments in which his limbs had been clothed were not only undefiled but seemed to be perfectly new and wonderfully bright. When the brothers saw this, they were struck with great fear and hastened to tell the bishop what they had found. He happened to be alone in

iv. 30-31 77ze Ecclesiastical History a place remote from the church, surrounded on every side by the sea at flood-tide. Here he always used to spend the season of Lent as well as the forty days before the Lord's birthday, in deep devotion, with abstinence, prayers, and tears. In this place his venerable predecessor Cuthbert fought for a while for the Lord in solitude before he went to Fame Island.

So they brought him part of the clothes which had wrapped the holy body. He joyfully received these gifts and gladly listened to the story of the miracle, kissing the garments with great affection as though they were still wrapped round the father's body, and he said, 'Put fresh garments around the body instead of those you have brought and replace it thus in the coffin* which you have prepared. I know most assuredly that the place which has been consecrated by so great a miracle of heavenly grace will not long remain empty. And greatly blessed is he to whom the Lord, the Author and Giver of all blessings, shall deign to grant the right to rest therein.'

When the bishop had finished saying these words with many tears and great emotion and trembling voice, the brothers did as he commanded; they wrapped the body in a new garment, put it in a new coffin and placed it on the floor of the sanctuary.

Very soon Bishop Eadberht, beloved of God, was attacked by a dire disease and the violence of the illness increased from day to day. Not long afterwards, that is on 6 May, he too went to be with the Lord. His body was placed in the sepulchre of the blessed Father Cuthbert and they put over it the coffin in which they had laid the incorrupt limbs of the father. It is related that miracles of healing often happened in this place, bearing testimony to the merits of them both. Some of these

I have recorded in my book about his life; but I have judged it convenient to add to this book some which I have recendy chanced to hear.

C H A P T E R 3 1 * (2 9 )

T here was in the same monastery a brother named Baduthegn, who is still alive and who for a long time had

The Ecclesiastical History iv. 31 acted as guest-master. It is the testimony of all the brothers and the guests who visited there that he was a man of great piety and devotion, who carried out his appointed duties solely for the sake of his heavenly reward. One day, after he had been down to the sea, washing the blankets and coverings which were used in the guest-house, he was seized on the way back with a sudden pain so that he fell to the ground and lay there prone for a long time, only rising again with difficulty.

As he rose, he felt that one side of his body was afflicted with paralysis from head to foot and it was only with a great effort that he reached home, leaning on a stick. The disease gradu ally increased and, by nightfall, it had become still worse, so that on the next day he could scarcely rise or walk by himself.

In his affliction he conceived the wise plan of going to the church as best he could, making his way to the tomb of the reverend Father Cuthbert; there, on bended knees, he in tended humbly to beseech the mercy of the Lord so that he might either be delivered from his disease, if this were good for him, or if the divine grace decreed that he must endure so great an affliction still longer, that he might bear the pain that was laid upon him with patience and a quiet mind. He did as he had planned and, supporting his weak limbs with a staff, he entered the church and prostrated himself before the body of the man of God, praying with devout fervour that the Lord, through Cuthbert's intercession, would be propitious to him.

While he was praying he seemed to fall into a deep sleep and, as he afterwards used to relate, he felt a great broad hand touch his head where the pain lay; the touch also passed over all that part of his body which had been afflicted by the disease, right down to his feet; slowly the pain fled and health was restored. After this he quickly awoke and rose up com pletely cured. He gave thanks to God for his recovery and told his brothers what had happened to him; to the joy of them all he returned to the office which he had been accustomed to fulfil so faithfully, yet still more purified and chastened as though by a scourge. The garments too, which had covered the dedicated body of Cuthbert while he was alive and after his death, did not lack the grace of healing, as anyone who reads may find in the book of his life and miracles.

IV. 3 2 The Ecclesiastical History

C H A P T E R 32 (3 0 )

N o r must I pass over in silence a cure which took place three years ago through his relics and was told me recently by the very brother to whom it happened. It occurred in a monastery built near the river Dacre* from which it received its name, over which the religious man Swithberht then ruled as abbot.

In it there was a certain young man whose eyelid was dis figured by an unsightly tumour, which grew daily larger until it threatened the loss of the eye. Though the doctors sought to reduce it by applying fomentations and ointments, they could do nothing. Some thought it should be cut away, while others opposed this course for fear of doing greater harm. The brother had been suffering from this affliction for a long time, and no human aid could cure it; the trouble increased daily and the loss of his eye was imminent, when it happened that he was suddenly healed, thanks to the mercy of the Lord, by the relics of the holy father Cuthbert. When the brothers had found his body uncorrupt after being buried many years, they had taken part of the hair either to give as relics to their friends who asked for them or to show as a proof of the miracle.

One of the priests of the monastery named Thrythred who is now abbot there, had at that time a small part of these relics in his possession. As he entered the church one day and was opening the casket of relics to give part of them to a friend who had asked for some, the young man with the diseased eye happened to be within. The priest gave his friend as much as he wanted and then handed over the rest to the youth to put back in the casket. The latter received the hairs of the holy head and, moved by a timely impulse, applied them to his diseased eyelid, trying for some time to reduce and soften the swelling by their application. Having done this, he replaced the relics in the casket as he had been bidden, believing that his eye would soon be healed by the hair of the man of God which had touched it. Nor was his faith in vain. It was then, as he used to relate, about eight in the morning. After being occupied in mind and body with the duties of the day, he

The Ecclesiastical History IV. 3 2 suddenly touched his eye about midday and found that the eyelid was as sound as if there had never been any deformity or tumour on it.

E N D O F T H E F O U R T H B O O K

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