CHAPTER 1
Bede: Lives of the Abbots of
Wearmouth and Jarrow
Here begins the book of the lives of the holy abbots Benedict, Ceolfrith, Eosterwine, Sigfrith and Hwaetberht
CHAPTER 1
BENEDICT BISCOP, a devout follower of Christ, inspired by grace from on high, founded a monastery in honour of the most blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, on the north bank of the Wear, towards the mouth of the river, with the help of the venerable and holy King Egfrid who donated the land for it. For sixteen years, despite the heavy toll exacted by his many illnesses and the burden of all his travels, Benedict ruled over it with the same care and conscientiousness he had given to its construction. To quote the words of the blessed Pope Gregory when he says, in praise of an abbout of the same name, that ‘He was a man of venerable life, rightly called Benedict since so much blessed by God. Even as a boy he had the outlook of an old man, his behaviour belying his age, and never gave himself to sensual pleasure.’1 He came of noble Angle lineage and his mind – no less noble than his birth – was constantly fixed on the life of Heaven. He was about twenty-five and one of King Oswiu’s thanes when the king gave him possession of the amount of land due to his rank; but he put behind him the things that perish so that he might gain those that last forever, despising earthly warfare with its corruptible rewards so that he might fight for the true king and win his crown in the heavenly city.2 He left country, home and family for the sake of Christ and the gospel so that he might receive a hundredfold in return and gain eternal life.3 He rejected the bond of earthly marriage so that in the kingdom of Heaven he might follow the Lamb of spotless virginity.1 He refused to bring forth children in the flesh, being predestined by Christ to raise up for Him sons nurtured in spiritual doctrine who would live forever in the world to come.