The Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical history of England / [translated by J. Stevens] Also the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. With illustrative notes, a map of Anglo-Saxon England and a general index. Edited by J.A. Giles.

  • Bede, the Venerable, Saint, 673-735.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical history of England / [translated by J. Stevens] Also the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. With illustrative notes, a map of Anglo-Saxon England and a general index. Edited by J.A. Giles. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of truth which was promised to us by the Father. Hallelu- jah!’ And when he came to that word, ‘do not forsake ms,’ he burst into tears, and wept much, and an hour after he began to repeat what he had commenced, and we, hearing it, mourned with liim. By turns we read, and by turns we wept, nay, we wept always wliilst we read. In such joy we passed the days of Lent, till the aforesaid day ; and he re- joiced much, and gave God thanks, because he had been thought worthy to be so weakened. He often repeated, ‘ That God scourgeth every son whom he receiveth ;’ and much more out of Holy Scripture; as abo this sentence from St. Ambrose, ‘ I have not lived so as to be ashamed to live among you; nor do I fear to die, because we have a gracious God.’ During these days he laboured to compose two works well worthy to be remembered, besides the lessons we had from him, and singing of Psalms ; viz. he translated the Gospel of St. John as far as the words : ‘ But what are these among so many,’ etc. [St. John, vi. 9.] into our own tongue, for the benefit of the church ; and some collections out of the Book of Notes of bishop Isidorus, saying : ‘ I mil not have my pupils read a falsehood, nor labour therein without profit after my death.’ When the Tuesday before the ascension of our Lord came, he began to suifer still more in his breath, and a small swelling appeared in his feet ; but he passed all that day and dictated cheerfullj’^, and now and then among other things, said, ‘ Go on quickly, I know not how long I shall hold out, and whether my iMaker will not soon take me away.’ But to us he seemed very well to know the time of his departure ; and so he spent the night, awake, in thanks- giving ; and when the morning appeared, that is, Wednesday, he ordered us to write witli all speed what he had begun ; and this done, we walked till the third hour with the rehca of saints, according to the custom of that day. There was one of us with him, who said to him, ‘ Most dear master, there is still one chapter wanting : do you think it trouble- some to be i\sked any more questions ?’ He answered, ‘ It is no trouble. Take your pen, and make ready, and write fast.’ Wliicli he did, but at the ninth hour he said to me, ‘ I have some little articles of value in my chest, such as pepper, nap- kins, and incense : run (juickly, and bring the priests of our monastery to me, that I may distribute among them the gifts