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.

    28/570
    the south porch of the church. After being removed to a more honourable situation within the church, they were stolen from the monastery by Elfred a priest of Durham, who used for some years previously to offer up his prayers at Bede’s tomb, on the anniversary of his death. “ On one of these occasions,” says Simeon of Durham, “he went to Jarrow as usual, and having spent some days in the church in solitude, praying and watching, he returned in the early morning alone to Durham, without the know- ledge of his companions—a thing wlaich he had never done before—as though he -wished to have no witness to his secret Now, although he lived many years afterwards, yet he never again visited Jarrow, and it appeared as if he had achieved the object of his desires. When, also, he was asked by his most intimate friends, ‘ Where Avere the bones of venerable Bede?’ he w'ould reply, ‘No one can answer that question so well as I. You may be assured, my bretliren, beyond all doubt, that the same chest -w^hich holds the hallowed body of our father Cuthbert, also contains the bones of Bede, our reverend teacher and brother. It is useless to search be- yond that little corner for any portion of his relics.’ ” By tliis artifice the cathedral of Durham obtained posses- sion of a valuable source of revenue in the offerings which were sure to be made at the tomb of so venerable a man. The theft Avas kept secret by the brethren until all who could have reclaimed the body were dead, and so Bede’s bones remained until a.d. 1104, AA'hen St. Cuthbert’s relics Avere removed, and those of Bede Avere placed alone in a linen bag in the same chest. Fifty years afterwards Hugh Pudsey, bishop of Durham, erected a shrine of gold and sihmr, adorned Avith jeAvels, in Avhich he enclosed the relics of venerable Bede, Avith an inscription ])Iaced on it, AA’hich may be translated thus ; Within tliis clicst Bcde’a mortal body lies. In the reign of Henry VIII this beautiful shrine was demolished, and the saintly relics AA'cre treated AA'ith every indignity by the insane and ignorant mob. Tlie only me- morial noAV remaining in Durham cathedral of its haAnng once been the resting-place of Bede’s remains, is a long