Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Bede©s Ecclesiastical History of England Author(s): Bede, St. ("The Venerable," c. 673-735) (Translator) Publisher: Description: The Ecclesiastical History of England examines the religious and political history of the Anglo-Saxons from the fifth century to 731 AD. St. Bede©s historical survey opens with a broad outline of Roman Britain©s geography and history. St. Bede pays special attention to the disagreement between Roman and Celtic Christians, the dates and locations of significant events in the Christian calendar, and political upheaval during the 600©s. St. Bede collected information from a variety of monasteries, early Church and government writings, and the oral histories of Rome and Britain. This book is useful to people looking for a brief survey of religious and political fig- ures and events in Anglo-Saxon history. Readers should re- cognize that St. Bede©s religious and political biases are subtly reflected in his historiography, diminishing its objectiv- ity. Nonetheless, his Ecclesiastical History of England is one of the most important texts of the Anglo-Saxon history. The book©s historical import is evidenced by the fact that nearly 200 hand written copies were produced in the Middle Ages. St. Bede©s text has since been translated into several different languages. Emmalon Davis CCEL Staff Writer Subjects: Christianity History By Region or Country i Contents Title Page 1 Preface 2 Introduction 3 Life of Bede 11 The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation 18 Book I 18 I. Of the Situation of Britain and Ireland, and of their ancient inhabitants 19 II. How Caius Julius Caesar was the first Roman that came into Britain. [54 22 BCE] III. How Claudius, the second of the Romans who came into Britain, brought 23 the islands Orcades IV. How Lucius, king of Britain, writing to Pope Eleutherus, desired to be made 24 a Christian. V. How the Emperor Severus divided from the rest by a rampart that part of 25 Britain which had been recovered. VI. Of the reign of Diocletian, and how he persecuted the Christians. [286 AD] 26 VIII. How, when the persecution ceased, the Church in Britain enjoyed peace 27 till the time of the IX. How during the reign of Gratian, Maximus, being created Emperor in Britain, 28 returned into Gaul with a mighty army. [377 AD] X. How, in the reign of Arcadius, Pelagius, a Briton, insolently impugned the 29 Grace of God. [395 AD] XI. How during the reign of Honorius, Gratian and Constantine were created 30 tyrants in Britain; and soon after the former was slain in Britain, and the latter in Gaul. [407 A.D.] XII. How the Britons, being ravaged by the Scots and Picts, sought succour from 31 the Romans, ii XIII. How in the reign of Theodosius the younger, in whose time Palladius was 33 sent to the Scots that believed in Christ, the Britons begging assistance of Aetius, the consul, could not obtain it. [446 A.D.] XIV. How the Britons, compelled by the great famine, drove the barbarians out 34 of their territories XV. How the Angles, being invited into Britain, at first drove off the enemy; 35 but not long after, making a league with them, turned their weapons against their allies. XVI. How the Britons obtained their first victory over the Angles, under the 37 command of XVII. How Germanus the Bishop, sailing into Britain with Lupus, first quelled 38 the tempest of the XVIII. How the same holy man gave sight to the blind daughter of a tribune, 40 and then coming to St. Alban, there received of his relics, and left other relics of the blessed Apostles and other martyrs. [429 A.D.] XIX. How the same holy man, being detained there by sickness, by his prayers 41 quenched a fire [429 A.D.] XX. How the same Bishops brought help from Heaven to the Britons in a battle, 42 and then returned home. XXI. How, when the Pelagian heresy began to spring up afresh, Germanus, 44 returning to Britain XXII. How the Britons, being for a time at rest from foreign invasions, wore 46 themselves out by civil XXIII. How the holy Pope Gregory sent Augustine, with other monks, to preach 47 to the English XXIV. How he wrote to the bishop of Arles to entertain them. [596 A.D.] 48 XXV. How Augustine, coming into Britain, first preached in the Isle of Thanet 49 to the King of Kent, and having obtained licence from him, went into Kent, in order to preach therein. [597 A. D.] XXVI. How St. Augustine in Kent followed the doctrine and manner of life of 51 the primitive Church, XXVII. How St. Augustine, being made a bishop, sent to acquaint Pope Gregory 52 with what had XXVIII. How Pope Gregory wrote to the bishop of Aries to help Augustine in 61 the work of God. [601 A.D.] iii XXIX. How the same Pope sent to Augustine the Pall and a letter, along with 62 several ministers of the Word. [601 A.D.] XXX. A copy of the letter which Pope Gregory sent to the Abbot Mellitus, then 64 going into Britain. [601 A.D.] XXXI. How Pope Gregory, by letter, exhorted Augustine not to glory in his 65 miracles. [601 A.D.] XXXII. How Pope Gregory sent letters and gifts to King Ethelbert. [601 A.D.] 66 XXXIII. How Augustine repaired the church of our Saviour, and built the 68 monastery of the blessed XXXIV. How Ethelfrid, king of the Northumbrians, having vanquished the 69 nations of the Scots, Book II 70 I. Of the death of the blessed Pope Gregory. [604 A.D.] 71 II. How Augustine admonished the bishops of the Britons on behalf of Catholic 76 peace, and to that end wrought a heavenly miracle in their presence; and of the vengeance that pursued them for their contempt. [Circ. 603 A.D.] III. How St. Augustine made Mellitus and Justus bishops; and of his death. [604 79 A.D.] IV. How Laurentius and his bishops admonished the Scots to observe the unity 80 of the Holy Church, particularly in keeping of Easter, and how Mellitus went to Rome. V. How, after the death of the kings Ethelbert and Sabert, their successors 82 restored idolatry; for which reason, both Mellitus and Justus departed out of Britain. [616 A.D.] VI. How Laurentius, being reproved by the Apostle Peter, converted King 84 Eadbald to Christ; and how the king soon recalled Mellitus and Justus to preach the Word. [617-618A.D.] VII. How Bishop Mellitus by prayer quenched afire in his city. [619 AD.] 85 VIII. How Pope Boniface sent the Pall and a letter to Justus, successor to Mellitus 86 IX. Of the reign of King Edwin, and how Paulinus, coming to preach the Gospel, 88 first converted his daughter and others to the mysteries of the faith of Christ. [625-626 A.D.] X. How Pope Boniface, by letter, exhorted the same king to embrace the faith. 90 [Circ. 625 A.D.] XI . How Pope Boniface advised the king's consort to use her best endeavours 93 for his salvation iv XII. How Edwin was persuaded to believe by a vision which he had once seen 95 when he was in exile. [Circ. 616 A.D.] XIII. Of the Council he held with his chief men concerning their reception of 98 the faith of Christ, and how the high priest profaned his own altars. [627 A.D.] XIV. How King Edwin and his nation became Christians; and where Paulinus 100 baptized them XV. How the province of the East Angles received the faith of Christ. [627-628 102 A.D.] XVI. How Paulinus preached in the province of Lindsey; and of the character 103 of the reign of Edwin. [Circ. 628 A.D.] XVII. How Edwin received letters of exhortation from Pope Honorius, who 104 also sent the pall to Paulinus. [634 A.D.] XVIII. How Honorius, who succeeded Justus in the bishopric of Canterbury, 105 received the pall and letters from Pope Honorius. [634 A.D.] XIX. How the aforesaid Honorius first, and afterwards John, wrote letters to 107 the nation of the Scots, concerning the observance of Easter, and the Pelagian heresy. [640 A.D.] XX. How Edwin being slain, Paulinus returned into Kent, and had the bishopric 109 of Rochester conferred upon him. [633 A.D.] Book III 111 I. How King Edwin’s next successors lost both the faith of their nation and the 112 kingdom; but the most Christian King Oswald retrieved both. [633 A.D.] II. How, among innumerable other miracles of healing wrought by the wood 113 of the cross, which King Oswald, being ready to engage against the barbarians, erected, a certain man had his injured arm healed. [634 A.D.] III. How the same King Oswald, asking a bishop of the Scottish nation, had 115 Aidan sent him, and granted him an episcopal see in the Isle of Lindisfarne. [635A.D.] IV. When the nation of the Picts received the faith of Christ. [565 A.D.] 117 V. Of the life of Bishop Aidan. [635 A.D.] 119 VI. Of King Oswald’s wonderful piety and religion. [635-642 A.D.] 121 VII. How the West Saxons received the Word of God by the preaching of Birinus; 122 and of his successors, Agilbert and Leutherius. [635-670 A. D.] VIII. How Earconbert, King of Kent, ordered the idols to be destroyed, and of 124 his daughter Earcongota, and his kinswoman Ethelberg, virgins consecrated to God. [640 A.D.] v IX.