How Bishop
Theodore
made peace between the kings Egfrid and
Ethelred.
Ethelred.
bede
How a light from Heaven stood all night over his relics, and
how those possessed with devils were healed by them. [679-697 A. D. ]
Chap. XII. How a little boy was cured of a fever at his tomb.
Chap. XIII. How a certain person in Ireland was restored, when at the
point of death, by his relics.
Chap. XIV. How on the death of Paulinus, Ithamar was made bishop of
Rochester in his stead; and of the wonderful humility of King Oswin,
who was cruelly slain by Oswy. [644-651 A. D. ]
Chap. XV. How Bishop Aidan foretold to certain seamen that a storm
would arise, and gave them some holy oil to calm it. [Between 642 and
645 A. D. ]
Chap. XVI. How the same Aidan, by his prayers, saved the royal city
when it was fired by the enemy [Before 651 A. D. ]
Chap. XVII. How a prop of the church on which Bishop Aidan was leaning
when he died, could not be consumed when the rest of the Church was on
fire; and concerning his inward life. [651 A. D. ]
Chap. XVIII. Of the life and death of the religious King Sigbert.
[_Circ. _ 631 A. D. ]
Chap. XIX. How Fursa built a monastery among the East Angles, and of
his visions and sanctity, to which, his flesh remaining uncorrupted
after death bore testimony. [_Circ. _ 633 A. D. ]
Chap. XX. How, when Honorius died, Deusdedit became Archbishop of
Canterbury; and of those who were at that time bishops of the East
Angles, and of the church of Rochester. [653 A. D. ]
Chap. XXI. How the province of the Midland Angles became Christian
under King Peada. [653 A. D. ]
Chap. XXII. How under King Sigbert, through the preaching of Cedd, the
East Saxons again received the faith, which they had before cast off.
[653 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIII. How Bishop Cedd, having a place for building a monastery
given him by King Ethelwald, consecrated it to the Lord with prayer and
fasting; and concerning his death. [659-664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIV. How when King Penda was slain, the province of the Mercians
received the faith of Christ, and Oswy gave possessions and territories
to God, for building monasteries, as a thank offering for the victory
obtained. [655 A. D. ]
Chap. XXV. How the question arose about the due time of keeping Easter,
with those that came out of Scotland. [664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXVI. How Colman, being worsted, returned home; and Tuda
succeeded him in the bishopric; and of the state of the church under
those teachers. [664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXVII. How Egbert, a holy man of the English nation, led a
monastic life in Ireland. [664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXVIII. How, when Tuda was dead, Wilfrid was ordained, in Gaul,
and Ceadda, among the West Saxons, to be bishops for the province of
the Northumbrians. [664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIX. How the priest Wighard was sent from Britain to Rome, to be
ordained archbishop; of his death there, and of the letters of the
Apostolic Pope giving an account thereof. [667 A. D. ]
Chap. XXX. How the East Saxons, during a pestilence, returned to
idolatry, but were soon brought back from their error by the zeal of
Bishop Jaruman. [665 A. D. ]
Book IV
Chap. I. How when Deusdedit died, Wighard was sent to Rome to receive
the episcopate; but he dying there, Theodore was ordained archbishop,
and sent into Britain with the Abbot Hadrian. [664-669 A. D. ]
Chap. II. How Theodore visited all places; how the Churches of the
English began to be instructed in the study of Holy Scripture, and in
the Catholic truth; and how Putta was made bishop of the Church of
Rochester in the room of Damianus. [669 A. D. ]
Chap. III. How the above-mentioned Ceadda was made Bishop of the
province of Mercians. Of his life, death, and burial. [669 A. D. ]
Chap. IV. How Bishop Colman, having left Britain, built two monasteries
in the country of the Scots; the one for the Scots, the other for the
English whom he had taken along with him. [667 A. D. ]
Chap. V. Of the death of the kings Oswy and Egbert, and of the synod
held at the place Herutford, in which Archbishop Theodore presided.
[670-673 A. D. ]
Chap. VI. How Wynfrid being deposed, Sexwulf received his bishopric,
and Earconwald was made bishop of the East Saxons. [675 A. D. ]
Chap. VII. How it was indicated by a light from heaven where the bodies
of the nuns should be buried in the monastery of Berecingum. [675
A. D. ? ]
Chap. VIII. How a little boy, dying in the same monastery, called upon
a virgin that was to follow him; and how another nun, at the point of
leaving her body, saw some small part of the future glory. [675 A. D. ? ]
Chap. IX. Of the signs which were shown from Heaven when the mother of
that community departed this life. [675 A. D. ? ]
Chap. X. How a blind woman, praying in the burial-place of that
monastery, was restored to her sight. [675 A. D. ? ]
Chap. XI. How Sebbi, king of the same province, ended his life in a
monastery. [694 A. D. ]
Chap. XII. How Haedde succeeded Leutherius in the bishopric of the West
Saxons; how Cuichelm succeeded Putta in the bishopric of the church of
Rochester, and was himself succeeded by Gebmund; and who were then
bishops of the Northumbrians. [673-681 A. D. ]
Chap. XIII. How Bishop Wilfrid converted the province of the South
Saxons to Christ. [681 A. D. ]
Chap. XIV. How a pestilence ceased through the intercession of King
Oswald. [681-686 A. D. ]
Chap. XV. How King Caedwalla, king of the Gewissae, having slain
Ethelwalch, wasted that Province with cruel slaughter and devastation.
[685 A. D. ]
Chap. XVI. How the Isle of Wight received Christian inhabitants, and
two royal youths of that island were killed immediately after Baptism.
[686 A. D. ]
Chap. XVII. Of the Synod held in the plain of Haethfelth, Archbishop
Theodore being president. [680 A. D. ]
Chap. XVIII. Of John, the precentor of the Apostolic see, who came into
Britain to teach. [680 A. D. ]
Chap. XIX. How Queen Ethelthryth always preserved her virginity, and
her body suffered no corruption in the grave. [660-696 A. D. ]
Chap. XX. A Hymn concerning her.
Chap. XXI.
How Bishop Theodore made peace between the kings Egfrid and
Ethelred. [679 A. D. ]
Chap. XXII. How a certain captive’s chains fell off when Masses were
sung for him. [679 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIII. Of the life and death of the Abbess Hilda. [614-680 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIV. That there was in her monastery a brother, on whom the gift
of song was bestowed by Heaven. [680 A. D. ]
Chap. XXV. Of the vision that appeared to a certain man of God before
the monastery of the city Coludi was burned down.
Chap. XXVI. Of the death of the Kings Egfrid and Hlothere. [684-685
A. D. ]
Chap. XXVII. How Cuthbert, a man of God, was made bishop; and how he
lived and taught whilst still in the monastic life. [685 A. D. ]
Chap. XXVIII. How the same St. Cuthbert, living the life of an
Anchorite, by his prayers obtained a spring in a dry soil, and had a
crop from seed sown by the labour of his hands out of season. [676
A. D. ]
Chap. XXIX. How this bishop foretold that his own death was at hand to
the anchorite Herebert. [687 A. D. ]
Chap. XXX. How his body was found altogether uncorrupted after it had
been buried eleven years; and how his successor in the bishopric
departed this world not long after. [698 A. D. ]
Chap. XXXI. Of one that was cured of a palsy at his tomb.
Chap. XXXII. Of one who was lately cured of a disease in his eye at the
relics of St. Cuthbert.
Book V
Chap. I. How Ethelwald, successor to Cuthbert, leading a hermit’s life,
calmed a tempest by his prayers when the brethren were in danger at
sea. [687-699 A. D. ]
Chap. II. How Bishop John cured a dumb man by his blessing. [687 A. D. ]
Chap. III. How he healed a sick maiden by his prayers. [705 A. D. ]
Chap. IV. How he healed a thegn’s wife that was sick, with holy water.
Chap. V. How he likewise recalled by his prayers a thegn’s servant from
death.
Chap. VI. How, both by his prayers and blessing, he recalled from death
one of his clerks, who had bruised himself by a fall.
Chap. VII. How Caedwalla, king of the West Saxons, went to Rome to be
baptized; and his successor Ini, also devoutly journeyed to the same
threshold of the holy Apostles. [688 A. D. ]
Chap. VIII. How, when Archbishop Theodore died, Bertwald succeeded him
as archbishop, and, among many others whom he ordained, he made the
learned Tobias bishop of the church of Rochester. [690 A. D. ]
Chap. IX. How the holy man, Egbert, would have gone into Germany to
preach, but could not; and how Wictbert went, but because he availed
nothing, returned into Ireland, whence he came. [Circ. 688 A. D. ]
Chap. X. How Wilbrord, preaching in Frisland, converted many to Christ;
and how his two companions, the Hewalds, suffered martyrdom. [690 A. D. ]
Chap. XI. How the venerable Suidbert in Britain, and Wilbrord at Rome,
were ordained bishops for Frisland. [692 A. D. ]
Chap. XII. How one in the province of the Northumbrians, rose from the
dead, and related many things which he had seen, some to be greatly
dreaded and some to be desired. [Circ. 696 A. D. ]
Chap. XIII. How another contrarywise before his death saw a book
containing his sins, which was shown him by devils. [704-709 A. D. ]
Chap. XIV. How another in like manner, being at the point of death, saw
the place of punishment appointed for him in Hell.
Chap. XV. How divers churches of the Scots, at the instance of Adamnan,
adopted the Catholic Easter; and how the same wrote a book about the
holy places. [703 A. D. ]
Chap. XVI. The account given in the aforesaid book of the place of our
Lord’s Nativity, Passion, and Resurrection.
Chap. XVII. What he likewise wrote of the place of our Lord’s
Ascension, and the tombs of the patriarchs.
Chap. XVIII. How the South Saxons received Eadbert and Eolla, and the
West Saxons, Daniel and Aldhelm, for their bishops; and of the writings
of the same Aldhelm. [705 A. D. ]
Chap. XIX. How Coinred, king of the Mercians, and Offa, king of the
East Saxons, ended their days at Rome, in the monastic habit; and of
the life and death of Bishop Wilfrid. [709 A. D. ]
Chap. XX. How Albinus succeeded to the godly Abbot Hadrian, and Acca to
Bishop Wilfrid. [709 A. D. ]
Chap. XXI. How the Abbot Ceolfrid sent master-builders to the King of
the Picts to build a church, and with them an epistle concerning the
Catholic Easter and the Tonsure. [710 A. D. ]
Chap. XXII. How the monks of Hii, and the monasteries subject to them,
began to celebrate the canonical Easter at the preaching of Egbert.
[716 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIII. Of the present state of the English nation, or of all
Britain. [725-731 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIV. Chronological recapitulation of the whole work: also
concerning the author himself.
Continuation
Index
Footnotes
EDITOR’S PREFACE
The English version of the “Ecclesiastical History” in the following pages
is a revision of the translation of Dr. Giles, which is itself a revision
of the earlier rendering of Stevens. In the present edition very
considerable alterations have been made, but the work of Dr. Giles remains
the basis of the translation. The Latin text used throughout is Mr.
Plummer’s. Since the edition of Dr. Giles appeared in 1842, so much fresh
work on the subject has been done, and recent research has brought so many
new facts to light, that it has been found necessary to rewrite the notes
almost entirely, and to add a new introduction. After the appearance of
Mr. Plummer’s edition of the Historical Works of Bede, it might seem
superfluous, for the present at least, to write any notes at all on the
“Ecclesiastical History. ” The present volume, however, is intended to
fulfil a different and much humbler function. There has been no attempt at
any original work, and no new theories are advanced. The object of the
book is merely to present in a short and convenient form the substance of
the views held by trustworthy authorities, and it is hoped that it may be
found useful by those students who have either no time or no inclination
to deal with more important works.
Among the books of which most use has been made, are Mr. Plummer’s edition
of the “Ecclesiastical History,” Messrs. Mayor and Lumby’s edition of
Books III and IV, Dr. Bright’s “Early English Church History,” and Dr.
Hunt’s “History of the English Church from its foundation to the Norman
Conquest. ” Many of the articles in the “Dictionary of Christian Biography”
and the “Dictionary of Christian Antiquities,” Dr. Mason’s “Mission of St.
Augustine,” Dr. Rhŷs’s “Celtic Britain,” and a number of other books,
mentioned in the notes, have been consulted.
For help received in different ways I wish to express my gratitude to
various correspondents and friends. I am particularly indebted to Mr.
Edward Bell, who has kindly revised my proofs and made many valuable
suggestions. For information on certain points I have to thank the Rev.
Charles Plummer, Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, Professor
Lindsay of St. Andrews University, Miss Wordsworth, Principal, and Miss
Lodge, Vice-Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford; and in a very special
sense I wish to acknowledge my obligations to Miss Paterson, Assistant
Librarian at the University Library, St. Andrews, whose unfailing kindness
in verifying references, and supplying me with books, has greatly
lightened my labours.
INTRODUCTION
There are, it has been estimated, in England and on the Continent, in all
about 140 manuscripts of the “Ecclesiastical History. ” Of these, four date
from the eighth century: the Moore MS. (Cambridge), so called, because,
after being sold by auction in the reign of William III, it came into the
possession of Bishop Moore, who bequeathed it to the University of
Cambridge; Cotton, Tiberius A, xiv; Cotton, Tiberius C, ii; and the Namur
MS. A detailed account of these, as well as of a great number of other
manuscripts, will be found in Mr. Plummer’s Introduction to his edition of
Bede’s Historical Works. He has been the first to collate the four oldest
MSS. , besides examining numerous others and collating them in certain
passages. He has pointed out that two of the MSS. dating from the eighth
century (the century in which Bede died), the Moore MS. and Cotton,
Tiberius A, xiv, point to a common original which cannot be far removed
from Bede’s autograph.
how those possessed with devils were healed by them. [679-697 A. D. ]
Chap. XII. How a little boy was cured of a fever at his tomb.
Chap. XIII. How a certain person in Ireland was restored, when at the
point of death, by his relics.
Chap. XIV. How on the death of Paulinus, Ithamar was made bishop of
Rochester in his stead; and of the wonderful humility of King Oswin,
who was cruelly slain by Oswy. [644-651 A. D. ]
Chap. XV. How Bishop Aidan foretold to certain seamen that a storm
would arise, and gave them some holy oil to calm it. [Between 642 and
645 A. D. ]
Chap. XVI. How the same Aidan, by his prayers, saved the royal city
when it was fired by the enemy [Before 651 A. D. ]
Chap. XVII. How a prop of the church on which Bishop Aidan was leaning
when he died, could not be consumed when the rest of the Church was on
fire; and concerning his inward life. [651 A. D. ]
Chap. XVIII. Of the life and death of the religious King Sigbert.
[_Circ. _ 631 A. D. ]
Chap. XIX. How Fursa built a monastery among the East Angles, and of
his visions and sanctity, to which, his flesh remaining uncorrupted
after death bore testimony. [_Circ. _ 633 A. D. ]
Chap. XX. How, when Honorius died, Deusdedit became Archbishop of
Canterbury; and of those who were at that time bishops of the East
Angles, and of the church of Rochester. [653 A. D. ]
Chap. XXI. How the province of the Midland Angles became Christian
under King Peada. [653 A. D. ]
Chap. XXII. How under King Sigbert, through the preaching of Cedd, the
East Saxons again received the faith, which they had before cast off.
[653 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIII. How Bishop Cedd, having a place for building a monastery
given him by King Ethelwald, consecrated it to the Lord with prayer and
fasting; and concerning his death. [659-664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIV. How when King Penda was slain, the province of the Mercians
received the faith of Christ, and Oswy gave possessions and territories
to God, for building monasteries, as a thank offering for the victory
obtained. [655 A. D. ]
Chap. XXV. How the question arose about the due time of keeping Easter,
with those that came out of Scotland. [664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXVI. How Colman, being worsted, returned home; and Tuda
succeeded him in the bishopric; and of the state of the church under
those teachers. [664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXVII. How Egbert, a holy man of the English nation, led a
monastic life in Ireland. [664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXVIII. How, when Tuda was dead, Wilfrid was ordained, in Gaul,
and Ceadda, among the West Saxons, to be bishops for the province of
the Northumbrians. [664 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIX. How the priest Wighard was sent from Britain to Rome, to be
ordained archbishop; of his death there, and of the letters of the
Apostolic Pope giving an account thereof. [667 A. D. ]
Chap. XXX. How the East Saxons, during a pestilence, returned to
idolatry, but were soon brought back from their error by the zeal of
Bishop Jaruman. [665 A. D. ]
Book IV
Chap. I. How when Deusdedit died, Wighard was sent to Rome to receive
the episcopate; but he dying there, Theodore was ordained archbishop,
and sent into Britain with the Abbot Hadrian. [664-669 A. D. ]
Chap. II. How Theodore visited all places; how the Churches of the
English began to be instructed in the study of Holy Scripture, and in
the Catholic truth; and how Putta was made bishop of the Church of
Rochester in the room of Damianus. [669 A. D. ]
Chap. III. How the above-mentioned Ceadda was made Bishop of the
province of Mercians. Of his life, death, and burial. [669 A. D. ]
Chap. IV. How Bishop Colman, having left Britain, built two monasteries
in the country of the Scots; the one for the Scots, the other for the
English whom he had taken along with him. [667 A. D. ]
Chap. V. Of the death of the kings Oswy and Egbert, and of the synod
held at the place Herutford, in which Archbishop Theodore presided.
[670-673 A. D. ]
Chap. VI. How Wynfrid being deposed, Sexwulf received his bishopric,
and Earconwald was made bishop of the East Saxons. [675 A. D. ]
Chap. VII. How it was indicated by a light from heaven where the bodies
of the nuns should be buried in the monastery of Berecingum. [675
A. D. ? ]
Chap. VIII. How a little boy, dying in the same monastery, called upon
a virgin that was to follow him; and how another nun, at the point of
leaving her body, saw some small part of the future glory. [675 A. D. ? ]
Chap. IX. Of the signs which were shown from Heaven when the mother of
that community departed this life. [675 A. D. ? ]
Chap. X. How a blind woman, praying in the burial-place of that
monastery, was restored to her sight. [675 A. D. ? ]
Chap. XI. How Sebbi, king of the same province, ended his life in a
monastery. [694 A. D. ]
Chap. XII. How Haedde succeeded Leutherius in the bishopric of the West
Saxons; how Cuichelm succeeded Putta in the bishopric of the church of
Rochester, and was himself succeeded by Gebmund; and who were then
bishops of the Northumbrians. [673-681 A. D. ]
Chap. XIII. How Bishop Wilfrid converted the province of the South
Saxons to Christ. [681 A. D. ]
Chap. XIV. How a pestilence ceased through the intercession of King
Oswald. [681-686 A. D. ]
Chap. XV. How King Caedwalla, king of the Gewissae, having slain
Ethelwalch, wasted that Province with cruel slaughter and devastation.
[685 A. D. ]
Chap. XVI. How the Isle of Wight received Christian inhabitants, and
two royal youths of that island were killed immediately after Baptism.
[686 A. D. ]
Chap. XVII. Of the Synod held in the plain of Haethfelth, Archbishop
Theodore being president. [680 A. D. ]
Chap. XVIII. Of John, the precentor of the Apostolic see, who came into
Britain to teach. [680 A. D. ]
Chap. XIX. How Queen Ethelthryth always preserved her virginity, and
her body suffered no corruption in the grave. [660-696 A. D. ]
Chap. XX. A Hymn concerning her.
Chap. XXI.
How Bishop Theodore made peace between the kings Egfrid and
Ethelred. [679 A. D. ]
Chap. XXII. How a certain captive’s chains fell off when Masses were
sung for him. [679 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIII. Of the life and death of the Abbess Hilda. [614-680 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIV. That there was in her monastery a brother, on whom the gift
of song was bestowed by Heaven. [680 A. D. ]
Chap. XXV. Of the vision that appeared to a certain man of God before
the monastery of the city Coludi was burned down.
Chap. XXVI. Of the death of the Kings Egfrid and Hlothere. [684-685
A. D. ]
Chap. XXVII. How Cuthbert, a man of God, was made bishop; and how he
lived and taught whilst still in the monastic life. [685 A. D. ]
Chap. XXVIII. How the same St. Cuthbert, living the life of an
Anchorite, by his prayers obtained a spring in a dry soil, and had a
crop from seed sown by the labour of his hands out of season. [676
A. D. ]
Chap. XXIX. How this bishop foretold that his own death was at hand to
the anchorite Herebert. [687 A. D. ]
Chap. XXX. How his body was found altogether uncorrupted after it had
been buried eleven years; and how his successor in the bishopric
departed this world not long after. [698 A. D. ]
Chap. XXXI. Of one that was cured of a palsy at his tomb.
Chap. XXXII. Of one who was lately cured of a disease in his eye at the
relics of St. Cuthbert.
Book V
Chap. I. How Ethelwald, successor to Cuthbert, leading a hermit’s life,
calmed a tempest by his prayers when the brethren were in danger at
sea. [687-699 A. D. ]
Chap. II. How Bishop John cured a dumb man by his blessing. [687 A. D. ]
Chap. III. How he healed a sick maiden by his prayers. [705 A. D. ]
Chap. IV. How he healed a thegn’s wife that was sick, with holy water.
Chap. V. How he likewise recalled by his prayers a thegn’s servant from
death.
Chap. VI. How, both by his prayers and blessing, he recalled from death
one of his clerks, who had bruised himself by a fall.
Chap. VII. How Caedwalla, king of the West Saxons, went to Rome to be
baptized; and his successor Ini, also devoutly journeyed to the same
threshold of the holy Apostles. [688 A. D. ]
Chap. VIII. How, when Archbishop Theodore died, Bertwald succeeded him
as archbishop, and, among many others whom he ordained, he made the
learned Tobias bishop of the church of Rochester. [690 A. D. ]
Chap. IX. How the holy man, Egbert, would have gone into Germany to
preach, but could not; and how Wictbert went, but because he availed
nothing, returned into Ireland, whence he came. [Circ. 688 A. D. ]
Chap. X. How Wilbrord, preaching in Frisland, converted many to Christ;
and how his two companions, the Hewalds, suffered martyrdom. [690 A. D. ]
Chap. XI. How the venerable Suidbert in Britain, and Wilbrord at Rome,
were ordained bishops for Frisland. [692 A. D. ]
Chap. XII. How one in the province of the Northumbrians, rose from the
dead, and related many things which he had seen, some to be greatly
dreaded and some to be desired. [Circ. 696 A. D. ]
Chap. XIII. How another contrarywise before his death saw a book
containing his sins, which was shown him by devils. [704-709 A. D. ]
Chap. XIV. How another in like manner, being at the point of death, saw
the place of punishment appointed for him in Hell.
Chap. XV. How divers churches of the Scots, at the instance of Adamnan,
adopted the Catholic Easter; and how the same wrote a book about the
holy places. [703 A. D. ]
Chap. XVI. The account given in the aforesaid book of the place of our
Lord’s Nativity, Passion, and Resurrection.
Chap. XVII. What he likewise wrote of the place of our Lord’s
Ascension, and the tombs of the patriarchs.
Chap. XVIII. How the South Saxons received Eadbert and Eolla, and the
West Saxons, Daniel and Aldhelm, for their bishops; and of the writings
of the same Aldhelm. [705 A. D. ]
Chap. XIX. How Coinred, king of the Mercians, and Offa, king of the
East Saxons, ended their days at Rome, in the monastic habit; and of
the life and death of Bishop Wilfrid. [709 A. D. ]
Chap. XX. How Albinus succeeded to the godly Abbot Hadrian, and Acca to
Bishop Wilfrid. [709 A. D. ]
Chap. XXI. How the Abbot Ceolfrid sent master-builders to the King of
the Picts to build a church, and with them an epistle concerning the
Catholic Easter and the Tonsure. [710 A. D. ]
Chap. XXII. How the monks of Hii, and the monasteries subject to them,
began to celebrate the canonical Easter at the preaching of Egbert.
[716 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIII. Of the present state of the English nation, or of all
Britain. [725-731 A. D. ]
Chap. XXIV. Chronological recapitulation of the whole work: also
concerning the author himself.
Continuation
Index
Footnotes
EDITOR’S PREFACE
The English version of the “Ecclesiastical History” in the following pages
is a revision of the translation of Dr. Giles, which is itself a revision
of the earlier rendering of Stevens. In the present edition very
considerable alterations have been made, but the work of Dr. Giles remains
the basis of the translation. The Latin text used throughout is Mr.
Plummer’s. Since the edition of Dr. Giles appeared in 1842, so much fresh
work on the subject has been done, and recent research has brought so many
new facts to light, that it has been found necessary to rewrite the notes
almost entirely, and to add a new introduction. After the appearance of
Mr. Plummer’s edition of the Historical Works of Bede, it might seem
superfluous, for the present at least, to write any notes at all on the
“Ecclesiastical History. ” The present volume, however, is intended to
fulfil a different and much humbler function. There has been no attempt at
any original work, and no new theories are advanced. The object of the
book is merely to present in a short and convenient form the substance of
the views held by trustworthy authorities, and it is hoped that it may be
found useful by those students who have either no time or no inclination
to deal with more important works.
Among the books of which most use has been made, are Mr. Plummer’s edition
of the “Ecclesiastical History,” Messrs. Mayor and Lumby’s edition of
Books III and IV, Dr. Bright’s “Early English Church History,” and Dr.
Hunt’s “History of the English Church from its foundation to the Norman
Conquest. ” Many of the articles in the “Dictionary of Christian Biography”
and the “Dictionary of Christian Antiquities,” Dr. Mason’s “Mission of St.
Augustine,” Dr. Rhŷs’s “Celtic Britain,” and a number of other books,
mentioned in the notes, have been consulted.
For help received in different ways I wish to express my gratitude to
various correspondents and friends. I am particularly indebted to Mr.
Edward Bell, who has kindly revised my proofs and made many valuable
suggestions. For information on certain points I have to thank the Rev.
Charles Plummer, Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, Professor
Lindsay of St. Andrews University, Miss Wordsworth, Principal, and Miss
Lodge, Vice-Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford; and in a very special
sense I wish to acknowledge my obligations to Miss Paterson, Assistant
Librarian at the University Library, St. Andrews, whose unfailing kindness
in verifying references, and supplying me with books, has greatly
lightened my labours.
INTRODUCTION
There are, it has been estimated, in England and on the Continent, in all
about 140 manuscripts of the “Ecclesiastical History. ” Of these, four date
from the eighth century: the Moore MS. (Cambridge), so called, because,
after being sold by auction in the reign of William III, it came into the
possession of Bishop Moore, who bequeathed it to the University of
Cambridge; Cotton, Tiberius A, xiv; Cotton, Tiberius C, ii; and the Namur
MS. A detailed account of these, as well as of a great number of other
manuscripts, will be found in Mr. Plummer’s Introduction to his edition of
Bede’s Historical Works. He has been the first to collate the four oldest
MSS. , besides examining numerous others and collating them in certain
passages. He has pointed out that two of the MSS. dating from the eighth
century (the century in which Bede died), the Moore MS. and Cotton,
Tiberius A, xiv, point to a common original which cannot be far removed
from Bede’s autograph.
