No More Learning

1.

340 The place is commonly supposed to be near Oswestry in Shropshire
(_i. e. _, Oswald’s Tree). There is a legend (related by Reginald)
which tells of a tree near the spot, to which a large bird carried
the king’s right arm from the stake (cf. c. 12 _ad fin. _). The Welsh
name of the place, “Croes Oswallt” (Cross-Oswald), points to the
explanation that the “tree” was a wooden cross set up to mark the
site.

341 642, _i. e. _, nine years after the death of Edwin.

342 Reading _stramine subtracto_, on the authority of the oldest MSS. ,
in which case we must assume (with Plummer) that _stramen_ is used
incorrectly for _stragulus_ in the sense of “saddle,” or
“horse-cloth,” from the classical use, _sternere equum_ = to saddle.
Cf. “stratus regaliter,” c. 14. Later MSS. read _stramine substrato_
(= “spreading straw under him”).

343 Wife of Ethelred of Mercia (cf. IV, 21), murdered by her own people
in 697 (V, 24).

344 Bardney, in Lincolnshire. Ethelred became first a monk, afterwards
abbot of the monastery.

345 “Sacrarium. ” Probably here = the cemetery. But we find it elsewhere
in Bede for the sacristy, and it is also used of the sanctuary.

346 Cf. c. 27; IV, 12.

347 Partney: cf. II, 16, and note. This is the only mention of its
abbot, Aldwin.

348 Aen. II, 1. Quotations from Vergil are frequent in Bede. Cf. II, 13,
_ad fin. _; v. 12, p. 327.

_ 349 I. e. _, matins (between midnight and 3 A. M. ).

350 It was removed in 875, during the Danish invasions, in the coffin of
St. Cuthbert, and finally interred in the same tomb with the body of
Cuthbert at Durham, where it was found in 1827. Hence St. Cuthbert
is often represented holding St. Oswald’s head in his hands.

351 Bamborough: cf. c. 6, note.

352 Bishop of Hexham, 709-731: _v. _ V, 20 (cf. also IV, 14; V, 19). He
was a much loved friend of Bede, many of whose works were undertaken
at his instigation. He was devotedly attached to Wilfrid, whom he
succeeded at Hexham. The “Continuation” says that he was expelled
from his see in 731, and he probably never regained it.

353 Cf. V. 19, p. 353. This was probably Wilfrid’s third journey to
Rome, undertaken in 703-704, for, at the time of his earlier journey
(in 678), when he spent the winter in Frisland, Wilbrord was not yet
there.

354 The great missionary archbishop of the Frisians. He was trained as a
boy in Wilfrid’s abbey at Ripon, studied some time in Ireland, and
with eleven companions undertook in 690 the mission to Frisland
planned by Egbert: _v. _ V, 10, 11. (For Egbert, _v. _ c. 4, p. 143,
and note. )

355 The third of Ethelfrid’s seven sons (_v. _ Sax. Chron. ) to succeed to
the sovereignty. With his brothers he had spent his youth in
banishment among the Picts and Scots (_v. s. _ c. 1).

356 Cc. 21, 24, 25, 28. The pupil and friend of Wilfrid. He was made
sub-king of Deira in place of Ethelwald (_v. _ next note). The date
and circumstances of his rebellion are not known. A cross at
Bewcastle in Cumberland, erected in 670 or 671, commemorates him and
asks prayers for his soul.

357 Ethelwald, _v. _ cc. 23, 24.

358 Cf. II, 3.

359 The first bishop of English birth. For Honorius, _v. _ II, 15, note.

360 The apostate king of Deira, Osric, son of Aelfric, was first cousin
to Edwin (cf. c. 1). Oswald united the two Northumbrian kingdoms,
but at his death, Oswin, son of Osric, succeeded to Deira. He was
canonised, and his tragic death led him to be regarded as a martyr.

361 Not identified. The village (“a vico Cataractone”) is probably the
one called Cataracta in II, 14 (_v. _ note, _ad loc. _).

_ 362 Comes_, A. S. _gesith_.

363 At Queen Eanfled’s request (_v. _ c. 24, p. 191). The place is
generally identified with Gilling in the North Riding of Yorkshire.
For the form of the name, _v. _ II, 14, p. 119, note 5.

364 In 651 A. D. Cf. V. 24.

365 Cf. c. 21.

366 II, 9, 20; III, 24, 25, 29; V, 19.

367 The monastery of Wearmouth and Jarrow. Cf. IV, 18; V, 21 _ad init. _,
24.

368 Bamborough, _v. _ cc. 6, 12.

369 The scene of St. Cuthbert’s hermit life: _v. _ IV, 27, 28, 29; V, 1.
It is called the “House Island,” and is the largest of the Farne
group of seventeen islands off the coast of Northumberland, opposite
Bamborough, famous in modern times for the rescue of a shipwrecked
crew by Grace Darling.

_ 370 v. l. _ seventeen. The MS. authority is about equal; but cf. _infra_,
the statement that he died in the seventeenth year of his
episcopate, which seems to be correct.

371 651 A. D. ; _v. s. _ c. 14 _ad fin. _

372 Cc. 21, 22, 25, 26, 27. For his character, _v. _ c. 25 (though some
suppose the reference to be to Ronan). For Hii, _v. _ c. 3, note.

373 The church and the buttress were evidently both of wood.

374 He probably refers to the “De Temporum Ratione,” the longer of his
two chronological works. It treats the Paschal question at length.
But in the “De Temporibus” he also briefly discusses it.

375 Cf. c. 3.

376 II, 15, and note.

377 Cf. _ib. _ The school was probably in the episcopal city of Dunwich,
though it has been maintained that it was the origin of Cambridge
University. For this there seems to be no authority except a
seventeenth century addition to this passage in a twelfth or
thirteenth century MS: “Grantebrig schola a Sigberto Rege. ”

378 Cf. c. 7, p. 149, and note.

379 For a full account of St. Fursa and his brothers, and other
companions mentioned in this chapter, _v. _ Miss Margaret Stokes’s
“Three months in the Forests of France, a pilgrimage in search of
vestiges of the Irish Saints in France. ” Bede’s narrative is taken
from an extant ancient Latin life of St. Fursa (or Fursey), the
“libellus de vita ejus conscriptus” to which he refers several times
(_v. infra_).

380 St. Matt. , xxv, 13.

381 Burgh Castle in Suffolk, where there was a Roman fortress,
Garianonum.

_ 382 I. e. _, Irish.

383 His monastery on Lough Corrib. It is obvious from the sequel that
this vision was prior to his journey to Britain, and is distinct
from the vision mentioned above.

384 Ps. lxxxiv, 7; (lxxxiii, 8, in the Vulgate). The reading is that of
the Vulgate and the Gallican Psalter: “Ibunt de virtute in virtutem:
videbitur Deus deorum in Sion. ”

_ 385 Ibid. _

_ 386 I. e. _, Ireland.

387 The monastery at Burgh Castle.

388 Fullan, or Foillan, was apparently a bishop (the others are called
“presbyteri”). He and Ultan after Fursa’s death (_circ. _ 650) went
to South Brabant. Ultan founded a monastery at Fosse in the diocese
of Liège (then of Maestricht), and Fullan laboured in conjunction
with St. Gertrude in the double monastery of Nivelles. Ultan became
abbot, first of Fosse and later of Péronne. The name Gobban occurs
frequently in Irish Church History, Dicull occasionally.
There is a
Dicull mentioned in IV, 13.

_ 389 I. e. _, the Mercians; _v. s. _ c. 18.

390 Clovis II, King of Neustria, 638-656. Ercinwald was his Mayor of the
Palace.

391 Lagny on the Marne, near Paris.

392 Péronne on the Somme. The monastery founded there after his death
was called “Perrona Scotorum” from the number of Irish who resorted
to it.

_ 393 Circ. _ 647. The rapid increase in the number of native bishops may
be seen from this chapter. The only one before Thomas was Ithamar
(cf. c. 14, p. 164).

394 The Fen country. The province included part of the counties of
Lincoln, Northampton, Huntingdon, and Cambridge.

395 Such changes of name were frequent: cf. Benedict for Biscop (IV,
18), Boniface for Winfrid (_v. _ “Continuation”), Clement for
Wilbrord (V, 11), and cf. _infra_, “Deusdedit. ”

396 II, 15, note.

397 The first archbishop of English birth. He died in 664 (_v. _ IV, 1).
His original name is said to have been Frithonas; Deusdedit is the
Latin form of Theodore. There was a Pope of the same name, 615-618
(_v. _ II, 7). Similar names were common in the African Church,
_e. g. _, “Adeodatus,” “Habetdeus,” “Quodvultdeus,” “Deogratias. ”

398 Cf. c. 14, and note.

399 Cf. IV, 2. It has been supposed that he died of the plague of 664.
After his death the see was vacant for several years. It is
remarkable that he came of a race which had not yet become
Christian. The South Saxons continued to be pagan till Wilfrid
evangelized them, 681-686 (IV, 13).

400 For their origin, _v. _ I, 15. Their country, which was subject to
Mercia, was the present Leicestershire. They are probably to be
identified with the Southern Mercians; _v. _ c. 24, where we find
Peada confirmed by Oswy in the government of that people.

401 She caused his death by treachery: _v. _ c. 24 _ad fin. _

402 C. 14, _ad init. _, and note.

403 After Alchfrid’s death, she took the veil and ruled the monastery of
Caistor (? Cyneburgacaster) in Northamptonshire. She was one of the
five children of the heathen Penda, who were canonized as saints.

_ 404 Comitibus ac militibus. _ A. S. “geferum” (companions) and “king’s
thegns. ”

405 Cf. c. 22. Variously identified with Walton and Walbottle, both near
Newcastle. For the preposition, _v. _ II, 14, p. 119, note 5.

406 For Cedd, _v. _ Preface, and _infra_ cc. 22, 23, 25, 26. The names of
Adda and Betti do not occur again. For Diuma: _v. infra_ and c. 24.

407 III, 15.

408 Gateshead on the Tyne, opposite Newcastle. For the preposition, cf.
II, 14, p. 119, note 5.

409 Penda was killed in 655. Diuma was probably consecrated in 656.

410 Not identified. Perhaps Repton (Reppington) in Derbyshire, where it
is supposed that Diuma had fixed his see. For the form of the name,
cf. II, 14, p. 119, note 5.

411 He probably returned at the time of the rebellion of Mercia in 658;
_v. _ c. 24, _ad fin. _ For Hii, _v. s. _ c. 3, _ad fin. _

412 Abbot of Gilling. He was a kinsman of Oswin: _v. _ c. 24, p. 191.

413 Cf. II, 5. Since then, the East Saxons had remained pagan.

414 Sometimes surnamed the “Good. ” (He must not be confused with
Sigbert, King of the East Angles, II, 15, and III, 18, 19. ) Sigbert
the Little was the successor of the three young kings who expelled
Mellitus (II, 5).

415 C. 21 and note.

416 C. 21 and note.

417 They must have been Celtic bishops, probably of the Irish Church and
subject to the authority of Iona. Cedd seems to have had no fixed
see. He is not called Bishop of London, like Mellitus.

418 Dr. Bright regards this organization as a foreshadowing of the
parochial system, which, however, was not thoroughly established
till long after.

419 Identified with the Roman military station, Othona, on the
Blackwater, formerly called the Pant, in Essex. The town is now
submerged.

420 Tilbury.

_ 421 Comes. _ A. S. “gesith. ”

422 He was his brother probably. But the relationships of these East
Saxon kings are very difficult to determine.

423 Rendlesham in Suffolk.

424 Distinguish from Ethelwald, or Oidilwald, sub-King of Deira (_v. s. _
c. 14, and _infra_ cc. 23, 24). Ethelwald, King of the East Angles,
succeeded his brother, Ethelhere, who was the successor of Anna (cf.
_supra_ cc. 7, 18, 19), and was killed in the battle of the Winwaed
(_v. infra_ c. 24).

425 Cf. _supra_ c. 14; _infra_ c. 24. Apparently he succeeded Oswin as
sub-King of Deira.

426 Isaiah, xxxv, 7.

427 Lastingham (_v. _ Preface). Cedd was its first abbot, though it was
not in his own diocese.

428 Doubtless only one at a time. The “Provost” is the prior of later
times. The charge of the monastery would devolve upon him while Cedd
was absent in his diocese.

429 Or, as he is commonly called, St. Chad, the greatest of this
remarkable group of brothers; _v. _ Preface and _infra passim_.

430 Ythancaestir, or Tilbury (_v. _ c. 22).

431 Oswald; _v. s. _ c. 9.

432 “Ealdormen,” Green, “Making of England,” p. 301. But they probably
included many British chiefs (_v. _ Nennius, and cf. _infra_ “duces
regii”).

433 Oswy’s younger son. He succeeded his father in 670 or 671 (_v. _ IV,
5, and for the events of his reign, IV, V, _passim_).

434 The wife of Penda.

435 Cc. 14 and 23. The reason for his conduct is not explained. Probably
he had hoped to establish his claims on Northumbria through Penda’s
assistance, but shrank from actually fighting against his country.

436 Cf. c. 22, _ad fin. _, note. How he gave occasion for the war is not
known.

437 The river has not been identified, and there is great uncertainty
even with regard to the district. Below, Bede says that Oswy
concluded the war in the district of “Loidis,” by which he must mean
Leeds, as in II, 14, and most commentators adopt this view. In this
case, the river may be the Aire, or more probably the Went, a
tributary of the Don. Others believe the district to be the
Lothians, following the account in Nennius, who describes Oswy as
taking refuge before the battle in a city called Iudeu, supposed to
be either Edinburgh or Carriden (cf. I, 12, note), and the river has
been supposed to be the Avon in Linlithgow.

438 She is mentioned as joint-abbess with her mother, Eanfled, of the
monastery of Whitby (IV, 26). Eddius calls her “sapientissima
virgo,” “semper totius provinciae consolatrix optimaque
consiliatrix. ” Her influence helped to restore Wilfrid to the
bishopric. She was the friend of St. Cuthbert, who is said to have
wrought a miraculous cure on her behalf. It was to her that he
prophesied the death of her brother Egfrid (IV, 26, p. 285, note).

439 Hartlepool in the county of Durham (cf. IV, 23).

440 For the main facts of her life, _v. _ IV, 23. She was Abbess of
Whitby at the time of the Synod (c. 25).

441 Whitby. It was a mixed monastery (cf. IV, 23).

442 The ancient life of Gregory the Great, by a monk of Whitby, tells
how Edwin’s body was translated thither from the place where he
fell. For the fate of his head, cf. II, 20.

443 In 655: cf.