Ecclesiastical History of England
EDITOR'S PREFACE
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
LIFE OF BEDE
BOOK I
- CHAP. I. Of the Situation of Britain and Ireland,
and of their ancient inhabitants
- CHAP. II. How Caius Julius Caesar was the first
Roman that came into Britain. [54 AD]
- CHAP. III. How Claudius, the second of the Romans
who came into Britain, brought the islands Orcades
- CHAP. IV. How Lucius, king of Britain, writing to
Pope Eleutherus, desired to be made a Christian.
- CHAP. V. How the Emperor Severus divided from the
rest by a rampart that part of Britain which had been recovered.
- CHAP. VI. Of the reign of Diocletian, and how he
persecuted the Christians. [286 AD]
- CHAP. VIII. How, when the persecution ceased, the
Church in Britain enjoyed peace till the time of the Arian heresy.
[325 AD]
- CHAP. IX. How during the reign of Gratian,
Maximus, being created Emperor in Britain, returned into Gaul with a
mighty army. [377 AD]
- CHAP. X. How, in the reign of Arcadius, Pelagius,
a Briton, insolently impugned the Grace of God. [395 AD]
- CHAP. XI. How during the reign of Honorius,
Gratian and Constantine were created tyrants in Britain; and soon
after the former was slain in Britain, and the latter in Gaul. [407
A.D.]
- CHAP. XII. How the Britons, being ravaged by the
Scots and Picts, sought succour from the Romans, who coming a second
time, built a wall across the island; but when this was broken down at
once by the aforesaid enemies, they were reduced to greater distress
than before. [410-420 AD]
- CHAP. XIII. How in the reign of Theodosius the
younger, in whose time Palladius was sent to the Scots that believed
in Christ, the Britons begging assistance of Aetius, the consul, could
not obtain it. [446 A.D.]
- CHAP. XIV. How the Britons, compelled by the
great famine, drove the barbarians out of the their territories, and
soon after there ensued, along with abundance of corn, decay of
morals, pestilence, and the downfall of the nation.
- CHAP. XV. How the Angles, being invited into
Britain, at first drove off the enemy; but not long after, making a
league with them, turned their weapons against their allies.
- CHAP. XVI. How the Britons obtained their first
victory over the Angles, under the command of Ambrosius, a Roman. [456
A.D.]
- CHAP. XVII. How Germanus the Bishop, sailing
into Britain with Lupus, first quelled the tempest of the sea, and
afterwards that of the Pelagians, by Divine power. [429 A.D.]
- CHAP. XVIII. How the same holy man gave sight to
the blind daughter of a tribune, 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.]
- CHAP. XIX. How the same holy man, being detained
there by sickness, by his prayers quenched a fire that had broken out
among the houses, and was himself cured of his infirmity by a vision.
[429 A.D.]
- CHAP. XX. How the same Bishops brought help from
Heaven to the Britons in a battle, and then returned home. [430 A.D.]
- CHAP. XXI. How, when the Pelagian heresy began
to spring up afresh, Germanus, returning to Britain with Severus,
first restored bodily strength to a lame youth, then spiritual health
to the people of God, having condemned or converted the Heretics [447
A.D.]
- CHAP. XXII. How the Britons, being for a time at
rest from foreign invasions, wore themselves out by civil wars, and at
the same time gave themselves up to more heinous crimes.
- CHAP. XXIII. How the holy Pope Gregory sent
Augustine, with other monks, to preach to the English nation, and
encouraged them by a letter of exhortation, not to desist from their
labour. [596 A. D.]
- CHAP. XXIV. How he wrote to the bishop of Arles
to entertain them. [596 A.D.]
- CHAP. XXV. How Augustine, coming into Britain,
first preached in the Isle of Thanet to the King of Kent, and having
obtained licence from him, went into Kent, in order to preach therein.
[597 A. D.]
- CHAP. XXVI. How St. Augustine in Kent followed
the doctrine and manner of life of the primitive Church, and settled
his episcopal see in the royal city. [597 A. D.]
- CHAP. XXVII. How St. Augustine, being made a
bishop, sent to acquaint Pope Gregory with what had been done in
Britain, and asked and received replies, of which he stood in need.
[597-601 A.D.]
- CHAP. XXVIII. How Pope Gregory wrote to the
bishop of Aries to help Augustine in the work of God. [601 A.D.]
- CHAP. XXIX. How the same Pope sent to Augustine
the Pall and a letter, along with several ministers of the Word. [601
A.D.]
- CHAP. XXX. A copy of the letter which Pope
Gregory sent to the Abbot Mellitus, then going into Britain. [601 A.D.]
- CHAP. XXXI. How Pope Gregory, by letter,
exhorted Augustine not to glory in his miracles. [601 A.D.]
- CHAP. XXXII. How Pope Gregory sent letters and
gifts to King Ethelbert. [601 A.D.]
- CHAP. XXXIII. How Augustine repaired the church
of our Saviour, and built the monastery of the blessed Peter the
Apostle; and concerning Peter the first abbot of the same.
- CHAP. XXXIV. How Ethelfrid, king of the
Northumbrians, having vanquished the nations of the Scots,
BOOK II
- CHAP. I. Of the death of the blessed Pope
Gregory. [604 A.D.]
- CHAP. II. How Augustine admonished the bishops of
the Britons on behalf of Catholic 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.]
- CHAP. III. How St. Augustine made Mellitus and
Justus bishops; and of his death. [604 A.D.]
- CHAP. IV. How Laurentius and his bishops
admonished the Scots to observe the unity of the Holy Church,
particularly in keeping of Easter, and how Mellitus went to Rome.
- CHAP. V. How, after the death of the kings
Ethelbert and Sabert, their successors restored idolatry; for which
reason, both Mellitus and Justus departed out of Britain. [616 A.D.]
- CHAP. VI. How Laurentius, being reproved by the
Apostle Peter, converted King Eadbald to Christ; and how the king soon
recalled Mellitus and Justus to preach the Word. [617-618A.D.]
- CHAP. VII. How Bishop Mellitus by prayer quenched
afire in his city. [619 AD.]">
- CHAP. VIII. How Pope Boniface sent the Pall and a
letter to Justus, successor to Mellitus [624 A.D.]
- CHAP. Of the reign of King Edwin, and how
Paulinus, coming to preach the Gospel, first converted his daughter
and others to the mysteries of the faith of Christ. [625-626 A.D.]
- CHAP. X. How Pope Boniface, by letter, exhorted
the same king to embrace the faith. [Circ. 625 A.D.]
- CHAP. XI. How Pope Boniface advised the king's
consort to use her best endeavours for his salvation [Circ. 625 A.D.]
- CHAP. XII. How Edwin was persuaded to believe by
a vision which he had once seen 'when he was in exile. [Circ. 616 A.D.]
- CHAP. XIII. Of the Council he held with his
chief men concerning their reception of the faith of Christ, and how
the high priest profaned his own altars. [627 A.D.]">
- CHAP. XIV. How King Edwin and his nation became
Christians; and where Paulinus baptized them [627 A.D.]
- CHAP. XV. How the province of the East Angles
received the faith of Christ. [627-628 A.D.]
- CHAP. XVI. How Paulinus preached in the province
of Lindsey; and of thc character of the reign of Edwin. [Circ. 628
A.D.]
- CHAP. XVII. How Edwin received letters of
exhortation from Pope Honorius, who also sent the pall to Paulinus.
[634 A.D.]
- CHAP. XVIII. How Honorius, who succeeded Justus
in the bishopric of Canterbury, received the pall and letters from
Pope Honorius. [634 A.D.]
- CHAP. XIX. How the aforesaid Honorius first, and
afterwards John, wrote letters to the nation of the Scots, concerning
the observance of Easter, and the Pelagian heresy. [640 A.D.]
- CHAP. XX. How Edwin being slain, Paulinus
returned into Kent, and had the bishopric of Rochester conferred upon
him. [633 A.D.]
Book III
- CHAP. I. How King Edwin’s next successors lost
both the faith of their nation and the kingdom; but the most Christian
King Oswald retrieved both. [633 A.D.]">
- CHAP. II. How, among innumerable other miracles
of healing wrought by the wood 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.]
- CHAP. III. How the same King Oswald, asking a
bishop of the Scottish nation, had Aidan sent him, and granted him an
episcopal see in the Isle of Lindisfarne. [635A.D.]
- CHAP. IV. When the nation of the Picts received
the faith of Christ. [565 A.D.]
- CHAP. V. Of the life of Bishop Aidan. [635 A.D.]
- CHAP. VI. Of King Oswald’s wonderful piety and
religion. [635-642 A.D.]
- CHAP. VII. How the West Saxons received the Word
of God by the preaching of Birinus; and of his successors, Agilbert
and Leutherius. [635-670 A. D.]
- CHAP. VIII. How Earconbert, King of Kent, ordered
the idols to be destroyed, and of his daughter Earcongota, and his
kinswoman Ethelberg, virgins consecrated to God. [640 A.D.]
- CHAP. IX. How miracles of healing have been
frequently wrought in the place where King Oswald was killed; and how,
first, a traveller’s horse was restored and afterwards a young girl
cured of the palsy. [642 A.D.]
- CHAP. X. How the dust of that place prevailed
against fire. [After 642 A.D.]
- CHAP. XI. 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 AD.]
- 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
- 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 Etheiwald, 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, Wigihard 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 roam 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
Eghert, 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
- 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 Etheired. [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 a 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
Hiothere. [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. VII. How Caedwalla, king of the West
Saxons, went to Rome to be baptised; 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 Frisand,
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
- 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
- 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.
- The Continuation of Bede
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