action, experienced in judgment, and zealous in religion. He first of
all, as we have mentioned, with the advice and assistance of Benedict,
founded, completed, and ruled the monastery of St. Paul’s seven years;
and, afterwards, ably governed, during twenty-eight years, both these
monasteries; or, to speak more correctly, the single monastery of St.
Peter and St. Paul, in its two separate localities; and, whatever works
of merit his predecessor had begun, he, with no less zeal, took pains to
finish. For, among other arrangements which he found it necessary to
make, during his long government of the monastery, he built several
oratories; increased the number of vessels of the church and altar, and
the vestments of every kind; and the library of both monasteries, which
Abbot Benedict had so actively begun, under his equally zealous care
became doubled in extent. For he added three Pandects of a new
translation to that of the old translation which he had brought from
Rome; one of them, returning to Rome in his old age, he took with him as
a gift; the other two he left to the two monasteries. Moreover, for a
beautiful volume of the Geographers which Benedict had bought at Rome,
he received from King Alfrid, who was well skilled in Holy Scripture, in
exchange, a grant of land of eight hides, near the river Fresca, for the
monastery of St. Paul’s. Benedict had arranged this purchase with the
same King Alfrid, before his death, but died before he could complete
it. Instead of this land, Ceolfrid, in the reign of Osred, paid an
additional price, and received a territory of twenty hides, in the
village called by the natives Sambuce, and situated much nearer to the
monastery. In the time of Pope Sergius, of blessed memory, some monks
were sent to Rome, who procured from him a privilege for the protection
of their monastery, similar to that which Pope Agatho had given to
Benedict. This was brought back to Britain, and, being exhibited before
a synod, was confirmed by the signatures of the bishops who were
present, and their munificent King Alfrid, just as the former privilege
was confirmed publicly by the king and bishops of the time. Zealous for
the welfare of St. Peter’s monastery, at that time under the government
of the reverend and religious servant of Christ, Witmer, whose
acquaintance with every kind of learning, both sacred and profane, was
equally extensive, he made a gift to it for ever of a portion of land of
ten hides, which he had received from King Alfrid, in the village called
Daldun.
* * * * *
But Ceolfrid having now practised a long course of regular discipline,
which the prudent father Benedict had laid down for himself, and his
brethren on the authority of the elders; and having shown the most
incomparable skill both in praying and chanting, in which he daily
exercised himself, together with the most wonderful energy in punishing
the wicked, and modesty in consoling the weak; having also observed such
abstinence in meat and drink, and such humility in dress, as are
uncommon among rulers; saw himself now old and full of days, and unfit
any longer, from his extreme age, to prescribe to his brethren the
proper forms of spiritual exercise by his life and doctrine. Having,
therefore, deliberated long within himself, he judged it expedient,
having first impressed on the brethren the observance of the rules which
St. Benedict had given them, and thereby to choose for themselves a more
efficient abbot out of their own number, to depart, himself, to Rome,
where he had been in his youth with the holy Benedict; that not only he
might for a time be free from all worldly cares before his death, and so
have leisure and quiet for reflection, but that they also, having chosen
a younger abbot, might naturally, in consequence thereof, observe more
accurately the rules of monastic discipline.
* * * * *
At first all opposed, and entreated him on their knees and with many
tears, but their solicitations were to no purpose. Such was his
eagerness to depart, that on the third day after he had disclosed his
design to the brethren, he set out upon his journey. For he feared, what
actually came to pass, that he might die before he reached Rome; and he
was also anxious that neither his friends nor the nobility, who all
honoured him, should delay his departure, or give him money which he
would not have time to repay; for with him it was an invariable rule, if
any one made him a present, to show equal grace by returning it, either
at once or within a suitable space of time. Early in the morning,
therefore, of Wednesday, the 4th of May, the mass was sung in the church
of the Mother of God, the immaculate Virgin Mary, and in the church of
the Apostle Peter; and those who were present communicating with him, he
prepared for his departure. All of them assembled in St. Peter’s church;
and when he had lighted the frankincense, and addressed a prayer at the
altar, he gave his blessing to all, standing on the steps and holding
the censer in his hand. Amid the prayers of the Litany, the cry of
sorrow resounded from all as they went out of the church; they entered
the oratory of St. Laurence the Martyr, which was in the dormitory of
the brethren over against them. Whilst giving them his last farewell, he
admonished them to preserve love towards one another, and to correct,
according to the Gospel rule, those who did amiss; he forgave all of
them whatever wrong they might have done him; and entreated them all to
pray for him, and to be reconciled to him, if he had ever reprimanded
them too harshly. They went down to the shore, and there, amid tears and
lamentations, he gave them the kiss of peace, as they knelt upon their
knees; and when he had offered up a prayer he went on board the vessel
with his companions. The deacons of the Church went on board with him,
carrying lighted tapers and a golden crucifix. Having crossed the river,
he kissed the cross, mounted his horse, and departed, leaving in both
his monasteries about six hundred brethren....
* * * * *
But Christ’s servant Ceolfrid, as has been said, died on his way to the
threshold of the holy Apostles, of old age and weakness. For he reached
the Lingones about nine o’clock, where he died seven hours after, and
was honourably buried the next day in the church of the three twin
martyrs, much to the sorrow, not only of the English who were in his
train, to the number of eighty, but also of the neighbouring
inhabitants, who were dissolved in tears at the loss of the reverend
father. For it was almost impossible to avoid weeping to see part of his
company continuing their journey without the holy father, whilst others,
abandoning their first intentions, returned home to relate his death and
burial; and others, again, lingered in sorrow at the tomb of the
deceased among strangers speaking an unknown tongue.
* * * * *
Ceolfrid was seventy-four years old when he died: forty-seven years he
had been in priest’s orders, during thirty-five of which he had been
abbot; or, to speak more correctly, forty-three,—for, from the time when
Benedict began to build his monastery in honour of the holiest of the
Apostles, Ceolfrid had been his only companion, coadjutor, and teacher
of the monastic rules. He never relaxed the rigour of ancient discipline
from any occasions of old age, illness, or travel; for, from the day of
his departure till the day of his death, i.e., from the 4th of June till
the 25th of September, a space of one hundred and fourteen days, besides
the canonical hours of prayer, he never omitted to go twice daily
through the Psalter in order; and even when he became so weak that he
could not ride on horseback, and was obliged to be carried in a
horse-litter, the holy ceremony of the mass was offered up every day,
except one which he passed at sea, and the three days immediately before
his death.
A RIDDLE OF CYNEWULF (BORN BETWEEN 720 AND 730).
=Source.=—Ten Brink’s _English Literature_, vol. i., p. 52. Bohn’s
Library.
I was an armed warrior; now a proud one,
A young hero, decks me with gold and silver,
And with crooked wire-bows. Men sometimes kiss me;
Sometimes I call to battle the willing comrades;
Now a steed doth bear me over the boundaries.
Now a sea-courser carries me, bright with jewels,
Over the floods. And now there fills my bosom
A maiden adorned with rings; or I may be robbed
Of my gems, and hard and headless lie; or hang
Prettily on the wall where warriors drink,
Trimmed with trappings. Sometimes as an ornament brave
Folk-warriors wear me on horseback; wind
From the bosom of a man must I, in gold-hues bright,
Swallow then. Sometimes to the wine
I invite with my voice the valiant men;
Or it rescues the stolen from the robbers’ grasp,
Drives away enemies. Ask what my name is.
_Answer_: The horn of a bull.
POPE GREGORY II. COMMENDS BONIFACE
(DECEMBER 1, 722).
=Source.=—_Monumenta Germaniæ Historica_, Epist. iii. Ed. Dümmler, 1892.
No. 17, p. 266. Translated by W.
GREGORY THE BISHOP, THE SERVANT OF GOD’S SERVANTS, TO ALL HIS MOST
REVEREND AND MOST HOLY BRETHREN, FELLOW-BISHOPS, RELIGIOUS PRIESTS
AND DEACONS, GLORIOUS DUKES, NOBLE PREFECTS, COUNTS, AND ALL
CHRISTIANS THAT FEAR GOD.
Having solicitude beyond measure for the overseership entrusted to
us—since certain peoples in parts of Germany or on the eastern shore of
the river Rhine, persuaded by the ancient foe, wander “in the shadow of
death”: since we know that under pretext of Christianity they serve and
worship idols; and others there are who have not yet the knowledge of
God nor have been washed in the water of holy baptism, but as pagans,
like the brutes, know not their creator—we have been careful, for the
needful enlightenment of both, to send the bearer of these, Boniface,
our most reverend brother, as bishop in those parts, to preach the word
of the right faith, that, by preaching the word of salvation he may
provide for them eternal life, and that, should he see that any have in
any district departed from the path of the right faith, or should he
find them persuaded to error by the cunning of the devil, he may correct
them, and by his teaching may bring them back to the haven of salvation,
and instruct them in the doctrine of this apostolic see, and may induce
them to remain steadfast in the catholic faith.
For the love of the Lord Jesus Christ and the reverence due to his
Apostles we beg that you will assist him in everything to the utmost of
your power, and receive him in the name of Jesus Christ: as it is
written of his disciples: “Whoso receiveth you, receiveth me”; providing
the necessaries for his journey, giving him escort, and food and drink,
or whatever he may need, that, by the labour and friendly good-will of
all, the work of piety and business of salvation committed to him may be
with God’s assistance accomplished, and that ye may be worthy to receive
the recompense of toil, and that the reward for the conversion of those
in error may be ascribed to you in heaven. If any one therefore, at the
prayer of the chiefs of the Apostles, give his assent or concurrence to
this servant of God set apart by the apostolic and catholic church of
God for the illumination of the peoples, may he be worthy to join the
martyrs of Jesus Christ. But if any, which we do not desire, attempt to
hinder him by opposition, or show himself hostile to the ministry
committed to him and of his successors entering upon the same work, may
he be by divine judgment cast down with the bond of the anathema, and
lie in eternal condemnation.
FARE YE WELL.
Given on the Kalends of December, the most pious and august lord Leo,
crowned great emperor by God, reigning in the seventh year, after his
consulate in the seventh year, and in the fourth year of his son
Constantine the great emperor, the sixth indiction.
THE STATE OF ENGLAND IN 731.
=Source.=—Bede, _Eccl. Hist._, v. 23. A.D. 731. Translated by J. A.
Giles. Bohn’s Library.
Thus at present, the bishops Tatwine and Aldwulf preside in the churches
of Kent; Ingwald in the province of the East Saxons. In the province of
the East Angles, Aldbert and Hadulac are bishops; in the province of the
West Saxons, Daniel and Forthere are bishops; in the province of the
Mercians, Aldwin. Among those people who live beyond the river Severn to
the westward, Walstod is bishop; in the province of the Wiccians,
Wilfrid; in the province of the Lindisfarnes, Cynebert presides: the
bishopric of the Isle of Wight belongs to Daniel, bishop of Winchester.
The province of the South Saxons, having now continued some years
without a bishop, receives the episcopal ministry from the prelate of
the West Saxons. All these provinces, and the others southward to the
bank of the river Humber, with their kings, are subject to King
Ethelbald.
But in the province of the Northumbrians, where King Ceolwulf reigns,
four bishops now preside: Wilfrid in the church of York, Ethelwald in
that of Lindisfarne, Acca in that of Hagulstad, Pechthelm in that which
is called the White House, which, from the increased number of
believers, has lately become an episcopal see, and has him for its first
prelate. The Picts also at this time are at peace with the English
nation, and rejoice in being united in peace and truth with the whole
Catholic Church. The Scots that inhabit Britain, satisfied with their
own territories, meditate no hostilities against the nation of the
English. The Britons, though they, for the most part, through innate
hatred, are adverse to the English nation, and wrongfully, and from
wicked custom, oppose the appointed Easter of the whole Catholic Church;
yet, from both the Divine and human power withstanding them, can in no
way prevail as they desire; for though in part they are their own
masters, yet elsewhere they are also brought under subjection to the
English. Such being the peaceable and calm disposition of the times,
many of the Northumbrians, as well of the nobility as private persons,
laying aside their weapons, rather incline to dedicate both themselves
and their children to the tonsure and monastic vows, than to study
martial discipline. What will be the end hereof, the next age will show.
BEDE’S ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF,
HIS HISTORICAL AUTHORITIES AND METHODS (731).
=Source.=—_Eccl. Hist._, v. 24; i. I. Translated by J. A. Giles. Bohn’s
Library.
A.
Thus much of the Ecclesiastical History of Britain, and more especially
of the English nation, as far as I could learn either from the writings
of the ancients, or the tradition of our ancestors, or of my own
knowledge, has, with the help of God, been digested by me, Bede, the
servant of God, and priest of the monastery of the blessed Apostles,
Peter and Paul, which is at Wearmouth and Jarrow; who being born in the
territory of that same monastery, was given, at seven years of age, to
be educated by the most reverend Abbot Benedict, and afterwards by
Ceolfrid; and spending all the remaining time of my life in that
monastery, I wholly applied myself to the study of Scripture, and amidst
the observance of regular discipline, and the daily care of singing in
the church, I always took delight in learning, teaching, and writing. In
the nineteenth year of my age, I received deacon’s orders; in the
thirtieth, those of the priesthood, both of them by the ministry of the
most reverend Bishop John, and by the order of the Abbot Ceolfrid. From
which time, till the fifty-ninth year of my age, I have made it my
business, for the use of me and mine, to compile out of the works of the
venerable Fathers, and to interpret and explain according to their
meaning these following pieces.
[Here follow the titles of thirty-seven works.]
B.
My principal authority and aid in this work was the learned and reverend
Abbot Albinus; who, educated in the Church of Canterbury by those
venerable and learned men, Archbishop Theodore of blessed memory, and
the Abbot Adrian, transmitted to me by Nothelm, the pious priest of the
Church of London, either in writing, or by word of mouth of the same
Nothelm, all that he thought worthy of memory, that had been done in the
province of Kent, or the adjacent parts, by the disciples of the blessed
Pope Gregory, as he had learned the same either from written records, or
the traditions of his ancestors. The same Nothelm, afterwards going to
Rome, having, with leave of the present Pope Gregory, searched into the
archives of the holy Roman Church, found there some epistles of the
blessed Pope Gregory, and other popes; and returning home, by the advice
of the aforesaid most reverend father Albinus, brought them to me, to be
inserted in my history. Thus, from the beginning of this volume to the
time when the English nation received the faith of Christ, have we
collected the writings of our predecessors, and from them gathered
matter for our history; but from that time till the present, what was
transacted in the Church of Canterbury, by the disciples of St. Gregory
or their successors, and under what kings the same happened, has been
conveyed to us by Nothelm through the industry of the aforesaid Abbot
Albinus. They also partly informed me by what bishops and under what
kings the provinces of the East and West Saxons, as also of the East
Angles, and of the Northumbrians, received the faith of Christ. In short
I was chiefly encouraged to undertake this work by the persuasions of
the same Albinus. In like manner, Daniel, the most reverend Bishop of
the West Saxons, who is still living, communicated to me in writing some
things relating to the Ecclesiastical History of that province, and the
next adjoining to it of the South Saxons, as also of the Isle of Wight.
But how, by the pious ministry of Cedd and Ceadda, the province of the
Mercians was brought to the faith of Christ, which they knew not before,
and how that of the East Saxons recovered the same, after having
expelled it, and how those fathers lived and died, we learned from the
brethren of the monastery, which was built by them, and is called
Lastingham. What ecclesiastical transactions took place in the province
of the East Angles, was partly made known to us from the writings and
tradition of our ancestors, and partly by relation of the most reverend
Abbot Esius. What was done towards promoting the faith, and what was the
sacerdotal succession in the province of Lindsey, we had either from the
letters of the most reverend prelate Cunebert, or by word of mouth from
other persons of good credit. But what was done in the Church throughout
the province of the Northumbrians, from the time when they received the
faith of Christ till this present, I received not from any particular
author, but by the faithful testimony of innumerable witnesses, who
might know or remember the same; besides what I had of my own knowledge.
Wherein it is to be observed, that what I have written concerning our
most holy father, Bishop Cuthbert, either in this volume, or in my
treatise on his life and actions, I partly took, and faithfully copied
from what I found written of him by the brethren of the Church of
Lindisfarne; but at the same time took care to add such things as I
could myself have knowledge of by the faithful testimony of such as knew
him. And I humbly entreat the reader, that if he shall in this that we
have written find anything not delivered according to the truth, he will
not impute the same to me, who, as the true rule of history requires,
have laboured sincerely to commit to writing such things as I could
gather from common report, for the instruction of posterity.
THE FAITHFUL THEGNS (786).
=Source.=—_Anglo-Saxon Chronicle._ Translated by J. A. Giles. Bohn’s
Library.
ANNO 755.—This year Cynewulf and the West Saxon Witan deprived his
kinsman Sigebert of his kingdom, except Hampshire, for his unjust
doings; and that he held until he slew the ealdorman who longest abode
by him. And then Cynewulf drove him into Andred, and he abode there
until a swineherd stabbed him at Privets-flood, and avenged the
ealdorman Cumbra. And Cynewulf fought very many battles against the
Welsh; and after he had held the kingdom about one and thirty years, he
purposed to expel an etheling, who was named Cyneheard: and Cyneheard
was Sigebert’s brother. And he then learned that the king with a small
band was gone to Merton to visit a lady; and he there beset him and
surrounded the building on every side, before the men who were with the
king discovered him. And when the king perceived this, he went to the
door, and there manfully defended himself, until he beheld the etheling,
and then he rushed out upon him and sorely wounded him; and they all
continued fighting against the king until they had slain him. And upon
this, the king’s thegns having discovered the affray by the lady’s
cries, each as he was ready, and with his utmost speed, ran to the spot.
And the etheling offered money and life to each of them, and not one of
them would accept it; but they continued fighting till they all fell,
except one, a British hostage, and he was already sorely wounded. Then
upon the morrow the king’s thegns whom he had left behind him heard that
the king was slain: then rode they thither, and Osric his ealdorman, and
Wiferth his thegn, and the men whom he had previously left behind. And
at the town wherein the king lay slain they found the etheling, and
those within had closed the gates against them; but they then went
onward. And he then offered them their own choice of land and money if
they would grant him the kingdom, and showed them that their kinsmen
were with him, men who would not desert him. And they then said that no
kinsman was dearer to them than their lord, and that they never would
follow his murderer. And they then bade their kinsmen that they should
go away from him in safety; but they said that the same had been bidden
their companions who before had been with the king; then they said that
they no more minded it “than your companions who were slain with the
king.” And then they continued fighting around the gates until they made
their way in, and slew the etheling, and all the men who were with him,
except one who was the ealdorman’s godson; and he escaped with his life,
though he was wounded in several places.
THE COMING OF THE DANES (787-870)
=Source.=—_Anglo-Saxon Chronicle._ Translated by J. A. Giles. Bohn’s
Library.
ANNO 787.—This year King Bertric took to wife Eadburga, King Offa’s
daughter; and in his days first came three ships of Northmen. And then
the reeve rode to the place and would have driven them to the king’s
town [? Dorchester] because he knew not who they were: and they there
slew him. These were the first ships of Danish men which sought the land
of the English nation.
ANNO 794.—The heathens ravaged among the Northumbrians, and plundered
Egfert’s monastery at the mouth of the Wear; and there one of their
leaders was slain, and also some of their ships were wrecked by a
tempest; and many of them were there drowned, and some came on shore
alive, and they were soon slain at the river’s mouth.
ANNO 835.—This year the heathen men ravaged Sheppey.
ANNO 836.—This year King Egbert fought against the men of thirty-five
ships at Charmouth, and there was great slaughter made, and the Danish
men maintained possession of the field.
ANNO 838.—This year a great hostile fleet came to the West Welsh
[Cornwall], and they united together, and made war upon Egbert, king of
the West Saxons. As soon as he heard of it, he went thither with an
army, and fought against them at Hengestdune, and there he put to flight
both the Welsh and the Danish men.
ANNO 840.—This year Wulfherd the ealdorman fought at Hamtun
[Southampton], against the forces of thirty-five ships, and there made
great slaughter, and got the victory. And the same year Ethelhelm the
ealdorman fought against the Danish army at Portland isle, with the men
of Dorset, and for a good while he put the enemy to flight; but the
Danish men had possession of the field, and slew the ealdorman.
ANNO 841.—This year Herebert the ealdorman was slain by the heathen men,
and many with him among the Marshmen [Romney Marsh]; and afterwards, the
same year, in Lindsey, and in East Anglia, and in Kent, many men were
slain by the enemy.
ANNO 842.—This year there was great slaughter at London, and at
Canterbury, and at Rochester.
ANNO 843.—This year King Ethelwulf fought at Charmouth against the crews
of thirty-five ships, and the Danish men maintained possession of the
field.
ANNO 848.—This year Eanwulf the ealdorman, with the men of Somerset, and
Bishop Ealstan, and Osric the ealdorman, with the men of Dorset, fought
at the mouth of the Parret, against the Danish army, and there made
great slaughter, and got the victory.