Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England
by
The Venerable Bede
Table of Contents
About This Book
Title Page
Editor's Preface
Introduction and Overview
Life of Bede
Book I
I. Of the Situation of Britain
and Ireland, and of their ancient inhabitants
II. How Caius Julius
Caesar was the first Roman that came into Britain. [54
A.D.]
III. How Claudius, the second of the Romans who
came into Britain, brought the islands Orcades
IV. How Lucius, king of Britain, writing to Pope
Eleutherus, desired to be made a Christian.
V. How the Emperor Severus divided from the
rest by a rampart that part of Britain which had been
recovered.
VI. Of the reign of Diocletian, and how he
persecuted the Christians. [286 A.D.]
VIII. How, when the
persecution ceased, the Church in Britain enjoyed peace till the time of the
Arian heresy. [325 A.D.]
IX. How during the
reign of Gratian, Maximus, being created Emperor in Britain, returned into Gaul
with a mighty army. [377 A.D.]
X. How, in the
reign of Arcadius, Pelagius, a Briton, insolently impugned the Grace of God.
[395 A.D.]
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.]
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 A.D.]
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.]
XIV. How the Britons, compelled by the great famine, drove the
barbarians out of their territories, and soon after there ensued, along
with abundance of corn, decay of morals, pestilence, and the downfall of the
nation.
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.
XVI. How the
Britons obtained their first victory over the Angles, under the command of
Ambrosius, a Roman. [456 A.D.]
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.]
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.]
XIX.
How the same holy man, being detained there by sickness, by his prayers
quenched a fire [429 A.D.]
XX. How the same Bishops
brought help from Heaven to the Britons in a battle, and then returned home.
[430 A.D.]
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.]
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.
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.]
XXIV. How he wrote
to the bishop of Arles to entertain them. [596 A.D.]
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.]
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.]
XXVII. How St.
Augustine, being made a bishop, sent to acquaint Pope Gregory with what had
XXVIII. How Pope
Gregory wrote to the bishop of Aries to help Augustine in the work of God. [601
A.D.]
XXIX. How the same
Pope sent to Augustine the Pall and a letter, along with several ministers of
the Word. [601 A.D.]
XXX. A copy of the
letter which Pope Gregory sent to the Abbot Mellitus, then going into Britain.
[601 A.D.]
XXXI. How Pope
Gregory, by letter, exhorted Augustine not to glory in his miracles. [601
A.D.]
XXXII. How Pope Gregory
sent letters and gifts to King Ethelbert. [601 A.D.]
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.
XXXIV. How Ethelfrid, king of the Northumbrians, having
vanquished the nations of the Scots,
expelled them from the territories of the English. [603 A.D.]
Book II
I. Of the death of the blessed Pope Gregory. [604 A.D.]
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.]
III. How St. Augustine made Mellitus and Justus
bishops; and of his death. [604 A.D.]
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.
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.]
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.]
VII.
How Bishop Mellitus by prayer quenched afire in his city. [619
A.D.]
VIII.
How Pope Boniface sent the Pall and a letter to Justus, successor
to Mellitus [624 A.D.]
IX.
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.]
X.
How Pope Boniface, by letter, exhorted the same king to embrace
the faith. [Circ. 625 A.D.]
XI.
How Pope Boniface advised the king's consort to use her best
endeavours for his salvation [Circ. 625 A.D.]
XII.
How Edwin was persuaded to believe by a vision which he had once seen
when he was in exile. [Circ. 616 A.D.]
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.]
XIV.
How King Edwin and his nation became Christians; and where
Paulinus baptized them [627 A.D.]
XV.
How the province of the East Angles received the faith of Christ.
[627-628 A.D.]
XVI.
How Paulinus preached in the province of Lindsey; and of thc
character of the reign of Edwin. [Circ. 628 A.D.]
XVII.
How Edwin received letters of exhortation from Pope Honorius, who
also sent the pall to Paulinus. [634 A.D.]
XVIII.
How Honorius, who succeeded Justus in the bishopric of
Canterbury, received the pall and letters from Pope Honorius.
[634 A.D.]
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.]
XX.
How Edwin being slain, Paulinus returned into Kent, and had the
bishopric of Rochester conferred upon him. [633 A.D.]
Book III
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.]
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.]
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.]
IV. When the nation
of the Picts received the faith of Christ. [565
A.D.]
V. Of the life of Bishop
Aidan. [635 A.D.]
VI. Of King Oswald’s
wonderful piety and religion. [635-642 A.D.]
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.]
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.]
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.]
X. How the dust of that
place prevailed against fire. [After 642 A.D.]
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.]
XII. How a little boy was
cured of a fever at his tomb.
XIII. How a certain
person in Ireland was restored, when at the point of death, by his
relics.
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.]
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.]
XVI. How the same Aidan,
by his prayers, saved the royal city when it was fired by the enemy. [Before
651 A.D.]
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.]
XVIII. Of the life and
death of the religious King Sigbert [Circ. 631 A.D.]
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.]
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.]
XXI. How the province of
the Midland Angles became Christian under King Peada. [653
A.D.]
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.]
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.]
XXIV. How when King Penda
was slain, the province of the Mercians received the faith of Christ,
XXV. How the question
arose about the due time of keeping Easter, with those that came out of
Scotland. [664 A.D.]
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.]
XXVII. How Egbert,
a holy man of the English nation, led a monastic life in Ireland. [664
A.D.]
XXVIII. How, when Tuda was dead,
Wilfried was ordained [664 A.D.]
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.]
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
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.]
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 [669 A.D.]
III. How the
above-mentioned Ceadda was made Bishop of the province of Mercians. Of his
life, death, and burial. [669 A.D.]
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.]
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.]
VI. How Wynfrid being
deposed, Sexwulf received his bishopric, and Earconwald was made
bishop of the East Saxons. [675 A.D.]
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.?]
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.?]
IX. Of the signs which
were shown from Heaven when the mother of that community departed this life.
[675 A.D.?]
X. How a blind woman,
praying in the burial-place of that monastery, was restored to her sight. [675
A.D.?]
XI. How Sebbi, king of
the same province, ended his life in a monastery. [694
A.D.]
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.]
XIII. How Bishop Wilfrid
converted the province of the South Saxons to Christ. [681
A.D.]
XIV. How a pestilence
ceased through the intercession of King Oswald. [681-686 A.D.]
XV. How King Caedwalla,
king of the Gewissae, having slain Ethelwalch, wasted that Province
XVI. How the Isle of
Wight received Christian inhabitants, and two royal youths of that island were
killed immediately after Baptism. [686 A.D.]
XVII. Of the Synod held
in the plain of Haethfelth, Archbishop Theodore being president. [680
A.D.]
XVIII. Of John, the
precentor of the Apostolic see, who came into Britain to teach. [680 A.
D.]
XIX. How Queen
Ethelthryth always preserved her virginity, and her body suffered no
corruption in the grave. [660-696 A.D.]
XX. A Hymn concerning
her.
XXI. How Bishop Theodore
made peace between the kings Egfrid and Etheired. [679 A.
D.]
XXII. How a certain
captive’s chains fell off when Masses were sung for Him. [679 A.
D.]
XXIII. Of the life and
death of the Abbess Hilda. [614-680 A.D.]
XXIV. That there was in her monastery a brother, on whom a gift
of song was bestowed by Heaven. [680 A.D.]
XXV. Of the vision that
appeared to a certain man of God before the monastery of the city Coludi was
burned down.
XXVI. Of the death of the
Kings Egfrid and Hiothere. [684-685 A.D.]
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.]
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.]
XXIX. How this bishop
foretold that his own death was at hand to the anchorite Herebert. [687
A.D.]
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.]
XXXI. Of one that was
cured of a palsy at his tomb.
XXXII. Of one who was
lately cured of a disease in his eye at the relics of St.
Cuthbert.
Book V
I. How Ethelwald, successor to Cuthbert, leading a
hermit’s life, calmed a tempest by his prayers
were in danger at sea. [687-699 A.D.]
II. How Bishop John cured
a dumb man by his blessing. [687 A.D.]
III. How he healed a sick
maiden by his prayers. [705 A.D.]
IV. How he healed a
thegn’s wife that was sick, with holy water.
V. How he likewise
recalled by his prayers a thegn’s servant from
death.
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.]
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.]
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.]
X. How Wilbrord,
preaching in Frisand, converted many to Christ; and how his two companions,
the Hewalds, suffered martyrdom. [690 A.D.]
XI. How the venerable
Suidbert in Britain, and Wilbrord at Rome, were ordained bishops for
Frisland. [692 A.D.]
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.]
XIII. How another
contrarywise before his death saw a book containing his sins, which was id=
XIV. How another in like
manner, being at the point of death, saw the place of punishment
appointed for him in Hell.
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.]
XVI. The account given in
the aforesaid book of the place of our Lord’s Nativity, Passion, and
Resurrection.
XVII. What he likewise
wrote of the place of our Lord’s Ascension, and the tombs of the
patriarchs.
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.]
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.]
XX. How Albinus succeeded
to the godly Abbot Hadrian, and Acca to Bishop Wilfrid. [709
A.D.]
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.]
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.]
XX III. Of the present
state of the English nation, or of all Britain. [725-731
A.D.]
XXIV. Chronological
recapitulation of the whole work: also concerning the author
himself.
The Continuation of Bede
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