ecclesiastical history; and that the second council of Aix-la-Chapelle, about a century after his death, calls him the venerable and admirable doctor; and from the estimation in which he has always been held, as a doctor of the church universal. We repeat, the meagre notices of ancient writers respecting him are inexplicable. The information we have, we are compelled to gather from his own incidental expressions, in various parts of his works; from the epistle of Cuthbert; and from Turgot, prior of Durham, who, about the year 1100, made some collections inserted in the history of that church by Simeon. He was born in 673, in the territory belonging to the monasteries of St. Peter and St. Paul (Wearmouth and Jarrow), at a village between the Wear and the Tyne. This event, however, took place before the foundation of either monastery.* The banks of the Tyne, not those of the Wear, had the honour of his education. He was, when in his seventh year, entrusted to the care of the abbot Benedict Biscop, and to Ceolfrid, who may be called the prior of Benedict, during the frequent visits made by that abbot to the continent, and who, after Benedict's death, succeeded to the government of the two establishments. They may, however, be termed one; for not only were they subject to the same abbot, but the indissoluble union and affection of the inmates made them, in the strictest sense of the word, one community. The diligence with which the young Bede applied to study, appears from his own account in the last chapter of his history:

66 Passing the whole of my life in this monastery, I devoted all my powers and all my time to the meditation of the Holy Scriptures, to the observance of the regular discipline, to the daily task of chanting in

* Wearmouth was founded in 674, Jarrow in 684.

The words of Bede are expressive:-" Monasterium Beati Pauli Apostoli (Wearmouth) construxit, ea duntaxat ratione, ut una utriusque loci pax et concordia, eadem perpetua familiaritas conservaretur et gratia."-Instit. Abbatum Weremouth et Gyrwen, p. 296.

This does not necessarily imply that his whole time was passed at Jarrow, as he considered both monasteries one, and calls them one, he was probably often at Wearmouth,

the church. To learn, to teach, and to write, have always been my sweetest enjoyment." Of his success we have evidence enough in his works. In his nineteenth year he was admitted to deacon's orders: the canonical age was twenty-five; but dispensations even at this period were common; nor, whatever may be thought by modern writers, was any peculiar favour shown to him in this case. At thirty, he received full orders, and thereby added to the number and weight of his duties. How, amidst those demanded by his monastic, sacerdotal, and magisterial character (we use the word magisterial in its scholastic sense), he found time to write so much,-on subjects, too, which imply a reading absolutely immense, may well surprise us. He was, we may easily infer, a most indefatigable student. From his ordination to his fifty-ninth year- the time when he completed his Ecclesiastical History, - he was, as he himself informs us, occupied in extracting from the fathers of the church such notes on the Holy Scriptures as were likely to prove useful to himself and others; not forgetting to intimate that he added something of his own, both as regarded the sense and the manner of the interpretation. He might have added that he also embraced the whole range of human knowledge. He died in 735.* That his end corresponded with his pure and useful life, is sufficiently proved by the relation of his disciple Cuthbert, who, as we have before observed, was present at that scene.

"He was attacked with great difficulty of breathing, yet without pain, about two weeks before Easter. Yet afterwards he was joyful and merry, giving thanks unto God day and night, nay hourly, until Ascension day arrived. Daily did he give lessons to us his disciples, and the residue of each day he passed in the singing of psalms. The whole night, except when a little slumber intervened, he watched, always joyful,

* Both Mabillon and the Bollandists have made the life of Bede shorter than it was, from an erroneous calculation as to the year of his birth. Some MSS. of Simeon's history have indeed 677, but from his own words it is manifest that in 731, when he finished his Ecclesiastical History, he was 59. (Hist. Eccles. lib. v. cap. 24.)

always praising God. If sleep for a moment overtook him, he did not fail, on rousing, to resume his wonted devotions, and with outstretched hands to utter his gratitude to heaven. blessed man! Often did he repeat that saying of the apostle Paul, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! and many other passages of Scripture, all fitted to rouse us from the sleep of our minds, and to impress us with our last end. And some things also he spoke in our own, the English language, for he was well versed in our songs: and putting his thoughts into English verse he feelingly said: For so necessary a journey, no man can be too prudent; none can reflect too much on the good or evil he has done; none can be too solicitous about the judgment which after his death his spirit must receive. According to our custom and his he sang the Antiphonies, of which one is, O king of glory, Lord of virtues, who on this day didst triumphantly ascend to heaven, leave us not orphans, but send us the promise of the Father the Spirit of Truth! Alleluja! And when he came to the words, leave us not orphans, he burst into tears and wept much, and seeing this we wept with him. Again we read, again we wept; indeed we always wept. In such godly employment we passed the quinquagesimal days until the day before mentioned (Ascension), he rejoicing and thanking God that he was thus afflicted. For he often repeated: God scourgeth every son whom he receiveth! with many other passages from Scripture. And he repeated the saying of St. Ambrose, Non sic vixi ut me pudeat inter vos vivere; sed nec mori timeo, quia bonum Dominum habemus. And during this time he was occupied not only in teaching us, but on two works which well deserve to be remembered: the first was the Gospel of St. John, which he had translated into English for the benefit of the church, as far as that passage, but what are they among so many? the other consisted of extracts from the books of bishop Isidore. I do not wish my disciples to read lies, that after my death they should labour in vain.' On the arrival of the third feria before the Ascension, his breathing became more painful, and a little swelling appeared in his feet. Yet, for all that, he taught and dictated with cheerfulness, sometimes observing, Learn quickly; for I know not how long I may live; how soon my Maker may call me!' To us it seemed as if he well knew his approaching end. The next night he passed watching and giving thanks. And on the morning, which was the fourth feria, he told us diligently to continue what we had begun. And this being done, we walked, as the custom of the day required, until the third hour, with the relics of the saints. But one of us remained with

* Chap. vi. ver. 9.

6

: 1

him, and said to him, 'Dear Master, one little chapter yet remains will it not pain you to be asked any more questions?' 'No! take thy pen, prepare it, and write quickly!' And this he did. And at the ninth hour the master said unto me, I have some precious things in my little chest, some pepper, orarias*, and incense; run quickly and bring the presbyters of our monastery, and I will distribute among them what God has given to me. The rich men of this world delight to make presents of gold, silver, and other precious things I also with much affection and joy will give to my brethren the gifts which I have received from Heaven.' And he addressed every one by name, beseeching and admonishing them to say masses and to pray for him, which they willingly promised. And they all mourned and wept, when he said that they should see his face no more in this world; but they rejoiced in that he said, 'The time is come when I must return to Him who created me out of nothing! Long have I lived; well my merciful Judge foresaw the tenour of my life. The time of my departure is at hand; I long to be dissolved and to be with Christ.' These and many other words he spoke with much cheerfulness. And when it drew towards evening the youth before mentioned said, 'Dear Master, one sentence yet remains!'-' Write it quickly!' was the reply. Immediately afterwards the youth observed, It is now finished.' He rejoined, 'Well and truly hast thou spoke; it is finished! Now take my nead in thine hands, and turn me towards the holy place where I was wont to pray, that sitting I may call on my Father!' Wherefore, being laid on the floor of the cell, he chaunted Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto! And no sooner had he repeated the concluding words Spiritui Sancto, than his soul winged its flight to the celestial kingdom. All who witnessed the death of this blessed father, said that they had never seen any other man end life with such devotion and tranquillity."+

The works ascribed to this great and good man fill eight folio volumes; and the variety of their subjects corresponds with the extent. He wrote, we are told, on

* Oraria. Orarium, ab orâ pro extremitate vestium derivatur; limbus qui apponitur oræ, causâ ornatûs. Again, Orarium, sudorium quo os abstergitur.-Ducange, ad verb.

+ Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica, lib. v. cap. 24. Epistola Cuthberti (apud Simeonem Dunelmensem, Historia de Ecclesia Dunelm. lib. i. cap. 15.; vide cap. 8. 14. ejusdem libri). Bollandistæ, Acta Sanctorum, Die Maii xxvii. Mabillon, Acta SS. Ord. S. Ben. Sæculum iii. pars i. p. 534, &c. Vide Sex Epistolas S. Bonifacii, necnon Beati Alcuini, et Concilium iii. Aquisgranense, Præfatio ad lib. iii.

almost every thing,— on grammar, arithmetic, music, astronomy, the computation of time, on the art of metres, on Scriptural tropes and figures, on the history of his country, the lives of some saints, a martyrology, many hymns, sermons, homilies, and comments on the Scriptures, and several epistles on subjects of more than ordinary interest. By far the most extensive portion of his labours consists of theology. He commented on almost every book of Christ, from Genesis to Revelations. An analysis of the whole would require more volumes than this compendium; we can do no more than briefly advert to the general character of a few. (Of his science we shall speak hereafter.)—On his ecclesiastical history, from which we have made copious extracts, we have sufficiently dwelt; and his lives of saints and abbots we have for the most part substantially given. These relate to his character as an historian, which is well understood. That his works, even of this class, especially his church history, are invaluable, is admitted by all they are written in a plain unaffected style; in the best possible spirit; and they are surprisingly accurate as to facts. In reality, but for him the history of the Saxon kingdoms would be no less dark than that of Hungary or Scandinavia during the same period. In this respect we have the advantage over every other European nation; not one is so well acquainted with its early history as his works have made us. While the contemporary writings of other nations consist merely of dry, abrupt, lifeless facts and dates, generally one line to a year, his are so minute as often to contain a graphic description of manners. For this advantage

we are indebted, not only to his attention, which was habitually minute, but to the industry with which he collected information for his chief undertaking. From the papal library at Rome, no less than from the Saxon ecclesiastics in every kingdom of the heptarchy, he received valuable communications. On his credulity, we have before remarked. It was the error of his age. One thing is certain, that though he relates miracles on