Bede

Bede "The Venerable," one of the most eminent fathers of the English Church, was born in the county of Durham about 673 (between 672 and 677). His early years were spent in the monastery of St. Paul at Jarrow, and his later education was received in that of St. Peter at Wearmouth. In these two monasteries, which were not above five miles apart, he spent his life, under the rule of Benedict and Ceolfride, who was the first abbot of Jarrow, and who, after the death of Benedict, presided over both houses. At nineteen years of age he was made deacon, and was ordained to the priesthood, as he himself tells us, at thirty years of age, by John of Beverley, Bishop of Hagustald (Hexham). Pope Sergius I invited him to Rome to assist him with his advice; but Bede, it appears, excused himself, and spent the whole of his tranquil life in his monastery, improving himself in all the learning of his age, but directing his more particular attention to the compilation of an Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation (Historia Ecclesiastica, etc.), the materials for which he obtained partly from chronicles, partly from annals preserved in contemporary convents, and partly from the information of prelates with whom he was acquainted. Making allowance for the introduction of legendary matter, which was the fault of the age, few works have supported their credit so long, or been so .generally consulted as authentic sources. Bede published this history about the year 734, when, as he informs us, he was in his fifty-ninth year, but before this he had written many other books on various subjects, a catalogue of which he subjoined to his history. So great was his reputation, that it was said of him, "hominem, in extreme orbis angulo natum, universum orbem suo ingenio perstrinxisse." He had a multitude of scholars, and passed his life in study, in teaching others, and in prayer, thinking, like his master, John of Beverley, that the chief business of a monk was to make himself of use to others. In the year 735, shortly before Easter, he was seized by a slight attack of inflammation of the lungs, which continued to grow worse until the 26th of May (Ascension-day). He was continually active to the last, and particularly anxious about two works: one his translation of John's Gospel into the Saxon language, the other some passages which he was extracting from the works of St. Isidore. The day before his death he grew much worse, and his feet began to swell, yet he passed the night as usual, and continued dictating to the person who acted as his amanuensis, who, observing his weakness, said, "There remains now only one chapter, but it seems difficult to you to speak." To which he answered, "It is easy: take your pen, mend it, and write quickly." About nine o'clock he sent for some of his brethren, priests of the monastery, to divide among them some incense and other things of little value which he had preserved in a chest. While he was speaking, the young man, Wilberch, who wrote for him, said, "Master, there is but one sentence wanting;" upon which he bid him write quick, and soon after the scribe said, "Now it is finished." To which he replied, "Thou hast said the truth-consummatum est. Take up my head; I wish to sit opposite to the place where I have been accustomed to pray, and where now sitting. I may yet invoke my Father." Being thus seated, according to his desire, upon the floor of his cell, he said, "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;" and as he pronounced the last word he expired (Neander, Light in Dark Places, 162). He died, according to the best opinion, May 26th, 735, though the exact date has been contested.

The first catalogue of Bede's works, as we have before observed, we have from himself, at the end of his Ecclesiastical History, which contains all he had written before the year 731. This we find copied by Leland, who also mentions some other pieces he had met with of Bede's, and points out likewise several that passed under Bede's name, though, in Leland's judgment, spurious (Leland, De Script. Brit. ed. Hall, Oxford; 1709, 1:115). Bale, in the first edition of his work on British writers (4to, Gippesw. 1548, fol. 50), mentions ninety-six treatises written by Bede, and in his last edition (fol. 1559, p. 94) swells these to one hundred and forty- five tracts; and declares at the close of both catalogues that there were numberless pieces besides of Bede's which he had not seen. The following is the catalogue of his writings given by Cave:

1. De Rerum Natura liber: —