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PEEFACE
The reception accorded to our Select Translations from Old English Poetry has encouraged us to believe that a companion volume from Old English prose might be wel- come. While primarily intended for the student of litera- ture, it will be found to contain' matter of scarcely less interest to the student of history, and especially of what the Germans call the history of culture.
A preliminary examination of the wiitings of the period, with reference to a provisional selection of passages for the work, was made, at the suggestion of the senior editor, by Miss Mary W. Smyth and ]\Iiss Elizabeth W. Man- warmg, both of whom are represented in the volume by translations; but the eventual decision was made by ourselves.
Some justification may be necessary for including trans- lations from Latin, as well as from Old English, In the first place, works like the Ecclesiastical History and the Pastoral Care were originally composed in Latin, and this Latin can hardly be ignored in making translations into modern English ; while most other prose writings of the period are colored by Latin influence. In the second place, an author like Alcuin is essentially EugHsh, though none of Ms extant writings are in that tongue, and though much of his life was passed on the Continent. Finally, portions of the Benedictine Rule are included, because of its profound and extensive influence upon men's minds in that age, and because it, too, was translated and glossed in the Old Enghsh period.
iv PREFACE ^ ^ -^
Our tlianks are due to those translators — all of them graduate students of English at Yale in the past or present — who have willingly collaborated with us. It became more and more evident, as we proceeded, that the older versions, such as those of Giles, are too inaccurate to be reproduced witliout modification ; our only regret on this point is that new translations were not made in all such cases.
We should be glad if this book might do something to extend and deepen the interest in the words and works of tliose who toiled, a millennium or more ago, that England and the world might live; and we could even wish that it might suggest a closer conformity to their simplicity, courage, and devotion to tlie things of the spirit.
Yai-k Univkksitv
November 15, ]J)07
CONTENTS
PAGE
I, Works Mainly Historical 1
Selections from Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English
People 3
1. Preface 5
2. Bede's Description of Britain and Ireland 7
3. The Britons send to Rome for Aid against the Picts
and Scots 11
4. The Coming of the English 14
5. A Victory for the Britons 17
6. The Sending of Augustine 17
7. The Arri»val of Augustine . , 19
8. Augustine's Manner of Life 21-
9. Pope Gregory sends more Laborers 23
10. The Life of Pope Gregory 23^
11. King Edwin of Northumbria embraces Christianity . 31
12. The Baptism of King Edwin 34
13. King Edwin's Rule 35
14. King Oswald at Heavenfield 36
15. The Coming of Aidan 37
16. Aidan' s Manner of Life 38
17. The Humility of King Oswin 41
18. Bede's Final Estimate of Aidan 43
19. The Choice of Theodore and Hadrian 44
20. The Teaching of Theodore 45
21. The Life and Death of Chad 46
22. John, the Singer of the Apostolic See 50
23. The Life and Death of the Abbess Hild 50
24. The Poet Csedmon 54
25. Dryhthelm's Vision of the Hereafter 58
Selections from the Old English Chronicle 66
A.D. 1; 33; 199; 449; 793; 832; 833; 851; 865; 871; 875; 878; 886; 897; 901; 1066; 1087. V
(
vi CONTENTS
PAGE
Selections from the Old English Laws . 76
1. Alfred's Statement concerning His Laws .... 77
2. Of Plotting against a Lord 78
3. Of Taking Refuge in a Church 79
4. Of Feuds 79
Charters 80
Lufu's Will 80
II. The Works of King Alfred, and Matter relating to
Alfred 83
Selections from Asser''s Life of King Alfred 86
1. Alfred's Rearing 87
2. Alfred and the Book of Saxon Poems 88
3. Alfred's Love of Learning 88
4. Battle of Ashdown 89
5. Alfred's Varied Pursuits 91
6. Alfred's Scholarly Associates : Werfrith, Plegmund,
iEthelstan, and Werwulf . . . • 93
7. How Alfred rewards Submission 94
8. Alfred's Manual 96
9. Alfred's Troubles 96
10. Alfred judges the Poor with Equity 98
11. His Correction of Unjust and Incompetent Judges . 98
Selections from Gregoiy's Pastoral Care 100,
1. Alfred's Preface 101
2. Gregory's Preface 104
3. Of the Burden of Rule, and how the Teacher is to
despise all Toils, and how afraid he must be of
every Luxury 105
4. How the Teacher is to be Sympathizing with and
Solicitous about all Men in their Troubles . . . 107
Selections from Orosius' Universal History 108
1. The Voyages of Ohthere and Wulfstan 109
Ohthere's First Voyage 109
Wulf Stan's Voyage 112
2. The Four Empires 114
3. Orosius' Defense of Christian Times 114
4. Augustus 115
CONTENTS vii
PAGE
Selections from. Boethius'' Consolation of Philosophy . . 110
1. Alfred's Preface 117
2. Alfred's Account of Boethius 117
3. Of True Riches 118
4. The Golden Age 119
5. Of Worldly Power 120
6. A King's Ideal 122
7. The Emptiness of Fame 123
8. The Unspeakable Power of God 124
9. The Tale of Orpheus and Euiydice 126
10. A Journey through the Heavens 128
11. The Example of the Famous Men of Yore . . . 129
12. The Nature of the Deity 129
13. Alfred's Concluding Prayer 131
Selections from St. Augustine's Soliloquies 131
1. Alfred's Preface 132
2. A Portion of Book 2 133
3. Book 3 : 141
III. ^LFRIC AND THE HOMILISTS 147
Selections from ^If ric 149
1. Preface to the Translation of Genesis 149
2. English Preface to the Grammar 1-51
3. English Preface to Homilies I 152
4. English Preface to Homilies II 154
5. New Year's Day 154
6. Daily Miracles 156
7. God and the Human Soul 157
8. Spiritual Miracles 1<^^
9. All Saints 1^1
10. The Easter Homily 164
11. The True Shepherd and the Hireling 173
12. The Invention of the Holy Cross 175
13. A Colloquy 1"^^
14. Fragment of a Homily on the False Gods .... 186
15. From the Canons l-'l
16. Yrom the Epistle for Wulf Stan 1^1
Wulfstan 1^'^
Wulfstan's Sermon to the English 104
viii CONTENTS
PAGE
Selection from the BUckling Homilies 200
The Signs of the Last Judgment 200
IV. Late Anonymous Works 205
Selections from Apollonius of Tyre 207
The Harrowing of Hell 218
V. Latin Works by Old English Writers 229
Selections from the Minor Works of Bede 231
1. The English Months 231
2. Selections from the Life of St. Cuthbert 233
3. Selections from the Life of Benedict Biscop . . . 248
4. Selections from the Life of Ceolfrith 247
5. Bede's Letter to Egbert, Archbishop of York . . 252
Cuthbert's Letter on the Death of Bede 255
Selections from the Letters of Alcuin 260
1. To the Monks of Wearmouth and Jarrow .... 261
2. To ^thelheard, Archbishop of Canterbury ... 264
3. From the So-called Caroline Books 265
4. To the Monks of York 267
5. To Arno, Bishop of Salzburg 268
6. To Eanbald II, Archbishop of York 269
7. To Charlemagne 271
8. To Cffinvvulf, King of Mercia 273
9. To the People of Canterbury 273
10. To the Monks of Salzburg 275
11. To Arno, Archbishop of Salzburg 275
12. To Charlemagne 276
13. To Eanbald II, Archbishop of York 277
Selections from the Benedictine Rule 278
1. The Four Kinds of Monks 279
2. Concerning Brethren who are Sick 280
3. The Measure of Food 281
4. Labor and Reading 282
5. Artificers in a Monastery 284
6. Rank in the Community 284
INI^EX 287
I
WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
SELECTIONS FEOM BEDE'S ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE
The chief source of our knowledge of the life of Bede is his own account of himself at the close of his Ecclesiastical History : ' I, Bede, the servant of God, and priest of the monastery of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, which is at Wearmouth and Jarrow, 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 Ceolfrith ; 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 order of the Abbot Ceolfrith. From which time till this 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 follow- ing pieces.' [A list of his works follows.] Bede apparently spent his entire youth and manhood at Jarrow, though it is not impos- sible that this quiet life was interrupted by a journey to Rome. For the story of his death, which probably occurred May 26, 735, see pp. 255 ff. An excellent account of him may be found in Plummer's edition of the Ecclesiastical History 1. ix-lxxix.
Benedict Biscop (? 628-690. Cf. pp. 243 ff.), above referred to, is noted as the founder and systematic governor of the Benedictine monasteries at Wearmouth (founded 674) and Jarrow (founded 682). He endowed these with an excellent library of patristic literature, much of which he had himself bought at Rome, and in the days of Bede Jarrow became one of the chief seats of learning in all Europe. It has been often pointed out that its
1 See Wordsworth, Eccl. Sonnets 23.
4 >VOKKS MAINLY lllsrOKK AL
situation coutribiited to pnxiuce its fame, for it sust^vinod rola- titiiis more or less intimate with the Celtic chiuvh in Nortli- umbria, with the Gallic church, and with Cant^nbury (whence Betie may have obtained his acquaintance with the Greek lan- guage). Bede became the priucijnil scholar of Jarrow, and through his influence the famous School of York was founded by Egbert, one of his pupils. At York the works of Bede were studied not only by English, but by Continental pupils. Finally by Alcuin (see pp. '200 i^".) their influence was transferred to the court -schools of Charlemagne.
The list of Bede 's complete works is surprisingly large, includ- ing commentaries on the various books of the C)ld and New Testaments, homilies, lives of saints and abbots, a translation of the Gospel of St. John (now lost), sundry scientiflc works, and a history of the world, De Sex .Etatihm Sa?culi. The complete works of Bede may be consulted not only in Migne's Patrohnjia Latina (Vols. 90-95, Paris, 1844), but also in the edition of J. A. Giles, London, 1848-44.
The Ecdesiiastical Histonj of the Euglish People is the most famous of Bede's works. It is divided into five books. The earlier chap- ters, descriptive of England and its history before the coming of Augustine, are based on previous Latin works, such as those of Orosius (see pp. 108 if.), Eutropius, and Gildas. From 1. 2o on, the sources are more independent. Bede drew much from local annals, oral and written communication, and j>ersonal recollec- tion. A tendency to sift evidence is noticeable here and there (cf. pp. 5 ff., 4Ji, 64). The history closes with the year 731.
A translation of Bede's Hhtonj into Old English was made by King Alfred, or by scholars working under his direction. For theories concerning its authorshi}>, see Miller's edition (London, 1890-91), and riummer's Life and Times of Alfred the (ireat (Ox- ford, 1902), chap. (5. '
The original Latin text nuiy be consulted in Plummer's edition (Oxford, 1890). An excellent edition of Books 8 and 4 has been made by Mayor and Lund>y (8d ed., Cambridge, 1881). Moberly 's edition (Oxford, 1869) is also valuable. Still worthy of honor is the splendid folio edition of Smith (Cambridge, 1722), contain- ing both the Latin and the Old English, besides other historical works of Bede.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 5
1. PREFACE
I formerly, at your request, most reaclily transmitted to you the Eadedantical History of the Enfjluh Natwn, which I had newly published, for you to read, and give it your approbation ; and I now send it again to be tran- scribed, and more fully considered at. your leisure. . . . But to the end that I may remove all occasion of doubting what I have written, both from yourself and other readers or hearers of this history, I will take care briefly to inti- mate from what authors I chiefly learned the same.
My principal authority and aid iu this work was the learned and reverend Abbot Albinus; who, educated in the cliurch of Canterbury by those venerable and learned men, Archbishop Theodore of blessed memory, and the Abbot Hadrian, 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 (jf Kent or the adjacent jjaits 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 Eome, having, with leave of the jjresent Pope Gregory, searched iuto the archives of the holy Koman church, found there some epistles of the blessed Pope Gregory and other popes ; and returning lujme, by the advice of the aforesaid most rever- end 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 tlie present, what was transacted in the
6 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
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 tliis work by the persuasions of the same Albinus. In like manner, Daniel, the most reverend bishop of the West Saxons, who is stni living, communicated to me in writing some things relating to the ecclesiastical history of that province, and of the South Saxons, next adjoining to it, as also of the Isle of Wight. But how, by the pious ministry of Cedd and Chad, 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 ecclesias- tical transactions took place hi 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 Esi. What was done towards promoting the faith, and what was the sacerdotal succes- sion in tlie provmce of Lindsey, we had either from the letters of the most reverend Bishop Cynibert, or by word of mouth from other persons of good credit. But what was done in the church throughout the provmce of the Nortliumbrians, from the time when they received the faith of Christ till this present, I received not from any particular autlior, l)ut by the faithful testimony of innumer- able witnesses, who might know or remember the same;
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 7
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 tilings 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 labored sincerely to commit to writmg such things as I could gather from common report, for the instruction of posterity.
•2. BEDE'S DESCRIPTIOX OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND Bk. 1, chap. 1
Britain, an island in the ocean, formerly called Albion, is situated between the north and west, facing, though at a considerable distance, the coasts of Germany, France, and Spain, which form the greatest part of Europe. It extends eight hundred miles in length towards the north, and is two hundred miles in breadth, except where several prom- ontories extend further in breadth, by which its compass is made to be 4875 miles. . . .
The island excels in fruits and trees, and is well adapted for feeding cattle and beasts of burden. It also produces vines in some places, and has plenty of land- and water- fowl of various sorts ; it is remarkable also for rivers abounding in fish, and plentiful springs. It has the great- est plenty of salmon and eels ; seals are also frequently
8 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
taken, and dolphins, as also whales; besides many sorts of shell-fish, such as mussels, in which are often found excellent pearls ^ of all colors — red, purple, violet, and green — but mostly white. There is also a great abun- dance of cockles, of which the scarlet dye is made — a most beautiful color, which never fades with the heat of the sun or the washing of the rain ; but the older it is, the more beautiful it becomes. It has both salt and hot springs, and from them flow rivers which furnish hot baths, proper for all ages and both sexes, and arranged in separate places, according as each person may prefer. For water, as St. Basil says,^ receives the heating quality when it runs along certain metals, and becomes not only hot, but scalding. Britain has also many veins of metals, as copper, iron, lead, and silver ;^ it has much and excel- lent jet, which is black and burns when fire is applied to it ; when heated, it drives away serpents; being warmed b}^ rubbing, it holds fast whatever is applied to it, like amber. The island was formerly embellished with twenty- eight noble cities, besides mnumerable castles, which were all strongly secured with walls, towers, gates, and locks. From its lymg almost under the North Pole, the nights are light in summer, so that at midnight the beholders are often in doubt whether the evening twilight still con- tinues, or that of the morning is coming on;^ for the sun, in the night, returns under the earth through the northern regions, at no great distance from them. For this reason the days are of a great length in summer, as, on the con- trary, the nights are in winter, for the sun then withdraws hito the southern parts, so that the nights are eighteen
1 So Tacitus, Pliny, Solinus, iElian.
2 Hexaem. 4. 6, quoted from the Latin translation (cf. Migne, Pair. Lat. 5:^. 907).
3 Cf. Tacitus, A(/jic. 12 (Plummer).
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 9
hours long. Thus the nights are extraordinarily short in summer, and the days in winter, that is, of only six equi- noctial hours ; whereas in Armenia, Macedonia, Italy, and other countries of the same latitude, the longest day or night extends but to fifteen hours, and the shortest to nine.
This island at present, following the number of the books in wdiich the divine law was w^ritten, contains five languages — those of the English, Britons, Scots, Picts, and Latins — each examining and confessing one and the same knowledge of the highest truth and of true sublimity. The Latin tongue is, by the study of the Scriptures, become common to all the others.
At first this island had no other inhabitants but the Britons, from whom it derived its name, and who, coming over into Britain, as is reported, from Armorica, possessed themselves of the southern parts thereof. When they, beginning at the south, had made themselves masters of the greatest part of the island, it happened that the nation of the Picts — from Scythia,i as is reported — putting to sea in a few long ships, were driven by the winds beyond the shores of Britain, and arrived on the northern coast of Ireland, where finding the nation of the Scots, they begged to be allowed to settle among them, but could not succeed in obtaining their request.
Ireland is the greatest island next to Britain, and lies to the west of it; but as it is shorter than Britain to the north, so on the other hand it runs out far beyond it to the south, opposite to the northern parts of Spain,^ though a spacious sea lies between them. The Picts, as has been said, arriving in this island by sea, desired to
1 Namely Scandinavia, but the Picts were either a pre-Aryan race (Rhys, Plummer), or Celts of the Cymric rather than the Gaelic stock (Windisch, Stokes) .
2 Cf. Tacitus, Agric. 10.
10 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
liave a place granted them in which they might settle. The Scots answered that the island could not contain them both ; ' but we can give you good advice/ said they, 'what to do; we know there is another island, not far from ours to the eastward, which we often see at a dis- tance when the days are clear. If you will go thither, you will obtain settlements ; or if they should oppose you, you shall have our assistance.'
The Picts, accordingly, sailing over into Britain, began to inhabit the northern parts thereof, for the Britons were possessed of the southern. Now the Picts had no wives, and asked them of the Scots, who would not consent to grant them upon any other terms than that when any difficulty should arise, they should choose a king from the female royal race rather than from the male ; which custom, as is well known, has been observed among the Picts to this day. In process of time, Britain, besides the Britons and the Picts, received a third nation, the Scots, who, migrating from Ireland under their leader Reuda, either, by fair means or by force of arms secured to them- selves those settlements among the Picts which they still possess. From the name of their commander, they are to this day called Dalreudins ; for in their language Dal signifies a part.
Ireland, in breadth, and for wholesomeness and serenity of climate, far surpasses Britain, for the snow scarcely ever lies there above three days; no man makes hay in the summer for winter's provision, or builds stables for his beasts of burden. No reptiles are found there, and no snake can live there; for, though often carried thither out of Britain, as soon as the ship comes near the shore, and the scent of the air reaches them, they die. . . . The island abounds in milk and honey, nor is there any want
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY H
of vines, fish, or fowl ; and it is remarkable for deer and goats. It is properly the country of the Scots, who, migrat- ing from thence, as has been said, added a third nation in Britain to the Britons and the Picts. There is a very large gulf 6f the sea, which formerly divided the nation of the Picts from the Britons ; which gulf ^ runs from the west very far into the land, where, to this day, stands the strong city of the Britons, called Alcluith.^ The Scots, arriving on the north side of this bay, settled themselves there.
3. THE BRITOXS SEXD TO ROME FOR AID AGAIXST THE PICTS AND SCOTS
Bk. 1, chap. 12 3
From that time the south part of Britain, destitute of armed soldiers, of martial stores, and of all its active youth, who had been led away by the rashness of the tyrants, never to return, was wholly exposed to rapine, as being totally ignorant of the use of weapons. Where- upon they suffered many years under two very savage foreign nations, the Scots from the west, and the Picts from the north. . . .
On account of the irruption of these nations, the Britons sent messengers to Eome with letters in mournful manner, praying for succors, and promising perpetual subjection pro- vided that the impending enemy should be driven away. An armed legion was immediately sent them, which, arriv- ing in the island, and engaging the enemy, slew a great multitude of them, drove the rest out of the territories of their allies, and having delivered them from their cruel oppressors, advised them to build a wall between the two
1 The Firth of Clyde. 2 Now Dumbarton.
3 Largely from Gildas.
12 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
seas 1 across the island, that it might secure them, and keep off the enemy ; and thus they returned home with great triumph. The islandei-s raising the wall, as they had been directed, not of stone — as having; no eui^ineer capable of such a work — but of sods, made it of no use. However, they drew it for many miles between the two bays or inlets of the sea which we have spoken of ; to the end that where the defense of the water was wantinij, thev mio[ht use the rampart to defend their borders from the irruptions of the enemies. Of which work there erected, that is, a rampart of extraordinary breadth and height, there are evident remains to be seen at this day. It begins at about two miles' distance from the monastery of Abercurnig,- on the west, at a place called in the Pictish language Peanfahel, but in the English tongue Penneltun. and running to tlie westward, ends near the city of Alcluiih.
But tlie former enemies, when they jierceived that the Roman soldiers were gone, immediately coming by sea, broke into the borders, trampled and overran all places, and, hke men mowing ripe corn, bore down all before them. Hereupon messengers were again sent^ to Rome imploring aid, lest their wretched country should be utterly extirpated, and the name of a Roman provmce, so long reno^^Tled among them, should be overthrown by the cruel- ties of barbarous foreigners, and become utterly contempt- ible. A lesjion was accordinojlv sent asrain, and arrivini^j unexpectedly in autumn,* made great slaughter of the enemy, obliging all those that could escape to flee beyond the sea ; whereas before they were wont yearly to carry off their booty without any opposition. Then the Romans
1 The Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde.
2 Now Abercoi-n, not far from Edinburgh. 8 Moberly thinks after 411.
4 Bede has here taken literally a figurative expression of Gildas'.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 13
declared to the I^ritons that they could not for the future undertake such troublesome expeditions for their sake, advising them rather to handle their weapons like men, and undertake themselves the charge of engaging their enemies, who would not prove too powerful for them un- less they were deterred by cowardice ; and, thinking that it might be some help to the allies whom they were forced to abandon, they built a strong stone wall ^ from sea to sea, in a straight line between the towns that had been there built for fear of the enemy, and not far from the trench of Severus.2 This famous wall,'^ which is still to be seen, was built at the public and private expense, the Britons also lending their assistance. It is eight feet in breadth and twelve in height,* in a straight line from east to west, as is still visible to beholders. This being finished, they gave that dispirited people good advice, with patterns to furnish them with arms. Besides, they built towers on the seacoast to the southward, at proper distances, where their ships were, because there also the irruptions of the barbarians were apprehended, and so took leave of their friends, never to return again.'^
After their departure, the Scots and Picts, understand- ing that they had declared they would come no more, speedily returned, and growing more confident than they had been before, occupied all the northern and farthest part of the island, as far as the wall. Hereupon a timor- ous guard was placed upon the wall, where they jjined
1 Readers of romance may be interested to compare Kipling, Puck of Pook's Jim, pp. 15.V4.
2 Rather of Hadrian (a.d. 120).
» From Wallsend, 4 miles N.E. of Newcastle, to Bowness, 12 miles N.W. of Carlisle (Moberly).
* ' In the portions which now remain it rarely exceeds five or six feet in height' {Quart. Rev. 107. m).
5 Probably 41H a.d. (Moberly).
14 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
away day and night in the utmost fear. On the other side, the enemy attacked them with hooked weapons, by which the cowardly defenders were dragged from the wall, and dashed against the ground. At last, the Britons, forsaking their cities and w^all, took to flight and were dispersed. The enemy pursued, and the slaughter was greater than on any former occasion ; for the wretched natives were torn in pieces by their enemies, as lambs are torn by wild beasts. Thus, being expelled their dwellings and possessions, they saved themselves from starvation by robbing and plundering one another, adding to the calami- ties occasioned by foreigners by their own domestic broils, till the whole country was left destitute of food, except such as could be procured in the chase.
4. THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH i (a. d. 450-456) Bk. 1, chap. 152
In the year of our Lord 449,^ Martian being made Emperor with Valentinian — the forty-sixth from Augus- tus — ruled the empire seven years. Then the nation of the Angles, or Saxons, being invited by the aforesaid king,^ arrived in Britain with three long ships, and had a place assigned them to reside in by the same king, in the eastern part of the island, that they might thus appear to be fighting for the country, while their real intentions were to enslave it. Accordingly they engaged with the enemy, who were come from the north to give battle, and obtained the victory ; which being known at home in their own country, as also the fertility of the country
1 Cf . Green, Tlie Making of England.
2 Chiefly from Gildas. 3 Really 450.
4 Tlie legendary Vortigern; for Gerontius, his historical couuterpart, see Plummer 2. 23.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 15
and the cowardice of the Britons, a more considerable fleet was quickly sent over, bringing a still greater number of men, which, being added to the former, made up an invincible army. The newcomers received of the Britons a place to inhabit, upon condition that they should wage war against their enemies for the peace and security of the country, while the Britons agreed to furnish them with pay.
Those who came over were of the tliree most powerful nations of Germany — Saxons, Angles, and Jutes. From the Jutes are descended the people of Kent and of the Isle of Wight, and those also in the province of the West Saxons who are to this day called Jutes, seated opposite to the Isle of Wight. From the Saxons — that is, the country which is now called Old Saxony ^ — came the East Saxons, the South Saxons, and the West Saxons. From the Angles — that is, the country which is called Angulus,^ and whicli is said to remain desert from that time to this day, between the provinces of the Jutes and the Saxons — are descended the East Angles, the Midland Angles, the Mercians, all the race of the Northumbrians, that is, of those nations that dwell on the north side of the river Humber, and the other nations of the Angles. The first two commanders are said to have been Hengist and Horsa; of whom Horsa, being afterwards slain in battle by the Britons, was buried in the eastern parts of Kent, where a monument bearing liis name is still in exist- ence. They were the sons of Wihtgils, son of Witta, son of Wecta, son of Woden ; from whose stock the royal lines of many provinces deduce their original.
In a short time, swarms of the aforesaid nations came over into the island, and they began to increase so much
1 Nearly the modern Holstein (^Nloberly).
2 Approximately Sclileswig.
16 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
that they became terrible to the natives themselves who had invited them. Then, having on a sudden entered into league with the Picts, whom they had by this time repelled by the force of their arms, they began to turn their weapons against their confederates. At first they obliged them to furnish a greater quantity of provisions ; and, seeking an occasion to quarrel, protested that unless more plentiful supphes were brought them, they would break the confederacy, and ravage all the island ; nor were they backward in putting their threats in execution. In short, the fire kindled by the hands of these heathen proved God's just revenge for the crimes of the people, not unlike that which, being once lighted by the Chal- deans, consumed the walls and city of Jerusalem.^ For the barbarous conquerors acting here in the same manner, or rather the just Judge ordaining that they should so act, they plundered all the neighboring cities and country, spread the conflagration from the eastern to the western sea without any opposition, and covered almost every part of the devoted island. Public as well as private struc- tures were overturned ; the priests were everywhere slain before the altars ; the prelates and the people, without any respect of persons, were destroyed with fire and sword ; nor was there any to bury those who had been thus cruelly slaughtered. Some of the miserable remainder, being taken in the mountains, were butchered in heaps. Others, spent with hunger, came forth and submitted themselves to the enemy for food, being destined to undergo perpetual servi- tude, if they were not killed even upon the spot. Some, with sorrowful hearts, fled beyond the seas. Others, con- tinuing in their own country, led a miserable life in fear and anxiety among the woods, rocks, and mountains.
1 2 Kings 25. 9, 10 j Jer. 52. 13, 14.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 17
5. A VICTORY FOR THE BRITONS
Bk. 1, chap. 16 i
Wlien the victorious army, having destroyed and dis- persed the natives, had returned home to their own settle- ments, the Britons began by degrees to take heart and gather strength, sallying out of the lurking-places where they had concealed themselves, and unanimously implor- ing the divine assistance, that they might not utterly be destroyed. They had at that time for their leader Am- brosius Aurelius, a modest man, who alone, by chance, of the Eoman nation had survived the storm in which his parents, who were of the royal race, had perished. Under him the Britons revived, and offering battle to the victors, by the help of God came off victorious. From that day sometimes the natives, and sometimes their enemies pre- vailed, till the year ^ of the siege of Mount Badon, when they made no small slaughter of those invaders, about forty-four years after their arrival in England.
6. THE SENDING OF AUGUSTINE (a.d. 596) Bk. 1, chap. 23
In the year of our Lord 582, Maurice, the fifty-fourth from Augustus, ascended the throne, and reigned twenty- one years. In the tenth year of his reign, Gregory, a man renowned for learning and behavior, was promoted to the apostolical see of Eome, and presided over it thirteen years, six months, and ten days. He, being moved by divine inspiration, in the fourteenth year of the same emperor, and about the one hundred and fiftieth after the coming of the English into Britain, sent the servant
1 Condensed from Gildas. 2 About 493 (Plummer).
18 AVORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
of God, Augustine, and with him several other monks who feared the Lord, to preach the word of God to the English nation.
They having, in obedience to the pope's commands, undertaken that work, were seized on their journey with a sudden fear, and began to think of returning home rather than proceed to a barbarous, fierce, and luibelieving nation, to whose very language they were strangers ; and tliis they unanimously agreed was the safest course. In short, they sent back Augustine, who had been a})pointed to be consecrated bishop in case they were received by the English, that he might by humble entreaty obtain of the blessed Gregory that they should not be compelled to undertake so dangerous, toilsome, and uncertain a journey. The pope, in reply, sent them a liortatory epistle, persuad- ing them to proceed in the work of the word, and rely on the assistance of God. The form of this letter was as follows :
' Gregory, the servant of the servants of God} to the serv- ants of our Lord. Forasmuch as it had been better not to begm a good work than to think of desisting from that which has been begun, it behooves you, my beloved sons, to fultil the good work which, by the help of oiu' Lord, you have undertaken. Let not, therefore, the toil of the journey nor the tongues of evil-speaking men deter you ; but with all possible earnestness and zeal perform that which, by God's direction, you have undertaken, being assured that much labor is followed b}* an eternal reward. When Augustine, your chief, returns, whom we also con- stitute your abbot, humbly obey him in all things, know- ing that whatsoever you shall do by his direction will in all respects be available to your souls. Almighty God 1 Gregory was the first pope to assume this style (Plummer).
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 19
protect you with His grace, and grant that I may see in the heavenly country the fruits of your labor, inasmuch as, though 1 cannot labor with you, I shall partake in the joy of the reward, because I am at least willing to labor. God keep you in safety, my most beloved sons. Dated this 23d of July, in the fourteenth year of the reign of our most pious Emperor Mauritius Tiberius, the thirteenth year after the consulship of our said lord, in the fourteenth indiction.'
7. THE ARRIVAL OF AUGUSTINE (a.d. 507) Bk. 1, chap. 25
Augustine, thus strengthened by the confirmation of the blessed father Gregory, returned to the work of the word with the servants of Christ, and arrived in Britain. The powerful ^thelbert was at that time king of Kent. He had extended his dominions as far as the great river H umber, by which the Southern Saxons are divided from the Northern. On the east of Kent is the large Isle of Thanet, containing, according to the English way of reck- oning, six hundred hides,^ divided from the other land by the river Wantsum,^ wliich is about three furlongs over, and fordable only in two places, for both mouths of it run into the sea. In this island landed the servant of our Lord, Augustine, and his companions, being, as is reported, nearly forty men.
They had, by order of the blessed Pope Gregory, taken interpreters of the nation of the Franks, and sending to
1 ' The amount considered adequate for the support of one free family with its dependants. . . . The general conclusion appears to be that it was normally 12() acres ; but the size of the acre itself varied ' {New Eng. Diet.). Thanet actually contains less than 30,000 acres, including tidal water and foreshore.
2 The lower course of the river Stour, below Stourmouth (Moberly).
20 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
^thelbert, signified that they were come from Eome and brought, a joyful message, which most undoubtedly as- sured to all that took advantage of it everlasting joys in heaven, and a kiagdom that would never end with the living and true God. The king haviug heard this, ordered that they should remain in the island where they had landed, and that they should be furnished with all neces- saries, till he should consider what to do with them. For he had before heard of the Christian religion, having a Christian wife of the royal family of the Franks, called Bertha,^ whom he had received from her parents upon condition that she should be permitted to practise her religion with the bishop Liudhard, who was sent with her to preserve her faith.
Some days after, the king came into the island, and sittiug in the open air, ordered Augustine and liis com- panions to be brought into his presence. For he had taken precaution that they should not come to him in any house, lest, according to an ancient superstition, if they practised any magical arts, they might impose upon him, and so get the better of him. But they came furnished with divine, not with diabolic virtue, bearing a silver cross for their banner,^ and the image of our Lord and Saviour pamted on a board ; and, singing htanies, they offered up their prayers to the Lord for the eternal salvation both of themselves and of those to whom they were come. When they had sat down, pursuant to the king's commands, and preached to him and his attendants there present the word of life, the king answered thus : ' Your words and promises are very fair, but as they are new to us and of uncertain import, I cannot approve of them so far as to
1 Daughter of Charibert, King of Paris.
2 See Wordsworth, EccL Sonnets 14.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 21
forsake that which I have so long followed with the whole English nation. But because you are come from far into my kingdom, and, as I conceive, are desirous to impart to us those things which you believe to be true and most beneficial, we will not molest you, but give you favorable entertainment, and take care to supply you with your necessary sustenance ; nor do we forbid you to preach and gain as many as you can to your rehgion.' Accordingly he permitted them to reside in the city of Canterbury, w^hich was the -metropohs of all his domin- ions, and, pursuant to his promise, besides allowing them sustenance, did not refuse them liberty to preach. It is reported that as they drew near to the city, after their manner, with the holy cross and the image of our sov- ereign Lord and King, Jesus Christ, they sang in con- cert this litany : ^ ' We beseech Thee, O Lord, in all Thy mercy, that Thy fury and Thine anger be turned away from tliis city, and from Thy holy house, because we have sinned. Alleluia.'
8. AUGUSTINE'S MANNER OF LIFE (a.d. 597)
Bk. 1, chap. 26
As soon as they entered the dwelling-place assigned them, they began to imitate the course of life practised m the primitive church : applying themselves to frequent prayer, watching, and fasting ; preaching the word of life to as many as they could ; despising all worldly things, as not belonging to them ; receiving only their necessary food from those they taught ; living themselves in all respects conformably to what they prescribed to others ;
1 ' A pathetic antiphon belonging to the Rogation days ' (Bright, Early Eng. Church Hist., p. 48), founded upon Dan. 9. 16.
22 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
and being always disposed to suffer any adversity, and even to die, for that truth which they preached. In short, several beheved and were baptized, admiring the sim- plicity of their innocent life and the sweetness of their heavenly doctrine. There was on the east side of the city a church ^ dedicated to the honor of St. Martin, built while the Romans were still in the island, wherein the queen, who, as has been said before, was a Christian, used to pray. In tliis they first began to meet, to sing, to pray, to say mass, to preach, and to baptize, till the king, being converted to the faith, allowed them to preach openly, and build or repair churches m all places.
Wlien he, among the rest, induced by the unspotted life of these holy men and their dehghtful promises, which by many miracles they proved to be most certain, believed and was baptized, greater numbers began daily to flock together to hear the word, and, forsaking their heathen rites, to associate themselves by faith to the unity of the holy church of Christ. Their conversion the king so far encouraged as that he compelled none to embrace Christianity, but only showed more affection to the believ- ers, as to his fellow-citizens in the heavenly kmgdom. For he had learned from his instructors and leaders unto salvation that the service of Christ ought to be voluntary, not brought about by compulsion. Nor was it long before he gave his teachers a settled residence in his metropolis of Canterbury, with such possessions of different kinds as were necessary for their subsistence.
1 Dean Stanley says {Hint. Mem. Canterbury, p. 31) : ' The present church, old as it is, is of far later date, but it unquestionably retains in its walls some of the Roman bricks and Roman cement of Bertha's chapel. ... Of all the great Christian saints of whom she [Bertha] had heard in France before she came to England, the most famous was St. Martin of Tours'; and hence Stanley suggests that the Canterbury church may have been named from him.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 23
9. POPE GREGORY SENDS MORE LABORERS (a.d. 601) Bk. 1, chap. 29
Moreover, the same Pope Gregory, hearing from Bishop Augustine that he had a great harvest and but few laborers, sent to him, together with his aforesaid mes- sengers, several fellow-laborers and ministers of the word, of whom the first and principal were Mellitus, Justus, Paulinus, and Eufinianus, and by them all things in gen- eral that were necessary for the worship and service of the church — namely, sacred vessels and cloths for the altars, ornaments for the churches, and vestments for the priests and clerks, as likewise relics of the holy apostles and martyrs ; besides many books. He also sent a letter, wherein he signified that he had transmitted the pall to him, and at the same time directed how he should consti- tute bishops in Britain.
10. THE LIFE OF POPE GREGORY Bk. 2, chap. 1
At this time, that is, in the year of our Lord 605,^ the blessed Pope Gregory, after having most gloriously gov- erned the Eoman and apostolic see thirteen years, six months, and ten days, died, and was translated to the eternal see of the heavenly kingdom. Of whom, in regard that he by his zeal converted our nation, the English, from the power of Satan ^ to the faith of Christ, it behooves us to discourse more at large in our Ecclesiastical History, for we may and ought rightly to call him our apostle ; because, whereas he bore the pontifical power over all the world,
1 An error for 004. 2 Acts 26. 18.
24 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
and was placed over the churches ah-eady converted to the faith of truth, he made our nation, till then given up to idols, the church of Christ, so that we may be allowed thus to attribute to liim the character of an apostle ; for though he is not an apostle to others, yet he is so to us ; for we are the seal of his apostleship in the Lord.^
He was by nation a Roman, son of Gordian, deducing his race from ancestors that w^ere not only noble, but religious. And Felix,^ once bishop of the same apostolical see, a man of great honor in Christ and his church, was an ancestor of his. Nor did he exercise the nobility of religion with less virtue of devotion than his parents and kindred. But that worldly nobility w^hich he seemed to have, he entirely used, by the lielp of the divine grace, to gain the honor of eternal dignity ; for soon quitting his secular habit, he repaired to a monastery, wherein he began to behave himself with so much grace of perfec- tion that — as he was afterwards wont with tears to tes- tify — his mind was above all transitory things ; that he rose beyond all that is subject to change ; that he used to think of nothing but what was heavenly; that, while detained by the body, he by contemplation broke through the bonds of flesh ; and that he loved death, which to almost all men is a punishment, as the entrance into life, and the reward of his labors. This he said of himself, not to boast of his progress in virtue, but rather to bewail the decay which, as he was wont to aver, he imagined he sustained through the pastoral care. In short, when he was one day in private discoursing with Peter, his deacon, after having enumerated the former virtues of his mind, he with grief added : ^ ' But now, on account of the pastoral
1 1 Cor. 9. 2. 2 Bishop of Rome, 48;V492.
3 Gregory's Dialogues, Bk. 1, Prol.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S* HISTORY 25
care, it is entangled with the affairs of laymen, and, after so beautiful an appearance of repose, is defiled with the dust of earthly action. And after having wasted itself by condescending to many things that are without, when it desires the inward things, it returns to them less qualified to enjoy them. I therefore consider what I endure, I con- sider what I have lost, and when I behold that loss, what I bear appears the more grievous.'
This the holy man said out of the excess of his humility. But it becomes us to believe that he lost nothing of his monastic perfection by his pastoral care, but rather that he improved the more through the labor of converting many than he had by the repose of his former tranquil life, and chiefly because, while exercising the pontifical function, he provided to have his house made a monastery. And when first drawn from the monastery, ordained to the ministry of the altar, and sent as nuncio to Constantinople from the apostolic see, though he now mixed with the people of the palace, yet he intermitted not his former heavenly life ; for, some of the brethren of his monastery having out of brotherly charity followed him to the royal city, he kept them for the better following of regular observances — in order, namely, that at all times, by their example, as he writes himself,^ he might be held fast to the calm shore of prayer, as it were with the cable of an anchor, while he was tossed up and down by the continual waves of worldly affairs; and daily among them, by the solace of studious reading, strengthen his mind when it was shaken with temporal concerns. By their company he was not only fortified against earthly assaults, but more and more inflamed to the exercises of the heavenly life.
1 Epistle to Leander, Bishop of Seville.
26 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
For they persuaded him to give a mystical exposition of the book of holy Job,^ wliich is involved in great obscurity ; nor could he refuse to undertake that work, which brotherly affection imposed on him for the future benefit of many ; but in a wonderful manner, in five and thirty books of exposition, taught how that same book is to be understood literally ; how to be referred to the mysteries of Christ and the church ; and in what sense it is to be adapted to every one of the faithful. This work he began when legate in the royal city, but finished it at Eome after being made pope. Whilst he was still in the royal city, he, by the assistance of the divine grace of catholic truth, crushed in its first rise a heresy newly started, concerning the state of our resurrection. . . .
He likewise composed another notable book, called the Pastoral^ wherein he manifestly showed what sort of persons ought to be preferred to govern the church, how such rulers ought to live, with how much discretion to instruct every one of their hearers, and how seriously to reflect every day on their own frailty. He also wrote forty homilies on the Gospel, which he divided equally into two volumes ; and composed four books of dialogues,^ into which, at the request of Peter, his deacon, he col- lected the miracles of the saints whom he either knew or had heard to be most renowned in Italy, for an example to posterity to lead their lives ; to the end that, as he taught in his books of expositions what virtues ought to be labored for, so, by describing the miracles of saints, he might make known the glory of those virtues. He further, in twenty-two homilies, discovered how much light there is concealed in the first and last parts of the
1 Known as the Moralia. 2 gee pp. 100 ff .
3 Translated into Old English, and recently pnhlished.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 27
prophet Ezekiel, which seemed the most obscure. Besides which, he wrote the Book of Answers to the questions of Augustine, the first bishop of the English nation, as we have shown above, inserting the same book entire in this history ; besides the useful little Synodical Book, which he composed with the bishops of Italy on the necessary affairs of the church ; and also familiar letters to certain persons. And it is the more wonderful that he could write so many and such large volumes, considering that almost all the time of his youth, to use his own words, he was often tormented with pains in his bowels and a weakness of his stomach, while he was continually suffer- ing from slow fever. But whereas at the same time he
o
carefully reflected that, as the Scripture testifies,^ every son that is received is scourged, the more he labored and was depressed under those present evils, the more he assured himself of liis eternal salvation.
Thus much may be said of his immortal genius, which could not be quenched by such severe bodily pains ; for other popes apphed themselves to building or adorning churches with gold and silver, but Gregory was entirely intent upon gaining souls. Whatsoever money he had, he diligently took care to distribute and give to the poor, that his righteousness might endure for ever, and his horn be exalted with honor ; ^ so that what blessed Job said might be truly said of him : ^ ' AVlien the ear heard me, then it blessed me,' etc. . . .
To these works of piety and righteousness this also may be added, that he saved our nation, by the preachers he sent hither, from the teeth of the old enemy, and made it partaker of eternal liberty; in whose faith and salvation
1 Cf. Heb. 12. 6. 2 pg. 112. 9.
3 Job 29. 11-17 : 31.16-18.
28 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
rejoicing, and worthily commending the same, he, in liis exposition on holy Job, says : ^ ' Behold, a tongue of Bri- tain, which only knew how to utter barbarous language, has lono^ since beo;un to resound the Hebrew Alleluia. Behold, the once swelling ocean now serves prostrate at the feet of the saints ; and its barbarous motions, which earthly princes could not subdue with the sword, are now, through the fear of God, bound by the mouths of priests with words only ; and he that when an intidel stood not in awe of fighting troops, now, a believer, fears the tongues of the humble. For by reason that the \irtue of the divine knowledge is infused into it by the heavenly w^ords it has hearkened to, and by conspicuous miracles, it is curbed by the dread of the same Godhead, so that it fears to act wickedly, and bends all its desires to arrive at the grace of eternity.' In which words St. Gregory declares this also, that St. Augustine and his companions brought the Eng- lish to receive the truth not only by the preaching of words, but also by the showing of heavenly signs. The holy Pope Gregory, among other thiugs, caused masses to be celebrated in the churches of the apostles Peter and Paul, over their bodies. And in the celebration of masses, he added three phrases,^ full of great perfection : ' Dispose our days in thy peace, snatch us from eternal damnation, and rank us in the number of thy elect.'
He governed the church in the days of the Emperors Mauritius and Phocas, but passing out of this life in the second year of the same Phocas, he departed to the true hfe which is in heaven. His body was buried in the church of St. Peter the apostle, before the sacristy, on
1 Bk. 27. chap. 11.
2 On Gre.iiory's liturgical reforms see the Diet. Chr. Biog. 2. 788-790; Diet. Chr. Ayitiqq. s.v. Sacramentary (see Plummer's notes on this passage, and on 1. 27, p. 47).
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 29
the 12th day of March,^ to rise one day in the same body in glory with the other pastors of Holy Church. On his tomb was written this epitaph :
Earth, take that body which at first you gave, Till God again shall raise it from the grave. His soul amidst the stars finds heavenly day ; In vain the gates of darkness make essay On him whose death but leads to life the way. To the dark tomb this prelate though decreed, Lives in all places by his pious deed. Before his bounteous board pale Hunger fled ; To warm the poor he fleecy garments spread ; And to secure their souls from Satan's power, He taught by sacred precepts every hour ; Nor only taught, but first the example led, Lived o'er his rules, and acted what he said. To English Saxons Christian truth he taught. And a believing flock to heaven he brought. This was thy work and study, this thy care. Offerings to thy Redeemer to prepare ; For these to heavenly honors raised on high,^ Where thy reward of labors ne'er shall die.
Nor is the account of St. Gregory which has been handed down to us by the tradition of our ancestors to be passed by in silence, in relation to his motives for taking such interest in the salvation of our nation. It is reported that some merchants, having just arrived at Rome on a certain day,'^ exposed many things for sale in
1 A.D. 604.
2 This line, like much of the epitaph, might be more exactly rendered than it has been by Giles. One feels the old Roman spirit in the line :
Hisqne Dei consul factus laetare triumphis.
We may translate the last two lines :
God's consul no-n-, rejoice in triumph won; Unending meed thou hast for labors done.
3 Between 585 and 588 a.d.
30 WORKS :nu.ixly historical
the market-place, and abundance of people resorted thither to buy. Gregory himself went with the rest, and, among other things, some boys were set to sale,^ their bodies white, their countenances comely, and their hair of remarkable beauty. Having viewed them, he asked, as is said, from what country or nation they were brought, and was told, from the island of Britain, whose inhabitants were of such personal appearance.^ He agaiu inquired whether those islanders were Christians, or still involved in the errors of heathendom : and was informed that they were heathens. Then fetching a deep sigh from the bottom of his heart, ' Alas ! what a pity,' said he, ' that the author of darkness should possess men of such fair countenances, and that, being remarkable for such grace of exterior, their minds should be void of inward grace ! ' He therefore again asked what was the name of that nation, and was answered that they were called Angles. * Right,' said he, ' for they have an angehc face, and it becomes such to be coheirs with the angels in heaven. What is the name,' proceeded he, ' of the province from which they are brought ? ' It was rephed that the natives of that pro\'inc« were caUed Deiri. 'Truly are they De ira,' said he, * snatched from wrath, and caUed to the mercy of Christ. — How is the king of that pro\Tnc€ called?' They told him his name was ^Ui ; and he, playing on the name, said, ' Alleluia, the praise of God the Creator ought to be sung in those parts.'
Then repairing to the bishop of the Roman and apos- tolic see — for he was not yet himself made pope — he entreated him to send some muiLsters of the word into Britain to the nation of the Enghsh, by whom it might
1 In a letter to a certain Candidas, which has been assigned to September, 595, Gregory directs him to purchase English boys, of about seventeen or eighteen years of age. for training up in monasteries.
* See Wordsworth, Ecd. Sonnets 13.
SELECTIOXS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 31
be converted to Christ ; declaring himself ready to under- take that work, by the assistance of God, if the apostolic pope should think fit to have it so done. Which not h>etng then able to perform — because, though the pope was will- ing to grant his request, jet the citizens of Eome could not be brought to consent that he should depart so far from the city — as soon as he was himself made pop>e, he carried out the long-desired work, sending indeed others as preach- ers, but himself by his prayers and exhortations assisting the preaching, that it might be successful. This account, as we have received it from the ancients, we have thought fit to insert hi our Ecclesiastical History.
11. KIXG EDAVIX OF XoRTHUMBRL\ E3IBRACES CHRISTIAXITY (^a.d. 627)
Bk. 2. chap. 13
The king, hearing these words, answered that he was both ^villing and bound to receive the faith which he taught, but that he would confer about it with his prin- cipal friends and counselors,^ to the end that if they also were of his opinion, they might all together be hallowed in Christ, the Fountaiu of life. Paulinus consentiug, the king did as he said : for, holding a council with the wise men, he asked of every one in particular what he thought of the new doctrine and worship of the Deity that was preached. To whom the chief of his own priests, Coifi, immediately answered : ' O kiug, consider what this is which is now preached to us ; for I verily declare to you what I have learned for certain, that the reliofion which we have hitherto held has no ^'i^tue or utility in it. For none of your people has applied himself more diligently
1 OE. icitan, from which icitenagemot.
32 WORKS :maixly historical
to the worship of our gods than I ; and yet there are many who receive greater favors from you, and obtain greater dignities than 1, and are more prosperous in all their undertakings. Xow if our gods were good for any- thing, they would rather assist me, who haAO been more careful to serve them. It remains, therefore, that if upon examination you find those new doctrines, which are now preached to us, better and more etlicacious, we iunucdi- ately receive them without delay.'
Another of the king's chief men, assenting to his prudent words and exhortations, straightway added :^ 'O king, the present life of man on earth seems to me, in comparison with the time of which we are ignorant, as if you were sitting at a feast with your chief men and thanes in the winter time, and a lire were kindled in the midst and the hall warmed, while everywhere outside there were raging whirlwinds of wintry rain and snow ; and as if then there came a stray '^ sparrow, and swiftly flew through the house, entering at one door and passing out through another. As long as he is inside, he is not bufteted by the winter's storm ; but in the twinklmg of an eye the lull for him is over, and he speeds from winter back to winter again, and is gone from your sight. So this life of man appeareth for a little time;^ but what cometh after, or what went before, we know not. If therefore this new doctrine con- tains something more certain, it seems justly to deserve to be followed.' The other elders and king's counselors spoke, by divine inspiration, to the same effect.
But Coiti added that he wished more attentively to hear Paulinus discourse concerning the God whom he
1 Cf. Wordsworth, Eccl. Sonnets W.
2 This seems to be suggested by unu$ ex passer um. For the figure cf. Hos. 9. 11. - Jas. 4. U.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 33
preached ; which he having by the king's command per- formed, Coifi, hearing his words, cried out : * I have long since been sensible that there was nothing in that which we worshiped, because the more diligently I sought after truth in that worship, the less I found it. But now I freely confess that such truth evidently apj>ears in this preaching as can confer on us the gifts of life, of salva- tion, and of eternal hajjpiness. For which reason I advise, O king, that we instantly abjure and set fire to those temples and altars which we have consecrated without reaping any benefit from them.' In short, the king publicly gave his license to the blessed PauKnus to preach the Gospel, and, renouncing idolatry, declared that he re- ceived the faith of Christ ; and when he inquired of the above-mentioned high priest who should first profane the altars and temples of their idols,^ with the enclosures that were about them, he answered, ' I. Who is fitter to destroy as an example to all others those things w^hich I worshijjed in my folly and ignorance, than I, acting upon the wis- dom which has been given me by the true God ? ' Then immediately, casting away his vain superstition, he desired the king to furnish him with arms, and a stallion, and, mounting the same, set out to destroy the idols — for it had not been lawful for the high priest to carry arms, or to ride except on a mare. Having, therefore, girt a sword about him, he took a spear in his hand, mounted the king's stallion, and proceeded to the idols. The multitude, beholding it, concluded he was insane ; but he lost no time, for as soon as he drew near the temple he profaned it, casting into it the spear which he held ; and, rejoic- ing in the knowledge of the worship of the true God, he
1 Cf. Plummer's note on f ana idolorum, 1. 30, and Cook's note on line 485, The Christ of Cynewulf.
34 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
commanded his companions to destroy the temple, with all its enclosures, and burn them with fire. The place where the idols were is still shown, not far from York to the eastward, beyond the river Derwent, and is now called Godmundingham,^ where the high priest, by the inspira- tion of the true God, polluted and destroyed the altars which he had himself consecrated.^
12. THE BAPTISM OF KIXG EDAVIX (a.d. 627) Bk. 2, chap. II
King Edwin, therefore, with all the nobihty of the nation,'^ and a large number of the common sort, received the faith and the wasliing of regeneration in the eleventh year of his reign, which is the year of the incarnation of our Lord 627, and about one hundred and eighty after the coming of the Enghsh into Britain. He was baptized at Y^ork on the holy day of Easter, being the 12th of April,* in the church of Peter the apostle,^ which he him- self had built of timber while he was undergoing the training of a catechumen and being prepared to receive baptism. In that city also he appointed the see of the bishopric of his instructor and bishop, Paulinus. But as soon as he was baptized, he took care, by the direction of the same Paulinus, to build in the same place a larger and nobler church of stone,^ in the midst whereof that
1 Now Goodmauham, 1^ miles N.E. of Market Weighton.
2 An adaptation of Virgil, ^n. 2. 501-2.
8 Including the future Abbess Hild (Bede 4. 23), the patroness of Cfed- mon. See p. 51.
4 Bright {Early Eng. Church Hist., p. 118) says Easter Eve, April 11.
5 On the site of the present cathedral (Bright, p. 117).
6 For the material of Saxon churches, see Plummer's note, and cf . Cook's note on line 27, Tlie Christ of Cyneioulf.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 35
same oratory which he had first erected should be enclosed.^ Having therefore laid the foundation, he began to build the church square, encompassing the former oratory. But before the whole was raised to the proper height, the wicked assassination of the king left that work to be finished by Oswald his successor.
13. KING EDWIN'S RULE (a.d. 617-633) Bk. 2, chap. 16
It is reported that there was then such perfect peace in Britain, wheresoever the dominion of King Edwin extended,^ that, as is still proverbially said, a woman with her new-born babe might walk throughout the island from sea to sea, without receiving any harm. That king took such care for the good of liis nation that in several places where he had seen clear springs near the high- ways he caused stakes to be fixed, with brass cups hang- ing from them, for the refreshment of travelers ; nor durst any man touch them for any other purpose than that for which they were designed, either through the dread they had of the king, or for the affection which they bore him. His dignity was so great throughout his dominions that his banners were not only borne before him in battle, but even in time of peace, when he rode about his cities, towns, or provinces with his thanes, the standard-bearer was wont to go before liim. Moreover, when he walked along the streets, that sort of banner which the Eomans call tufa, and the English, thimf, was in like manner borne before him.
1 This wooden sanctuary was carefully preserved, and enriched with splendid altars and vessels by Archbishop Albert (Bright, p. 119).
2 It extended at least as far as Edinburgh, Edwin's Burgh.
36 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
14. KIXG OSWALD AT HEAYENFIELD (a.d. 635) Bk. 3, chap. 2
The place is sllo^vIl to this day, and held in much ven- eration, where Oswald, being about to engage, erected the sign of the holy cross, and on his knees prayed to God that he would assist his worshipers in their great distress. It is further reported that, the cross being made in haste, and the hole dug in which it was to be fixed, the king himself, full of faith, laid hold of it, placed it in the hole, and held it with both his hands till it was set fast by soldiers' casting in earth. This done, he raised liis voice, and cried to his whole army : ' Let us all kneel, and jointly beseech the true and living God Almighty that of His mercy He will defend us from oar fierce and haughty enemy, for He knows that we have undertaken a just war for the safety of our nation.' All did as he had commanded, and, advancing towards the enemy with the first dawn of day, they obtained the \dctory, as their faith deserved.^ In that place of prayer very many miraculous cures are known to have been performed as a token and memorial of the king's faith, for even to this day many are wont to cut off small chips from the wood of the holy cross, which being put into water, men or cattle drinking thereof, or sprinkled with that water, are immediately restored to health.
The place in the English tongue is called Heavenfield,^ or the Heavenly Field, which name it formerly received as a presage of what was afterwards to happen, denoting
1 Bright says (p. 132) that this field * witnessed not only the death-blow to Welsh schemes of reconquest, but the definitive triumph of the Christian cause in Northumbria.'
2 Where is now St. Oswald's Chapel, about eight miles north of Hex- ham ; or perhaps Hallington, a mile or so east of St. Oswald's.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 37
that there the heavenly trophy would be erected,^ the heavenly victory begun, and heavenly miracles be wrought to this day. The same place is near the wall with which the Romans formerly enclosed the island from sea to sea, to restrain the fury of the barbarous nations, as has been said before.^
15. THE COMING OF AIDAN (a.d. 635) Bk. 3, chap. 3
The same Oswald, as soon as he ascended the throne, being desirous that all his nation should receive the Christian faith, whereof he had found happy experience in vanquishing the barbarians, sent to the elders of the Irish, among whom himself and the soldiers his followers, when in banishment, had received the sacrament of bap- tism, desiring they would send him a bishop, by whose instruction and ministry the people of the Angles which he governed might be taught the advantages, and receive the sacraments, of the Christian faith. Nor was he slow in obtaining what he requested, but received as bishop Aidan, a man of singular gentleness, piety, and modera- tion, zealous in the cause of God. . . .
On the arrival of the bishop, the king appointed him his episcopal see in the isle of Lindisfarne, as he desired ; tliis place, as the tide flows and ebbs twice a day, is enclosed by the waves of the sea like an island, and again, twice in the day, when the shore is left dry, becomes contiguous to the land. The king, humbly and willingly in all cases giving ear to his admonitions, industriously
1 See Stevens, Tlie Cross in the Life and Literature of the Anglo-Saxons {Yale Studies in English), pp. 81 ff.
2 See p. 13.
38 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
applied himself to build and extend tlie cliurcli of Christ in his kingdom ; wherein, when the bishop, who was not skilful in the English tongue, preached the gospel, it w^as most delightful to see the king liimself interpreting the word of God to his earls and thanes, for he had perfectly learned the Irish language during his long banishment. From that time many of the Irish came daily into Britain, and with great devotion preached the word to those tribes of the Angles over which King Oswald reigned, and those among them that had received priest's orders administered to them the grace of baptism. Churches were built in several places ; the people joyfully flocked together to hear the word ; lands were given of the king's bounty to build monasteries ; and the children of the Angles were instructed by Irish teachers, together with their elders, in the pursuits and observance of monastic discipline, since most of them that came to preach were monks.
16. AIDAN'S MANNER OF LIFE (a.d. 635) Bk. 3, chap. 5
From this island, from the confraternity of these monks, was Aidan sent to instruct the province of the Angles in Christ, having received the dignity of a bishop at the time when Segeni, abbot and priest, presided over that monastery ; whence, among other instructions for life, he left the clergy a most salutary example of abstinence or continence. It was the highest commendation of his doc- trine with all men that he taught no otherwise than as he and his followers were living ; ^ for he neither sought nor loved anything of this world, but delighted in distributing
1 Cf. Chaucer's * poure persoun ' {Prol. 496 ff.), and Mayor and Lumby's note on this passage ; see also pp. 21, 242,
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 39
immediately among the poor whatsoever was given liim by the kings or rich men of the world. He was wont to traverse both town and country on foot, never on horse- back,i unless compelled by some urgent necessity ; and wherever in his way he saw any, either rich or poor, he would turn aside to them, and invite them, if unbelievers, to embrace the mystery of the faith; or if they were be- lievers, he would strengthen them in the faith, and stir them up by words and actions to alms and good works.
His course of life was so different from the slothfulness of our times that all those who bore him company, whether tonsured monks or laymen, were employed in study, that is, either in reachng the Scriptures or in learning Psalms.^ This was the daily employment of liimself and all that were with him, wheresoever they went; and if it hap- pened, which was but seldom, that he was invited to eat with the king, he went with one or two clerks, and hav- ing taken a small repast, made haste to be gone with them, either to read or to pray. At that time many rehgious men and women, stirred up by his example, adopted the custom of fasting tiU the nmth hour^ on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, except during the fifty days after Easter. He never kept silence before the rich concerning their sins, either out of deference or fear, but reproved them with severe rebukes. He never -would give money to the powerful men of the world, but only food, if he happened to entertain them ; and, on the contrary, whatsoever gifts of money he received from the rich, he either distributed, as has been said, for the use of the poor, or bestowed in ransoming such as had been wrongfully
1 Cf. p. 41.
2 See Plummer's note.
3 Mayor and Lumby say : * The ninth hour proved ultimately too rigor- ous a limit, and soon was moved backward till it meant midday.'
40 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
sold.i Moreover, he afterwards made many of those he had ransomed his disciples, and after having taught and instructed them, advanced them to the order of priesthood. It is reported that when King Oswald had asked for a bishop from the Irish province ^ to minister the word of faith to him and his nation, there was first sent to him another man of more austere disposition, who, when he had preached for some time to the people of the Angles without success — they being loath even to listen to him — returned home, and in an assembly of the elders reported that he had been able to accomplish nothing in teacliing the people to whom he had been sent, because they were untamable men, and of a stubborn and barbarous dispo- sition. They, as is testified, seriously debated in a council what was to be done, being desirous to afford the nation the salvation for which they were asked, and grieving that they had not received the preacher sent to them. Then said Aidan, who was also present m the council, to the priest under consideration: 'I suspect, brother, that you were more severe to your unlearned hearers than you ought to have been, and did not at first, conformably to the apostolic rule, give them the milk ^ of more easy doc- trine, till, being by degrees nourished with the word of God, they should be capable of greater perfection, and be able to practise God's sublimer precepts.' Having heard these words, all present, turniug their faces and eyes upon him, began diligently to discuss what he had said, and presently concluded that he deserved to be made a bishop, and ought to be sent to iustruct the unbelieving and un- learned, since he was found to be endued with singular discretion, which is the mother of the virtues. Accord- ingly, having ordained him, they sent liim out to preach ;
1 Cf . p. 30. 2 Meaning lona. s 1 Cor. 3. 2.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 41
and he, as time proved, turned out subsequently to be adorned with other virtues, as at first he seemed remark- able for the temperance of his discretion.
17. THE HUMILITY OF KIXG OSWIN
Bk. 3, chap. 14
King Oswin was of a graceful aspect, tall of stature, affable in discourse, courteous in behavior, and bountiful to all, whether gentle or simple ; so that he was beloved by every one for the kingliness of his spirit and his looks, and for his distinguished merit, and men of the very first rank came from almost every province to serve him. Among other virtues and rare endowments, if I may so express it, humility is said to have been the greatest, as one example may suffice to prove.
He had given an extraordinarily fine horse to Bishop Aidan, which he might use either in crossing rivers or in performing a journey upon any urgent necessity, though he was wont to travel ordinarily on foot. Some short time after, a poor man meeting him and asking alms, he imme- diately dismounted, and ordered the horse, with all its royal furniture, to be given to the beggar ; for he was very compassionate, a great friend to the poor, and, as it were, the father of the wretched. This being told to the king, he said to the bishop as they chanced to be going in to dinner : ' Why would you, my lord bishop, give the poor man that royal horse, which you ought to have kept for yourself ? Had we not many other horses of less value, and of other sorts, which would have been good enough to give to the poor, without giving that horse, which I had particularly chosen for yourself ? ' To whom the bishop instantly answered, ' What is it you say, O king ?
42 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
Is that foal of a mare clearer to you than this child of God ? ' Thereupon they went in to dinner, and the bishop sat in Ills place; but the king, who was come from hunt- ing, stood warming himself with his attendants at the fire. Then on a sudden wliile he was warming himself, calling to mind what the bishop had said to him, he un- girt his sword and gave it to a servant, and running to the bishop, fell down at his feet, beseeching him to forgive Mm, ' For from this time forward,' said he, ' I will never speak any more of tliis, nor will I pass judgment on what or how much of our money you may give to the children of God.' The bishop feared greatly at this sight, and start- ing up, raised him, saying that he would be entirely reconciled to him if he would sit down to meat and lay aside all sorrow. The king, at the bishop's command and entreaty, beginning to be merry, the bishop, on the other hand, grew so melancholy as to shed tears. His priest then asking him, in the language of Ms country, which the king and his servants did not understand, why he wept, ' I know,' said he, ' that the king will not live long, for I never before saw so humble a king ; whence I conclude that he will soon be snatched out of this life, because this people is not worthy of such a ruler.' Not long after, the bishop's prediction was fulfilled by the king's death, as has been said above.^ But Bishop Aidan himself was also taken out of this world, twelve days after the sla}ing of the kmg he loved, on the 31st of August,^ to receive the eternal reward of Ms labors from our Lord.
1 Oswin had ruled the province of Deira in great prosperity for seven years when he was murdered by the command of Oswy, king of Bernicia. Upon this, Deira and Bernicia were permanently united to form the king- dom of Nortliumbria.
2 A.D. 651.
SELECTIOJs^S FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 43
18. BEDE'S FINAL ESTIMATE OF AIDAN
Bk. 8, chap. 17
I have written thus much concerning the person and works of the aforesaid Aidan, in no way commending or approving what he imperfectly understood m relation to the observance of Easter ; nay, very much detestmg the same, as I have most manifestly proved in the hook I have written De Teiiiporibus ^ ; but, like an impartial his- torian, relating wdiat was done concerning or by him, com- mending such things as are praiseworthy in his actions, and preserving the memory thereof for the benefit of my readers — namely, his love of peace and charity, of con- tinence and humility ; his mind superior to anger and avarice, and despising pride and vainglory ; his industry in keepiQg and teaching the heavenly commandments; liis diligence in reading and watchiag; his authority becoming a priest in reproving the haughty and powerful, and at the same time his tenderness in comforting the sick, and relieving or defending the poor. To say all in a few^ words, as near as I could be informed by those that knew him, he took care to omit none of those things which he found were to be done, according to the Gospels or the apostolical or prophetical writmgs, but to the utmost of his power endeavored to perform them all.
These tilings I much love and admire in the aforesaid bishop, because I do not doubt that they were well pleas- ing to God ; but I do not praise or approve his not observing Easter at the proper time, either through igno- rance of the canonical time appoiuted, or, if he knew it, beiug prevailed on by the authority of liis nation not to follow the same. Yet this I approve in him, that in the
1 Rather the De Temporuni Rattone.
44 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
celebration of his Easter, the object which he had in view in all he believed, worsliiped, and preached, w^as the same as ours, that is, the redemption of mankind through the pas- sion, resurrection, and ascension into heaven of the mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.^
19. THE CHOICE OF THEODORE AND HADRIAN (A.D. 667-8)
Bk. 4, chap. 1
There was then in the Niridan monastery, wiiich is not far from the city of Naples in Campania,^ an abbot called Hadrian,^ by nation an African, well versed in Holy Writ, experienced in monastic and ecclesiastical discipline, and excellently skilled in both the Greek and Latin tongues. The pope, sending for him, commanded him to accept the bishopric, and repair to Britain. He answered that he was unworthy of so great a dignity, but said he could name another, whose learning and age were fitter for the episcopal office. And having proposed to the pope a certain monk belonging to a neighboring monastery of celibates, whose name was Andrew, the latter was by all that knew him judged wT)rthy of the bishopric ; but bodily infirmity prevented his being advanced to the episcopal station. Then again Hadrian was pressed to accept the bishopric, but he desired a respite for a time, to see whether he could find another fit to be ordained bishop.
There was at that time in Eome a monk called Theo- dore, well known to Hadrian, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, a man well instructed in secular and sacred literature as well as in Greek and Latin, of excellent character and
1 1 Tim. 2. 5. 2 n ^-as near the present Monte Cassino.
3 For Hadrian and Theodore, see especially the Diet. Chr. Biog.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 45
venerable age, being sixty-six years old. Hadrian suggested him to the pope to be ordained bishop, and prevailed, but upon these conditions : first, that Hadrian himself should conduct him to Britain, because he had already, for vari- ous reasons, twice visited Gaul, and was therefore better acquainted with the way, and was moreover well provided with men of his own ; and secondly, that he should serve as his fellow-laborer in teaching, and thus keep careful watch that Theodore should not, after the manner of the Greeks, introduce anything contrary to the true faith ^ into the church over which he was to preside. Theodore, being ordained subdeacon, waited four months for his hair to grow, that it might be shorn into the shape of a crown ; for hitherto he had had the tonsure of St. Paul the apostle, after the manner of the Orientals. He was ordained by Pope Vitalian in the year of our Lord 668, on Sunday, the 26th of March, and on the 27th of May [668] w^as sent with Hadrian to Britain.^
20. THE TEACHING OF THEODORE (From a.d.
Bk. 4, chap. 2
Theodore arrived at his church the second year after his consecration, on Sunday, the 27th of May, and held the same twenty-one years, three months, and twenty-six days. Soon after, he visited all the island, wherever the tribes of the Enghsh inhabited, for he was willingly enter- tained and heard by all persons ; and, everywhere attended and assisted by Hadrian, he taught the right rule of life, and the canonical custom of celebrating Easter. He was the first archbishop whom all the English church obeyed.
1 See Bright, Earhj Eng. Church Hist., p. 220.
2 Benedict Biscop accompanied tliem ; see Bright, as ahove, p. 221.
46 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
And because both of them were, as has been said before, well read both in sacred and secular literature, they gath- ered a crowd of disciples, and there daily flowed from them rivers of sound learning to water the hearts of their hearers, insomuch that, together with the books of Holy Writ, they taught them the arts of prosody, astronomy, and ecclesiastical arithmetic.^ A testimony of which is that there are still living at this day some of their scholars who are as well versed in the Greek and Latin tongues as in their own, wherein they were born.^ Nor were there ever happier times since the English came to Britain, for since they had kings who were brave men and good Christians, they were a terror to all barbarous nations ; the mmds of all men were bent upon the joys of the heavenly kingdom of which they had just heard ; and all who desired to be instructed in sacred learning had mas- ters at hand to teach them. From that time also they began in all the churches of the English to learn sacred music, which till then had been known only in Kent.
21. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF CHAD
Bk. 4, chap. 3
Chad had his episcopal see in the place called Lich- field, in which he also died and was buried, and where the see of the succeeding bishops of that province still continues. He had built himself a dwelling not far from the church, wherein he was wont to pray and read with seven or eight of the brethren, as often as he had any
1 The art of calculating church seasons. Bright says (p. 238) : * This great school became the prototype of the yet more famous school of York in the next century, . . . out of which arose the illustrious Alcuin.'
2 See the interesting note in Mayor and Lumby's edition.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 47
spare time from the labor and ministry of the word. When he had most gloriously governed the church in that province two years and a half, Divine Providence ordained that there should come a season like that of which Ecclesiastes says, ' A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together ' ^ ; for there happened a mor- tality sent from heaven, which, by means of the death of the flesh, transferred the living stones of the church from their earthly places to the heavenly building. And when, after many from the church of that most reverend prelate had been taken out of the flesh, his hour also drew near wherein he was to pass out of tliis world to the Lord, it happened one day that he was in the aforesaid dwelling with only one brother, called Owin, his other companions having, for some good reason, returned to the church. Now Owin was a monk of great merit, having forsaken the world with the pure intention of obtaining the heavenly reward, w^orthy in all respects to have the secrets of the Lord revealed to him, and worthy to have credit given by his hearers to what he said. He had come^ with Queen ^thelthryth from the province of the East Angles, and was chief of her thanes and steward of her household. As the fervor of his faith increased, he resolved to re- nounce the world, and did not go about it slothfully, but so fully forsook the things of this world that, quitting all that he had, clad only in a plain garment, and carry- ing an ax and a hatchet in his hand, he came to the monastery of that most reverend prelate, called Lasting- ham ^ ; by this denoting that he did not go to the monas- tery to live idle, as some do, but to labor. This he also confirmed by his practice, for as he was less capable of
1 Eccl. 3. 5. 2 In 660.
3 Seven miles N.W. of Pickering, in Yorkshire ; it was from this monas- tery that Chad had come to Lichfield.
48 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
studying the Scriptures, he the more earnestly applied himself to the labor of his hands.^ In short, having been received, in company with the bishop, into the house aforesaid, and there entertained with the brethren for the sake of his reverent devotion, he, while they were engaged within in reading, would remain outside, and do such things as were necessary.
One day when he was thus employed abroad, his com- panions having gone to the church, as I began to state, and the bishop being alone, reading or praying in the ora- tory of that place, on a sudden, as he afterwards would say, he heard the voice of persons singing most sweetly and rejoicing, and appearing to descend from heaven to earth. This voice he said he first heard coming from the southeast,^ that is, from the point where the winter sun rises, and that afterwards it drew near him till it came to the roof of the oratory where the bishop was, and, enter- ing therein, filled the same and all about it. He listened attentively to what he heard, and after about half an hour perceived the same song of joy ascend from the roof of the said oratory, and return to heaven, with inex- pressible sweetness, the same way it came. When he had stood some brief space astonished, and was seriously revolving in his mind what it might be, the bishop opened the window of the oratory, and snapping his fin- gers, as he was often wont to do if any one was outside, bade him come in to him. He accordingly went in with speed, and the bishop said to him : ' Make haste to the church, and cause those seven brethren to come hither, and do you come with them.' When they were come, he first admonished them to maintain the virtue of love and peace among themselves and toward all believers, and
1 See below, p. 245. 2 a. sacred quarter ; cf . p. 62, note.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 49
indefatigably to practise the rules of regular discipline which they had either been taught by him or seen him observe, or had noticed in the words or actions of the fathers who had gone before. Then he added that the day of his death was at hand, ' for,' said he, ' that lovely guest w^ho has been wont to visit our brethren has vouch- safed also to come to me tliis day, and to call me out of this world. Eeturn, therefore, to the church, and speak to the brethren that they in their prayers recommend my departure to the Lord, and that they be careful to provide for their own, the hour whereof is uncertain, by watching, prayer, and good works.'
Wlien he had spoken thus much and more, and they, having received his blessing, had gone away in sorrow, he who had heard the heavenly song returned alone, and prostrating himself on the groimd, said : ' I beseech you, father, may I ask a question ? ' * Ask what you wiU,' an- swered the bishop. Owin rejoined : ' I entreat you to tell me what song that was which I heard issuing from those rejoicing ones who descended from the sky upon this oratory, and who after some time returned to heaven ? ' The bishop answered : ' If you heard the singing, and knew of the approach of the heavenly company, I charge you in the name of the Lord not to tell the same to any one before my death. They were angelic spirits, who came to call me to the heavenly reward which I have always loved and longed for, and they promised to return seven days from now and take me away with them.' Tliis was fulfilled as had been said to him; for — being presently seized with a languishing distemper, and the same daily increasing — on the seventh day, as had been promised to him, when he had prepared for death by receiving the body and blood of our Lord, his holy soul being delivered from
50 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
the prison ^ of the body, and the angels, as may justly be believed, attending him, he departed to the everlasting joys.
22. JOHN, THE SINGER OF THE APOSTOLIC
SEE (A.D. 680)
Bk. 4, chap. 18
He [Benedict Biscop] then received the aforesaid Abbot John to be conducted mto Britam, that he might teach m his monastery the annual round of musical services as it was practised at St. Peter's at Eome. Abbot John did as he had been commanded by the pope, teaching orally to the singers of the said monastery the order and manner of singing and reading, and also committing to writing all that was requisite throughout the whole course of the year for the celebration of festivals ; all which are still observed in that monastery, and have been copied by many others in various places. Not only did the said John teach the brothers of that monastery, but such as had skill in singing resorted from almost all the monasteries of that province to hear him, and many invited him to teach in other places.
23. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE ABBESS HILD
Bk. 4, chap. 23
In the following year, namely that of our Lord's incar- nation 680, on the 17th of November, the most religious servant of Christ, Hild, abbess of the monastery that is called Whitby, as above mentioned, after having per- formed many heavenly works on earth, passed from thence to receive the rewards of the heavenly life, at the age of
1 Various occurrences of this figure in English and other literatures are noted iu Cook's edition of The Dream of the Rood, pp. 38-9.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 51
sixty-six years, which fell into two equal divisions : the first thirty-three she spent in living most nobly in the secular habit, and more nobly dedicated the remaining half to our Lord in the monastic life. She was noble too by birth, being the daughter of Hereric, nephew to King Edwin, with which king,^ moreover, at the preaching of Paulinus of blessed memory, the first bishop of the North- umbrians, she embraced the faith and mysteries of Christ, and preserved the same undefiled until she attained to the vision of Him in heaven.
Eesolving to quit the secular habit, and to serve Him alone, she withdrew into tlie province of the East Angles, smce she was a connection of the king ; ^ being desirous, if it were at all possible, to pass over from thence into France, forsaking her native country and all she had, and so live for our Lord in the monastery of Chelles^ as an exile, that she might the more easily attain to the eternal kingdom in heaven ; because her sister Hereswith, mother to Aldwulf, king of the East Angles, at that time living in the same monastery under regular discipline, was wait- ing for her eternal crown. Being led by her example, she planned to go abroad, but was detained a whole year in the aforesaid province ; afterwards, being recalled home by Bishop Aidan, she accepted a hide of land on the north side of the river Wear, where again for a year she with a very few companions led a monastic life.
After tliis she was made abbess in the monastery called Hartlepool,^ wliich had been founded not long before by
1 Cf . p. 34. 2 Her sister had married the king's brother.
3 A little to the east of Paris. ISIayor and Luinby say : ' The studies pursued in these nunneries may be inferred from the example of St. Rade- gunde, queen of France, foundress of Holy Cross convent at Poitiers, who there read Gregory Nazianzen, Basil, Athanasius, Hilary, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Sedulius, and Orosius.'
* Eighteen miles S.E. of Durham, on the sea.
62 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
the religious handmaid of Christ, Heiu, who is said to have been the first woman in the province of the Northum- brians who took upon herself the vow and vesture of a nun, being consecrated by Bishop Aidan ; but she, soon after she had founded that monastery, w^ent away to the city of Tadcaster,! and there fixed her dwelhng. Hild, the handmaid of Christ, being set over that monastery, began immediately to reduce all things to a regular system, as far as she could ascertain from learned men ; for Bishop Aidan, and as many religious men as knew her, frequently visited, fervently loved, and diligently instructed her, because of her innate wisdom and attachment to the service of God.
When, therefore, she had for some eight years governed that monastery, wholly intent upon establishing the regu- lar life, it happened that she also undertook either to build or to set in order a monastery in the place called Wliitby.2 This work laid upon her she industriously per- formed, for she put this monastery under the same regu- lar discipline as the former, and taught there the strict observance of justice, piety, chastity, and other virtues, particularly of peace and charity, so that, after the example of the primitive church,^ no person was there rich and none poor, all being in common to all, and none having any property. Her prudence was so great that not only indifferent persons, but even kings and princes, as occa- sion offered, asked and received her advice. She obliged those who were under her direction to attend so much to the reading of the Holy Scriptures, and to exercise themselves so much in works of righteousness, that many
1 Nine miles S.W. of York. ' The village of Healaugh, about three miles north of Tadcaster, is believed to mark the site of St. Heiii's foundation, and possibly preserves her name ' (Murray's Yorkshire, quoted by Plummer).
2 A.D, 657. 3 Cf. Acts 4. 32-4 ; 2. 44-5.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 53
might be there found fit for ecclesiastical duties, that is, to serVe at the altar. . . .
Thus this handmaid of Christ, Abbess Hild, whom all that knew her called Mother for her singular piety and grace, was not only an example of good life to those that lived in her monastery, but afforded occasion of amendment and salvation to many who lived at a dis- tance, to whom the fame was brought of her industry and virtue. . . .
When she had governed this monastery many years, it pleased Him who has made such merciful provision for our salvation, to give her holy soul the trial of a long sickness, to the end that, according to the apostle's ex- ample, her strength might be made perfect in weakness.^ Smitten by fevers, she began to be tormented with vio- lent heat, and was afflicted with the same for six years continually, during all which time she never failed either to return thanks to her ]\Iaker, or publicly and privately to instruct the flock committed to her charge, for by her own example she admonished all persons to serve God dutifully while in perfect health, and always to return thanks to Him wdien in adversity or bodily infirmity. In the seventh year of her sickness, tlie distemper turning inwards, she approached her last day, and about cock- crowing, having received the holy communion to further her on her way, and called together the handmaids of Christ who were within the same monastery, she admon- ished them to preserve the peace of the gospel among themselves and toward aU others ; and as she was utter- ing her admonitions, she joyfully beheld death, or, if I may use the words of our Lord, passed from death unto life.2
1 2 Cor. 12. 9. ^ John 5. 24.
54 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
24. THE POET C.EDMOX (a.d. 680) Bk. 4, chap. 24 ^
There was iu the monastery of this abbess a certam brother especially distinguished by the grace of God, since he was wont to make poems breathing of piety and religion. Whatever he learned of sacred Scripture by the mouth of interpreters, he in a little time gave forth in poetical language composed with the greatest sweetness and depth of feeling, in English, his native tongue ; and the effect of liis poems was ever and anon to incite the souls of many to despise the world and long for the heavenly life. Not but that there were others after liim among the people of the Angles who sought to compose religious poetry ; but none there was who could equal him, for he did not learn the art of song from men, nor through the means of any man ; rather did he receive it as a free gift from God. Hence it came to pass that he never was able to compose poetry of a frivolous or idle sort ; none but such as pertain to religion suited a tongue so religious as his. Living always the life of a layman until well ad- vanced in years, he had never learned the least thing about poetry. In fact, so httle did he understand of it that when at a feast it would be ruled that every one present sliould, for the entertainment of the others, sing in turn, he would, as soon as he saw the harp commg anywhere near liim, jump up from the table in the midst of the banquet- ing, leave the place, and make the best of his way home.
Tliis he had done at a certain time, and leaving the house where the feast was in progress, had gone out to
1 Not merely a revision, but newly translated by Albert S. Cook for the companion volume to this, the Select Translations from Old English
Poetry.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 65
the stable where tlie care of the cattle had been assigned to him for that night. There, when it was time to go to sleep, he had lain down for that purpose. But while he slept some one stood by him in a dream, greeted him, called him by name, and said, ' Csedmon, sing me some- thing.' To this he repKed, ' I know not how to sing, and that is the very reason why I left the feast and came here, because I could not sing.' But the one who was talking with him answered, ' Xo matter, you are to sing for me.' ' Well, then/ said he, ' what is it that I must sing ? ' ' »Sing,' said the other, ' the beginning of created things.' At this reply he immediately began to sing verses in praise of God the Creator, verses that he had never heard, and whose meaning is as follows : ' Xow should we praise the Keeper of the heavenly kingdom, the might of the Creator and His counsel, the works of the Father of glory ; how He, though God eternal, became the Author of all marvels. He, the almighty Guardian of mankind, first created for the sons of men heaven as a roof, and after- wards the earth.' This is the meaning, but not the precise order, of the words w^hich he sang in his sleep ; for no songs, however well they may be composed, can be ren- dered from one language into another without loss of grace and dignity. When he rose from sleep, he remem- bered all that he had sung while in that state, and shortly after added, in the same strain, many more words of a hymn befitting the majesty of God.
In the morning he went to the steward who was set over him, and showed him what gift he had acquired. Being led to the abbess, he was bidden to make known his dream and repeat his poem to the many learned men who were present, that they all might give their judg- ment concerning the thing which he related, and whence
56 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
it was ; and they were unanimously of the opinion that heavenly grace had been bestowed upon him by the Lord. They then set about expounding to him a piece of sacred history or teaching, bidding him, if he could, to turn it into the rhythm of poetry. This he undertook to do, and departed. In the morning he returned and delivered the passage assigned to him, converted into an excellent poem. The abbess, honoring the grace of God as displayed in the man, shortly afterward instructed him to forsake the condition of a layman and take upon himself the vows of a monk. She thereupon received liim into the monastery with his whole family, and made liim one of the company of the brethren, commanding that he should be taught the whole course and succession of Biblical history. He, in turn, calling to mind what he was able to learn by the hearing of the ear, and, as it were, like a clean animal, cliewing upon it as a cud,^ transformed it all uito most agreeable poetry ; and, by echoing it back in a more har- monious form, made his teachers in turn listen to liim. Thus he rehearsed the creation of the world, the origin of man, and all the story of Genesis ; the departure of Israel from Egypt and their entry into the promised land, to- gether with many other liistories from Holy Writ; the incarnation of our Lord, His passion, resurrection, and ascension mto heaven ; the coming of the Holy Ghost and the teaching of the apostles ; moreover he made many poems about the terror of the future judgment, the awfulness of the pains of hell, and the joy of the heavenly kingdom, besides a great number about the mercies and judgments of God. In all these he exerted himself to allure men from the love of wickedness, and to impel them to the love and practice of righteous living ; for he
1 Lev. 11. 3-6; Deut. 14. G-8; Shakespeare, A.'y.L. 4. 3. 102.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 57
was a very devout man, humbly submissive to the monas- tic rule, but full of consuming zeal against those who were disposed to act otherwise.
Hence it came to pass that he ended his life ^th a fair death- !^or when the hour of his departure drew nigh, he was afflicted for the space of a fortnight with a bodily weakness which seemed to prepare the way ; yet it was so far from severe that he was able during the whole of that time Uj walk about and converse. Near at hand there was a cottage, to which those who were sick and appeared nigh unto death were usually taken. At the apjjroach of evening on the same night when he was to leave the world, he desired his 'ittendant to make ready a place there for him to take his rest. The attendant did so, though he cor Id not help wondering at the request, since he did not seem in the least like a person about to die. When he was placed in the infirmary, he was somehow full of good humor, and kept talking and joking with those who had already been brought there. Some time after midnight he asked whether they had the eucharist at hand. * What do you need of the eucharist ? ' they an- swered, * you aren't going to die yet, for you are just as fuU of fun in talking with us as if nothing were the matter with you.' * Never mind,' said he, ' bring me the eucharist.' Taking it in his hand, he asked, * Are you all at peace with me, and free from any grudge or ill-will ? ' * Yes,' they all responded, ' we are perfectly at peace with you, and cherish no grievance whatever.' ' But are you,' said they, ' entirely at peace with us ? ' * Yes, my dear children,' he answered without hesitation, ' I am at peace with all the serv^ants of God.' And thus saying, he made ready for his entrance into the other life by partaking of the heavenly journey-bread. Not long after he inquired.
58 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
' How near is it to the hour when the brethren are wak- eneci for lauds ? ' ' But a Uttle wliile,' was the reply. ' Well then,' said he, ' let us wait for that hour,' and, making over himself the sign of the cross, he laid his head on the pillow, and falling into a light slumber, ended his life in silence. And so it came to pass that, as he had served the Lord in simplicity and purity of mind, and with serene attachment and loyalty, so by a serene death he left the world, and went to look upon His face. And meet in truth it was that tht tongue which had indited so many helpful words in praise of the Creator, should frame its very last words in His praise, hile in the act of signing himself with the cross, and of cciu mending his spirit into His hands. And that he foresaw liis death is apparent from what has here been related.
25. DRYHTHELM'S VISION OF THE HEREAFTER i
Bk. 5, chap. 12
At this time a memorable miracle, and like to those of old, was wrought m Britain ; for to the end that the living might be saved from the death of the soul, a certain man who had been some time dead rose again to the life of the body, and related many memorable things which he had seen ; some of wliich I have thought fit here briefly to relate. There was a householder in that district of
1 Cf. the vision of Fursa (3. 19). The visions of the other world, which perhaps begin with tlie Book of Enoch (pre-Christian), and are contin- ued in tlie apocryphal Acts of Thomas (2d century). Apocalypse of Peter (2d century) , and Apocalypse of Paul (4th century) , here first appear on English soil. On the general subject, reference may be made to The Dream of the Rood, ed. Cook, p. Iv, note 2; The Pearl, ed. Osgood, p. xxxvii, note 1 ; Bede's Eccl. Hist., ed. Plummer, 2. 294-5. See also Plato, Gorgias 523 ff. ; Phsiclo 113-4; Stewart, Tlie Myths of Plato ; Virgil, Mn. 6. 548 fif. ; Dieterich, Nekyia.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 59
Northumbria which is called Cunniagham,^ who led a religious Life, as did all liis house. This man fell sick, and liis distemper daily increasing, he was brought to death's door, and died in the beginning of the night ; but in the mornmg early he suddenly came to life again, and sat up, upon which all those that sat about the body weepmg fled away in a great fright ; only his wife, who loved him best, though in a great consternation and trembling, remained with him. He, comforting her, said, ' Fear not, for I am now truly risen from death, and permitted again to live among men ; however, I am not to live hereafter as I was wont, but from henceforward after a very differ- ent manner.' Then rising immediately, he repaired to the chapel of the village, and continuing in prayer till day, immediately divided all his substance into three parts, one whereof he gave to his wife, another to his children, and reserving the third for liimself, instantly distributed it among the poor. Not long after, having thus rid him- self of worldly cares, he repaired to the monastery of Melrose, which is almost enclosed by a bend of the river Tweed ; and having received the tonsure, went into a private dwelling which the abbot had provided, where he continued till the day of his death m such extraordinary contrition of mind and body that, though his tongue had been silent, his life declared that he had seen many things either to be dreaded or desired, which others knew nothing of.
And thus he related what he had seen : ' He that led me had a sliining countenance and a bright garment, and we went on silently, as I thought, towards the northeast. Walking on, we came to a vale of great breadth and
1 ' Generally identified with Cunningham, just within the Scotch border ' (Plummer) .
60 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
depth, and of infinite length. The part which lay at our left had one side full of dreadful flames, while the other was no less horrid for violent hail and cold, scudding and sweeping in all directions* Both places were full of men's souls, which seemed by turns to be tossed from one side to the other, as it were by the violence of tempest; for when the wretches could no longer endure the excess of heat, they leaped into the middle of the cutting cold; and, finding no rest there, would leap back again into the midst of the inextinguishable flames.^ Now whereas an innumerable multitude of deformed spirits were thus al- ternately tormented, as far as one could look, without any intermission, I began to think that this might perhaps be hell, of whose intolerable flames I had often heard. My guide, who went before me, answered my thought, saj'ing, " Do not believe so, for this is not the hell you imagine."
* When he had by degrees conducted me, much fright- ened with that horrid spectacle, to the further end, on a sudden I saw the place begin to grow dusky before us, and fill with darkness. When we had entered it, the darkness by degrees grew so thick that I could see noth- ing except the shape and clothing of liim that led me. As we advanced through the shades of night, suddenly there appeared before us frequent globes of black flames, rising as it were out of a great pit, and fallmg back again into the same. Wlien I had been conducted thither, my leader suddenly vanished, and left me alone in the midst of darkness and tliis horrid vision. Now while those same globes of fire without intermission at one time flew up and at another fell back into the bottom of the abyss, I observed that all the tips of the flames, as they ascended, were full of human souls, which, like sparks flying up
1 Cf. Shakespeare, M.for M. 3. 1. 122-3; Milton, P. L. 2. 600 ff.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 61
with smoke, were sometimes thrown on high, and again, when the fiery vapors ceased, dropped down into the depths below. Moreover, an insufferable stench came forth with the vapors, and filled all those dark places. ' Ha\ing stood there a long time in much dread, not knowing what to do, which way to turn, or what end I might expect, on a sudden I heard behind me the noise of most hideous and wretclied lamentation, and at the same time a loud laughing, as of a rude multitude insult- ing captured enemies. When that noise, growing plainer, came up to me, I observed a gang of evil spirits dragging the howlmg and lamentmg souls of five men into the midst of the darkness, while they themselves laughed and rejoiced above measure. Among those men, as I could discern, there was one tonsured like a clerk, one layman, and one woman. The evil spirits that dragged them went down into the midst of the burning pit ; and as they went down deeper, I could no longer distinguish between the lamentation of the men and the laughing of the devils, yet I still had in my ears the mingled sound. In the meantime, some of the dark spirits ascended from that flaming abyss, and runnmg forward encompassed me on all sides, and much afflicted me with their flaming eyes and the stinking fire which proceeded from their mouths and nostrils. They threatened also to lay hold on me with burning tongs which they had in their hands, yet they durst not touch me, though they were bold to frighten me. Being thus on all sides enclosed with ene- mies and darkness, and looking about on every side for assistance to escape, there appeared behind me, on the way that I came, as it were the brightness of a star ^ shin- ing amidst the darkness, which increased by degrees, and
1 Plummer compares Dante, Purg. 12. 89-90.
62 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
came rapidly towards me. And when it drew nigh, all those evil spirits that sought to carry me away with their tongs dispersed and fled.
' He whose approach put them to flight was the same that led me before, who then, turning towards the right, began to lead me, as it were, towards the southeast,^ and having soon brought me out of the darkness, conducted me into an atmosphere of serene light. Wliile he thus led me in open light, I saw a vast wall before us, the length and height of which, in every direction, seemed to be altogether boundless. I began to wonder why we went up to the wall, seeing that I could discover no door, or window, or means of ascent. When we came to the wall, we were presently, I know not by what means, on the top of it, and within it was a vast and delightful field, so full of fragrant flowers that the sweetness of its delightful odor immediately dispelled the stench of the dark furnace, which had penetrated me in every part. So great was the light in this place that it seemed to exceed the brightness of the day, or the sun in its meridian height. In this field were innumerable assem- blies of men in white, and many companies seated together rejoicing. As he led me through the choirs of those blissful inhabitants, I began to think that this might per- haps be the kingdom of heaven, of which I had often heard so many sermons. He answered my thought, saying, " No, this is not the kingdom of heaven, as you imagine."
' When we had passed those abodes of blessed souls and gone further on, I discovered in front of us a much more beautiful light, and therein heard sweet voices of persons singing ; and so wonderful a fragrance proceeded from the
1 On the southeast as the quarter of felicity, see Cook's edition of Cyuewulf's Christ, note on 1. 900, and Lactautius, Inst. Div. 2. 9.
SELECTIONS FROM BEDE'S HISTORY 63
place that the other, which I had before thought most delicious, then seemed to me but very indifferent ; even as that extraordinary brightness of the flowery field, com- pared with this, appeared mean and inconsiderable. When I began to hope we should enter that delightful place, my guide on a sudden stood still; and then retracing his steps, led me back by the way we came.
'When we returned to those joyful mansions of the spirits in white, he said to me : " Do you know^ what all these things are which you have seen ? " I answered, I did not ; and then he replied : " That vale you saw, so dreadful for consuming flames and cutting cold, is the place in which the souls of those are tried and punished who, delaying to confess and amend their crimes, at length have recourse to repentance at the point of death, and so depart tliis life ; but nevertheless because they even at their death confessed and repented, they shall all be re- ceived into the kingdom of heaven at the day of judg- ment ; but many are relieved, even before the day of judgment, by the prayers,^ alms, and fasting of the liv- ing, and more especially by the celebration of masses. That fiery and foul-smelling pit which you saw is the mouth of hell, into which whosoever falls shall never be delivered to all eternity. Tliis flowery place, in which you see these most beautiful young people, so resplendent and joyful, is that into which the souls of those are received who depart the body in good works, but who are not so perfect as to deserve to be immediately admitted into the kingdom of heaven ; yet they shall all, at the day of judg- ment, have the vision of Christ, and enter into the joys of His kingdom. But they who are perfect in thought, word, and deed, as soon as they depart the body immediately
1 Pluminer compares Dante, Purg. 3. 140-1.
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enter into the kingdom of heaven, in the neighborhood whereof that place is where you heard the sound of sweet singing, with the odor of sweetness and splendor of light. As for you, who are now to return to the body, and live again among men, if you will endeavor strictly to exam- ine your actions, and direct your speech and behavior m righteousness and simplicity, you shall after death have a place of residence among these joyful troops of blessed souls which you behold ; for when I left you for a while, it was to know how you were to be disposed of." When he had said this to me, I much abhorred returnmg to my body, being delighted with the sweetness and beauty of the place I beheld, and with the company of those I saw in it. However, I durst not ask my guide any questions ; but in the meantime, on a sudden, I know not how, I find myself ahve among men.'
Now these and other tilings which this man of God saw, he would not relate to slothful persons and such as lived carelessly, but only to those who, being terrified mth the dread of torments, or delighted with the hope of everlasting joys, wished to make use of his words to ad- vance in piety. Lq the neighborhood of his cell lived one Hiemgils, a monk, eminent too in the priesthood, as his good works alone might testify. This man is still hving, and leading a solitary life in Ireland, supporting his ex- treme old age on bread and cold water. He often went to that man, and by asking numerous questions, heard from him all the particulars of what he had seen when separated from his body ; by whose recital I also came to the knowledge of the few facts which I have briefly set down. He also related his visions to King Aldfrith,^ a man
1 Whom Bright calls {Earhj Eng. Church Hist., p. 338) ' the first of our literary kings,' and Plumnier (2. 263) ' the philosopher-king.'
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most learned in all respects, and was by him so willingly and attentively heard that at his request he was admitted LDto the monastery above mentioned, and received the monastic tonsure ; and the said king, when he happened to be in those parts, very often went to hear him. At that time the religious and modest abbot and priest, ^thelwald,^ presided over the monastery, and now with worthy conduct occupies the episcopal see of the church of Lindisfarne.
He had a private place of residence assigned him in that monastery, where he might freely apply himself to the service of his Creator in contiaual prayer. And as that place lay on the bank of the river, he was wont to go frequently into the same for the chastening of his body, and many times to dip quite under the water, and to continue saying Psalms or prayers therein as long as he could endure it, standing still sometimes up to the middle, and sometimes to the neck in water ; and when he went out from thence ashore, he never took off his cold and frozen garments till they grew warm and dry on his body. And when in winter the half-broken pieces of ice were swimming about him, wliich he had sometimes broken in order to make room to stand or dip himself in the river, those who beheld it would say, 'It is wonderful, brother Dryhthelm (for so he was called), that you are able to endure such violent cold ' ; but he would simply answer, for he was a man of simple wit and moderate nature, ' I have seen greater cold.' And when they would
1 He became Bishop of Lindisfarne ca. 721, and died in 740, or earlier. As bishop, he provided a cover for the famous Lindisfarne Gospels, or Durham Book (Brit. Mus. Cott. Nero D, IV) ; on this see Cook, Biblical Quotations in Old English Prose Writers 1 (1898) xliv ff. Plummer says of it (2. 298) : ' No facsimile can give any idea of the exquisite beauty of the original. It is the fairest MS. that has ever come under my notice.*
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say, * It is strange that you will endure such austerity ' ; he would reply, ' I have seen greater austerity.' Thus he continued, through an indefatigable desire of heavenly bliss, to subdue his aged body, with the addition of daily fasting, till the day of his being called away ; promoting the salvation of many by his words and manner of life.
J. A. Giles, revised
SELECTIONS FROM THE OLD ENGLISH CHRONICLE
Four versions of the famous series of chronological records known as the Old English Chronicle have been preserved in seven manuscripts. These were kept in various places, such as Canter- bury, Winchester, and Peterborough, but the earlier portions of them (to the year 892) are all closely related to one original draft. This, in turn, was probably based on earlier local chroni- cles, combined and supplemented by order of Kiug Alfred. The entries begin with an account of the invasion of Britain by Julius C?esar, ' sixty years before the incarnation of Christ,' but this, like the notes immediately following (a.d. 1-448), is a comparatively late interpolation. Nothing of any length or par- ticular value antedates 449, and it is doubtful whether any con- temporary entries were made in the original chronicles before 600. The early records depend largely on Bede's History. The last entry is under date of 1154.
A peculiarity of the records of the tenth century is the occa- sional insertion of poems, chief among which are The Battle of Brunanhurh and The Battle of Maldon (Select Translations from Old English Poetry, Boston, 1902, pp. 26, 31). Only occasionally, however, does the Chronicle rise above the plane of bald prose. Plummer says in his masterly edition. Two of the Saxon Chroni- cles Parallel (Oxford, 1892-9) : ' In their laconic annals much was implied, and little exjn-essed. ... To posterity they present merely a name or two, as of a battle-field and a victor, but to the men of the day they suggested a thousand particulars, which they, in their comrade-life, were in the habit of recollecting and
SELECTIONS FROM OLD ENGLISH CHRONICLE 67
putting together. . . .' And again : 'A numerical list of years was prepared, with a blank space, generally only a single line, opposite each number. The smallness of the space shows that nothing great was designed, but only a year-mark to know and distinguish the year by ' (2. xxi-xxii).
The Chronicle shares with Bede's Ecclesiastical History the dis- tinction of being the chief source for the history of England before the twelfth century. Even so early a writer as Asser translates from the Chronicle (cf. pp. 89 ff.). A modern trans- lation may be found in Thorpe's edition (Rolls Series, London, 1861), or one by Giles, in the Bohn series, from which, with occasional changes, our extracts are taken.
A.D. 1. Octavianus reigned fifty-six years, and in the forty-second year of his reign Christ was born.
A.D. 33. Tliis year Christ was crucified, being from the beginning of the world about five thousand two hundred and twenty-six years.
A.D. 199. In this year the Holy Eood was found.
A.D. 449. This year Martianus and Valentinus^ suc- ceeded to the empire, and reigned seven years. And in their days Hengist and Horsa, invited by Vortigern, King of the Britons, landed in Britain on the shore which is called Ebbsfleet^; at first in aid of the Britons, but after- wards they fought against them. King Vortigern ga\'e them land in the southeast of this country, on condition that they should light against tlie Picts. Then they fought against the Picts, and had the victory wheresoever they came. They then sent to the Angles, desired a larger force to be sent, and caused them to be told the worthlessness of the Britons and the excellences of the land.^
1 For Valentinianus.
2 Very possibly the landing-place of Augustine also; see Stanley, Hist. Mem. Canterbury, pp. 14-30.
3 Cf. Bede's account, p. 14, on which the whole passage is obviously based. The entry continues with an account of the various tribes, and of the ancestry of Hengist and Horsa, much as in Bede.
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A.D. 793. This year dire fore warnings came over the land of the Northumbrians, and miserably terrified the people ; these were excessive whirlwinds, and lightnings ; and fiery dragons were seen flying in the air. A great famine soon followed these tokens ; and a little after that, in the same year, on the 6th before the Ides of January, the ravaging of heathen men lamentably destroyed God's church at Lindisfarne through rapine and slaughter. . . .
A.D. 832. This year the heathen men ravaged Sheppey.
A.D. 833. 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.
A.D. 851. This year Ceorl the earl, with the men of Devonshire, fought against the heathen men at Wicgan- beorg^ (and there was great slaughter), and got the victory. And the same year King Athelstan and ^Icliere the earl fought on shipboard, and slew a great number of the enemy at Sandwich in Kent, and took nine ships, and put the others to flight. And the heathen men, for the first time, remained over winter in Thanet. And the same year came three hundred and fifty ships to the mouth of the Thames, and the crews landed, and took London and Canterbury by storm, and put to flight Berhtwulf, King of the Mercians, with his army, and then went south over the Thames into Surrey. And there King JEthelwulf, and his son ^thel- bald, with the army of the West Saxons, fought against them at Aclea, and made the greatest slaughter among the heathen army that we have heard reported to the present day, and got the victory.
1 Possibly Wigborough, in the parisli of South Petherton in Somerset- shire (Stevenson), though the identification must be regarded as by no means certain.
SELECTIONS FROM OLD ENGLISH CHRONICLE 69
A.D. 865. This year the heathen army sat down in Thanet, and made peace with the men of Kent, and the men of Kent promised them money for the peace. And pending the peace and the promise of money, the army stole away by night, and ravaged all Kent to the eastw^ard.
A.D. 871. About three days after tliis, King ^thelred and AKred his brother led a large force to Heading, and fought against the army, and there was great slaughter made on either hand. And here ^thelwTilf the earl was slain, and the Danish men had possession of the place of carnage. And about four days after this. King ^thelred and Alfred his brother fought against the whole army at Ashdown. And they [the Danes] were in two bodies — in one were Bagsecg and Halfdene, the heathen kings, and in the other were the earls. And then King ^thelred fought against the division under the kings, and there King Bagsecg w^as slain ; and Alfred his brother against the division under the earls, and Earl Sidrac the elder w^as slain. Earl Sidrac the younger, and Earl Osbern, and Earl Frene, and Earl Harold. And both divisions of the army w^ere put to flight, and many thousands slain, and they continued fighting until night. . . . Then Alfred, the son of ^thelwulf, . . . succeeded to the kingdom of the West Saxons. And about one month after this. King Alfred, with a small band, fought against the whole army at Wilton, and put them to flight for a good part of the day ; but the Danes had possession of the battle-field.
A.D. 875. That summer King Alfred went out to sea with a fleet, and fought against the forces of seven ships, and one of them he took, and put the rest to flight.
A.D. 878. This year, during midwinter, after Twelfth Mght, the army [of the Danes] stole away to Chippenham, and overran the land of the West Saxons, and sat down
70 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
there. And many of the people they drove beyond sea, and of the remainder the greater part they subdued and forced to obey them, except Kmg Alfred ; and he, with a small band, \\ith difficulty retreated to the woods and to the fastnesses of the moors. And the same winter the brother of Hingwar and of Halfdene came with twenty- three ships to Devonshire in Wessex, and he was there slain, and with him eight hundred and forty men of his army, and there was taken the war-flag which they called the Eaven. After this, at Easter, King Alfred with a small band constructed a fortress at Athelney, and from this fortress, with that part of the men of Somerset which was nearest to it, from time to time fought against the army. Then in the seventh week after Easter he rode to Brixton, on the east side of Selwood, and there came to meet him all the men of Somerset, and the men of Wilt- shire, and that portion of the men of Hampshire which was on this side of the sea ; and they were joyful of his presence. On the following day he went from that station to Iley, and on the day after this to Edington,^ and there fought against the whole army, put them to flight, and pursued them as far as their fortress ; and there he sat down fourteen days. And then the army dehvered to liim hostages, wdth many oaths that they would leave his kingdom, and also promised him that their king should receive baptism ; and this they accordingly fulfilled. And about three weeks after this. King Guthrun came to him, with some thirty who were of the most distinguished in the army, at Aller, w^hicli is near Athelney. And the king was his godfather at baptism, and his chrism-loosing ^ was
1 In Wiltshire (Stevenson).
2 See the note in Cook's translation of Asser's Life of King Alfred, pp. 29, 30.
SELECTIONS FROM OLD ENGLISH CHRONICLE 71
at Wedmore ; and he was twelve days with the king, and he [King Alfred] greatly honored him and his compan- ions with gifts.
A.D. 886. This year King Alfred occupied London. And all the English submitted to him, except those who were under the bondage of the Danish men. And then he com- mitted the town to the keeping of ^thelred the earl.
A.D. 897. ... That same year the armies from among the East Anglians and from among the Northumbrians harassed the land of the West Saxons, chiefly on the south coast, with predatory bands — most of all by their ' ashes,' which they had built many years before. Then King Alfred commanded long sliips to be built to oppose the ' ashes.' They were full twice as long as the others ; some had sixty oars, and some had more ; they were both swifter and steadier, and also higher than the others. They were shaped neither like the Frisian nor the Danish, but so as it seemed to him they would be most efficient.
A.D. 901. This year died Alfred, the son of ^thelwulf, six days before All Saints' Day. He was king over the whole English nation, except that part which was under the dominion of the Danes, and he held the kingdom one year and a half less than thirty years. And then Edward, his son, succeeded to the kingdom.
A.D. 1066. In this year King Harold came from York to Westminster, at that Easter w^liich was after the mid- winter in which the king died ; and Easter was then on the 16th day before the Kalends of May. Then was over all England such a token seen in the heavens as no man ever before saw. Some men said that it was the star co- me^a, which certain men call the hairy star ; and it appeared first on the eve of the Greater Litany,^ the 8tli day before
1 St. Mark's Day, April 25.
72 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
the Kalends of May, and so shone all the seven nights. And soon after came Tostig the earl from beyond sea into the Isle of Wight with as great a fleet as he might procure ; and there they yielded him as well money as food. And King Harold, his brother, gathered so great a ship-force, and also land-force, as no king here in the land had before done; because it was made known to him that William the bastard would come hither and win this land ; just as it afterwards happened. And meanwhile Earl Tostig came into the Humber with sixty ships ; and Earl Edwdn came with a land-force and drove him out. And the sailors forsook him ; and he went to Scotland w4th twelve vessels. And there met him Harold, King of Norway, with three hundred ships ; and Tostig submitted to him and became his man. And they then went both into the Humber until they came to York ; and there fought against them Earl Edwin and Earl Morkere, his brother ; but the North- men had the victory. Then was it made known to Harold, King of the English, that this had thus happened, and this battle ^ was on the vigil of St. Matthew.^ Then came Harold our king unawares on the Northmen, and met with them beyond York, at Stamford Bridge, with a great army of English people ; and there during the day ^ was a very severe fight on both sides. There was slain Harold the Eair-haired* and Tostig the earl; and the Northmen who were there remaining were put to flight ; and the English from behind fiercely smote them, until some of them came to their ships, some were drowned, and some burned ; and thus in divers ways they perished, so that there were few left; and the English had possession of the battle-field.
1 That of Gate Fulford. 2 gt. Matthew's day is September 21.
3 September 25.
4 Wrong ; it was Harold Hardrada. Harold the Fair-haired had died about 933.
SELECTIONS FROM OLD ENCLISH CHROiN.wLE 73
The king then gave his protection to Olaf, son of the king of the Norwegians, and to their bishop, and to the Earl of Orkney, and to all those who were left in the ships. And they then went up to our king, and swore oaths that they would observe peace and friendship towards this land ; and the king let them go home with twenty-four ships. These two general battles were fought within live days. Then came William, Earl of Normandy, into Pevensey, on the eve of Michaelmas ^ ; and soon after they were on their way, they constructed a castle ^ at Hastings-port. This was then made known to King Harold, and he then gathered a great force, and came to meet him at the hoar apple-tree ^ ; and William came against him unawares, before his people were set in order. But the king nevertheless strenuously fought against him with those men who would follow him ; and there was great slaughter made on either hand. There was slain King Harold, and Earl Leofwin, his brother, and Earl Gyrth, his brother, and many good men; and the Frenchmen had possession of the battle-field, all as God granted them for the people's sins. Archbishop Aldred and the townsmen of London would then have child Edgar * for king, as was his true natural right ; and Edwin and Morkere vowed to him that they would fight together with him. But in that degree that it ought ever to have been forwarder, so was it from day to day later and worse ; so that at the end all passed away. This fight was done on the day^ of Calixtus the pope. And
1 September 29.
2 Freeman {yor7n. Conquest, N.Y. 1873, 3. 273) calls this one of those wooden fortresses ' which were so constantly run up for sudden emergencies in Norman warfare, and which often proved the forerunners of more last- ing buildings of stone.' The ruins of a castle still mark the site.
3 This was on the field of Senlac, near the site of Battle Abbey, about six miles N.W. of Hastings.
* Edgar Atheling. 6 October 14.
74 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
William the earl went afterwards again to Hastings, and there waited to see whether the people would submit to him. But when he understood that they would not come to liim, he went upwards with all his army which was left to him, and that which afterwards had come from over sea to him ; and plundered all that part which he over- ran until he came to Berkhampstead. And there came to meet him Archbishop Aldred, and child Edgar, and Earl Edwin, and Earl Morkere, and all the chief men of London ; and then submitted of necessity, when the most harm had been done. And it was very unwise that they had not done so before, since God would not better it, for our sms. And they delivered hostages, and swore oaths to him ; and he vowed to them that he would be good lord to them ; and nevertheless, while this was in progress, they plun- dered all that they overran. Then, on Midwinter's Day,^ Archbishop Aldred consecrated him king at Westminster ; and he gave him a pledge upon Christ's book, and also swore, before he would set the crown upon his head, that he would govern this nation as well as any king before him had at the best done, if they would be loyal to him. Nevertheless, he laid a tribute on the people, very heavy ; and then went, during Lent, over sea to Normandy. . . . And Bishop Odo and Earl William ^ remained here be- hind, and they built castles far and wide throughout the nation, and distressed poor people ; and ever after evil grew sore. May the end be good when God will !
AD. 1087. ... He died in Normandy the day^ after the Nativity of St. Mary, and was buried in Caen, at St.
1 Christmas.
2 William Fitzosbern, Earl of Hereford. ' To Bishop Odo was entrusted the guard of Kent and the south coast, while Earl William was left to guard the northern and western borders ' (Z>. N. B.).
3 September 9.
SELECTIONS FROM OLD ENGLISH CHROXICLE 75
phen's monastery,! which he had built and richly en- Liv^wed. Oh, how false and untrustworthy is the good of this world ! He who had been a pow^erful kmg and the lord of many lands, possessed not then, of all his land, more than the space of seven feet ; and he that aforetime had been adorned with gold and with gems lay covered with mold. . . .
If any one would know what manner of man he was, what honor he had, or of how many lands he was lord, I will write of him as I have known him, I who have looked upon him, and at one time lived in his family. This King William, of whom I speak, was a very wise and powerful man, and more honored and mighty than any of his predecessors. He was mild to the good men who loved God, but severe beyond measure toward those who withstood his will. He erected a noble monastery on the very spot where God granted him to conquer Eng- land, establisliing monks in it, and making it rich. In his days the great monastery at Canterbury w^as built, and many others besides throughout all England. Moreover, this land was filled with monks, who lived their life after the rule of St. Benedict. . . . Great state did he hold : thrice every year did he wear his crown when he was in England : at Easter he wore it at Winchester, at Pentecost at AVestminster, and at Christmas at Gloucester. And at these times all the powerful men of all England were with him — archbishops and bishops, abbots and earls, thanes and knights. Moreover, he was a very stern and severe man, so that no one durst do anythmg against his will. He kept earls in bonds who acted contrary to his wishes. He deposed bishops from their sees, and abbots from their monasteries, he cast thanes into prison, and finally spared
1 The Abbaye aux Hommes.
76 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
not his own brother Odo, who was a very powerful bishop in Normandy, with his see at Bayeux, and highest of aE men, the king alone excepted. In England he had an earldom ; and when the king was absent in Normandy, he was the first in this land ; but him he put in prison. . . . He ruled over England, and so closely examined into it, by reason of his astuteness, that there was not a single hide of land in the country whose ownership he did not know, and its value, and afterward enter in his register. . . . Truly men had much hardship in his time, and very many had distress. He had castles built, and afflicted the poor. The king was very harsh, and took from his subjects many a mark of gold, and many a hundred pounds of silver ; and this he took of liis people rightfully or very wrongfully, and for little need. He fell into avarice, and greediness he loved above everything. He established a great deer-preserve, and passed laws that whosoever should slay hart or hind should be blinded. As he forbade the slaying of harts, so also of bears ; the stags he loved as if he had been their father ; and he decreed that the hares should go free. The rich grumbled, and the poor mur- mured, but he was so stout that he recked not of all their ill will. They must bend themselves wholly to his will, if they would have life, or land, or goods, or even his
P®^^®- J. A. Giles, slightly revised
SELECTIONS FROM THE OLD ENGLISH LAWS
The laws of the early kings of England are among the first extant written records in our language, although few are pre- served in their original form. Among these are laws of iEthel- bert (560-616), and one or two other kings of Kent, and of Ine, king of Wessex (688-726). As the first extract shows, Alfred collected and supplemented the laws of his predecessors.
SELECTIONS FROM OLD ENGLISH LAWS 779
The laws are among the most difficult of all Old English writr ings to translate intelligibly, since they are apt to consist of brief and allusive statements of penalties for various offenses, requir- ing to be elucidated by such a knowledge of contemporary man- ners and customs as must be largely supplied by inference, eked out, in some cases, by conjecture. They are, however, of impor- tance both to the student of constitutional history and to the gen- eral student of Old English culture.
Thorpe's translation, in the Ancient Laws and Institutes of England (London, 1840), is superseded by Liebermann's render- ing into German in his excellent edition. Die Gesetze der Angel- sachsen (Vol. 1, Halle, 1903). Much, too, may be learned from the edition by Reinhold Schmid (2d ed., Leipzig, 1858), which has a German translation. Consult also Turk's Legal Code of Alfred the Great (Boston, 1893), Stubbs' Constitutional History of England, Kemble's Saxons in England, and Essays in Anglo- Saxon Law (by H. Adams, H. C. Lodge, E. Young, and others).
1. ALFRED'S STATEMENT CONCERNING HIS LAWS
[Alfred begins by quoting the Ten Commandments, and follot\'S with various parts of Exod. 21, 22, and 23. He then quotes Matt. 5. 17, to show that Christ did not abrogate these precepts, and subjoins Acts 15. 23-9. Afterward he goes on as follows :]
What ye would not that other men should do to you, do not that to other men. From this one precept one may learn to judge righteously ; he needs no other law-book. Let him simply remember that he adjudge to no one what he would not that another should adjudge to him, if he were in quest of a legal decision upon himself.
After it came to pass that many nations had accepted the faith of Christ, many synods assembled throughout the world. Such there were throughout England, after they had espoused Christianity, consisting of holy bishops and other competent councilors. In the interests of the mercy that Christ taught, they decreed that for almost every
if 8 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
misdeed secular rulers might without sin, and with their consent, accept a fine, wliich they then and there pre- scribed, for the first offense, except in the case of treason. To tliis they dared not allow mercy, since Almighty God allowed none to those who despised Him, and Christ, the Son of God, allowed none to him who betrayed Him to death; and He ordained that one should love one's lord as himself. Accordingly in many synods they prescribed fines for many human misdeeds, and in many synodical records the}^ wrote here one penalty, and there another.
I, then. King Alfred, gathered these laws together, and commanded many of those which our forefathers held and which seemed good to me, to be written down, and many of those which did not seem good to me I rejected upon the advice of my councilors, and commanded that they be kept in another manner; for I durst not venture to set down in writing much of my own, for I knew not how much of it would please those who should come after us. But those things which I found — either of the days of Ine my kinsman, or of Offa, King of the Mercians, or of ^thelbert, who was the first of the English race to receive baptism — which seemed most just to me, those I have gathered here, and rejected the others. I, then, Alfred, King of the West Saxons, showed all these unto my coun- cilors, and they said that it seemed good unto them all that they be kept.
2. OF PLOTTING AGAINST A LORD
If any one plot against the king's life, either himself or by harboring outlaws, or the men of one ; let him be liable to the extent of his life and of all that he possesses. If he wish to clear himself, let him do so according to the
SELECTIONS FROM OLD ENGLISH LAWS 79
king's wergild.^ So also we ordain for all degrees, whether churl or noble : — he who plots against the life of his lord, let him be liable unto him to the extent of his life and of all that he possesses; or let him clear himself according to his lord's wergild.
3. OF TAKING REFUGE IN A CHURCH
We also ordain unto every church that has been hal- lowed by a bishop this right of asylum : if a foe man reach it by running or riding, that for seven days none drag him out. But if any one do so, then let him be liable to pay the fine for breach of the king's peace, and that of sanctuary. . . ? If the brethren have further need of their church, let them keep him in another building, and let not that have more doors than the church. Let the head of that church take care that during this term none give him food. If he himself be willing to dehver up his weapons to his foes, let them keep him thirty days, and let them send word concerning him to his kinsmen.
4. OF FEUDS
We also command that the man who knows his foe to be dwelling at home fight not before he demand justice of him. If he have sufficient power to besiege his foe, and beset him within, let him keep him there seven days, and attack him not, if he will remain within. And then, after seven days, if he wiU surrender and deliver up his weapons, let him be kept safe for thirty days, and let word concerning him be sent unto his kinsmen and his friends.
1 The fine which represented the value of the king's life amounted to about £120 or £125, corresponding to a vastly greater sum now.
2 An obscure sentence is omitted.
80 WORKS MAINLY HISTORICAL
If he flee to a church, let it be according to the privilege of the church, as we have already said above. If he have not sufficient power to besiege him within, let him ride to the viceroy and beg aid of him. If he will not aid him, let him ride unto the king before he fights. . . .
Albert S. Cook (through ' there another') Benjamin Thorpe, revised
CHARTERS
Practically every other class of legal documents beside laws are comprised under the general term of charters. The completest collections are by Kemble, Codex Diplomaticus ^vi Saxonici, 6 vols., London, 1839-48 ; Birch, Cartularium Saxonicum, vols. 1-3, Lon- don, 1885-93 ; cf. Earle, Handbook to the Land-Chnrters and other Saxonic Documents, Oxford, 1888. On the whole subject see Gross, Sources and Literature of English History (London and New York, 1900), pp. 204-7.
LUFU'S WILL
The specimen here given is the will of Lufu, dating from about the middle of the ninth century. It may be found in Sweet, Oldest English Texts, pp. 446-7, in Kemble, 1. 299 (No. 231), and elsewhere. The last paragraph is in Cook's First Book in Old English, p. 265. A facsimile is given in Keller's Angelsdchsische Palaographie {Palcestra 43. 2), Plate 2.
*h I, Lufu, by God's grace a handmaid of the Lord, have been seeking and pondering about the needs of my soul, with the advice of Bishop Ceolnoth and of the monks at Christ Church.^ I wish to bestow of the property which God has given me, and my friends have helped me to, each year sixty measures ^ of malt, a hundred and fifty loaves, fifty wheat loaves, a hundred and twenty doles of bread,
1 Canterbury : Canterbury Cathedral is Christ Church. The dialect of the will is Kentish. 2 About 240 bushels.
CHARTERS 81
one head of cattle, one hog, four rams, and two weights of bacon and cheese, on the brethren of Christ Church, for the behoof of my soul and the souls of my friends and kinsmen who have helped me to property ; and let this be every twelvemonth at the Assumption of St. Mary.^ And let whatever man holds this land of my heirs pay this, besides a measureful of honey, ten geese, and twenty hens. *h I, Ceolnoth, by God's grace archbishop, ratify this with the sign of Christ's rood, and subscribe myself *i* Beagmund, priest, agree, and add my signature *i* Beorufrith, priest, agree, and add my signature *i* Wealhhere, priest *i* SwiSberht, deacon
>i* Osmund, priest *i* Beoruheah, deacon
fi* Deimund, priest *i* ^t^elmund, deacon
*h ^Selwald, deacon >i* Wighelm, deacon
*i* Werbald, deacon ^ Lufu^
*i* SifreS, deacon >i* I, Lufu, the humble handmaid of God, establish and confirm the aforesaid gifts and alms from my inherited land at Mundlingham ^ to the brothers at Christ Church, and I beseech and in the name of the living God enjoin the man who has this land and inheritance at Mundling- ham that he continue this donation to the end of the world. On him who shall keep and perform w^hat I have enjoined in this document be the blessing of heaven bestowed and perpetuated ; but on him who shall refuse or neglect it be the pains of hell conferred and maintained, unless he turn and make full restitution to God and to men. Farewell.
Albert S. Cook
1 August 15. 2 Written ' Lubo.'
3 Kemble conjectures Mongeham, two miles southwest of Deal.
II
THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED, AND MATTER RELATING TO ALFRED
83
KING ALFEED'S WORKS
King Alfred may with justice be called the father of English prose, for although England had already given birth to a noble poetic literature, no prose literature of any importance existed in the vernacular before the time of the great king. There were, indeed, various prose records, such as laws and charters, as well as certain translations of Scripture, such as Bede's (see p. 4) ; but nearly all prose writing that can be termed literature had been in Latin.
King Alfred's literary work is not, strictly speaking, of a creative sort, as it consists chiefly of translations from the Latin ; on the other hand, it is not merely that of a plodding imitator, since, as the present extracts show, his versions are by no means literal, but are imbued with his own personality. His earlier ver- sions are somewhat close, but as his work progresses his rendering becomes so free and individual that it can no longer be called mere translation.
Alfred's works exhibit a noticeable range of interest. They include, in Orosius, a text-book of geography and European history ; in Bede, a history of England ; in Boethius, a hand- book of philosophy ; and in Augustine and Gregory, famous ecclesiastical manuals. All of them — and the same may be said of nearly all Old English prose — are religious in coloring, and belong to what Ebert called ' the only universal literature that the world has known,' that of the mediaeval church.
A feature of Alfred's versions is the prefaces, which abound in personal allusions. The preface to Gregory's Pastoral Care (p. 101) is often referred to as a general prologue to the king's literary work. As that passage indicates, Alfred had various assistants in his labors, and w^e know that a bishop, Werfrith by name, made a translation of Gregory's Dialogues at Alfred's request (p. 93).
The translations belong to the later period of the king's career, and the greater part of them were probably produced in the last decade of the ninth century.
85
86 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
Of numerous general works on Alfred by far the most critical is Plummer's Life and T'unes of Alfred the Great (Oxford, 1902). Others, interesting or valuable in various degrees, are by Pauli, translated by Thorpe (London, 1857), Hughes,' the author of Tom Brown at Rugby (London, 1869), Macfadyen (New York, 1901), and Bowker (London, 1899). The best brief estimate by a historian of reputation is that of Freeman (^Norman Co7iquest 1. 33-6), who calls Alfred 'the most perfect character in history,' and again ' the most renowned of Englishmen, the saint, the scholar, the hero, and the lawgiver.' All modern biographies repose principally upon Asser (see below), the Chronicle (cf. pp. 69-71), and the king's translations and prefaces (cf. pi). 100 ff.).
SELECTIONS FEOM ASSEE'S ZIFU OF KING ALFRED
The authenticity of this Life was impugned by Thomas Wright in 1841, by Sir Henry Howorth in 1876-7, and by an unknown writer in 1898, and it had become somewhat the fashion to regard it as a production of a later period, and therefore entitled to but little credence. The doubts as to its authenticity have been satis- factorily dispelled by the two eminent scholars who have most recently discussed the difficulties, Plummer and Stevenson.
The former, in his Life and Times of Alfred the Great (Oxford, 1902), says (p. 52) : ' The work which bears Asser's name cannot be later than 974, and the attempt to treat it as a forgery of the eleventh or twelfth century must be regarded as having broken down.' The latter, in his noble edition (Oxford, 1904), remarks (p. vii) : ' In discussing the work I have attempted to approach it without any bias for or against it, and throughout my endeavor has been to subject every portion of it to as searching an exami- nation as my knowledge and critical powers would permit. The net result has been to convince me that, although there may be no very definite proof that the work was written by Bishop Asser in the lifetime of King Alfred, there is no anachronism or other proof that it is a spurious compilation of later date. The serious charges brought against its authenticity break down altogether under examination, while there remain several features that poin"^
SELECTIONS FROM ASSER 87
with varying strength to the conclusion that it is, despite its difficulties and corruptions, really a work of the time it purports to be. This result is confirmed by the important corroboration of some of its statements by contemporary Frankish chroniclers.'
Notwithstanding their general rehabilitation of the work, how- ever, neither critic is prepared to trust it implicitly, partly on account of its manifest exaggerations and of the writer's ' Celtic imagination,' and partly because of possible interpolations and errors of transcription.
The style of the book is not uniform. The passages translated from the Chronicle are simpler, while in the more original parts the author displays an unfortunate tendency to a turgid and at times bombastic manner of writing.
For all matters regarding the manuscript, the earlier editions, etc., as well as for copious illustrative notes on the text, the reader is referred to Stevenson's edition.
1. ALFRED'S REARING (22) i
He was extraordinarily beloved by both his father and mother, and indeed by all the people, beyond all his brothers ; in inseparable companionship with them he was reared at the royal court. As he advanced through the years of infancy and youth, he appeared more comely in person than his brothers, as in countenance, speech, and manners he was more pleasing than they. His noble birth and noble nature implanted in liim from his cradle a love of wisdom above all things, even amid all the occupations of this present life ; but — with shame be it spoken ! — by the unworthy neglect of his parents and governors he remained illiterate till he was twelve years old or more, though by day and night he was an attentive listener to the Saxon poems which he often heard recited, and, being apt at learning, kept them iu his memory. He was a
1 The numbers in parentheses refer to the chapters of Stevenson's ^ditiou.
88 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
zealous practiser of hunting in all its branches, and fol- lowed the chase with great assiduity and success ; for his skill and good fortune in this art, and in all the other gifts of God, were beyond those of every one else, as I have often witnessed.
2. ALFRED AND THE BOOK OF SAXON POEMS (23)
Now on a certain day his mother was showing him and his brothers a book of Saxon poetry, which she held in her hand, and finally said : ' Whichever of you can soonest learn this volume, to him will I give it.' Stimu- lated by these words, or rather by divine inspiration, and allured by the beautifully illuminated letter at the begin- ning of the volume, Alfred spoke before all his brothers, who, though his seniors in age, were not so in grace, and answered his mother : ' Will you really give that book to that one of us who can first understand and repeat it to you ? ' At this his mother smiled with satisfaction, and confirmed what she had before said : ' Yes,' said she, ' that I wilL' Upon this the boy took the book out of her hand, and went to his master and learned it by heart, where- upon he brought it back to his mother and recited it.
3. ALFRED'S LOVE OF LEARNING (25)
This he would confess, with many lamentations and with sighs from the bottom of his heart, to have been one of his greatest difficulties and impediments in this present life, that when he was young and had leisure and capacity for learning, he had no masters ; but when he was more advanced in years, he was continually occupied, not to say harassed, day and night, by so many diseases
SELECTIONS FROM ASSER 89
unknown to all the physicians of this island, as well as by internal and external anxieties of sovereignty, and by invasions of the heathen by sea and land, that though he then had some store of teachers and writers, it was quite impossible for him to study. But yet among the impedi- ments of this present life, from childhood to the present day and, as I believe, even until his death, he has con- tinued to feel the same insatiable desire.
4. BATTLE OF ASHDOWNi (37-39)
Eoused by this grief and shame, the Christians, after four days, with all their forces and much spirit advanced to battle against the aforesaid army, at a place called Ashdown,2 which in Latin signifies 'Ash's Hill.' The heathen, forming in two divisions, arranged two shield- walls of similar size ; and since they had two kings and many ealdormen,^ they gave the middle part of the army to the two kings, and the other part to all the ealdormen. The Christians, perceiving this, divided their army also into two troops, and with no less zeal formed shield-walls. But Alfred, as I have been told by truthful eye-witnesses, marched up swiftly with liis men to the battle-field ; for King ^thelred had remained a long time in liis tent in prayer, hearing mass, and declaring that he would not depart thence alive till the priest had done, and that he was not disposed to abandon the service of God for that of men ; and accordmg to these sentiments he acted. This faith of the Christian king availed much with the Lord, as I shall show more fully in the sequel.
1 The first paragraph is chiefly from the Chronicle under A.D. 871 ; cf. p. 69.
2 The Berkshire Downs (Stevenson) .
3 The Old English name for those whom the Danes called earls.
90 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
Now the Christians had determined that King ^thel- red, with his men, should attack the two heathen kings, and that his brother Alfred, with his troops, should take the chance of war against all the leaders of the heathen. Things being so arranged on both sides, the king still con- tinued a long time in prayer, and the heathen, prepared for battle, had hastened to the field. Then Alfred, though only second in command, could no longer support the advance of the enemy, unless he either retreated or charged upon them without waiting for his brother. At length, with the rush of a wild boar, he courageously led the Chris- tian troops against the hostile army, as he had already designed, for, although the king had not yet arrived, he relied upon God's counsel and trusted to His aid. Hence, having closed up his shield-wall in due order, he straight- way advanced his standards against the foe. At length King ^thelred, having finished the prayers in which he was engaged, came up, and, having invoked the King of the universe, entered upon the engagement.^
But here I must inform those who are ignorant of the fact that the field of battle was not equally advantageous to both parties, since the heathen had seized the higher ground, and the Christian array was advancing up-hill. In that place there was a solitary low thorn-tree, which I have seen with my own eyes, and round this the opposing forces met in strife with deafening uproar from all, the one side bent on evil, the other on fighting for hfe, and dear ones, and fatherland. Wlien both armies had fought bravely and fiercely for a long while, the heathen, being unable by God's decree longer to endure the onset of the Christians, the larger part of their force being slain, betook themselves to shameful flight. There fell one of the two
1 This sentence is suijplied by Stevenson from Florence of Worcester.
SELECTIONS FROM ASSER 91
heathen kings and five ealdormen ; many thousand of their men were either slain at this spot or lay scattered far and wide over the whole field of Ashdown. Thus there fell King Bagsecg, Ealdorman Sidroc the Elder and Ealdorman Sidroc the Younger, Ealdorman Osbern, Eal- dorman Ersena, and Ealdorman Harold ; and the whole heathen army pursued its flight, not only until night, but until the next day, even until they reached the stronghold from which they had sallied. The Christians followed, slaying all they could reach, until it became dark.
. 5. ALFRED'S VARIED PURSUITS (76)
In the meantime, the king, during the wars and frequent trammels of this present life, the invasions of the heathen, and liis own daily infirmities of body, continued to carry on the government, and to practise hunting in all its branches ; to teach his goldsmiths ^ and all his artificers, his falconers, hawkers, and dog-keepers ; to build houses, majestic and rich beyond all custom of his predecessors, after his own new designs ; to recite the Saxon books, and especially to learn by heart Saxon poems, and to make others learn them, he alone never ceasing from studying most dihgently to the best of his abihty. He daily attended mass and the other services of religion; recited certain psalms, together with prayers, and the daily and nightly hour-service ; and frequented the churches at night, as I have said, that he might pray in secret, apart from others. He bestowed alms and largesses both on natives and on foreigners of all countries ; was most affable and agreeable to all ; and was skilful in the investigation of things un- known.^ Many Franks, Frisians, Gauls, heathen, Welsh,
1 Cf. Alfred's jewel, and the book upon it by Professor Earle.
2 Cf . the account of the voyages of Ohthere and Wulfstan, pp. 109 ff.
92 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
Irish, and Bretons, noble and simple, submitted voluntarily to his dominion ; and all of them, according to their worthi- ness, he ruled, loved, honored, and enriched with money and power, as if they had been his own people. Moreover, he was sedulous and zealous in the habit of hearing the divine Scriptures read by his own countrymen, or if by any chance it so happened that any one arrived from abroad, would hear prayers in company with foreigners. His bishops, too, and all the clergy, his ealdormen and nobles, his personal attendants and friends, he loved with wonderful affection. Their sons, too, who were bred up in the royal household, were no less dear to him than his own ; he never ceased to instruct them in all kinds of good morals, and, among other things, himself to teach them literature night and day. But as if he had no consolation in all these things, and suffered no other annoyance either from within or without, he was so harassed by daily and nightly sadness that he complained and made moan to the Lord, and to all who were admitted to his familiarity and affection, that Almighty God had made him ignorant of divine wisdom and of the liberal arts ; in this emulating the pious, famous, and wealthy Solomon, king of the He- brews, who at the outset, despising all present glory and riches, asked wisdom of God, and yet found both, namely, wisdom and present glory; as it is written, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God and liis righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.'^ . . . He would avail himself of every opportunity to procure assistants in his good de- signs, to aid him in his strivings after wisdom, that he might attain to what he aimed at; and, like a prudent bee, which, rising in summer at early morning from her beloved cells, steers her course with rapid flight along the
1 Matt. 6. 33.
SELECTIONS FROM ASSER 93
uncertain paths of the air, and descends on the manifold and varied flowers of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, essaying that which most pleases her, and bearing it home, he directed the eyes of his mind afar, and sought that with- out which he had not within, that is, in his own kingdom.
6. ALFRED'S SCHOLARLY ASSOCIATES: WERFRITH, PLEGMUND, ^THELSTAN, A^B WERWULF (77)
But God at that time, as some consolation to the king's benevolence, enduring no longer his kindly and just com- plaint, sent as it were certain luminaries, namely, Wer- frith, bishop of the church of Worcester, a man well versed in divine Scripture, who, by the king's command, was the first to interpret with clearness and elegance the books of the Dialogues of Pope Gregory and Peter, Ms dis- ciple, from Latin into Saxon, sometimes putting sense for sense ; then Plegmund, a Mercian by birth, archbishop of the church of Canterbury, a venerable man, endow^ed with wisdom ; besides j:Ethelstan and Werwulf, learned priests and clerks, Mercians by birth. These four King Alfred had called to him from Mercia, and he exalted them ^Yith many honors and powers in the kingdom of the West Saxons, not to speak of those which Archbishop Plegmund and Bishop Werfrith had in ]\Iercia. By the teaching and wisdom of all these the king's desire in- creased continually, and was gratified. Night and day, whenever he had any leisure, he commanded such men as these to read books to him — for he never suffered him- self to be without one of them — so that he came to pos- sess a knowledge of almost every book, though of himself he could not yet understand anything of the books, since he had not yet learned to read anything.
94 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
7. HOW ALFRED REWARDS SUBMISSION (81)
Nor was it in vain that they all gained the friendship of the king. For those who desired to augment their worldly power obtained power ; those who desired money gained money; those who desired his friendship acquired his friendship ; those who wished more than one secured more than one. But all of them had his love and guardian- ship and defense from every quarter, so far as the king, with all his men, could defend himself. When therefore I had come to him at the royal vill called Leonaford, I was honorably received by him, and remained that time with him at his court eight months ; during which I read to him whatever books he liked, of such as he had at hand; for this is his peculiar and most confirmed habit, both night and day, amid all his other occupations of mind and body,^ either himself to read books, or to listen to the reading of others. And when I frequently had sought his permission to return, and had in no way been able to obtain it, at length when I had made up my mind by all means to demand it, he called me to him at twilight on Christmas Eve, and gave me two letters in which was a manifold list of all the things which were in the two monasteries which are called in Saxon Congresbury and Banwell, and on that same day he delivered to me those two monasteries with everything in them, together with a silken pallium of great value, and of incense a load for a strong man, adding these words, that he did not give me these trifling presents because he was unwilling hereafter to give me greater. For in the course of time he unex- pectedly gave me Exeter, with the whole diocese which belonged to him in Wessex and in Cornwall, besides gifts
1 Cf . p. 117.
SELECTIONS FROM ASSER 95
every day without number of every kind of worldly wealth ; these it would be too long to enumerate here, lest it should weary my readers. But let no one suppose that I have mentioned these presents in this place for the sake of glory or flattery, or to obtain greater honor ; I call God to wit- ness that I have not done so, but that I might certify to those who are ignorant how profuse he was in giving. He then at once gave me permission to ride to those two monasteries, so full of all good things, and afterwards to return to my own.
8. ALFRED'S MANUAL (88, 89 1)
On a certain day we were both of us sitting in the king's chamber, talking on all kinds of subjects, as usual, and it happened that I read to him a quotation out of a certain book. While he was listening to it attentively with both ears, and pondering it deeply with his inmost mind, he suddenly showed me a little book which he car- ried in his bosom, wherein were WTitten the daily course, together with certain Psalms and prayers which he had read in his youth, and thereupon bade me write the quo- tation in that book. . . . Since I could find no blank space in that book wherein to write the quotation, it being all full of various matters, I delayed a httle, chiefly that I might stir up the choice understanding of the kiug to a higher knowledge of the divine testimonies. L^pon his urging me to make haste and write it quickly, I said to him, ' Are you williug that I should write that quotation on some separate leaf ? Perhaps we shall find one or more other such which ^\ill please you ; and if that should happen, we shall be glad that we have kept this by itself.'
1 It is probable, tbough not absolutely certain, that these two chapters refer to the same book.
96 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
' Your plan is good,' said he ; so I gladly made haste to get ready a pamphlet of four leaves, at the head of which I wrote what he had bidden me ; and that same day I \vrote in it, at his request, and as I had predicted, no less than three other quotations which pleased him. From that time we daily talked together, and investigated the same subject by the help of other quotations which we found and which pleased him, so that the pamphlet gradually became full, and deservedly so, for it is ^^Titten, * The righteous man builds upon a moderate foundation, and by degrees passes to gi^eater things.' ^ . . .
AVhen that first quotation had been copied, he was eager at once to read, and to translate into Saxon, and then to teach many others. . . . Inspired by God, he began the rudiments of Holy Scripture on the sacred feast of St. Martin. Then he went on, as far as he was able, to learn the flowers collected from various quarters by any and all of his teachers, and to reduce them into the form of one book, although jumbled together, until it became almost as large as a psalter. This book he called his Enchiridion or Handbook,^ because he carefully kept it at hand day and night, and found, as he then used to say, no small consolation therein.
9. ALFRED'S TROUBLES (91)
Kow the king was pierced with many nails of tribula- tion, though established in the royal sway ; for from the twentieth year of his age to the present year, which is his forty-fifth, he has been constantly afflicted with most severe attacks of an unknown disease, so that there is not
1 Author unknown.
2 Still known by William of Malmesbury (d. 1143) ; cf. his Gesta Ponti- Jicum, chaps. 188, 190.
SELECTIONS FROM ASSER 97
a single hour in which he is not either suffering from that malady, or nigh to despair by reason of the gloom which is occasioned by his fear of it. Moreover the constant in- vasions of foreign nations, by which he was continually harassed by land and sea, without any interval of quiet, constituted a sufficient cause of disturbance.
AMiat shall I say of his repeated expeditions against the heathen, his wars, and the incessant occupations of government ? . . . AMiat shall I say of his restoration of cities and towns, and of others which he built where none had l^een before ? of golden and silver buildings, built in incomparable style under his direction ? of the royal halls and chambers, wonderfully erected of stone and wood at his command ? of the royal xtLLs constructed of stones removed from their old site, and finely rebuilt by the king's command in more fitting places ?
Not to speak of the disease above mentioned, he was disturbed by the quarrels of his subjects, who would of their own choice endure little or no toil for the common need of the kingdom. He alone, sustained by the diAine aid, once he had assumed the helm of government, strove in every way, hke a skilful pilot, to steer his ship, laden with much wealth, into the safe and longed-for harbor of his country, though almost all his crew were weary, suffer- ing them not to faint or hesitate, even amid the waves and manifold whirlpools of this present life. Tlius his bishops, ealdormen, nobles, favorite thanes, and prefects, who, next to God and the king, had the whole government of the kingdom, as was fitting, continually received from him instruction, compliment, exhortation, and command ; nay, at last, if they were disobedient, and his long patience was exhausted, he would reprove them severely, and censure in every way their vulgar folly and obstinacv ; and thus
98 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
he ^yisely gained and bonnd them to his own wishes and the common interests of the whole kingdom. But if, owing to the sluggisliness of the people, these admonitions of the king were either not fulfilled, or were begun late at the moment of necessity, and so, because they were not carried through, did not redound to the advantage of those who put them in execution — take as an example the fortresses which he ordered, but which are not yet begun or, begun late, have not yet been completely finished — when hostile forces have made invasions by sea, or land, or both, then those who had set themselves against the imperial orders have been put to shame and overwhelmed with vain repentance.
10. ALFRED JUDGES THE POOR WITH EQUITY (105)
[The king] showed himself a minute investigator of the truth in all his judgments, and this especially for the sake of the poor, to whose interest, day and night, among other duties of this life, he was ever wonderfully attentive. For in the whole kingdom the poor, besides him, had few or no helpers ; for almost all the powerful and noble of that country had turned their thoughts rather to secular than to divine things : each was more bent on worldly business, to his own profit, than on the common weal.
11. HIS CORRECTION OF UNJUST AND INCOM- PETENT JUDGES (106)
He strove also, in his judgments, for the benefit of both his nobles and commons, who often quarreled fiercely among themselves at the meetings of the ealdormen and sheriffs, so that hardly one of them admitted the justice of what had been decided by these ealdormen and sheriffs.
SELPXTIOXS FROM ASSER 99
In consequence of this pertinacious and obstinate dissen- sion, all felt constrained to give sureties to abide by the decision of the king, and both parties hastened to carry out their engagements. But if any one was conscious of injustice on liis side in the suit, though by law and agree- ment he was compelled, however reluctant, to come for judgment before a judge like this, yet with his own good will he never would consent to come. For he knew that in that place no part of his evil practice would remain hidden ; and no wonder, for the king was a most acute investigator in executing his judgments, as he was in all other things. He inquired into almost all the judgments which were given in his absence, throughout all his dominion, whether they were just or unjust. If he perceived there was iniquity in those judgments, he would, of his own accord, mildly ask those judges, either in his own person, or through others who were in trust with liim, why they had judged so unjustly, whether througli ignorance or malevolence — that is, whether for the love or fear of any one, the hatred of another, or the desire of some one's money. At length, if the judges acknowledged they had given such judgment because they knew no better, he discreetly and moderately reproved their inexperience and folly in such terms as these : ' I greatly wonder at your assurance, that whereas, by God's favor and mine, you have taken upon you the rank and office of the wise, you have neglected the studies and labors of the wise. Either, therefore, at once give up the administration of the earthly powers which you possess or endeavor more zealously to study the lessons of wisdom. Such are my commands.' At these words the ealdormen and sheriff s would be filled with terror at being thus severely corrected, and would endeavor to turn with all their might to the study of justice, so that, wonderful to say, almost all
LOPr
100 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
his ealdormen, sheriffs, and officers, though unlearned from childhood, gave themselves up to the study of letters, choos- ing rather to acquire laboriously an unfamiliar discipline than to resign their functions. But if any one, from old age or the sluggishness of an untrained mind, was unable to make progress in literary studies, he would order his son, if he had one, or one of his kinsmen, or, if he had no one else, his own freedman or servant, whom he had long before advanced to the office of reading, to read Saxon books before him night and day, whenever he had any leisure. And then they would lament with deep sighs from their inmost souls that in their youth they had never attended to such studies. They counted happy the youth of the present day, who could be delightfully instructed in the liberal arts, while they considered themselves wretched in that they had neither learned these things in their youth, nor, now they were old, were able to do so. This skill of young and old in acquiring letters, I have set forth as a means of
characterizing the aforesaid king.
Albert S. Cook
SELECTIONS FROM GREGORY'S PASTORAL CARE
Gregory the Great (540-604) was a great favorite with authors of the Old English period, not only as the most famous of popes, the patron of monasticism, the reformer of the papal see and of the liturgy, and as one of the four great doctors of the Latin church, but also on account of his particular interest in England. The story of his life is told by Bede (EccL Hist. 2. 1 ; cf. pp. 23-31), and by ^Ifric (Horn. 2. 9).
The Cura (or Regula) Pastoralis, a handbook on the priestly office and the art of teaching, ranks, together with his homilies, letters, and hymns, among the most important of his undoubted w^orks. ^Ifric refers to it as one that ' every priest must needs possess.' For Alcuin's opinion see p. 269.
SELECTIONS FROM GREGORY 101
The Pastoral Care is probably the earliest of Alfred's transla- tions ; it is also the most literal, the changes consisting, in gen- eral, only of the occasional insertion of an explanatory phrase or reference. A complete translation may be found in Sweet's edi- tion of the Old English text (London, 1871).
For material on Gregory see the Dictionary of Christian Biog- raphy, Milman's History of Latin Christianity, and Dudden's Gregory the Great (New York, 1905).
1. ALFRED'S PREFACE This book is for Worcester ^
King Alfred bids greet Bishop Werfrith with his words lovingly and with friendship; and I let it be known to thee that it has very often come into my mind what wise men there formerly were throughout England, both of sacred and secular orders ; and what happy times there were then throughout, England ; and how the kings who had power over the nation in those days obeyed God and His ministers ; how they preserved peace, morahty, and order at home, and at the same time enlarged their terri- tory abroad ; and how they prospered both with war and with wisdom ; and also how zealous the sacred orders were both in teaching and learning, and in all the services they owed to God ; and how foreigners came to this land in search of wisdom and mstruction, and how we should now have to get them from abroad if we were to have them. So general was its decay in England that there were very few on this side of the Humber who could understand their rituals in English, or translate a letter from Latin into English ; and I believe that there were not many beyond the Humber. There were so few of them
1 The name of the diocese and of the bishop of course varied in the different copies.
102 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
that I cannot remember a single one south of the Thames when I came to the throne. Thanks be to Almighty God that we have any teachers among us now. And therefore I command thee to do as I believe thou art willing, to disengage thyself from worldly matters as often as thou canst, that thou mayest apply the wisdom which God has given thee wherever thou canst. Consider what punish- ments would come upon us on account of this world, if we neither loved it [wisdom] ourselves nor suffered other men to obtain it : we should love the name only of Chris- tian, and very few the virtues. When I considered all this, I remembered also that I saw, before it had been all rav- aged and burned, how the churches throughout the whole of England stood filled with treasures and books ; and there was also a great multitude of God's servants, but they had very little knowledge of the books, for they could not understand anything of them, because they were not written in their own language. As if they had said : ' Our forefathers, who formerly held these places, loved wisdom, and through it they obtained w^ealth and bequeathed it to us. In this we can still see their tracks, but we cannot follow them, and therefore we have lost both the wealth and the wisdom, because we would not incline our hearts after their example.' When I remembered all this, I won- dered extremely that the good and wise men who were formerly all over England, and had perfectly learned all the books, had not wished to translate them into their own language. But again I soon answered myself and said: ' They did not think that men would ever be so careless, and that learning would so decay ; through that desire they abstained from it, since they wished that the wisdom in this land might increase with our knowlege of lan- ffuas^es.' Then I remembered how the law was first known
SELECTIONS FROM GREGORY 103
in Hebrew, and again, when the Greeks had learned it, they translated the whole of it into their own language, and all other books besides. And again the Romans, when they had learned them, translated the whole of them by learned interpreters into their own language. And also all other Christian nations translated a part of them into their own language. Therefore it seems better to me, if you think so, for us also to translate some books which are most needful for all men to know into the language which we can all understand, and for you to do as we very easily can if we have tranquillity enough, that is, that all the youth now in England of free men, who are rich enough to be able to devote themselves to it, be set to learn as long as they are not fit for any other occu- pation, until they are able to read Enghsh writing well : and let those be afterwards taught more in the Latin lan- guage who are to continue in learning, and be promoted to a higher rank. A\Tien I remembered how the knowl- edge of Latin had formerly decayed throughout England, and yet many could read English writing, I began, among other various and manifold troubles of this kingdom, to translate into English the book which is called in Latin Pastoralis, and in English Sheiolierd' s Book, sometimes word by word, and sometimes according to the sense, as I had learned it from Plegmund my archbishop, and Asser my bishop, and Grimbald my mass-priest, and John my mass-priest. And when I had learned it ag I could best understand it, and as I could most clearly interpret it, I translated it into English ; and I will send a copy to every bishopric in my kingdom; and in each there is a book-mark worth fifty mancuses. And I command in God's name that no man take the book-mark from the book, or the book from the monastery. It is uncertain how long there
104 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
may be such learned bishops as now, thanks be to God, there are nearly everywhere ; therefore I wish them ^ al- ways to remain in their places unless the bishop wish to take them with him, or they be lent out anywhere, or any
one be making a copy from them.
Albert S. Cook
2. GREGORY'S PREFACE
Thou dearest brother, very friendly and very profitably thou blamedst me, and with humble spirit thou chidedst me, because I hid myself, and wished to flee the burden of pastoral care. The heaviness of which burdens (all that I remember of it) I will write of in this present book, lest they seem to any one easy to undertake ; and I also advise no one to desire them who manages them rashly; and let him who desires them raslily and unrighteously fear ever undertaking them. Now I wish this discourse to rise in the mind of the learner as on a ladder, step by step, nearer and nearer, until it firmly stands on tlie floor of the mind which learns it ; and therefore I divide it into four parts : one of the divisions is how he is to attain the dignity ; the second, how he is to live in it ; the third is how he is to teach in it ; the fourth is how he is to desire to perceive his own faults, and subdue them, lest, having attained it, he lose his humility, or, again, lest his life be unlike his ministration, or he be too presumptuous and severe because he has attained the post of instruction; but let the fear of his own faults moderate it, and let him confirm with the example of his life his teaching for those who do not be- lieve his words ; and when he has performed a good work, let him remember the evil he has done, that his contri- tion for his evil deeds may moderate his joy for his good
1 The books.
SELECTIONS FROM GREGORY 105
works; lest he be puffed up in spirit before the eyes of the unseen Judge, and inflated with pride, and so through his egotism lose his good w^orks. But there are many who seem to me to be very similar in want of learning, who, although they were never disciples, yet wish to be teachers, and think the burden of teaching very light, because they do not know the power of its greatness. From the \ev\ door of this book, that is, from the beginning of this discourse, the unwary are driven away and blamed, who arrogate to themselves the art of teaching which they never learned.
3. OF THE BURDEN OF RULE, AND HOW THE TEACHER
LS TO DESPLSE ALL TOILS, AND HOW AFRAID
HE MUST BE OF EVERY LUXURY (3) ^
AVe have said thus much in few words, because we wished to show how great is the burden of teaching, lest any one dare undertake it who is unworthy of it, lest he through desire of worldly honor undertake the guidance of perdition. Very justly the apostle James forbade it when he said, * Brothers, let there not be too many masters among you.' ^
Therefore the Mediator Himself between God and men, that is Christ, shunned undertaking earthly rule. He who surpassed all the wisdom of the higher spirits, and reigned in heaven before the world was, it is written in the Gosfjel that the Jews came and wished to make Him king by force. WTien the Saviour perceived it. He dismissed them and hid Himself. A\Tio could easier rule men without sin than He who created them ? He did not shun suprem- acy because any man was worthier of it, but He wished to set us an example of not coveting it too much ; and also
1 The numbers in parentheses refer to the sections of the original text.
2 Cf. James 3. 1.
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wished to suffer for us. He wished not to be king, yet of His own free will He came to the cross. He shunned the honor of reigning, and chose the punishment of the most ignominious death, that we who are His members might learn from Him to shun the seductions of tliis world ; and also that we might not dread its fear and terror, but might ^ for the sake of truth love toil, and dread luxury and there- fore avoid it.2 For through luxury men are often iuflated with pride, whUe hardships through pain and sorrow purify and humble them. In prosperity the heart is puffed up ; in adversity, even if it were formerly puffed up, it is humbled. In prosperity men forget themselves; in adversity they must remember themselves, even if they are unwilling. In prosperity they often lose the good they formerly did ; in adversity they often repair the evil they long ago did. Often a man is subjected to the instruction of adversity, although before he would not follow the moral example and instruction of his teacher. But although schooled and taught by adversity, soon, if he attain to power, through the homage of the people he becomes proud and accus- tomed to presumption. Thus ^ King Saul at first declined the throne, and deemed himself quite unworthy of it ; * but as soon as he obtaiued the rule of the kingdom, he became proud, and was angry with that same Samuel who formerly brought him to the throne, and consecrated him, because he told him of his faults before the people — since he could not control him before with their approval — and when he wished to depart from him, he seized him, and tore his clothes,^ and insulted him.
1 Sweet, ' and.'
2 This is much more concise and clear in the Latin : ' Ut membra ejus videlicet discerent f avores mundi fugere, terrores minime timere, pro veri- tate adversa diligere, prospera formidando declinare.'
3 Sweet, ' As.' ^ i gam. 9. 21. 5 i gam. 15. 27.
SELECTIONS FROM GREGORY 107
4. HOW THE TEACHER IS TO BE SYMPATHIZING
WITH AND SOLICITOUS ABOUT ALL MEN
IN THEIR TROUBLES (16)
The teacher must be the nearest to all men and sym- pathizing with them in their troubles, and elevated above all with the divine foresight of his mind, that through his pious benevolence he may take on himself the sins of other men, and also by the lofty contemplation of his mind surpass himself with the desire of invisible things, and that, aspiring after such lofty tilings, he may not despise his weak and sinful neighbors, nor, on the other hand, through their weakness give up his lofty aspirations. . . . Therefore Moses often went in and out of the temple, because in it he was led to divine contemplation, and out- side he occupied himself with the people's wants. In it he contemplated in his mind the mysteries of godliness, and brought them out thence to the people, and pro- claimed what they were to do and observe. And when- ever he was in doubt he ran back into the temple and asked God about it before the ark,^ in which was the cov- enant of the temple, thus setting an example to those who are now rulers. When they are uncertain about anything which they are to do outside, they must return to their mind, and there ask God, as Moses did before the ark in the temple. If they still doubt there, let them go to the Holy Scriptures, and ask there what they are to do or teach. For Truth itself, that is Christ,^ when on earth prayed on mountains and in retired places, and performed His mira- cles in cities, thus preparing the path of imitation for good teachers, lest they despise the company of weak and sin- ful men, though they themselves aspire to the highest.
1 Cf. Exod. 25. 22; 26. 33; 31. 9, H- 2 gge John 14. 6.
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Because when love descends through humanity and is oc- cupied with the need of its ^ neighbors, it rises marvelously ; and the more cheerfully it descends, the easier it ascends, signifying that those who are set above others are to appear such ^ that their subjects may not through shame fear confessing to them their secrets, that when the sinful are overwhelmed with the waves of temptation they may hasten to take refuge in the heart of the teacher for confes- sion, like a child in its mother's bosom, and wash away the sins wherewith they think themselves polluted, with his help and counsel, and become purer than they were before, washed in the tears of their prayers.
Henry Sweet
SELECTIONS FROM OEOSIUS' UNIVERSAL HISTORY
Orosius, a Spaniard of the fifth century a.d., produced at the request of St. Augustine a compendious history of the world, entitled Historiarum Libri VTT adversus Paganos (best edition, Vienna, 1882). As this title intimates, the object of the work was to vindicate the Christian era from the charge of producing the turmoil and bloodshed then current in the Roman Empire. In this respect the work resembles Augustine's own De Civiiate Dei. Like many mediaeval chroniclers, Orosius attempts to give to his work a specious semblance of completeness and antiquity by 'beginning at the beginning.' Thus the history, after gome geographical descriptions, opens with an account of Xinus, king of Assyria, who 'first began to reign in this world,' and his queen Semiramis. Thereafter follows the destruction of Sodom. Books 4-6 deal with the history of Rome. The history is brought down to the year 414 a.d.
In translating Orosius, King Alfred made numerous and important changes. He shortened the work by an entire book, omitted much of Orosins' tedious moralizing, and made at least
1 Sweet, * his.' - Sweet, ' let themselves be seen.'
SELECTIONS FROM OROSIUS' HISTORY 109
one addition of the first importance, the voyages of Ohthere and Wulfstan.
Both the Old English and the Latin texts may be consulted in Sweet's edition, London, 1883. An entire modern English rendering may be found in Bosworth's edition, London, 1859.
1. THE VOYAGES OF OHTHERE AXD WULFSTAN
This section of the HiMory, entirely original with Alfred, is the Farthest North of the ninth century. It well displays Alfred's keen interest in exploration, in foreigners (cf. pp. 91, 92), and in ethnology, as well as his zeal in recording newly acquired knowledge. For the geography of the passage the reader is referred to Hampson's Geography of King Alfred in Bosworth's edition. By consulting an atlas, the reader can trace Ohthere 's journey along the northern coasts of Norway and Lapland to the White Sea, and the voyage of Wulfstan in the Baltic Sea, from Schleswig along the northern coasts of Mecklenburg and Pomerania. Longfellow's poem on the subject is well known.
Ohthere's First Voyage
Ohthere ^ told King Alfred, his lord, that he, of all the Norwegians, dwelt farthest to the north. He said that he lived in the northern part of the country, by the shore of the West Sea. Notwithstanding, the land extended yet farther to the north ; but it was all waste, save in a few places here and there where Finns dwell, attracted by the hunting in winter and the sea-fishing in summer. He said that at a certain time he wished to discover how far north the land extended and whether anybody lived north of the waste. So he set out due north along the coast for three day?, with the waste land to starboard and the high seas to larboard. By that time he was as far north as whale-fishers ever go. Upon this, he proceeded due north as far as he could sail in the next three days. At that
1 Pronounce Ocht'-hair-e (with the ch as in German).
110 THE WORKS OF KING ALFRED
point the land curved to the east — or the sea in on the land, he knew not which; all he knew was that there he waited for a wind from the west, or somewhat from the northwest, and so sailed east, close to land, as far as he could in four days. There he was obliged to wait for a \vind from due north, for at that point the land curved due south — or the sea in on the land, he knew not which. Thence he sailed due south, close to land, as far as he could in five days. At that pomt a great river extended up into the land. Then they turned up into tliis river, for they durst not sail beyond it for dread of hostile treatment, the land being all inhabited on the other side of the river. He had not encountered any inhabited land since leaving his own home, for to the right the land was uninhabited all the way, save for fishermen, fowlers, and hunters, and these were all Finns ; to the left there was always open sea. The Permians had cultivated their land very well, but they durst not enter it. The land of the Terfinns was all waste, save where hunters, fishers, or fowlers encamped. The Permians told him many stories both about their own country and about countries w^hich were round them, but he knew not what was true, because he did not see it himself. The Finns and the Permians, it seemed to him, spoke nearly the same language. He made this voyage, in addition to his purpose of seeing the country, chiefly for walruses, for they have very good bone in their teeth — they brought some of these teeth to the king — and their hides are very good for ship-ropes. This whale is much smaller than other whales, being not more than seven ells long ; but the best whale-fishing is in his own country — those are eight and forty ells long, and the lai"gest fifty ells long. He said he was one of a party of six who killed sixty of these in two days.
SELECTIONS FROM OROSIUS' HISTORY 111
Ohthere was a very wealthy man in such possessions