IC-NRLF
SB SS 11D
OF THE
ABBOTS OF
WEARMOUTH
AND JARROW.
B
LIBRARY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
Class
lejjpotial. to the
-in Roker CHI3
Erected 1904,
Bede
LIVES OF
THE FIRST FIVE ABBOTS OF
WEARMOUTH & J ARROW:
BENEDICT, CEOLFRID, EOSTERWINE, SIGFRID,
AND HUETBERT.
TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN OF
THE VENERABLE BEDE.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED
A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.
BY THE
REV. PETER WILCOCK.
WITH APPENDICES.
SUNDERLAND:
HILLS & COMPANY, 19 FAWCETT STREET.
1910.
PRINTED BY HILLS AND CO.,
19 FAWCETT STREET, SUNDERLAND.
PUBLISHERS' NOTE.
WITH a few verbal alterations this edition is a
literal transcript of the original, which was printed
and published by George Garbutt, of Sunderland,
in 1818. Facsimiles are given of the original
engraved title page, with its interesting illustration
of the Church of Monkwearmouth at that date,
and also of the old monument in the Galilee Chapel
of the Cathedral of Durham.
In addition to the Appendix by the Author, other
Appendices are given describing the Church as it
now stands, a short account of the Bibles written
at the sister monasteries under the direction of
Ceolfrid, an equally brief account of the Memo-
rial Cross, erected in 1904, to the memory of the
Venerable Bede, and some brief notes on the life
of the Rev. Peter Wilcock. For the last four
Appendices Mr. James Patterson is responsible.
217206
THX &XYSS
oflhe
[FACSIMILE OF THE ORIGINAL TITLE.)
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
LIFE OF THE VENERABLE BEDE - I
LIVES OF THE ABBOTS CEOLFRID, SIGFRID,
EOSTERWINE, AND HUETBERT - "45
APPENDIX I. LATER HISTORY OF THE MON-
ASTERIES OF WEARMOUTH AND JARROW - 96
APPENDIX II. THE CODEX AMIATINUS - - 99
APPENDIX III. MONKWEARMOUTH CHURCH IN
1910 - - 102
APPENDIX IV. THE BEDE MEMORIAL CROSS - 112
APPENDIX V. NOTES ON THE LIFE OF THE
REV. PETER WILCOCK - 114
ADDRESS.
THE following translation was originally in-
tended for private use ; nor was it undertaken
with any other view than that of contributing
materials towards a General History of the
place, where the celebrated monastery to which
it refers formerly flourished.
By the advice of friends, the translator was,
however, induced to present it respectfully to
the public, as a valuable monument of ancient
biography, which he has reason to think was
either never before published, or was at least
no longer extant in the English language.
The subject, he trusts, cannot but excite an
interest in the minds of such as delight in the
investigation of religious affairs.
For the history of the foundation, and of the
various transactions of one of the first and
principal religious communities established in
this island, presents to the reader many faithful
11
testimonies of the principles revered by our
Saxon ancestors. It displays, also, their fer-
vent piety, and describes the original design
and discipline of the monastic institute ; and is
one of those instances, to use the words of a
Protestant divine,* which may serve " to rescue
a set of very deserving men from the unjust
obloquy with which they have been pursued
for ages."
With respect to the language in which it is
presented, the translator has aimed at nothing
further than expressing in as easy a style as he
was able, the import of the original. If he
has succeeded in this point, the object he
proposed to himself is accomplished. In some
passages he derived considerable advantage
from a manuscript relating to the Abbots and
monastery of Wearmouth, of which the use
was allowed him by a friend.
After all, though he has done his best, he
does not presume to flatter himself that his
* The Rev. John Sharp, translator of Malmsbury's Book of
Kings. Pref. p. xvii. The frequent citations from Malmsbury
in the following work, are taken from his translation.
Ill
production is void of faults. But on this head
he hopes for some indulgence from the public ;
and in justice to himself he ought to notice,
that he was hurried a little in the translation,
which was printed in the summer of last year,
with the numbers of the history for which it
was prepared.
He has since composed the life of Venerable
Bede, and would have presented the whole to
the public some time ago, but for unavoidable
interruptions. This apology he conceives to be
required, as several persons paid their subscrip-
tions last year.
As the tower of Monkwearmouth Church is
an undoubted remnant of the ancient building,
an engraved title-page, containing a plate of it,
has been given by the advice of the person
with whom the idea of this work originated.
PETER WILCOCK.
THE LIFE OF
VENERABLE BEDE.
BY way of introduction to this little work, the
translator has deemed it advisable to prefix to
it the subsequent short account of the life and
writings of its venerable author.
Beda, or Bede,* the faithful biographer of the
eminent abbots whose names are here recorded,
* In the vernacular language of the Anglo-Saxons, his name
appears to have been Bedan, for so it is written in many ancient
manuscripts.
Nearly contemporary with him two other priests of the same
name, but of far less note, are celebrated for their sanctity. The
first of these is honourably mentioned in our author's life of St.
Cuthbert, under the title of the elder Bede, and was a monk of
Lindisfarne ; the other flourished in the reign of Charlemagne.
The period which intervened between the eras of these two
worthies witnessed the more illustrious virtues of that Bede, the
circumstances of whose life we have endeavoured to collect, or
more properly to glean from the scattered fragments and inci-
dental remarks of ancient, but not contemporary writers.
and the light of the age in which he lived,
merits himself a distinguished rank in their
history. For under their tuition he became
eminent in every virtue which rendered them
illustrious ; whilst by the brilliancy of his learn-
ing he outshone all his contemporaries, and even,
to use the words of Malmsbury, dazzled the
whole universe. So extraordinary, in short,
were his abilities, and so wonderful his accom-
plishments, that, if we consider the rude and
barbarous state of the country in which he lived,
he may reasonably be thought to have been
raised by Providence for the specific purpose of
being the guide, support, and ornament of the
Anglo-Saxon church.
This great man was born about the year six-
hundred and seventy-three, within the posses-
sions of the monastery soon after founded by
For though Bede was everywhere extolled, even before his
death, by panegyrists and admirers, no one who lived in the same
age ventured to publish his life ; either because they despaired of
doing justice to his memory, or because the life of one who had
spent the whole of his days in tranquility and retirement, offered
but scanty materials to the pen of a biographer.
All, therefore, that can now be gathered concerning the Vener-
able Bede, one of the brightest luminaries of antiquity, is rather
a rude and imperfect sketch, drawn from a few modest remarks
of his own, the brief notices of posterior writers, and the account
given of his last illness by his disciple Cuthbert, than a full and
complete delineation of his life and character.
Benedict Biscop on the banks of the river Wear.*
Of the rank and condition of his parents in so-
ciety, no intelligence has been transmitted to us ;
but whatever they may have been, of their dis-
tinguished piety a doubt is not to be entertained,
since it is clearly evinced from the very early
attention which they paid to his morals and
education.
For at the tender age of seven, preferring the
welfare of their child to the gratification of pa-
rental fondness, they devoted him to the service
of Heaven, in the neighbouring monastery of
Wearmouth. Here he was initiated in the first
rudiments of literature, and trained up to the
austere discipline of the cloister ; in the strict
observance of which his whole course from this
early period to the hour of his death, was one
continued model of perfection.
After a residence at Wearmouth of no long
duration, our virtuous youth was removed to
the establishment at Jarrow, and committed to
the care and direction of the pious Ceolfrid
Thus, like another Samuel, the devout Bede
* The name of the village honoured by the birth of Bede is now
unknown. Some eminences, however, about a mile distant from
Gibside, on the north bank of the Derwent, bear his name, being
called Bede's Hills : near them, it is probable was the place of
his nativity.
[Scholars are now generally agreed that he was born in the
neighbourhood of Monkwearmouth. ED. present Edition.]
was consecrated from his infancy to God ; and
sheltered within the precincts of the sanctuary
from the snares, allurements, and contagion of
vice, he grew up in innocence and holiness of
life, daily increasing in wisdom and favour with
God and men.
How diligently his hours were employed in
this religious asylum, and how intense and per-
severing his application must have been, some
idea may be formed from that high pre-eminence
of celebrity in learning, to which he forced his
way, notwithstanding the heavy load of conven-
tual duties under which he laboured, and the ob-
stacles opposed to his progress by the barbar-
ism with which he was on every side surrounded.
Nor was the high reputation he obtained without
foundation. No, his acquirements were real,
and the extent of his erudition truly wonderful :
hence, both friends and foes have combined in
weaving wreaths of laurel to grace his memory.
Even Bale, the apostate Carmelite and avowed
enemy of monks, could not refuse to this vener-
able monk, the well earned tribute of admiration.
He surpassed, Bale owns, in eloquence and copi-
ousness of style even Gregory the Great ; and
would have been a competitor had he been a con-
temporary with Augustine, Jerome, or Chrysos-
tom. Hardly, he adds, in all antiquity is there
anything worthy of perusal which may not be
found in the writings of Bede. Dr. John Pitts
declares that Europe scarce ever produced a
greater scholar ; and informs us that his works,
even before his death, were by a council ap-
pointed to be read publicly in the churches.*
It is amazing, exclaims Folchard, the learned
abbot of Thorney, how this great man became
so perfect in every branch of science to which
he turned his attention.
* The works here alluded to are Bede's Homilies and Sermons,
of which several were admitted into the canonical service of the
church whilst their author was still living.
From this circumstance, Trithemius has endeavoured to account
for his being usually styled Venerable, and not St. Bede. As he
says a living author could not in strict propriety be called saint,
when the Homilies were publicly read, they were announced as the
writings of Venerable Bede; by which epithet he henceforth con-
tinued to be designated ; though enrolled after his death in the
calendar of saints.
But the learned Mabillon has proved that the conjectures of Tri-
themius are entirely groundless.
In the first place, because it was not customary, in the days of
Bede, to announce the names of their respective authors when
Homilies were recited in the church. For the first instance known
of a Book of Lessons, bearing the names of their authors prefixed
to them, was that of Paul of Warnefrid, published by order of
Charlemagne.
Secondly, because all the more ancient manuscripts give to the
Homilies in question, not the title of Venerable, but of Presbyter
or Dominus Bede.
If, in confirmation of these remarks, more
authorities were requisite, a prolix enumeration
of further testimonials might easily be adduced.
But we will pass them over in silence as super-
fluous commendations. For the numerous and
learned productions of Bede, concerning which
we shall soon have occasion to speak, are alone
sufficient to evince his uncommon industry, and
to establish his reputation. We will therefore
return to our narrative.
At the age of nineteen our youth was presented
by Ceolfrid, his abbot, to Deacon's orders. This
early promotion to the dignity and sacred func-
tions of the ministry, reflects on the character of
Bede the brightest lustre. For in the rigid dis-
cipline of primitive times, nothing but the most
evident proofs of consummate piety, could have
procured, in his behalf, such a deviation from
Ecclesiastical ordinances, as was requisite for his
advancement to the Hierarchy at so early a
period. Nor would the experienced guides by
Lastly, because the writers who notice him prior to the ninth
century, style him saint. Thus he was styled by the prelates of
the Franks in the Council of Aix la Chapelle, by Hincmar, Bishop
of Rheims, and by Notker in his Martyrology.
The title, therefore, of Venerable does not appear to have been
generally given to our saint, till the ninth century, and then to
have been adopted by Amularius, Jonas, Usuard, and others, solely
for the purpose of expressing a peculiar respect to his memory.
whom he was conducted, have ventured to con-
fer on him this flattering distinction at an age so
liable to be injured by vanity, had not his virtues
been truly illustrious, and his known modesty a
firm protection to his virtues.
In pourtraying the excellent characters of the
abbots of his own monastery, Bede has observed,
" that neither their rank in the world, nor their
promotion in the order, ever infected their hearts
with the least tincture of vanity or pride. But
that however elevated their station, they continu-
ed to be the same humble individuals, affable and
kind to their inferiors, and on every convenient
occasion ready to join them in the performance
even of the most servile offices." Of this ami-
able Christian spirit, and of these edifying labours,
for which his directors were so conspicuous, we
can have no doubt but our youth, who enjoyed
their fullest approbation, must have possessed an
ample portion. Like themselves, he must have
been a perfect model of charity, industry, pa-
tience and obedience, 'or no abilities would have
secured him their favour. His chief employment,
however, in addition to assiduous prayer and
meditation, appears to have been the prosecution
of his studies, and the copying of manuscripts,
till he attained his thirtieth year, at which period
he was raised to the dignity of the priesthood.
8
As at this juncture there was no episcopal See
at Durham, Bede received his ordination from
the hands of John of Beverley, Bishop of Hal-
gutstad, or Hexham, within the limits of whose
district J arrow was situated. To the same emi-
nent prelate he was also indebted, according to
several ancient writers, for a part of his educa-
tion. For among his preceptors they number
the learned and pious John of Beverley. This
assertion, however, seems to depend rather on
conjecture, than historical evidence ; and may,
indeed, be a mistake occasioned by the circum-
stance of Bede having studied sacred music
under John, Abbot of St. Martin's. That his
thirst for knowledge would impel the eager youth
to consult all the ablest teachers of the age, to
whom he could gain access, we have every rea-
son to suppose : and that in his theological re-
searches he enjoyed the aid of several professors,
we learn from himself. For in his Ecclesiastical
History, he names as one, amongst many, who
instructed him in the Scriptures, the celebrated
Trumbert, who was in his time a monk of Jarrow,
but had formerly been a disciple of St. Chad,
Bishop of Lichfield. From the encomiums he
bestows in the same work on Theodore, Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, and his companion the
Abbot Adrian, for their ability in teaching the
learned languages, it is highly probable he de-
rived either from them, or from some of their
immediate disciples, his knowledge of Greek and
Latin, together with a taste for composition.
But whoever had the honour of assisting our
youth in his early pursuits, must have rejoiced
to behold the success which crowned their la-
bours ; and could not but experience a secret
delight, in devoting their hours to the care of a
pupil, whose ardent and comprehensive mind
readily embraced every science which was then
studied, and raised him to a high pre-eminence
above all his contemporaries.
Yet notwithstanding his superior endowments,
had he been suffered to listen to the dictates of
his own modesty, his name would probably have
been lost in oblivion, and succeeding ages de-
prived of his labours. But urged by the impor-
tunity of Acca, Bishop of Hexham, and the
injunctions of his superiors, he was compelled
soon after he received the priesthood to display
his talents in writing for the public. * As an
author his fame was soon established, and, ac-
cording to Malmsbury, so extensively diffused,
that the majesty of Rome, at that period the
seat of learning, solicited his assistance in solv-
10
ing abstruse questions.* All the western world,
the same historian adds, yielded the palm to his
* Malmsbury tells us it was currently reported in his time, that
Bede had actually gone to Rome for the purpose either of person-
ally asserting- that his writings were consistent with the doctrines
of the church, or if found erroneous, of correcting them by apos-
tolical authority. That he was at Rome, I do not, however, adds
the same historian, affirm as an absolute fact ; but I have no doubt
in declaring that he had been invited thither, and that the See of
Rome so highly esteemed him, as greatly to desire his presence.
In proof of this assertion he adduces the following epistle, sup-
posed to have been written by the Pontiff Sergius.
" Sergius the Bishop, servant of the servants of God, to Ceol-
frid, the holy Abbot, sendeth greeting.
" With what words, and in what manner, can we declare the
kindness and unspeakable Providence of our God, and return fit
thanks for his boundless benefits, who leads us when placed in
darkness and the shadow of death, to the light of knowledge?"
And below, " Know that we received the favour of the offering
which your devout piety hath sent, by the present bearer, with
the same joy and good-will with which it was transmitted. As-
senting, therefore, to the timely and becoming prayer of your
laudable anxiety, with deepest regard, we request of your pious
goodness so acceptable to God (that since there have occurred
certain points of Ecclesiastical Discipline, not to be promulgated
without further examination, which have made it necessary for
us to confer with persons skilled in literature, as becomes an as-
sistant of the holy universal mother church, devoted to God), not
to delay paying ready obedience to this our admonition, but to
send without any loss of time to our lowly presence, at the church
of the chief apostles Peter and Paul, your friends and protectors,
that religious servant of God, Bede, priest of your venerable
monastery, whom (God favouring your holy prayers) the neces-
sary discussion of the above mentioned points being, by the as-
sistance of God, solemnly completed, you may expect shortly to
return prosperously to you ; for whatever may be added to the
II
faith and authority ; for, indeed, he was of sound
faith, and of artless, yet pleasing eloquence, in
all elucidations of the scriptures, discussing those
points from which the reader might imbibe the
love of God and his neighbour, rather than those
which might charm by their wit, or polish a rug-
ged style.
church at large by his assistance, will, we trust, be profitable to
the things committed to your immediate care."
If this epistle be genuine, for some reason now unknown, Bede
must have declined accepting the invitation it contains ; for he
expressly states at the end of his Ecclesiastical History, that the
whole time from his childhood to the fifty-ninth year of his age,
was devoted in his monastery to the study of the scripture, the
observance of his rule, and the delightful task of improving him-
self and others. From this passage it is manifest that Bede had
then performed no distant journey. But whether in giving an ac-
count of himself, his modesty suppressed the honourable circum-
stance of receiving an invitation to visit the Holy See, or the epistle
itself be fictitious, cannot now be decided.
There are some grounds to suspect the latter, for Sergius died
in seven hundred and one, and Bede was not raised to the priest-
hood till the year seven hundred and two. If no error has occur-
red in these dates (and by the learned they are deemed correct)
the whole story would appear but a baseless fabric. If the dates
be erroneous, and the epistle were really written, the departure
of Bede was probably prevented by the death of Sergius, which
must have occurred either before, or very soon after the arrival
of his letter in England. Vide Smith's Bede, p. 797, and 799.
In a very ancient manuscript of this epistle in the Cottonian
Library, written in Saxon character, the title of Presbyter is not
given to Bede. This, if the epistle be genuine, is a more correct
copy than that preserved by Malmsbury. Usher,
12
These commentaries, with an extensive variety
of homilies or sermons, comprise the theological
labours, and a large portion of Bede's numerous
productions. Had his fertile pen furnished the
world with no further testimonies of his industry,
these alone would have abundantly sufficed, to
immortalize his diligence. For there is scarce
a book in either the old or the new Testament,
which he has not illustrated with elaborate and
diffusive comments. But a scrupulous and com-
mendable regard to the authority of the most
ancient Christian writers, restrained him in his
scriptural explanations from aiming at novelty,
or aspiring to the fame of original discovery.
Content to shine in the track marked out by his
predecessors in the faith once delivered to the
saints,* he has in general done little more than
expiate on the sentiments of prior commentators.
This he notices himself, as a commendation to
his writings, in the compendium he has given of
his own life, at the close of his Ecclesiastical
History.
" From the time of receiving the priesthood,
till the fifty-ninth year of my age, I have been
employed for the benefit of myself or of my
friends, in making these extracts from the works
* Ep. St. Jude i. 3.
13
of the Venerable Fathers, or in making addi-
tions according to their sense of interpretation."
Then enumerating thirty-six volumes which he
published in seventy-eight books, he proceeds,
4 'And I pray earnestly, O merciful Jesus, that
Thou wouldst grant me, to whom Thou hast
given the knowledge of Thyself, finally to come
to Thee, the fountain of all wisdom, and to ap-
pear for ever in Thy presence.
Moreover, I humbly entreat all persons whe-
ther readers or hearers, whom my works shall
reach, that they be mindful to intercede with the
divine clemency for my infirmities both of mind
and body, and that in their several provinces
they make me this grateful return, that I who
have laboured to record whatever seemed wor-
thy of preservation, or agreeable to the Inhabit-
ants, may receive from all the benefit of their
pious intercessions."
Here, exclaims the learned Malmsbury, who
has recorded in his Book of Kings this passage,
here my abilities fail, here my eloquence falls
short ; ignorant which to praise most, the num-
ber of his writings, or the gravity of his style.
No doubt he had imbibed a large portion of
'4
heavenly wisdom, to compose so many volumes
within the limits of so short a life.*
Besides commentaries on the Scripture and
sermons, the active pen of Bede supplied a great
variety of other compositions, both in poesy and
prose. These with the exception of a book of
hymns and a collection of epigrams, are for the
most part still extant, and consist of biographical
notices of the Abbots of Wearmouth, and of sev-
eral other eminent persons, of chronological
and geographical tracts, and of elementary in-
troductions to the numerous topics, which form
the circle of the sciences.
To discuss with accuracy and minuteness the
nature of these multifarious productions, would
far exceed the limits of our present undertaking ;
we will therefore briefly remark on the 'philo-
sophical works of our venerable author, that in
* Ancient authors have undoubtedly spoken in higher strains of
Bede's scriptural expositions and theological lucubrations, than
was to be expected from modern writers. His merit, however, is