From The Biographical Writings and Letters of Venerable Bede, translated from the Latin, by J. A. Giles; James Bohn, London, 1845; pp. xi-xvi.
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THE
BIOGRAPHICAL WRITINGS.
AND LETTERS
OF
VENERABLE BEDE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PAGE
CHAP. III. — Of his Admission to Holy Orders xxvi
CHAP. IV. — Of his Clerical and Literary Labours xxviii
CHAP. V. — Of his supposed Journey to Rome xxxiv
CHAP. VI. — Of his pretended Residence at Cambridge xliv
CHAP. VII. — Of his occasional visits to His Friends xlvii
CHAP. VIII. — Of his Disciples xlviii
Cuthbert’s Letter on the Death of Venerable Bede lii
CHAP. X. — Of his Burial in the Church of Jarrow, and the Removal of his Remains to the Cathedral of Durham lvii
I. — PREFACE TO THE METRICAL LIFE OF ST. CUTHBERT 1
II. — LIFE OF ST. CUTHBERT IN PROSE 3
CHAP. I. — How Cuthbert, the Child of God, was warned by a Child of his future Bishopric 7
CHAP. II. — How he became lame with a Swelling in his Knee, and was cured by an Angel 9
CHAP. III. — How he changed the Winds by Prayer, and brought the scattered Ships safe to Land 11
CHAP. IV. — How, in company with Shepherds, he saw the Soul of Bishop Aidan carried to Heaven by Angels 13
CHAP. V. — How, on his Way, he was supplied with Food by God 14
CHAP. VI. — How, as he was coming to a Monastery, Boisil, a Holy Man, bore Testimony to him, by prophesying in Spirit 16
CHAP. VII. — How he entertained an Angel, and whilst ministering to him Earthly Bread, was thought worthy to be rewarded with Bread from Heaven 18
CHAP. VIII. — How Cuthbert was recovered from his Sickness, and Boisil on his Death-bed foretold to him his future Fortunes 20
xiiCHAP. IX. — How Cuthbert was zealous in the Ministry of the Word 22
CHAP. X. — How Cuthbert passed the Night in the Sea, praying; and when he was come out, two Animals of the Sea did him reverence; and how the Brother, who saw those things, being in fear, was encouraged by Cuthbert 23
CHAP. XI. — How, when the Sailors were prevented from Sailing by bad Weather, he predicted that it would be fine on a certain Day, and how he obtained Food by Prayer 25
CHAP. XII. — How he foretold that, on a Journey, an Eagle would bring him Food, and how this took place accordingly 26
CHAP. XIII. — How he foresaw a Vision of a Fire coming from the Devil whilst he was preaching, and how he put out the same 28
CHAP. XIV. — How, when a House was really sent on Fire, he put out the Flames by Prayer 29
CHAP. XV. — How he cast out a Devil from the Præfect’s Wife 30
CHAP. XVI. — How he lived and taught in the Monastery of Lindisfarne 32
CHAP. XVII. — Of the Habitation which he made for himself in the Island of Farne, when he had expelled the Devils 35
CHAP. XVIII. — How by his Prayers he drew Water from the dry Ground, and how he got on during his Retirement 37
CHAP. XIX. — How he sowed a Field with Barley, and kept off the Birds from the Crop by his mere Word 39
CHAP. XX. — How the Crows apologized to the Man of God for the Injury which they did him, and made him a Present in Compensation 40
CHAP. XXI. — How even the Sea was subservient to his Wants 41
CHAP. XXII. — How he gave salutary admonitions to many who came to him, and exposed the impotent Snares of the Old Enemy 42
CHAP. XXIII. — How Ælfled the Abbess and one of her Nuns were cured of an Infirmity by means of his Girdle 44
CHAP. XXIV. — Of his Prophecy in Answer to the same Ælfled, concerning the Life of King Ecgfrid and his own Bishopric 46
CHAP. XXV. — How, when elected to the Bishopric, he cured a Servant of one of the King’s Attendants by means of Holy Water 49
CHAP. XXVI. — Of his Manner of Life in the Bishopric 50
xiiiCHAP. XXVII. — How, though at a Distance, he saw in Spirit the Death of King Ecgfrid, and the end of his Warfare, which he had foretold 51
CHAP. XXVIII. — How he foretold his own Death to Herebert, the Hermit, and by Prayers to God obtained his Attendance 54
CHAP. XXIX. — How, through his Priest, he cured the Wife of an Earl with Holy Water 55
CHAP. XXX. — How he cured a Girl of a Pain in the Head and Side, by anointing her with Oil 56
CHAP. XXXI. — How he cured an infirm Man by Consecrated Bread 57
CHAP. XXXII. — How, by Prayer, he restored to Life a Young Man whom he found at the Point of Death on a Journey 58
CHAP. XXXIII. — How, at a Time of Sickness, he restored a dying Boy in Health to his Mother 59
CHAP. XXXIV. — How he saw the Soul of a Man, who had been killed by falling from a Tree, ascend to Heaven 60
CHAP. XXXV. — How he changed Water by tasting it, so that it had the Flavour of Wine 62
CHAP. XXXVI. — How some of the Brethren, for Disobedience to him, were detained by a Storm at Sea 63
CHAP. XXXVII. — Of the Temptations which he underwent in his Sickness, and his Orders concerning his Burial 65
CHAP. XXXVIII. — How, during his Illness, he cured one of his Attendants of a Diarrhœa 69
CHAP. XXXIX. — Of his last Instructions to the Brethren; and how, when he had received the Viaticum, he yielded up his Soul in Prayer 70
CHAP. XL. — How, according to the previous Warning of the Psalm which they sung at his Death, the Brethren of Lindisfarne were assailed from without, but by the Help of God were protected 72
CHAP. XLI. — How a Boy, who was possessed by a Devil, was cured by some Water, mixed with Dirt, from the Place where the Water in which his Corpse had been washed had been thrown 73
CHAP. XLII. — How his Body after Nine Years was found undecayed 75
CHAP. XLIII. — How the Body of Bishop Eadbert was laid in the Grave of the Man of God, and the Coffin of that Saint placed upon it 77
CHAP. XLIV. — How a sick Man was cured at his Tomb by Prayer 77
xivCHAP. XLV. — How a Paralytic was healed by means of his Shoes 78
CHAP. XLVI. — How the Hermit Felgeld was cured of a Swelling in the Face by dwelling under the Shadow of the Roof of the Man of God 80
III. — THE LIVES OF THE HOLY ABBOTS OF WEREMOUTH AND JARROW 83
IV. — THE LIFE OF THE HOLY CONFESSOR SAINT FELIX 103
IV. — THE LIFE OF SAINT VEDAST, BISHOP OF ARRAS, BY ALCUIN 115
CHAP. I. — How the Man of God, St. Vedast, was introduced to King Hluthwic (Clovis the Great) 115
CHAP. II. — How the King, after his Victory, was eager to be baptized, and how he took St. Vedast to teach him and administer to him the Sacrament of the Faith 116
CHAP. III. — How the Man of God, Vedast, restored sight to a blind Man in the Presence of the King and People 118
CHAP. IV. — How King Clovis was baptized in the City of Rheims, and then commended the Man of God Vedast to the Pontiff Remedius 120
CHAP. V. — Of the Conversation of the Man of God at Rheims, and of the Miracle which he wrought there 121
CHAP. VI. — How the Holy Man was ordained by Saint Remedius, and sent to the City of the Atrebates to preach the Word of God; and how he healed a blind and lame Man at the Entrance of the City 123
CHAP. VII. — How he explored every Part of the City, and with difficulty found the Vestiges of an Ancient Church among the ruins which were become Dens for Wild Beasts 124
CHAP. VIII. — How at a Banquet given by Lothaire, the Man of God, by the Sign of the Cross, foiled the Machinations of the Devil 126
CHAP. IX. — Of the Sickness, Death, and Burial of the Holy Man, and how the House in which he died escaped untouched by a fire 127
CHAP. X. — A Homily preached to the People on the Anniversary of the Birth of St. Vedast 130
xivVI. — LETTERS OF THE VENERABLE BEDE 135
I. — An Epistle from Bede to Abbot Albinus, relating to his Ecclesiastical History 137
xvII. — An Epistle from Bede to Bishop Egbert, concerning Church Discipline 138
VII. — OF THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD 156
VIII. — THE BOOK OF THE HOLY PLACES 159
CHAP. II. — Of the Sepulchre of our Lord, of the Churches of Constantine and Golgotha, and of the other Holy Places in Jerusalem 160
CHAP. III. — Of Mount Sion and the Church built thereon, of Bethsaida and Siloam 162
CHAP. IV. — Of Acheldemach, and the Place there Judas hanged himself 163
CHAP. V. — Of the Napkin from our Lord’s Head, an of another and larger Towel made by the Virgin Mary 164
CHAP. V. — Of the Places near Jerusalem, and the Church in the Valley of Jehosaphat, where St. Mary was buried 165
CHAP. VI. — Of Mount Olivet, and the Church founded upon it, where our Lord ascended to Heaven 166
CHAP. VIII. — Of the situation of Bethlehem, and the Church where our Lord was born; and of the Tombs of David and Hieronymus, and the Three Shepherds 167
CHAP. IX. — Of the site of Hebron, and of the Monuments of the Fathers and of Adam 168
CHAP. X. — Of Jericho and the holy places in those Parts 169
CHAP. XI. — Of the River Jordan and the Sea of Galilee, otherwise called the Sea of Tiberias 171
CHAP. XII. — Of the Dead Sea, and the Nature of the Country which borders on it 172
CHAP. XIII. — Of the Place where our Lord was baptized 174
CHAP. XIV. — Of the Locusts, the Wild Honey, and the fountain of St. John the Baptist 174
CHAP. XV. — Of Jacob’s Fountain, near Sichem 175
CHAP. XVI. — Of Tiberias, Capernaum, Nazareth, and the Holy Places in those Parts 175
CHAP. XVII. — Of Mount Tabor, and the Three Churches thereon 176
CHAP. XVIII. — Of Damascus 176
CHAP. XIX. — Of Alexandria, the River Nile, and the Church in which Mark the Evangelist is buried 177
CHAP. XX. — Of Constantinople, and the Church therein which contains our Lord’s Cross 178
CHAP. XXI. — Recapitulation 179
xvi
APPENDIX
I. — A NARRATIVE OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE BODY OF ST. CUTHBERT FROM LINDISFARNE TO DURHAM 183
II. — CHRONICLE OF THE AGES OF THE WORLD, BY VENERABLE BEDE 219