Complete Works of Bede

by Bede

  Siquidem congregato contra inuicem exercitu, cum uideret se Osuini cum illo, qui plures habebat auxiliarios, non posse bello confligere, ratus est utilius tunc demissa intentione bellandi, seruare se ad tempora meliora. Remisit ergo exercitum, quem congregauerat, ac singulos domum redire praecepit a loco, qui uocatur Uilfarasdun, id est mons Uilfari, et est a uico Cataractone X ferme milibus passuum contra solstitialem occasum secretus;

  diuertitque ipse cum uno tantum milite sibi fidissimo, nomine Tondheri, celandus in domum comitis Hunualdi, quem etiam ipsum sibi amicissimum autumabat. Sed heu, pro dolor! longe aliter erat; nam ab eodem comite proditum eum Osuiu cum praefato ipsius milite per praefectum suum Ediluinum detestanda omnibus morte interfecit. Quod factum est die XIIIa Kalendarum Septembrium, anno regni eius nono, in loco, qui dicitur Ingetlingum; ubi postmodum, castigandi huius facinoris gratia, monasterium constructum est; in quo pro utriusque regis, et occisi uidelicet, et eius, qui occidere iussit, animae redemtione cotidie Domino preces offerri deberent.

  Erat autem rex Osuini et aspectu uenustus, et statura sublimis, et affatu iucundus, et moribus ciuilis, et manu omnibus, id est nobilibus simul atque ignobilibus, largus; unde contigit, ut ob regiam eius et animi, et uultus, et meritorum dignitatem ab omnibus diligeretur, et undique ad eius ministerium de cunctis prope prouinciis uiri etiam nobilissimi concurrerent. Cuius inter ceteras uirtutis et modestiae, et, ut ita dicam, specialis benedictionis glorias etiam maxima fuisse fertur humilitas, ut uno probare sat erit exemplo.

  Donauerat equum optimum antistiti Aidano, in quo ille, quamuis ambulare solitus, uel amnium fluenta transire, uel si alia quaelibet necessitas insisteret, uiam peragere posset. Cui cum paruo interiecto tempore pauper quidam occurreret elimosynam petens, desiliens ille praecepit equum, ita ut erat stratus regaliter, pauperi dari; erat enim multum misericors, et cultor pauperum, ac uelut pater miserorum. Hoc cum regi esset relatum, dicebat episcopo, cum forte ingressuri essent ad prandium: ‘Quid uoluisti, domine antistes, equum regium, quem te conueniebat proprium habere, pauperi dare? Numquid non habuimus equos uiliores plurimos, uel alias species, quae ad pauperum dona sufficerent, quamuis illum eis equum non dares, quem tibi specialiter possidendum elegi?’ Cui statim episcopus: ‘Quid loqueris,’ inquit, ‘rex? Numquid tibi carior est ille filius equae, quam ille filius Dei?’ Quibus dictis intrabant ad prandendum. Et episcopus quidem residebat in suo loco. Porro rex, uenerat enim de uenatu, coepit consistens ad focum calefieri cum ministris; et repente inter calefaciendum recordans uerbum, quod dixerat illi antistes, discinxit se gladio suo, et dedit illum ministro, festinusque accedens ante pedes episcopi conruit, postulans, ut sibi placatus esset, ‘quia numquam,’ inquit, ‘deinceps aliquid loquar de hoc aut iudicabo, quid uel quantum de pecunia nostra filiis Dei tribuas.’ Quod uidens episcopus, multum pertimuit, ac statim exsurgens leuauit eum, promittens se multum illi esse placatum, dum modo ille residens ad epulas tristitiam deponeret.

  Dumque rex, iubente ac postulante episeopo, laetitiam reciperet, coepit e contra episcopus tristis usque ad lacrimarum profusionem effici. Quem dum presbyter suus lingua patria, quam rex et domestici eius non nouerant, quare lacrimaretur, interrogasset: ‘Scio,’

  inquit, ‘quia non multo tempore uicturus est rex; numquam enim ante haec uidi humilem regem. Unde animaduerto illum citius ex hac uita rapiendum; non enim digna est haec gens talem habere rectorem.’ Nec multo post dira antistitis praesagia tristi regis funere, de quo supra diximus, impleta sunt.

  Sed et ipse antistes Aidan non plus quam XIIo post occisionem regis, quem amabat, die, id est pridie Kalendas Septembres, de saeculo ablatus, perpetua laborum suorum a Domino praemia recepit.

  Chap. XIV.

  How on the death of Paulinus, Ithamar was made bishop of Rochester in his stead; and of the wonderful humility of King Oswin, who was cruelly slain by Oswy. [644-651 a.d.]

  Oswald being translated to the heavenly kingdom, his brother Oswy, a young man of about thirty years of age, succeeded him on the throne of his earthly kingdom, and held it twenty-eight years with much trouble, being attacked by the pagan nation of the Mercians, that had slain his brother, as also by his son Alchfrid, and by his nephew Oidilwald, the son of his brother who reigned before him. In his second year, that is, in the year of our Lord 644, the most reverend Father Paulinus, formerly Bishop of York, but at that time Bishop of the city of Rochester, departed to the Lord, on the 10th day of October, having held the office of a bishop nineteen years, two months, and twenty-one days; and was buried in the sacristy of the blessed Apostle Andrew, which King Ethelbert had built from the foundation, in the same city of Rochester. In his place, Archbishop Honorius ordained Ithamar, of the Kentish nation, but not inferior to his predecessors in learning and conduct of life.

  Oswy, during the first part of his reign, had a partner in the royal dignity called Oswin, of the race of King Edwin, and son to Osric of whom we have spoken above, a man of wonderful piety and devotion, who governed the province of the Deiri seven years in very great prosperity, and was himself beloved by all men. But Oswy, who governed all the other northern part of the nation beyond the Humber, that is, the province of the Bernicians, could not live at peace with him; and at last, when the causes of their disagreement increased, he murdered him most cruelly. For when each had raised an army against the other, Oswin perceived that he could not maintain a war against his enemy who had more auxiliaries than himself, and he thought it better at that time to lay aside all thoughts of engaging, and to reserve himself for better times. He therefore disbanded the army which he had assembled, and ordered all his men to return to their own homes, from the place that is called Wilfaraesdun, that is, Wilfar’s Hill, which is about ten miles distant from the village called Cataract, towards the north-west. He himself, with only one trusty thegn, whose name was Tondhere, withdrew and lay concealed in the house of Hunwald, a noble, whom he imagined to be his most assured friend. But, alas! it was far otherwise; for Hunwald betrayed him, and Oswy, by the hands of his reeve, Ethilwin, foully slew him and the thegn aforesaid. This happened on the 20th of August, in the ninth year of his reign, at a place called Ingetlingum, where afterwards, to atone for this crime, a monastery was built, wherein prayers should be daily offered up to God for the redemption of the souls of both kings, to wit, of him that was murdered, and of him that commanded the murder.

  King Oswin was of a goodly countenance, and tall of stature, pleasant in discourse, and courteous in behaviour; and bountiful to all, gentle and simple alike; so that he was beloved by all men for the royal dignity of his mind and appearance and actions, and men of the highest rank came from almost all provinces to serve him. Among all the graces of virtue and moderation by which he was distinguished and, if I may say so, blessed in a special manner, humility is said to have been the greatest, which it will suffice to prove by one instance.

  He had given a beautiful horse to Bishop Aidan, to use either in crossing rivers, or in performing a journey upon any urgent necessity, though the Bishop was wont to travel ordinarily on foot. Some short time after, a poor man meeting the Bishop, and asking alms, he immediately dismounted, and ordered the horse, with all his royal trappings, to be given to the beggar; for he was very compassionate, a great friend to the poor, and, in a manner, the father of the wretched. This being told to the king, when they were going in to dinner, he said to the Bishop, “What did you mean, my lord Bishop, by giving the poor man that royal horse, which it was fitting that you should have for your own use? Had not we many other horses of less value, or things of other sorts, which would have been good enough to give to the poor, instead of giving that horse, which I had chosen and set apart for your own use?” Thereupon the Bishop answered, “What do you say, O king? Is that son of a mare more dear to you than that son of God?” Upon this they went in to dinner, and the Bishop sat in his place; but the king, who had come in from hunting, stood warming himself, with his attendants, at the fire. Then, on a sudden, whilst he was warming himself, calling to mind what the bishop had said to him
, he ungirt his sword, and gave it to a servant, and hastened to the Bishop and fell down at his feet, beseeching him to forgive him; “For from this time forward,” said he, “I will never speak any more of this, nor will I judge of what or how much of our money you shall give to the sons of God.” The bishop was much moved at this sight, and starting up, raised him, saying that he was entirely reconciled to him, if he would but sit down to his meat, and lay aside all sorrow. The king, at the bishop’s command and request, was comforted, but the bishop, on the other hand, grew sad and was moved even to tears. His priest then asking him, in the language of his 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 a humble king; whence I perceive that he will soon be snatched out of this life, because this nation is not worthy of such a ruler.” Not long after, the bishop’s gloomy foreboding was fulfilled by the king’s sad death, as has been said above. But Bishop Aidan himself was also taken out of this world, not more than twelve days after the death of the king he loved, on the 31st of August, to receive the eternal reward of his labours from the Lord.

  CHAP. 15

  Qui cuius meriti fuerit, etiam miraculorum signis internus arbiter edocuit, e quibus tria memoriae causa ponere satis sit.

  Presbyter quidam, nomine Utta, multae grauitatis ac ueritatis uir, et ob id omnibus, etiam ipsis principibus saeculi honorabilis, cum mitteretur Cantiam ob adducendam inde coniugem regi Osuio, filiam uidelicet Aduini regis Eanfledam, quae occiso patre illuc fuerat adducta; qui terrestri quidem itinere illo uenire, sed nauigio cum uirgine redire disponebat, accessit ad episcopum Aidanum, obsecrans eum pro se suisque, qui tantum iter erant adgressuri, Domino supplicare. Qui benedicens illos ac Domino commendans, dedit etiam oleum sanctificatum: ‘Scio,’ inquiens, ‘quia, ubi nauem ascenderitis, tempestas uobis, et uentus contrarius superueniet; sed tu memento, ut hoc oleum, quod tibi do, mittas in mare; et statim quiescentibus uentis, serenitas maris uos laeta prosequetur, ac cupito itinere domum remittet.’ Quae cuncta, ut praedixerat antistes, ex ordine conpleta sunt; et quidem inprimis furentibus undis pelagi, temtabant nautae anchoris in mare missis nauem retinere, neque hoc agentes aliquid proficiebant. Cumque uerrentibus undique et inplere incipientibus nauem fluctibus, mortem sibi omnes inminere, et iamiamque adesse uiderent, tandem presbyter reminiscens uerba antistitis, adsumta ampulla misit de oleo in pontum, et statim, ut praedictum erat, suo quieuit a feruore. Sicque factum est, ut uir Dei et per prophetiae spiritum tempestatem praedixerit futuram, et per uirtutem eiusdem spiritus hanc exortam, quamuis corporaliter absens, sopiuerit. Cuius ordinem miraculi non quilibet dubius relator, sed fidelissimus mihi nostrae ecclesiae presbyter, Cynimund uocabulo, narrauit, qui se hoc ab ipso Utta presbytero, in quo et per quem conpletum est, audisse perhibebat.

  Chap. XV.

  How Bishop Aidan foretold to certain seamen that a storm would arise, and gave them some holy oil to calm it. [Between 642 and 645 a.d.]

  How great the merits of Aidan were, was made manifest by the Judge of the heart, with the testimony of miracles, whereof it will suffice to mention three, that they may not be forgotten. A certain priest, whose name was Utta, a man of great weight and sincerity, and on that account honoured by all men, even the princes of the world, was sent to Kent, to bring thence, as wife for King Oswy, Eanfled, the daughter of King Edwin, who had been carried thither when her father was killed. Intending to go thither by land, but to return with the maiden by sea, he went to Bishop Aidan, and entreated him to offer up his prayers to the Lord for him and his company, who were then to set out on so long a journey. He, blessing them, and commending them to the Lord, at the same time gave them some holy oil, saying, “I know that when you go on board ship, you will meet with a storm and contrary wind; but be mindful to cast this oil I give you into the sea, and the wind will cease immediately; you will have pleasant calm weather to attend you and send you home by the way that you desire.”

  All these things fell out in order, even as the bishop had foretold. For first, the waves of the sea raged, and the sailors endeavoured to ride it out at anchor, but all to no purpose; for the sea sweeping over the ship on all sides and beginning to fill it with water, they all perceived that death was at hand and about to overtake them. The priest at last, remembering the bishop’s words, laid hold of the phial and cast some of the oil into the sea, which at once, as had been foretold, ceased from its uproar. Thus it came to pass that the man of God, by the spirit of prophecy, foretold the storm that was to come to pass, and by virtue of the same spirit, though absent in the body, calmed it when it had arisen. The story of this miracle was not told me by a person of little credit, but by Cynimund, a most faithful priest of our church, who declared that it was related to him by Utta, the priest, in whose case and through whom the same was wrought.

  CHAP. 16

  Aluid eiusdem patris memorabile miraculum ferunt multi, qui nosse potuerunt. Nam tempore episcopatus eius, hostilis Merciorum exercitus Penda duce Nordanhymbrorum regiones impia clade longe lateque deuastans peruenit ad urbem usque regiam, quae ex Bebbae quondam reginae uocabulo cognominatur, eamque, quia neque armis neque obsidione capere poterat, flammis absumere conatus est;

  discissisque uiculis, quos in uicinia urbis inuenit, aduexit illo plurimam congeriem trabium, tignorum, parietum, uirgeorum, et tecti fenei, et his urbem in magna altitudine circumdedit a parte, quae terrae est contigua, et dum uentum oportunum cerneret, inlato igne conburere urbem nisus est. Quo tempore reuerentissimus antistes Aidan in insula Farne, quae duobus ferme milibus passuum ab urbe procul abest, morabatur. Illo enim saepius secretae orationis et silentii causa secedere consuerat; denique usque hodie locum sedis illius solitariae in eadem insula solent ostendere. Qui cum uentis ferentibus globos ignis ac fumum supra muros urbis exaltari conspiceret, fertur eleuatis ad caelum oculis manibusque cum lacrimis dixisse: ‘Uide, Domine, quanta mala facit Penda.’ Quo dicto statim mutati ab urbe uenti in eos, qui accenderant, flammarum incendia retorserunt, ita ut aliquot laesi, omnes territi, inpugnare ultra urbem cessarent, quam diuinitus iuuari cognouerant.

  Chap. XVI.

  How the same Aidan, by his prayers, saved the royal city when it was fired by the enemy [Before 651 a.d.]

  Another notable miracle of the same father is related by many such as were likely to have knowledge thereof; for during the time that he was bishop, the hostile army of the Mercians, under the command of Penda, cruelly ravaged the country of the Northumbrians far and near, even to the royal city, which has its name from Bebba, formerly its queen. Not being able to take it by storm or by siege, he endeavoured to burn it down; and having pulled down all the villages in the neighbourhood of the city, he brought thither an immense quantity of beams, rafters, partitions, wattles and thatch, wherewith he encompassed the place to a great height on the land side, and when he found the wind favourable, he set fire to it and attempted to burn the town.

  At that time, the most reverend Bishop Aidan was dwelling in the Isle of Farne, which is about two miles from the city; for thither he was wont often to retire to pray in solitude and silence; and, indeed, this lonely dwelling of his is to this day shown in that island. When he saw the flames of fire and the smoke carried by the wind rising above the city walls, he is said to have lifted up his eyes and hands to heaven, and cried with tears, “Behold, Lord, how great evil is wrought by Penda!” These words were hardly uttered, when the wind immediately veering from the city, drove back the flames upon those who had kindled them, so that some being hurt, and all afraid, they forebore any further attempts against the city, which they perceived to be protected by the hand of God.

  CHAP. 17

  Hunc cum dies mortis egredi e corpore cogeret, conpletis annis episcopatus sui XVII erat in uilla regia non longe ab urbe, de qua praefati sumus. In hac enim habens ecclesiam et cubiculum, saepius ibidem diuerti ac manere, atque inde ad praedicandum circumquaque exire consueuerat; quod ipsum et in aliis uillis regiis facere solebat, utpote n
il propriae possessionis, excepta ecclesia sua et adiacentibus agellis habens. Tetenderunt ergo ei egrotanti tentorium ad occidentalem ecclesiae partem, ita ut ipsum tentorium parieti hereret ecclesiae. Unde factum est, ut adclinis destinae, quae extrinsecus ecclesiae pro munimine erat adposita, spiritum uitae exhalaret ultimum. Obiit autem septimo decimo episcopatus sui anno, pridie Kalendarum Septembrium. Cuius corpus mox inde translatum ad insulam Lindisfarnensium, atque in cymiterio fratrum sepultum est. At interiecto tempore aliquanto, cum fabricata esset ibi basilica maior, atque in honorem beatissimi apostolorum principis dedicata, illo ossa eius translata, atque ad dexteram altaris iuxta uenerationem tanto pontifice dignam condita sunt.

  Successit uero ei in episcopatum Finan, et ipse illo ab Hii Scottorum insula ac monasterio destinatus, ac tempore non pauco in episcopatu permansit. Contigit autem post aliquot annos, ut Penda Merciorum rex cum hostili exercitu haec in loca perueniens, cum cuncta, quae poterat, ferro flammaque perderet, uicus quoque ille, in quo antistes obiit, una cum ecclesia memorata flammis absumeretur. Sed mirum in modum sola illa destina, cui incumbens obiit, ab ignibus circum cuncta uorantibus absumi non potuit. Quo clarescente miraculo, mox ibidem ecclesia restaurata, et haec eadem destina in munimentum est parietis, ut ante fuerat, forinsecus adposita. Rursumque peracto tempore aliquanto, euenit per culpam incuriae uicum eundem et ipsam pariter ecclesiam ignibus consumi.