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father began accordingly, and when he had concluded his discourse, the stones, in proof that his pious intention had been accepted, spake and said, Amen, thou hast preached well O venerable Bede!*

The little stone cell in which, apart from the monastery and from all interruption, he used to read, write, dictate, or meditate, was shown some centuries after his death as a spot which his presence had hallowed. He was buried at Jarrow, and it is not known at what time the pious resurrection-men removed his remains to Durham, nor whether with permission of the convent, or furtively. But about three hundred years after his death, a certain priest, Elfrid by name, who said he was instructed in a vision to go about the churches and monasteries in Northumberland discovering relics, imparted to

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"Others, disclaiming this conceit," says Fuller, (p. 99.) assign this reason: because Bede's homilies were read in all churches in his life time, plain Bede was conceived too little, and Saint Bede too much, because, according to Popish (but not St. Paul's) principles, Saint is too much flattery to be given to any whilst alive; Solon allowing none happy, and thus mine author none in this degree holy, before their death. Whereupon Venerable was found out as an expedient to accommodate the difference, luckily hitting the mark, as a title neither too high, nor too low; just even to so good a man and great a scholar whilst alive."

† Acta SS. Maii. t. vi. 721.

one of his friends in confidence that he had deposited the bones of Bede in the same coffin with those of St. Cuthbert, charging him to keep the spot where they were deposited religiously secret, lest this treasure should be purloined by strangers, who were always suffi- ` ciently ready to carry off such spoils, and to whom the relics of the Venerable Bede would be particularly tempting.* They were separated afterwards, and placed in a shrine; but in Queen Elizabeth's reign Whitingham, Dean of Durham, (a man who brought with him puritanical opinions from Frankfort,) removed† them it is not known whither, in order that they might no longer be visited by the Papists. The stone, however, which once covered his remains, is still shown in that cathedral, and will not be regarded without some thoughtful and respectful feelings by those who are free from all taint of Romish superstition. The place of his abode. can no longer inspire that sentiment. Jarrow,

* Acta SS. Maii. t. vi. 723.

A grave was shown in the Vatican Church as containing his remains; but undoubtedly this was some other Bede. (Acta SS. Maii. vi. 723.) A body was also shown as his in the Monastery of St. Benigno, at Genoa; but this Bede was a Saint who flourished a century later at the court of Charlemagne. (Yepes. 3. ff. 56.)

where he, who was, in his days, the most learned of living men, past his long life in devotion, or in tuition, or in study, is now inhabited by pitmen and colliers, and the ruins of the monastery are almost choked with ashes and coal-dust. There, however, Bede's chair is at this day exhibited,..preserved I must not say, for it is every where carved with the initials of mischievous visitors, and moreover miserably disfigured by the more accountable, but not less destructive practice of carrying away pieces as memorials or as relics. Nothing but the Saxon massiveness of its construction has enabled it to outlast these disgraceful mutilations.

93

LETTER IV.

CAUSES WHICH PROMOTED THE SUCCESS OF CHRISTIANITY AMONG THE ANGLO-SAXONS.

"THE holy English Church," says Baronius, "hath always gloried in having produced so great a teacher as the Venerable Bede. But her apostate sons have rejected him, and go after false apostles in his stead, who, erring themselves, and leading others into error, follow after Satan. Wherefore, when such an accuser stands up against them before the judgement-seat of great God, they shall receive sentence of damnation."* Amost Roman Catholic opinion,.. and more Cardinal than Christian-like!" Our dear

* "Tanto Doctore jure semper gloriata est sancta Ecclesia Anglicana: quem cum rejiciant filii desertores, qui, loco ipsius pseudo-apostolos errantes, et in errorem mittentes, abeuntes retro post Satanam, sunt secuti; in futuro sæculo ante judicium magni Dei, tanto instante accusatore, sententiam damnationis accipient." (Quoted in the Life of Bede prefixed to his Works. Col. Agrippinæ, 1612.)

countrymen," says Cressy,*" will do wisely to attend to the affrighting admonition of the learned Cardinal." If this good man's judgement had been commensurate with his industry, he might have found enough during his diligent perusal of Bede to make him hesitate in subscribing to this sweepingt condemnation, and to have made him doubt whether he could indeed appeal to the Venerable's authority in his own justification for having forsaken the Church of England to enter the Benedictine order. Corrupt enough the Romish Church was in Bede's age, heaven knows! but it was very far from having reached the height of its corruptions. But credulity was the characteristic weakness of Father Cressy's mind. He believed all the legends with which Bede's history is filled as implicitly as Bede himself had believed them:.. perhaps more so: for Bede thought it his duty as an historian to relate

* Page 583.

It is, however, worthy of notice, that he qualifies it in his translation of this passage, and instead of pronouncing sentence of damnation upon the English people, which Baronius does in a tone of infallibility, as if he were Pope instead of Cardinal, Cressy slips in, that "they have reason to apprehend it."

In his epistle to King Ceolulph, after stating from what sources his information was derived, he concludes thus: Lec

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