The Venerable Bede (A.D. 672-735) is one of the history’s most important figures.
By this, of course, it is meant that his true important lies in the field of history itself. While he is somewhat important in the grand scheme of world affairs during the middle ages, to the world of historical scholarship he is in a class all his own.
The Life of Bede
Bede (he would not become known by the flattering moniker “The Venerable” until shortly after his death), was born in Northumbria (present day northern England/southern Scotland), though not much is known of his life, apart from the fact that at the age of seven he had been “given” by his relatives to the local monastery, where, by the age of 19 had become a Benedictine monk.
Within the confines of the monastery, Bede (as so many other monks of the time) devoted himself to scholarship, both religious and secular (though at that point in history, the two were for all intents and purposes one in the same – the very notion of a “secular” world was an utterly foreign concept to those within the medieval church tradition).
Beyond this – information provided by Bede himself in his works, the autobiographical notes totaling no more than a paragraph in total length – very little is known about The Venerable Bede. His life remains much of a mystery, though much can be learned by looking at the monastic traditions of the time, from which Bede’s life most likely rarely parted.
Bede’s Works
It is not entirely certain just how many works Bede produced during his life, as most manuscripts have surely been lost.
Surely his most important work, however, Historia Ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, which translated from Latin simply means, “Ecclesiastical (that is, pertaining to the church) History of the English People,” has withstood the passage of time.
It is for this work that Bede is considered “the father of English history,” even though from today’s perspective most of England’s history was still yet to come.
Within the “Historia” is a wealth of potential information to explore, beginning at the time when England was still held by the Romans under Julius Caesar (First century B.C.) and working its way thoroughly up through the time of the work’s completion (A.D. 731).
It is important to keep in mind when considering the breadth of the knowledge contained in this volume that this was long before the ease of research brought about by modern libraries (or books in general), or, of course, the Internet. Bede, therefore, had to perform his own exhaustive research. It’s no wonder he didn't complete it until he was 59 years old (or 59 years young, to the optimist).
Bede also wrote some important 8th century science books, as well, such as On the Nature of Things, and The Reckoning of Time, both of which summarize much of the scientific knowledge that existed to date (which was not much, admittedly).
The Death of Bede
When Bede died in 735 (only four years after his history was published), he actually took the time to write a deathbed poem (that is, of course, a poem written on one’s death bed). While most of his other works were in Latin (the learned language of the day), all of his poetry is written in an early form of Middle English (he was, after all, one of the very first truly English scholars). The poem, his departing words, are as follows:
Facing the enforced journey, no man can be
More prudent than he has good call to be
If he consider before his going hence
What for his spirit of good hap or of evil
After his day of death shall be determined
Surely it sounds even better in the original Middle English.
Thus ended the life of The Venerable Bede. Historian, scientist, poet, and monk. He did great things for the study of history, and provided his contemporaries and successors alike with information that, without him, would surely have been lost forever. It's hard to imagine what history would look like without him.
References:
“The Venerable Bede.” The New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia.
Bede. “Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation.” Medieval Sourcebook.
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