\ 156. THE VENERABLE BEDE. 675
III. Homilies.1 These are mostly doctrinal and objective. The fact that they were delivered to a monastic audience explains their infrequent allusion to current events or to daily life. They are calm and careful expositions of passages of Scripture rather than compact or stirring sermons.
IV. Poetry.2 Most of the poetry attributed to him is spurious. But a few pieces are genuine, such as the hymn in his History upon Virginity, in honor of Etheldrida, the virgin wife of King Egfrid;3 the metrical version of the life of Saint Cuthbert and of the Passion of Justin Martyr, and some other pieces. The Rook of Hymns, of which he speaks in his own list of his writings, is apparently lost.
V. Epistles.4 These are sixteen in number. The second, addressed to the Archbishop Egbert of York, is the most inter esting. It dates from 734, and gives a word-picture of the time which shows how bad it was.5 Even the archbishop him self comes in for faithful rebuke. Bede had already made him one visit and expected to make him another, but being prevented wrote to him what he desired to tell him by word of mouth. The chief topics of the letter are the avarice of the bishops and the disorders of the religious houses. After dwelling upon these and kindred topics at considerable length, Bede concludes by saying that if he had treated drunkenness, gluttony, luxury and other contagious diseases of the body politic his letter would have been immoderately long. The third letter, addressed to the abbot of Plcgwin, is upon the Six Ages of the World. Most of the remainder are dedi catory.
sixth century, and contains an almost complete Greek-Latin text of (lie Acts, is known to have been used by Bede in writing his Retractations on the Acts. The Codex was brought to England in 668.
1 Tom. XCIV., col. 9-268.
2 Ibid, col. 515-529, 575-638.
3 Hi*t. IV. 20. Bonn's ed., pp. 207. 208.
4 Migne, XCIV. col. 655-710. 5 Browne (I. c., pp. 172-179) reproduces it.
676 FOUKTH PEKIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
VI. Hagiographies.1 (a) Lives of the five holy abbots of Wearmouth and JarroWj Benedict, Ceolfrid, Easterwine} Sigfrid and Huetberct. The work is divided into two books, of which the first relates to Benedict. (6) The prose version of the Life of St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne. The poetical version al ready spoken of, is earlier in time and different in character in as much as it dwells more upon Cuthbert's miracles. The prose version has for its principal source an older life of Cuth bert still extant, and relates many facts along with evident fictions. Great pains were bestowed upon it and it was even submitted for criticism, prior to publication, to the monks of Lindisfarne. (c) The life of Felix of Nola, Confessor, a prose version of the life already written by Paulinus of Nola. (d) Martyrology. It is drawn from old Roman sources, and shows at once the learning and the simplicity of its author.
VII. Ecclesiastical History of England.2 This is Bede's great work. Begun at the request of King Ceolwulf, it was his occupation for many years, and was only finished a short time before his death. It consists of five books and tells in a simple, clear style the history of England from the earliest times down to 731. The first twenty-two chapters of the first book are compiled from Orosius and Gildas, but from the mission of Augustin in the 23d chapter (A. D. 596) it rests upon original investigation. Bede took great pains to ensure accuracy, and he gives the names of all persons who were helpful to him. The History is thus the chief and in many respects the only source for the church history of England down to the eighth century. In it as in his other books Bede relates a great many strange things ; but he is careful to give his authorities for each statement. It is quite evident, how ever, that he believed in these " miracles," many of which are
1 Migne, XCIV,, col. 713-1148. Browne (pp. 80-126) gives a full account of the first two of these works.
1 Historia ecdesiastica gentis Anglorum. Tom. XCV-, col. 21-290.