The history of the Church of Englande. Compiled by Venerable Bede, Englishman. Translated out of Latin in to English by Thomas Stapleton student in diuinite

How a litle boy dieng in the same monasterie called a certaine virgin that should folowe him, and howe an other virgin at her departing dyd see a part of the light to come.

The. 8. Chap.

THere was in the same monasterie a child abowt three yeres olde, or not past, named Esica, which bycawse of his age being yet a very infant,* 1.1 was wont to be brought vp in this howse of virgins that were dedicated to God, and to be occupied in meditation among them. This childe being striken with the foresayd plage, when he came to the last pan∣ges of death cryed owt, and spake to one of these holy virgins of Christe, naming her as if she were present by her owne na∣me, Eadgit, Eadgit, Eadgit, and therewithall ended this tempo∣rall lyfe, and entred into lyfe eternall. But that virgin which he called at his death, straight way in the place where she was, being taken with the same sickenesse, the very same daye that she was so called, was taken owt of this lyfe, and followed him, that had called her, to the kingdome of heauen. Moreouer a certaine one of the same handemaydes of God being taken with the sayd disease and nowe browght to the last point, be∣gan sodaynly abowt midnight to crye to them that dyd kepe and watche her, desiring them to put owt the candle that stode

there burninge. And when she had ofte tymes so called vn∣to them, and yet none of them would doo as she bad them: I knowe, quoth she at the last, that ye thinke me thus to speake, as if I were not in my right mynde. But doo ye well knowe that I speake not so. For I tell yowe very truly, that I see this howse fylled withe so great a light, that that candell of yours semeth to me altogether dym and withowt light. And when none of them dyd yet awnswere vnto these sayinges of her, nor followe her bydding, well, quoth she againe, let that candell stand burning as long as ye lyst. But yet knowe ye well, that thesame is not my lighte. For my lighte shall come vnto me when the morning beginneth to drawe nere. And therewithall she began to tell, that a certaine man of God ap∣pered vnto her, which dyed the same yere, and sayd to her, that when the morning drewe nere she should departe hence to the euerlasting lyghte. The truth of whiche vision was so tryed and proued by the death of the mayden, abowt the appering of the day light.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Children browght vp in Nō∣••eries.