Ecclesiastical history epitomized containing a faithful account of ye birth life & doctrine, crucifixion & ascension of ye holy Iesus : with the lives of ye apostles evangelists & primitive fathers & other famous men in ye Christian Church both antient & modern who have couragiously confessed & suffered glorious martyrdomes & persecutions under several tyrannical governours both heathenish and Romish : faithfully continued to ye reformation and since deduced to this present age / carefully collected by J.S. ... ; in two parts.

The LIFE of Venerable BEDE.

BEde was born Anno Christi 671, at Wyrimunda, by Birth an English Saxon, being left to shift for himself very young, by reason of the Death of his Parents; he was by some of his Friends put into the Monastery of St. Peter's and St. Paul's, under the Tutorage of the Abbot of the said Monastery, where he Profited greatly in Learning in Philosophy, Astronomy, Musick and Poetry, as also well seen in Greek, Arithmetick, Rhetorick and History, but above all in Divinity; applying the greatest part of his Study to Expound and rightly understand the Scriptures.

At Nineteen years old he was made a Deacon, and at thirty a Presbyter; when he so ordered his Affairs that he soon grew famous, insomuch that he was by the English Clergy sent to Rome to be assisting to Pope Sergius in setling the Affaires of the Church, where by his Prudence, Modesty and Mild Behaviour he got himself great Applause.

When the Business for which he went was over, he returned to his Charge, and exhorted men every where to repent, least God's Judgments should overtake them; and so far wrought upon many of the Hea∣then Saxons, that he Converted them to the Faith;

and upon many occasions was wont to say that there was so much work to do in so little a time, that he would not loose any of it; and that as for Pleasures, we must only touch them with the Tops of our Fingers as we do Honey, for fear of surfeting on them.

He wrote of all the Liberal Arts in several ex∣cellent Treatises he was a comely Person, Tall and of a grave Pace; clear Voice, and Eloquent Tongue; a grave Countenance, a Courteous and Affable Behaviour; insomuch that many of the Nobility sent their Sons to be instructed by him. He wrote several Volumes, as his Ecclesiastical History, the History of his Monastery, and the History of the Kingdom; wherein he gives an ample Account of the grievous Calamity that be∣fell this Nation, during its being divided amongst the Saxon Kings.

In his sickness he was wont to encourage him∣self with the words of the Apostle, Heb. 12.6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth eve∣ry son whom he receiveth; and when he beheld some of his Scholars weeping over him, he comforted them with these words; The time is come if my Creator pleaseth, that being freed from the Flesh, I shall go to him, who made me when I was not, out of nothing: I have lived long, and the time of my dissolution is approaching: and my Soul desireth to see my Saviour Christ in his Glory. And so gave up the Ghost, Anno Christi 735, and of his Age 64. When one of his Scholars, desir∣ous to furnish him with an Epitaph, wrote after this manner, Hac sunt in fossa Bedae sancti, Ossa;

when the next Morning was found in his Tomb as followeth, Hac sunt in fossa Bedae venerabilis ossa; from which, as some think, he had his name of Venerable, though others affirm that whilst he once was Preaching to the Congregation, a loud Voice was heard (but from whence it came none could tell) saying, well done venerable Bede. But so much for my Countryman.