Tempus est, si sic Factori meo videtur, ut ad eum modo resolatus e carne veniam, qui me quando non eram ex nihilo formavit. Multum tempus vixi, beneque mihi pius Iudex vitam meam praevidit. Tempus vero absolutionis meae prope est, etenim anima mea desiderat Regem meum Christum in decore suo videre. (It is time, if it seems so to my Maker, that released from the flesh I should come to Him, who when I was not formed me out of nothing. I have lived much, and the pious Judge has provided well for me all my life. In truth the time of my absolution is near, and indeed my souls longs to see Christ my King in all His beauty).
On with Cuthbert's letter...
In such exaltation we passed the fifty days [between Easter and Pentecost] even unto the day hitherto mentioned, and the same rejoiced greatly and rendered thanks unto God, for he had merited to be thus infirm; and oft he said: ''God chastises every son whom he receives'' [Heb. 12:6], and that sentence of Ambrose: ''I have not so lived, that to live among you shames me; but neither do I fear to die, for we have a good God'' [Paulinus, Life of Ambrose, xiv.43]. However in those days there were two small works worthy of much memory, with the exception of those daily lessons which we received from him and in the chanting of the Psalms, which he strove to complete, that is, from the beginning of the Gospel of Saint John even unto the place where it says: ''But what are they among so many?'' [John 1:6] he translated into our tongue, to the profit of the Church of God, and certain selections from the Book of the Wheels [commonly known as De Natura Rerum] of Bishop Isidore, saying: ''I do desire that my boys read falsehood, and working on this after my death without fruit.''
But when the Third Feria [Tuesday] had come before the Ascension of the Lord he began to be sick more aggressively in his breathing, and a small swelling appeared in his feet; but all that day he taught and dictated happily, and sometimes among other things he said: ''Learn with haste, for 'I know not how long I shall survive, and if after a short while my Maker takes me' [Job 32:22]''. To us however he seemed that he knew well when his end should be. And so he passed the night vigilant in the rendering of thanks, and in the first light of morning, that is the Fourth Feria [Wednesday], he gave instruction that the writing, which we had begun, should be finished quickly. And we did so even unto the third hour [nine o'clock]. From the third hour, however, we walked in procession with the relics of the Saints, as the custom of that day required.* And one of us was with him, who said to him: ''There is still one chapter from the book, which you dictated, missing, and it seems to me to be difficult for you to ask more.'' But he said: ''It is easy. Take up your reed pen and mend it, and then write quickly.'' And so he did. From the ninth hour he said to me: ''I have certain precious things in my small box, that is, pepper, napkins and some incense. But hurry quickly, and lead the priests of our monastery to me, that I may distribute such gifts as God has given me to them.''
And I did this with fear. And being present he spoke to them and everyone, advising and imploring that they make Masses and prayers for him diligently. And they willingly promised to him so. But they were mourning and all wept, but greatly in the word which he said, that his face would not be seen much more in this world. But they rejoiced about this which he said of him: ''It is time, if it seems so to my Maker, that released from the flesh I should come to Him, who when I was not formed me out of nothing. I have lived much, and the pious Judge has provided well for me all my life. In truth the time of my absolution is near, and indeed my souls longs to see Christ my King in all His beauty.''
On with Cuthbert's letter...
In such exaltation we passed the fifty days [between Easter and Pentecost] even unto the day hitherto mentioned, and the same rejoiced greatly and rendered thanks unto God, for he had merited to be thus infirm; and oft he said: ''God chastises every son whom he receives'' [Heb. 12:6], and that sentence of Ambrose: ''I have not so lived, that to live among you shames me; but neither do I fear to die, for we have a good God'' [Paulinus, Life of Ambrose, xiv.43]. However in those days there were two small works worthy of much memory, with the exception of those daily lessons which we received from him and in the chanting of the Psalms, which he strove to complete, that is, from the beginning of the Gospel of Saint John even unto the place where it says: ''But what are they among so many?'' [John 1:6] he translated into our tongue, to the profit of the Church of God, and certain selections from the Book of the Wheels [commonly known as De Natura Rerum] of Bishop Isidore, saying: ''I do desire that my boys read falsehood, and working on this after my death without fruit.''
But when the Third Feria [Tuesday] had come before the Ascension of the Lord he began to be sick more aggressively in his breathing, and a small swelling appeared in his feet; but all that day he taught and dictated happily, and sometimes among other things he said: ''Learn with haste, for 'I know not how long I shall survive, and if after a short while my Maker takes me' [Job 32:22]''. To us however he seemed that he knew well when his end should be. And so he passed the night vigilant in the rendering of thanks, and in the first light of morning, that is the Fourth Feria [Wednesday], he gave instruction that the writing, which we had begun, should be finished quickly. And we did so even unto the third hour [nine o'clock]. From the third hour, however, we walked in procession with the relics of the Saints, as the custom of that day required.* And one of us was with him, who said to him: ''There is still one chapter from the book, which you dictated, missing, and it seems to me to be difficult for you to ask more.'' But he said: ''It is easy. Take up your reed pen and mend it, and then write quickly.'' And so he did. From the ninth hour he said to me: ''I have certain precious things in my small box, that is, pepper, napkins and some incense. But hurry quickly, and lead the priests of our monastery to me, that I may distribute such gifts as God has given me to them.''
And I did this with fear. And being present he spoke to them and everyone, advising and imploring that they make Masses and prayers for him diligently. And they willingly promised to him so. But they were mourning and all wept, but greatly in the word which he said, that his face would not be seen much more in this world. But they rejoiced about this which he said of him: ''It is time, if it seems so to my Maker, that released from the flesh I should come to Him, who when I was not formed me out of nothing. I have lived much, and the pious Judge has provided well for me all my life. In truth the time of my absolution is near, and indeed my souls longs to see Christ my King in all His beauty.''
Having spoken thus and not a few other things to our edification, he passed his last day in joy unto the evening. And the aforesaid boy, with the name Wilberht, said again: ''Sweet Master, there remains still one sentence not written.'' But he said: ''Write it.'' And after a short time the boy said: ''It is written so,'' but he said: ''Good, it is finished. You have told the Truth. Take my head into your hands, for it pleases me much to sit opposite my holy place, in which I was accustomed to pray, that I may be able sitting there to call upon my Father.'' And so, upon the floor of his cell, chanting: ''Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost'' and the rest, he breathed his last; and without another doubt it is to be believed by us that, for him he had laboured here always in the praise of God, his soul was carried by Angels into the joys of the heavenly longings. But all heared or saw the death of blessed Bede our father, said that never had they seen another man end his life in such great devotion and peace, for as you have heard, do long as his soul was in his body, he sang the ''Gloria Patri'' and other songs to the glory of God, and spreading out his hands he ceased not to give thanks unto God.
But it behoves you to know that much could be told and written concerning him, but now the unlearnedness [how do you render ineruditio into good English?] of my tongue makes my words short. But I purpose, in time, with God's help, to write a fuller account of him, which mine eyes have seen and mine ears have heard.
Here ends the Letter of Cuthbert on the death of the venerable priest Bede.
*This undoubtedly indicates that the community at Jarrow were following the Gallican practice of the Rogations in the days preceeding Ascension Day. This custom developed in Gaul in the fifth century and were not practiced in Rome. This indicates a strong influence of the Gallican church on the Church in Anglo-Saxon England.
Thank you for this, Patricius.
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