bede's ecclesiastical history of england

Having received this answer he straightway began to sing verses to the praise of God the Creator, which he had never heard, the purport whereof was after this manner: 'Now must we praise the Maker of the heavenly kingdom, the power of the Creator and His counsel, the deeds of the Father of glory. 'Sing the beginning of creation,' said the other. 'Nevertheless thou must needs sing to me.' 'What must I sing?' he asked. Thereupon one stood by him in his sleep, and saluting him, and calling him by his name, said, 'Caedmon, sing me something.' But he answered, 'I cannot sing, and for this cause I left the banquet and retired hither, because I could not sing.' Then he who talked to him replied, Once having done so and gone out of the house where the banquet was, to the stable, where he had to take care of the cattle that night, he there composed himself to rest at the proper time. For having lived in the secular habit till he was well advanced in years, he had never learned anything of versifying and for this reason sometimes at aīanquet, when it was agreed to make merry by singing in turn, if he saw the harp come towards him, he would rise up from table and go out and return home.

Others of the English nation after himĪttempted to compose religious poems, but none could equal him, for he did not learn the art of poetry from men, neither was he taught by man, but by God’s grace he received the free gift of song, for which reason he never could compose any trivial or vain poem, but only those which concern religion it behoved his religious tongue to utter. By his songs the minds of many were often fired with contempt of the world, and desire of the heavenly life. THERE was in the monastery of this abbess a certain brother, marked in a special manner by the grace of God, for he was wont to make songs of piety and religion, so that whatever was expounded to him out of Scripture, he turned ere long into verse expressive of much sweetness and penitence, in English, which was his native language. That there was in her monastery a brother, on whom a gift of song was bestowed by Heaven. Sacred Texts Christianity England Index Previous Nextīede's Ecclesiastical History of England, ed. Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England: Book IV: XXIV.

Bede's ecclesiastical history of england