Venerabilis Baedae Historiam Ecclesiasticam Gentis Anglorum, Historiam Abbatum, Epistolam Ad Ecgberctum, Una Cum Historia Abbatum Auctore Anonymo Volu (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 edition. Excerpt: ...work was based on an earlier life by an Irishman: ' Nam primo quidam linguae ac gentis Scotticae aggressus tanti uiri gesta descrihere, rustico stilo detriuit dignitatem hystoriae, dein... Alcwinus de Britannia, uir urbanae elegantiae, utpote magni Karoli yperasspistes, ... conatus est in urbanum lepido seponere dicto et incompta comere;' Thiofridi Vita Willibr. c. 24, cited in Pertz, xxiii. 11. This earlier life is not known to exist. Wattcnbach is therefore wrong in saying of Alcuin: 'Willibrordi uitam ante eum nemo scripserat, ' Mon. Ale. p. 35. But when Wattenbach wrote, these extracts from the life by Theofrid, Abbot of Epternach Character of saints' lives. History of Wilbrord. His companions. Pippin of Heristal. ('t mo), had not been published. Wattenbach also complainthat the lives contain so few historical facts and so many miracles: but it is idle to find fault with any class of literature because it does not furnish what it never professed to give; cf. M. Fustel itCoulanges: 'il est bien certain que ces biographies n'etaient pa redigees en vue de faire oeuvre historique.... La biographic etait comme la legende explicative des reliques que le convent posseViait. et qui faisaient sa fortune. Aussi... s'allongeait-elle de tous les miracles que le saint avait faits pendant sa vie, et de tous ceux qu'il produisait apres sa mort;' La Monarchie Franque, pp. 9-12 (cited by Dr. Stokes, Lismore Lives, pp. xci. f.). The whole passage is admirable. The following facts however can be made out. Wilbrord was a Northumbrian, born in 657 or 658. His father. Wilgils, after the birth of his son, became an anchorite on a prmontory at the mouth of the Humber (cc. 1, 2). His day was observed as a festival in the monastery of his son (c. 31), and Alcuin himself.