Bede (also known as Saint Bede) was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter. He is well-known as an author and scholar, whose best-known work, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History of the English People) gained him the title "The father of English History."
Almost all that is known of his life is contained in a notice added by himself to his Historia (v.24), which states that he was placed in the monastery at Wearmouth at the age of seven, that he became deacon in his nineteenth year, and priest in his thirtieth, remaining a priest for the rest of his life. It is not clear whether he was of noble birth. He was trained by the abbots Benedict Biscop and Ceolfrid, and probably accompanied the latter to Jarrow in 682. There he spent his life, finding his chief pleasure in being always occupied in learning, teaching, or writing, and zealous in the performance of monastic duties. There likewise he died and was buried, but his bones were, towards the beginning of the 11th century, removed to Durham Cathedral.
His works show that he had at his command all the learning of his time. It was thought that the library at Wearmouth-Jarrow was between 300-500 books, making it one of the largest in England. It is clear that Biscop made strenuous efforts to collect books on his extensive travels. His Latin is generally clear and without affectation, and he is a skilful story-teller. Generally, Bede wrote only within the three categories of science, history, and theology.
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