Chapter 2.14

< Vt īdem Eduīnī cum suā gente fidēlis sit factus, et ubi Paulīnus baptīzāverit >

[1] Igitur accēpit rēx Eduīnī cum cūnctīs gentis suae nōbilibus ac plēbe perplūrimā fidem et lavācrum sānctae regenerātiōnis annō rēgnī suī undecimō, quī est annus dominicae incarnātiōnis DCXXVII, ab adventū vērō Anglōrum in Brittāniam annus circiter CLXXX. [2] Baptīzātus est autem Eburācī diē sānctō paschae prīdiē īduum Aprīlium, in ecclēsiā Petrī apostolī, quam ibīdem ipse dē lignō, cum catēchizārētur atque ad percipiendum baptisma inbuerētur, citātō opere cōnstrūxit. [3] In quā etiam cīvitāte ipsī doctōrī atque antistitī suō Paulīnō sēdem episcopātūs dōnāvit. [4] Mox autem ut baptisma cōnsecūtus est, cūrāvit docente eōdem Paulīnō maiōrem ipsō in locō et augustiōrem dē lapide fabricāre basilicam, in cuius mediō ipsum quod prius fēcerat ōrātōrium inclūderētur. [5] Praeparātīs ergō fundāmentīs in gȳrō priōris ōrātōriī per quadrum coepit aedificāre basilicam. [6] Sed priusquam altitūdō parietis esset cōnsummāta, rēx ipse impiā nece occīsus opus idem successōrī suō Osualdō perficiendum relīquit. [7] Paulīnus autem ex eō tempore sex annīs continuīs, id est ad fīnem usque imperiī rēgis illīus, verbum Deī adnuente ac favente ipsō in eā prōvinciā praedicābat; crēdēbantque et baptīzābantur quotquot erant praeōrdinātī ad vītam aeternam, in quibus erant Osfrid et Eadfrid fīliī rēgis Eduīnī, quī ambō eī exulī nātī sunt dē Quoenburgā fīliā Cearlī rēgis Merciōrum.

[8] Baptīzātī sunt tempore sequente et aliī līberī eius dē Aedilbergā rēgīnā prōgenitī, Aedilhun et Aedilthryd fīlia, et alter fīlius Vuscfrea, quōrum prīmī albātī adhūc raptī sunt dē hāc vītā, et Eburācī in ecclēsiā sepultī. [9] Baptīzātus et Yffī fīlius Osfridī, sed et aliī nōbilēs ac rēgiī virī nōn paucī. [10] Tantus autem fertur tunc fuisse fervor fideī ac dēsīderium lavācrī salūtāris gentī Nordanhymbrōrum, ut quōdam tempore Paulīnus veniēns cum rēge et rēgīnā in vīllam rēgiam, quae vocātur ad Gefrin, XXXVI diēbus ibīdem cum eīs catēchizandī et baptīzandī officiō dēditus morārētur; quibus diēbus cūnctīs ā māne usque ad vesperam nīl aliud ageret quam cōnfluentem eō dē cūnctīs vīculīs ac locīs plēbem Chrīstī verbō salūtis īnstruere, atque īnstrūctam in fluviō Glēnī, quī proximus erat, lavācrō remissiōnis abluere. [11] Haec vīlla tempore sequentium rēgum dēserta, et alia prō illā est facta in locō quī vocātur Maelmin.

[12] Haec quidem in prōvinciā Berniciōrum; sed et in prōvinciā Deirōrum, ubi saepius manēre cum rēge solēbat, baptīzābat in fluviō Sualua, quī vīcum Cataractam praeterfluit. [13] Nōndum enim ōrātōria vel baptistēria in ipsō exōrdiō nāscentis ibi ecclēsiae poterant aedificārī. [14] Attamen in Campodōnō, ubi tunc etiam vīlla rēgia erat, fēcit basilicam, quam postmodum pāgānī, ā quibus Eduīnī rēx occīsus est, cum tōtā eādem vīllā succendērunt; prō quā rēgēs posteriōrēs fēcēre sibi vīllam in regiōne quae vocātur Loidis. [15] Ēvāsit autem ignem altāre, quia lapideum erat et servātur adhūc in monastēriō reverentissimī abbātis et presbyterī Thryduulfī, quod est in silvā Elmēte.

    KING EDWIN'S BAPTISM AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BASILICA AT YORK

    (1) Eduīnī: nominative

    lavācrum sānctae regenerātiōnis: “the washing of holy rebirth,” i.e., baptism

    (2) Eburācī: locative (AG 427.3), “at York

    prīdiē īduum Aprīlium: April 12

    in ecclēsiā Petrī apolstolī: the exact location of this church is unknown, though it was probably not on the site of the current York Minster, the medieval cathedral that succeeded it.

    ad percipiendum baptisma inbuerētur: inbuere + ad = “to introduce to,” so: “while he was being trained to receive baptism” (DMLBS, imbuere 4). In other words, Edwin was a catechumen. percipio = “receive (a sacrament),” DMLBS, percipere 2.

    citātō opere: “with hurried work,” i.e., hastily

    (3) antistitī: “bishop”

    (4) baptisma consecūtus est: baptisma is a Greek neuter noun (baptisma, baptismatis); here, the case is accusative, the object of consecūtus est.

    cūrāvit: “he undertook,” with the complementary infinitive fabricāre (“he undertook to build”); the object of fabricāre is maiōrem et augustiōrem basilicam. The word order and hyperbaton emphasize basilicam. The use of wood resulted in frequent fires (see Plummer ii.101–102).

    ōrātōrium: an oratory, or chapel

    (5) in gȳrō priōris ōrātōriī: in Christian Latin in gȳrō + genitive means “around” (a susbtitute for circum + accusative); so “around the former chapel.”

    per quadrum: “in a square.” The new basilica was built in a square around the earlier chapel.

    (6) successōrī suō Osvaldō perficiendum: dative of agent with the gerundive (AG 374) expressing purpose (“to be completed”)

    (7) sex annīs continuīs: ablative used to express extent of time (“for six straight years”)

    adnuente ac favente ipsō: ablative absolute, referring to Edwin (“with his consent and encouragement”)

    quotquot erant praeōrdinātī ad vītam aeternam: “as many as were predestined to eternal life”: a direct quotation from Acts 13:48 (Vulgate)

    eī exulī: “to him while he was in exile”

    dē Quoenburgā filiā Cearlī rēgis Merciōrum: “from Cwenburh, daughter of Ceorl, king of the Mercians.” Cwenburh was Edwin’s first wife, the mother of Osfrith and Eadfrith.

    PAULINUS BAPTIZES MANY OF EDWIN'S SUBJECTS

    (8) tempore sequente: “later”

    quōrum prīmī albātī adhūc: “the first (two) of whom [died] while still in white baptismal gowns.” Colgrave-Mynors notes: “The newly-baptized wore a white garment called the chrisom. Accompanied by their sponsors and carrying lighted tapers, they visited the church each day for a week and put off the garment on the octave [eighth day] of their baptism. If they died within the octave they were buried in the chrisom” (p. 188, n. 1).

    (9) sed et: “and also”

    (10) gentī Nordanhymbrōrum: gentī is a dative of possession; the basic syntax is: tantus fervor fertur fuisse gentī Nordanhymbrōrum, ut…

    vīllam rēgiam: royal palace

    Adgefrin: Yeavering

    XXXVI diēbus: ablative used to express extent of time (“for 36 days”)

    catēchizandī ... dēditus: “devoted to the task of catechizing and baptizing”

    nīl aliud …, quam: “nothing but”

    cōnfluentem eō ... plēbem: “people flocking there,” i.e., to Paulinus at Yeavering.

    Chrīstī verbō salūtis īnstruere: the ablative verbō follows īnstruere, “to furnish with,” or “to instruct in”: the infinitive īnstruere (like the infinitive abluere below) follows aliud …, quam: “other than to instruct” (or, “other than instruct”)

    īnstructam ... abluere: “once it [i.e., the plēbem] it had been instructed, to wash it….”

    (11) vīlla: “royal residence” (DMLBS, vīlla 1)

    dēserta: dēserta est

    prō illā: “in its place”

    Maelmin: the unexcavated site of Maelmin lies outside of Millfield, Northumberland.

    THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH IN DEIRA

    (12) Haec: “these things took place”

    in provinciā Berniciōrum: “in Bernicia”: Bernicia was the northern half of Edwin’s kingdom (Northumbria)

    in provinciā Deirōrum: “in Deira”: Deira was the southern half of the kingdom

    solēbat: the subject is Paulinus

    in fluviō Svalva: the River Swale

    vīcum Cataractam: the village of Catterick (in North Yorkshire)

    (13) in ipsō exōrdiō nāscentis ibi ecclēsiae: “in the very beginning of the birth of the church in that place”

    (14) Attamen: at tamen, “but nevertheless”

    in Campodōnō: the exact location of Campodonum, originally a Roman town, is unknown. Wallace-Hadrill places it near Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

    fēcit: the subject seems to be Paulinus.

    cum tōtā eādem vīllā: “along with the same entire (royal) residence,” i.e., with all the buildings around the basilica itself.

    prō quā: “in place of which”

    fēcēre sibi: fēcēre = fēcērunt, “made for themselves”

    Loidis: Leeds

    (15) altāre: neuter nominative, “altar”

    in silvā Elmēte: Elmet roughly corresponds to the West Riding of Yorkshire.

    NOTE: Lemmatization of Anglo-Saxon Names
    —: declined forms unattested
    [ ]: nominative forms unattested (back-formed for purposes of lemmatization)
    *: form unattested but hypothesized based on existing patterns


    Aeduini –ī m.: Edwin, King of the Northumbrians, 616-633

    perplūrimus –a –um: very numerous, most

    lavācrum –ī n.: bath; vessel for water; basin; the action of washing, bathing; purification, spiritual cleansing

    sanciō sancīre sānxī sānctus: to consecrate

    regenerātiō –ōnis f.: rebirth

    dominicus –ī m.: Sunday

    incarnātiō –ōnis f.: incarnation

    adventus adventūs m.: arrival

    Anglī –ōrum m.: the Angles, a Germanic tribe; the English

    Britannia –ae f.: Britain

    circiter: near

    baptīzo –āre –āvī –ātum: to baptize

    Eburācum or Eborācum –ī n.: York

    pascha –ae f.: Passover

    prīdiē: day before

    īdūs īduum (pl. f.): the Ides

    Aprīlis –e: of or pertaining to April

    ecclēsia –ae f.: church

    Petrus –ī m.: St Peter, the Apostle

    apostolus –ī m.: apostle

    ibīdem: in the same place

    līgnum lignī n.: firewood

    catēchizō –āre –āvī –ātum: to catechize

    percipiō percipere percēpī perceptus: to take in

    baptisma –atis n.: baptism

    imbuō or inbuō –ere –uī –ūtus: to wet, moisten

    citātus –a –um: swiftly driven or swiftly running

    cōnstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: to pile together

    doctor doctōris m.: teacher

    antistēs –itis m.: bishop

    Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644

    episcopātus –ūs m.: bishopric

    baptisma –atis n.: baptism

    Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644

    augustus –a –um: holy

    fabricō fabricāre fabricāvī fabricātus: to construct

    basilica –ae f.: a portico, basilica

    medium medi(ī) n.: middle

    ōrātōrium –ī n.: oratory

    inclūdō inclūdere inclūsī inclūsus: to enclose

    praeparō –parāre: to prepare, make preparations

    fundāmentum –ī n.: foundation

    gȳrus –ī m.: circle

    ōrātōrium –ī n.: oratory

    quadrum –ī n.: square

    aedificō aedificāre aedificāvī aedificātus: to build, erect, establish

    basilica –ae f.: a portico, basilica

    altitūdō altitudinis f.: height

    pariēs parietis m.: wall

    cōnsummō –are –avi –atum: to complete

    impius –a –um: disloyal

    nex necis f.: killing, murder

    successor –oris m.: a follower, successor

    Osuald –ī m.: Oswald, King of the Northumbrians, 634-642

    perficiō perficere perfēcī perfectus: to complete, accomplish

    Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644

    sex; sextus –a –um: 6; 6th

    continuus –a –um: connected

    adnuō –ere –nuī (ūtus –rare): to nod to; with dat.

    faveō favēre fāvī fautūrus: to favor

    praedicō –āre –āvī –ātum: to preach

    baptīzo –āre –āvī –ātum: to baptize

    quotquot: indecl. adj., whatever number, as many as

    praeōrdinō –āre –āvī –ātum: to preordain

    Osfrid –ī m.: Osfrith, Son of Edwin 2 of Northumbria, d.633

    Eadfrid –ī* m.: Eadfrith, Son of Edwin 2 of Northumbria, killed 634x642

    Aeduini –ī m.: Edwin, King of the Northumbrians, 616-633

    ambō ambae ambō: both

    exul/exsul exsulī m.: exile

    nātus –a –um: born

    Quoenburga –ae* f.: Cwenburg, First wife of Edwin 2 of Northumbria

    [Cearl] –ī m.: Ceorl, King of the Mercians

    Merciī –ōrum m.: the Mercians, the people of the march, or midlands

    baptīzo –āre –āvī –ātum: to baptize

    Aedilberga –ae f.: Æthelburg, Daughter of Æthelberht 3 I of Kent; queen of the Northumbrians

    rēgīna rēgīnae f.: queen

    prōgignō –ere –genuī –genitus: to beget; bear

    Aedilhun — m.: Æthelhun, Son of Edwin 2 of Northumbria

    Aedilthryd –ae f.: Æthelthryth, Daughter of King Edwin 2 of Northumbria, d. after 627

    Uuscfrea — m. (accusative: Uuscfrean): Uscfrea, Son of King Edwin 2 of Northumbria

    albātus –a –um: clothed in white

    Eburācum or Eborācum –ī n.: York

    ecclēsia –ae f.: church

    sepeliō sepelīre sepeliī/sepelīvī sepultum: to bury

    baptīzo –āre –āvī –ātum: to baptize

    Yffi — m.: Yffi, Grandson of Edwin 2, d. c.633

    Osfrid –ī m.: Osfrith, Son of Edwin 2 of Northumbria, d.633

    fervor –ōris m.: fury

    dēsīderium dēsīderi(ī) n.: desire

    lavācrum –ī n.: bath; vessel for water; basin; the action of washing, bathing; purification, spiritual cleansing

    salūtāris –e: healthful, wholesome

    Nordanhymbri –ōrum m.: the Northumbrians, people living north of the Humber estuary

    quōdammodo: in a certain way

    Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644

    rēgīna rēgīnae f.: queen

    vīlla vīllae f.: estate

    Ad Gefrin: Yeavering (Northumberland)

    ibīdem: in the same place

    catēchizō –āre –āvī –ātum: to catechize

    baptīzo –āre –āvī –ātum: to baptize

    dēdō dēdere dēdidī dēditus: to give up, surrender

    māne n. : morning

    vespera –ae f.: the evening

    cōnfluō –fluere –flūxī –—: to flow together, run together

    vīculus –ī m.: small settlement, hamlet, village

    Christus –ī m.: Christ

    īnstruō īnstruere īnstrūxī īnstrūctus: to build upon; furnish; arrange

    īnstruō īnstruere īnstrūxī īnstrūctus: to build upon; furnish; arrange

    fluvius fluvi(ī) m.: river

    Gleni m.: the river Glen (Northumberland)

    proximus proximī m.: neighbor

    lavācrum –ī n.: bath; vessel for water; basin; the action of washing, bathing; purification, spiritual cleansing

    remissiō remissiōnis f.: letting go release relaxation

    abluō –ere –luī –lūtus: to wash away

    vīlla vīllae f.: estate

    dēsertus –a –um: desolate; abandoned

    Maelmin : Milfield (Northumberland)

    Bernicī –ōrum: the Bernici

    Deirī –ōrum: the Deiri

    baptīzo –āre –āvī –ātum: to baptize

    fluvius fluvi(ī) m.: river

    Sualua: the river Swale (Yorkshire)

    vīcus vīcī m.: village

    Cataracta –ae f.: Catterick (North Yorkshire)

    praeterfluō –fluere: to flow past

    ōrātōrium –ī n.: oratory

    baptistērium –ī n.: baptistery

    exōrdium –iī n.: beginning; origin

    ecclēsia –ae f.: church

    aedificō aedificāre aedificāvī aedificātus: to build, erect, establish

    attamen: nevertheless

    Campodonum –ī n. : Campodonum (?modern Outlane, West Yorkshire)

    vīlla vīllae f.: estate

    basilica –ae f.: a portico, basilica

    postmodum: afterwards

    pāgānus –a –um: pagan

    Aeduini –ī m.: Edwin, King of the Northumbrians, 616-633

    vīlla vīllae f.: estate

    succendō –ere –cendī –cēnsus: to set on fire from beneath; (fig.)

    posterior posterius: later

    vīlla vīllae f.: estate

    Loidis: Leeds (West Yorkshire)

    ēvādō ēvādere ēvāsī ēvāsus: to go out, evade

    altāre –is n.: altar

    lapideus –a –um: of stone

    monastērium –ī n.: a monastery

    re-vereor –verērī –veritus sum: to stand in awe of, revere

    abbās –ātis m.: an abbot

    presbyter –erī m.: a priest

    [Thrythuulf] Thrythuulfī: Thrythwulf, Abbot, early 7thC

    Elmet –e: Elmet, a Brittonic kingdom of the fifth to seventh centuries

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    Suggested Citation

    Rob Hardy. Bede: Historia Ecclesiastica Selections. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2017. ISBN: 978-1-947822-20-7. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/bede-historia-ecclesiastica/book-2/chapter-2-14