Originally written in 731 and published in English in 1903 in a translation by LIONEL CECIL JANE (1879-1932), The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation was the first book of its kind. In it, British Benedictine monk SAINT BEDE (672-735) details the history of England from the time of Caesar until the year of its writing. Assembled using a variety of Roman sources, including Prosper of Acquitaine and Pope Gregory I, this astonishing work resounds of true scholarly diligence: Bede cited his references throughout his work, and used personal accounts only with skepticism. Bede's history covers the wars between the Britons, Scots, and Picts; the conquest of England by the Romans; and the conversion of the Britons, the Scots, and the Saxons. Bede also details the rise and fall of tribal kings and the lives of influential bishops. Historians will find this an interesting historical document both as a record of history and as a specimen of history itself.

The recent formation of an English Historical Society seems to be a sign that English History is beginning to engage the attention of the public. It is needless to apologize for the publication of the present volume, inasmuch as three former versions of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History sufficiently attest the desire on the part of those who cannot read the original, to have the work translated into their native tongue. All these, however, are now become scarce and dear. It was not thought fit to reprint either of them exactly, as they all labour under certain defects which rendered such a course objectionable. The old translation by Stapleton is as early as the reign of Elizabeth, and appears to have been admirably written for that period; but the phraseology is in many places obsolete, and the slightest inspection would at once convince a person that it could not have been circulated for use in the present day. Aeterna Press

This masterpiece of medieval historical literature chronicles the growth of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. Written by a monk in AD 731, it profiles prominent individuals in the formation of the country's religion and government.

Bede's most famous work, this edition includes includes a translation of "The Greater Chronicle", in which Bede examines the Roman Empire and contemporary Europe. His "Letter to Egbert" gives his final reflections on the English Church just before his death.

The Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731 AD) is Bede's most famous work. As well as providing the authoritative Colgrave translation of the Ecclesiastical History, this edition includes a new translation of the Greater Chronicle, in which Bede examines the Roman Empire and contemporary Europe. His Letter to Egbert gives his final reflections on the English Church just before his death, and all three texts here are further illuminated by a detailed introduction and explanatory notes. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Bede's best-known work is the Ecclesiastical History of England. Completed in about 731, it consists of five books, in which he sketches the history of England from Caesar's invasion in 55 B.C. through St. Augustine’s missions, the development of Christianity in Kent and the Council of Whitby up to his own days.

Written in AD 731, Bede's work opens with a background sketch of Roman Britain's geography and history. It goes on to tell of the kings and bishops, monks and nuns who helped to develop Anglo-Saxon government and religion during the crucial formative years of the English people. Leo Sherley-Price's translation brings us an accurate and readable version, in modern English, of a unique historical document. This edition now includes Bede's Letter to Egbert concerning pastoral care in early Anglo-Saxon England, at the heart of which lay Bede's denunciation of the false monasteries; and The Death of Bede, an admirable eye-witness account by Cuthbert, monk and later Abbot of Jarrow, both translated by D. H. Farmer.