02. Venerable Bede

Of these, one of the most noticeable was a translation of John's Gospel into Anglo-Saxon, made, at the very close of his life, by the "Venerable Bede," a Northumbrian monk, who died in his cell, in May, A. D. 735. A most interesting account of his last illness is given by Cuthbert, his scholar and biographer. Toward evening of the day of his death, one of his disciples said, "Beloved teacher, one sentence remains to be written." "Write it quickly, then," said the dying saint; and summoning all his strength for this last flash of the expiring lamp, he dictated the holy words. When told that the work was finished, he answered, "Thou sayest well. It is finished!" He then requested to be taken up, and placed in that part of his cell where he was wont to kneel at his private devotions; so that, as he said, he might while sitting there call upon his Father. He then sang the doxology,—"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost!" and as he sang the last syllable, he drew his last breath.*

* See Neander, Denkwürdigkeiten, &c., III. 171—175; and Fuller, Church History, I. 149—151.

The admirable King Alfred, who ascended the throne two hundred years after the birth of Bede, translated the Psalms into Anglo-Saxon. But the first complete translation which can be said to have been published, so as to come into extensive use, was that made by Wiclif, about the year 1380. It was not made from the "original Hebrew and Greek of the Holy Ghost;" but from the Vulgate, a Latin version, chiefly prepared by Jerome during the latter part of the fourth century.