Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England

BOOK V
CHAP. I. How Ethelwald, successor to Cuthbert, leading a hermit’s life, calmed a tempest
by his prayers when the brethren were in danger at sea. [687-699 A.D.]
THE venerable Ethewald succeeded the man of God, Cuthbert, in the exercise of a solitary life,
which he spent in the isle of Fame before he became a bishop. After he had received the priesthood,
he consecrated his office by deeds worthy of that degree for many years in the monastery which is
called Inhrypum. To the end that his merit and manner of life may be the more certainly made
known, I will relate one miracle of his, which was told me by one of the brothers for and on whom
the same was wrought; to wit, Guthfrid, the venerable servant and priest of Christ, who also,
afterwards, as abbot, presided over the brethren of the same church of Lindisfarne, in which he was
educated.
"I came," says he, "to the island of Fame, with two others of the brethren, desiring to speak
with the most reverend father, Ethelwald. Having been refreshed with his discourse, and asked for
his blessing, as we were returning home, behold on a sudden, when we were in the midst of the
sea, the fair weather in which we were sailing, was broken, and there arose so great and terrible a
tempest, that neither sails nor oars were of any use to us, nor had we anything to expect but death.
After long struggling with the wind and waves to no effect, at last we looked back to see whether
it was possible by any means at least to return to the island whence we came, but we found that we
were on all sides alike cut off by the storm, and that there was no hope of escape by our own efforts.
But looking further, we perceived, on the island of Fame, our father Ethelwald, beloved of God,
come out of his retreat to watch our course; for, hearing the noise of the tempest and raging sea,
he had come forth to see what would become of us. When he beheld us in distress and despair, he
bowed his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in prayer for our life and safety; and as he
finished his prayer, he calmed the swelling water, in such sort that the fierceness of the storm ceased
on all sides, and fair winds attended us over a smooth sea to the very shore. When we had landed,
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The Venerable Bede
Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England

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and had pulled up our small vessel from the waves, the storm, which had ceased a short time for
our sake, presently returned, and raged furiously during the whole day; so that it plainly appeared
that the brief interval of calm had been granted by Heaven in answer to the prayers of the man of
God, to the end that we might escape."
The man of God remained in the isle of Fame twelve years, and died there; but was buried in
the church of the blessed Apostle Peter, in the isle of Lindisfarne, beside the bodies of the aforesaid
bishops.’ These things happened in the days of King Aldfrid, who, after his brother Egfrid, ruled
the nation of the Northumbrians for nineteen years.