Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England

CHAP. XXVI. How Colman, being worsted, returned home, and Tuda succeeded him in the
bishopric, and of the state of the church under those teachers. [664 A.D.]
THE disputation being ended, and the assembly broken up, Agilbert returned home. Colman,
perceiving that his doctrine was rejected, and his party despised, took with him those who wished
to follow him, to wit, such as would not accept the Catholic Easter and the tonsure in the form of
a crown,(for there was no small dispute about that also,) and went back into Scotland,to consult
with his people what was to be done in this case. Cedd, forsaking the practices of the Scots, returned
to his bishopric, having submitted to the Catholic observance of Easter. This debate took place in
the year of our Lord 664, which was the twenty-second year of the reign of King Oswy, and the
thirtieth of the episcopate of the Scots among the English; for Aidan was bishop seventeen years,
Finan ten, and Colman three.
When Colman had gone back into his own country, Tuda, the servant of Christ, was made
bishop of the Northumbriansin his place, having been instructed and ordained bishop among the
Southern Scots, having also the crown of the ecclesiastical tonsure, according to the custom of that
province, and observing the Catholic rule with regard to the time of Easter.He was a good and
religious man, but he governed the church a very short time; he had come from Scotlandwhilst
Colman was yet bishop, and, both by word and deed, diligently taught all men those things that
appertain to the faith and truth. But Eata,who was abbot of the monastery called Mailros,a man
most reverend and gentle, was appointed abbot over the brethren that chose to remain in the church
of Lindisfarne, when the Scots went away. It is said that Colman, upon his departure, requested
and obtained this of King Oswy, because Eata was one of Aidan’s twelve boys of the English
nation,whom he received in the early years of his episcopate, to be instructed in Christ; for the king
greatly loved Bishop Colman on account of his innate discretion. This is that Eata, who, not long
after, was made bishop of the same church of Lindisfarne. Colman carried home with him part of
the bones of the most reverend Father Aidan, and left part of them in the church where he had
presided, ordering them to be interred in the sacristy.
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The Venerable Bede
Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England

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The place which they governed shows how frugal and temperate he and his predecessors were,
for there were very few houses besides the church found at their departure; indeed, no more than
were barely sufficient to make civilized life possible; they had also no money, but only cattle; for
if they received any money from rich persons, they immediately- gave it to the poor; there being
no need to gather money, or provide houses for the entertainment of the great men of the world;
for such never resorted to the church, except to pray and hear the Word of God. The king himself,
when occasion required, came only with five or six servants, and having performed his devotions
in the church, departed. But if they happened to take a repast there, they were satisfied with the
plain, daily food of the brethren, and required no more. For the whole care of those teachers was
to serve God, not the world—to feed the soul, and not the belly.
For this reason the religious habit was at that time held in great veneration; so that wheresoever
any clerk or monk went, he was joyfully received by all men, as God’s servant; and even if they
chanced to meet him upon the way, they ran to him, and with bowed head, were glad to be signed
with the cross by his hand, or blessed by his lips. Great attention was also paid to their exhortations;
and on Sundays they flocked eagerly to the church, or the monasteries, not to feed their bodies, but
to hear the Word of God; and if any priest happened to come into a village, the inhabitants came
together and asked of him the Word of life; for the priests and clerks went to the villages for no
other reason than to preach, baptize, visit the sick, and, in a word, to take care of souls; and they
were so purified from all taint of avarice, that none of them received lands and possessions for
building monasteries, unless they were compelled to do so by the temporal authorities; which
custom was for some time after universally observed in the churches of the Northumbrians. But
enough has now been said on this subject.