Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England

CHAP. XVIII. How the South Saxons received Eadbert and Eolla, and the West Saxons,
Daniel and Aldhelm, for their bishops; and of the writings of the same Aldhelm. [705 A.D.]
IN the year of our Lord 705, Aldfrid, king of the Northumbrians, died before the end of the
twentieth year of his reign. His son Osred, a boy about eight years of age, succeeding him in the
throne, reigned eleven years. In the beginning of his reign, Haedde, bishop of the West Saxons,
departed to the heavenly life; for he was a good man and a just, and his life and doctrine as a bishop
were guided rather by his innate love of virtue, than by what he had gained from books. The most
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The Venerable Bede
Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England

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reverend bishop, Pechthelm, of whom we shall speak hereafter in the proper place, and who while
still deacon or monk was for a long time with his successor Aldhelm, was wont to relate that many
miracles of healing have been wrought in the place where he died, through the merit of his sanctity;
and that the men of that province used to carry the dust thence for the sick, and put it into water,
and the drinking thereof, or sprinkling with it, brought health to many sick men and beasts; so that
the holy dust being frequently carried away, a great hole was made there.
Upon his death, the bishopric of that province was divided into two dioceses. One of them was
given to Daniel, which he governs to this day; the other to Aldhelm, wherein he presided most
vigorously four years; both of them were fully instructed, as well in matters touching the Church
as in the knowledge of the Scriptures. Aldhelm, when he was as yet only a priest and abbot of the
monastery which is called the city of Maildufus, by order of a synod of his own nation, wrote a
notable book against the error of the Britons, in not celebrating Easter at the due time, and in doing
divers other things contrary to the purity of doctrine and the peace of the church; and through the
reading of this book many of the Britons, who were subject to the West Saxons, were led by him
to adopt the Catholic celebration of our Lord’s Paschal Feast. He likewise wrote a famous book on
Virginity, which, after the example of Sedulius, he composed in twofold form, in hexameters and
in prose. He wrote some other books, being a man most instructed in all respects, for he had a
polished style, and was, as I have said, of marvellous learning both in liberal and ecclesiastical
studies. On his death, Forthere was made bishop in his stead, and is living at this time, being likewise
a man very learned in the Holy Scriptures.
Whilst they administered the bishopric, it was determined by a synodal decree, that the province
of the South Saxons, which till that time belonged to the diocese of the city of Winchester, where
Daniel then presided, should itself have an episcopal see, and a bishop of its own. Eadbert, at that
time abbot of the monastery of Bishop Wilfrid, of blessed memory, called Selaeseu, was consecrated
their first bishop. On his death, Eolla succeeded to the office of bishop. He also died some years
ago, and the bishopric has been vacant to this day.