Series 1 > History of Greater Britain, as well England as Scotland

CHAP. X.]
OF GREATER BRITAIN
93
episcopal see in the island of Lindisfarne. And then it was
truly often a right fair sight, inasmuch as the bishop had not
perfect mastery of the English tongue, to see the king himself
interpreting to his chiefs and councillors the heavenly word;
for during the long time of his banishment he had perfectly
learned the language of the Scots. From that time there came
daily many from the country of the Scots to Britain, and from
those provinces of the English over which Oswald held rule,
and with great devotion preached the word of God, while those
among them who had received priestly consecration adminis¬
tered the grace of baptism to all that believed. Churches were
built here and there; a joyful people flocked to hear the word
of God; lands and estates were granted by the royal bounty
for the building of monasteries. The children of the English,
as well as those of riper years, were instructed by Scottish
teachers in the study and observance of the discipline known
among the regulars; since for the most part these preachers
were monks. Bishop Aidan was himself a monk, having his
appointment from the island called Hy1, whose monastery had
for a long time the pre-eminence among all the monasteries
of the northern Scots, all those of the Piets, and had the direc¬
tion of their peoples. That island belongs indeed by right to
Britain, for it is separated from that country by a small firth
only; but it had been long since given by the Piets, who
inhabit that district of Britain, to the Scottish monks, through
whose preaching they had come to the faith of Christ.’
So far Bede, to the letter of his words; and from his narra¬
tive it is plain that Oswald was filled with zeal towards God.
One church I know founded in his honour in Lothian : Whit- Lothian,
tingham, to wit, distant two leagues from Gleghornie. In
the time of Bede all Lothian was subject to Oswald. And so
much is clear, because he says that the island of Hii, to the
north of Arran1, ought to belong to the Britons. This is
clear, that in the time of Bede, or at least in the time of
Oswald, few among the Scots were able to speak English. But
you will say: Aidan was an islander; therefore your conclusion
1 i.e. Iona.
2 On this indication of geographical position compare note to Book I. p. 37,
on the island of Sanda as ‘ more northerly than Bute’.