Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Book I Chapter I
by Venerable Bede
OF THE SITUATION OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND, AND OF THEIR ANCIENT INHABITANTS
BRITAIN, an island in the ocean, formerly called Albion, is situated between the north
and west, facing, though at a considerable distance, the coasts of Germany, France, and
Spain, which form the greatest part of Europe. It extends 800 miles in length towards the
north, and is 200 miles in breadth, except where several promontories extend further in
breadth, by which its compass is made to be 3675 miles. To the south, as you pass along
the nearest shore of the Belgic Gaul, the first place in Britain which opens to the eye is
the city of Rutubi Portus, by the English corrupted into Reptacestir. The distance from
hence across the sea to Gessoriacum, the nearest shore of the Morini, is fifty miles, or
as some writers say, 450 furlongs. On the back of the island, where it opens upon the
boundless ocean, it has the islands called Orcades. Britain excels for grain and trees,
and is well adapted for feeding cattle and beasts of burden. It also produces vines in
some places, and has plenty of land and waterfowls of several sorts; it is remarkable also
for rivers abounding in fish, and plentiful springs. It has the greatest plenty of salmon
and eels; seals are also frequently taken, and dolphins, as also whales; besides many
sorts of shellfish, such as muscles, in which are often found excellent pearls of all
colours, red, purple, violet, and green, but mostly white. There is also a great abundance
of cockles, of which the scarlet dye is made; a most beautiful colour, which never fades
with the heat of the sun or the washing of the rain; but the older it is, the more
beautiful it becomes. It has both salt and hot springs, and from them flow rivers which
furnish hot baths, proper for all ages and sexes, and arranged according. For water, as
St. Basil says, receives the heating quality, when it runs along certain metals, and
becomes not only hot but scalding. Britain has also many veins of metals, as copper, iron,
lead, and silver; it has much and excellent jet, which is black and sparkling, glittering
at the fire, and when heated, drives away serpents; being warmed with rubbing, it holds
fast whatever is applied to it, like amber. The island was formerly embellished with
twentyeight noble cities, besides innumerable castles, which were all strongly secured
with walls, towers, gates, and locks. And, from its lying almost under the North Pole, the
nights are light in summer, so that at midnight the beholders are often in doubt whether
the evening twilight still continues, or that of the morning is coming on; for the sun, in
the night, returns under the earth, through the northern regions at no great distance from
them. For this reason the days are of a great length in summer, as, on the contrary, the
nights are in winter, for the sun then withdraws into the southern parts, so that the
nights are eighteen hours long. Thus the nights are extraordinarily short in summer, and
the days in winter, that is, of only six equinoctial hours. Whereas, in Armenia,
Macedonia, Italy, and other countries of the same latitude, the longest day or night
extends but to fifteen hours, and the shortest to nine.
This island at present, following the number of the books in which the Divine law was
written, contains five nations, the English, Britons, Scots, Picts, and Latins, each in
its own peculiar dialect cultivating the sublime study of Divine truth. The Latin tongue
is, by the study of the Scriptures, become common to all the rest. At first this island
had no other inhabitants but the Britons, from whom it derived its name, and who, coming
over into Britain, as is reported, from Armorica, possessed themselves of the southern
parts thereof. When they, beginning at the south, had made themselves masters of the
greatest part of the island, it happened, that the nation of the Picts, from Scythia, as
is reported, putting to sea, in a few long ships, were driven by the winds beyond the
shores of Britain, and arrived on the northern coast of Ireland, where, finding the nation
of the Scots, they begged to be allowed to settle among them, but could not succeed in
obtaining their request. Ireland is the greatest island next to Britain, and lies to the
west of it; but as it is shorter than Britain to the north, so, on the other hand, it runs
out far beyond it to the south, opposite to the northern parts of Spain, though a spacious
sea lies between them. The Picts, as has been said, arriving in this island by sea,
desired to have a place granted them in which they might settle. The Scots answered that
the island could not contain them both; but "We can give you good advice," said
they, "what to do; we know there is another island, not far from ours, to the
eastward, which we often see at a distance, when the days are clear. if you will go
thither, you will obtain settlements; or, if they should oppose you, you shall have our
assistance." The Picts, accordingly, sailing over into Britain, began to inhabit the
northern parts thereof, for the Britons were possessed of the southern. Now the Picts had
no wives, and asked them of the Scots; who would not consent to grant them upon any other
terms, than that when any difficulty should arise, they should choose a king from the
female royal race rather than from the male: which custom, as is well known, has been
observed among the Picts to this day. In process of time, Britain, besides the Britons and
the Picts, received a third nation the Scots, who, migrating from Ireland under their
leader, Reuda, either by fair means, or by force of arms, secured to themselves those
settlements among the Picts which they still possess. From the name of their commander,
they are to this day called Dalreudins; for, in their language, Dal signifies a part.
Ireland, in breadth, and for wholesomeness and serenity of climate, far surpasses
Britain; for the snow scarcely ever lies there above three days: no man makes hay in the
summer for winter's provision, or builds stables for his beasts of burden. No reptiles are
found there, and no snake can live there; for, though often carried thither out of
Britain, as soon as the ship comes near the shore, and the scent of the air reaches them,
they die. On the contrary, almost all things in the island are good against poison. In
short, we have known that when some persons have been bitten by serpents, the scrapings of
leaves of books that were brought out of Ireland, being put into water, and given them to
drink, have immediately expelled the spreading poison, and assuaged the swelling. The
island abounds in milk and honey, nor is there any want of vines, fish, or fowl; and it is
remarkable for deer and goats. It is properly the country of the Scots, who, migrating
from thence, as has been said, added a third nation in Britain to the Britons and the
Picts. There is a very large gulf of the sea, which formerly divided the nation of the
Picts from the Britons; which gulf runs from the west very far into the land, where, to
this day, stands the strong city of the Britons, called Aicluith. The Scots, arriving on
the north side of this bay, settled themselves there.
