simplie but particular bishops: now was he intituled by the name of
archbishop. He also got togither a great number of good books,
[Sidenote: 733.]
which he bestowed in a librarie at Yorke. ¶ In the yéere 733, on the
18 kalends of September, the sunne suffered a great eclipse about
three of the clocke in the after noone, in somuch that the earth
seemed to be couered with a blacke and horrible penthouse.

[Sidenote: 735 _Beda_ departed this life]
In the yéere 735, that reuerend and profound learned man Beda
departed this life, being 82 yéeres of age, vpon Ascension day, which
was the 7 kalends of Iune, and 26 of Maie, as Matt. Westm. hath
diligentlie obserued. W. Harison addeth hitherto, that it is to be
read in an old epistle of Cutbert moonke of the same house vnto
Cuthwine, that the said Beda lieng in his death-bed, translated the
gospell of saint Iohn into English, and commanded his brethren to
be diligent in reading and contemplation of good bookes, and not to
exercise themselues with fables and friuolous matters. Finallie he was
buried in the abbeie of Geruie, distant fiue miles from Wiremouth, an
abbeie also in the north parts, not far from Newcastell (as is before
remembred.) He was brought vp in those two abbeies, and was scholar
to John of Beuerley. How throughlie he was séene in all kinds of good
literature, the bookes which hée wrote doo manifestlie beare witnesse.
His judgement also was so much estéemed ouer all, that Sergius the
bishop of Rome wrote vnto Celfride the abbat of Wiremouth, requiring
him to send Beda vnto the court of Rome for the deciding of certein
questions mooued there, which without his opinion might séeme to rest
doubtful. But whether he went thither or not we can not affirme: but
as it is thought by men worthie of credit, he neuer went out of this
land, but continued for the most part of his life in the abbeies of