Church”. 72 Bede is writing a history for a people united in such a way that they
warrant being labelled as ‘English’.
Hagiographical passages in the Historia emphasise the ‘English’, England,
and their religious significance. The key examples of this are the Passion of St.
Alban and the miracles after his death, and the lives and works of Saints Hild of Whitby and Cuthbert. 73 Alban suffered during Diocletian’s persecution, was “subjected to the most cruel tortures” and was eventually sentenced to be executed. 74 Miracles continued to happen at the place of execution. 75 Hild, in turn, withdrew from secular life to East-Anglia, eventually becoming Abbess at Whitby. 76
Bede describes her as “not only an example of holy life to all who were in the
monastery but she provided an opportunity for salvation and repentance to many who lived far away and who had heard the happy story of her industry and virtue” 77
Aside from this, the Historia contains, according to Donald Fry, fifty-one miracles
relating to individuals like the aforementioned saints and those related to Bede by Abbot Berhthun and Herebald. 78 Miracles were a big part of Medieval life as proof of God’s work, meaning history and hagiography were more or less synonymous. 79 Hagiography acts as a “window into medieval mentalities”. 80 Faricius, Abbot of
Abingdon gave three reasons for writing hagiography – to praise God, celebrate the
saints, and “so that we, the feeble successors, by reading or hearing their most
victorious exploits, by raising the eyes of our mind, might follow their innocent footsteps.” 81 Saints were powerful patrons to be prayed to as wonder-workers. Bede uses them effectively to further his agenda of ‘English’ identity and the promotion of England. 82
72 Bede, p. 295 73 Bede, pp. 16-19, 210-4, 225-30
74 Bede, p. 17 75 Bede, p. 19 76 Bede, pp. 210-1 77 Bede, p. 212 78 Bede, pp. 238-4 79 Brown, p. 113 80 Robert Bartlett, Why Can the Dead Do Such Great Things? Saints and Worshippers from the Martyrs to the Reformation , (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2015), p. 504
81 Bartlett, p. 510 82 Bartlett, p. 511
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