the Venerable Bede

Known for his illustrious manuscript, the Ecclesiastical History of the English People, St. Bede's history is one of the most referred to primary source of English History (there are 4 hand-written copies of the book in existence today). Few details are known of this man's life. He was born in Ireland in 673 and at 7-years-old he went to live at a monastery. There he learned the of the christian life and morals, dedicating his life to the will of God. Besides writing, he had many interests: cooking, studying cycles and patterns in nature, history, music, translating books from olde english into irish, carpentry, and grammar. He was ordained at the age of 30 and lived the rest of his live in submission to the order of monks in Jarrow, England under Abbott Ceolfrith. In 735, he lay dying but was only concerned with praising God and offering thanks to his Creator--ending his life by singing the Gloria Patri.

If you ever find yourself in Jarrow, England, there is a fascinating-sounding museum: Bede's World