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2 - Bede's View of Britain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2010

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Summary

Bede regarded Britain (Brittania), which he distinguished from Ireland (Hibernia), as an island rich in natural wealth. With an abundance of crops and trees, it was well-suited for the grazing of sheep and cattle, and in some places there were vineyards. There were many kinds of birds, and it was notable for its plentiful springs and its rivers which abounded in fish, especially salmon and eels. Seals, whales and porpoises were very frequently caught round its coasts, and there were many kinds of shell-fish, including mussels which often contained the finest pearls, red, purple, amethyst or green, but most often white. There was a great abundance of cockles used to make a scarlet dye which never faded in the sun or rain, but grew ever more beautiful with age. There were salt springs, and also springs of hot water from which flowed rivers furnishing hot baths in various places suitable for people of all ages and both sexes. It was Bede's belief that the water received its heat from fire burning in the inner parts of the earth, and that when the heated water came into contact with certain metals, it was raised to boiling point and so brought to the surface of the earth.

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The World of Bede , pp. 11 - 22
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1990

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