‘Bede, a servant of Christ and priest of the monastery of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, which is in Wearmouth and Jarrow…’ Bede so describes himself near the end of what he regarded as the last of his major works, The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation. And he continues: ‘I was born on an estate of the same monastery and when I was seven years old my kinsmen entrusted me for my education to the most reverend abbot Benedict and later to Ceolfrith. Since then I have passed the whole of my life within the walls of this same monastery and devoted all my time to studying the Scriptures. Amid the observance of monastic discipline and the daily charge of singing in the church, my delight has always been in learning, teaching or writing. In the 19th year of my life I became a deacon, and in the 30th year I advanced to the office of priesthood, on each occasion at the hands of the most reverend bishop John, and at the bidding of abbot Ceolfrith. From the time when I received priest's orders until reaching the age of 59 I have concerned myself with making these brief commentaries on Holy Scripture from the works of the venerable fathers, for my own needs as well as the needs of my brethren, or even with adding something more towards their understanding and interpretation.’