Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of BritaineHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of Britaine
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
The first Iland therefore which commeth to our sight, after we passed
[Sidenote: Lindesfarne or Holie Iland.]
Berwike, is that which was somtime called Lindesfarne, but now Holie
Iland, and conteineth eight miles; a place much honored among our
monasticall writers, bicause diuerse moonks and heremits did spend their
times therein. There was also the bishops see of Lindesfarne for a long
season, which afterward was translated to Chester in the stréet, &
finallie to Duresme, Dunelme, or Durham. It was first erected by Oswald,
wherein he placed Aidanus the learned Scotish moonke, who came hither
out of the Ile called Hij, whereof Beda speaking in the third chapter of
his third booke, noteth, that although the said Hij belong to the kings
of Northumberland, by reason of situation & néerenesse to the coast; yet
the Picts appointed the bishops of the same, and gaue the Ile with the
see it selfe to such Scotish moonks as they liked, bicause that by their
preaching they first receiued the faith. But to returne to Lindesfarne.
After Aidan departed this life, Finanus finished and builded the whole
church with sawed timber of oke, after the maner of his countrie, which
when Theodorus the archbishop of Canturburie had dedicated, Edbert the
bishop did couer ouer with lead.
[Sidenote: Farne.]
Next vnto this is the Ile of Farne, and herein is a place of defense so
far as I remember, and so great store of egs laid there by diuerse kinds
of wildfoule in time of the yeare, that a man shall hardlie run for a
wager on the plaine ground without the breach of manie, before his race
be finished. About Farne also lie certeine Iles greater than Farne it
selfe, but void of inhabitants; and in these also is great store of
[Sidenote: Puffins.]
puffins, graie as duckes, and without coloured fethers, sauing that they
haue a white ring round about their necks. There is moreouer another
[Sidenote: Saint Cuthberts foules.]
bird, which the people call saint Cuthberts foules, a verie tame and
gentle creature, and easie to be taken. After this we came to the Cocket
Iland; so called, bicause it lieth ouer against the fall of Cocket
water. Herein is a veine of meane seacole, which the people dig out of
the shore at the low water; and in this Iland dwelled one Henrie
sometime a famous heremite, who (as his life declareth) came of the
Danish race. And from thence vntill we came vnto the coast of Norffolke
I saw no more Ilands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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