Ecclesiastical history of the English people with Bede's letter to Egbert and Cuthbert's letter on the death of Bede

Book one: the situation of Britain and Ireland - their earliest inhabitants on Gaius Julius Caesar, the first Roman to reach Britain Claudius - the second Roman to reach Britain - annexes the Isles of Orkney to the Roman Empire - under his direction Vespasian subdues the Isle of Wight Lucius - a British king - writes to Pope Eleutherus and asks to be made a Christian Severus divides Roman Britain from the rest by an earth work the reign of Diocletian - his persecution of the Christian Church the martyrdom of Saint Alban and his companions - who shed their life-blood for Christ at this time the Church in Britain enjoys peace from the end of this persecution until the time of the Arian heresy during the reign of Gratian - Maximus is created Emperor in Britain and returns to Gaul with a large army during the reign of Arcadius - the Briton Pelagius presumptuously belittles the grace of God during the reign of Honorius - Gratian and Constantine set up as despots in Britain - the former is killed shortly afterwards in Britain - the latter in Gaul the Britons - harassed by the Irish and Picts - seek help from the Romans - who come and build a second wall across the island - notwithstanding, these enemies again break in and reduce the Britons to worse straits during the reign of Theodosius the Younger - Palladius is sent to the Christians among the Irish - the Britons make an unsuccessful appeal to the Consul Aetius the Britons made desperate by famine drive the Barbarians out of their land - there soon follows an abundance of corn - luxury - plague - and doom on the nation. (Part contents)