Introduction
St Cuthbert was Bishop of Lindisfarne for just two years, but his overwhelming popularity did not come from high office. It came from his tireless journeys to forgotten villages in Northumbria’s bleak high country, taking the Christian message and a fatherly affection to every corner of the kingdom.
‘Thou hast kept the good wine
until now.’
John 2:10.
ONE day, a monk at the Monastery of St Peter in Monkwearmouth told Bede a remarkable tale about Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne.*
Following an arduous tour of Northumbria’s more remote villages, Cuthbert and one of his priests decided to stay the night at the monastery at South Shields, governed by Abbess Verca. They were kindly received by the community, and after an excellent meal Cuthbert was offered something to drink. ‘Wine, bishop? or beer?’ the nuns asked. But Cuthbert wanted only water.
Willing hands fetched water from the spring. The Bishop blessed it, took a few sips, and handed the cup back to one of Verca’s priests, who took a sip himself and started in surprise. He made two of his brethren try it, and amazement filled their faces.
It still looked like water, but it tasted like wine. Really good wine.
All this was absolutely true, Bede’s visitor assured him. For he was one of the monks who had tasted it.
Cuthbert was appointed Bishop of Lindisfarne in 685, by King Ecgfrith of Northumbria; the events in this story appear to belong to the first year of his short episcopate – he died in 687. In 682 Bede (673-735) moved from the Monastery of St Peter at Monkwearmouth to St Paul’s in Jarrow, but the two monasteries, both founded by Bede’s Abbot, St Benedict Biscop, remained closely in touch.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Fetch. Have. Much.
2 Nun. Something. Visitor.
3 After. Drink. Remarkable.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding im-.
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Still. 2 Better. 3 Brotherly. 4 Blessed. 5 Good. 6 Tasteful. 7 Excellent. 8 Best. 9 Willing.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
std (8+5)
ousted. seated. sited. stadia. stood. stud. studio. suited.
sated. sauted. sauteed. staid. steed.
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