From the Old English translation of Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum,
Book IV Chapter XXIV
In this abbess's monastery was a certain brother particularly glorified and honoured with a
divine gift, in that he fittingly was accustomed to make songs, which pertained to religion and
virtue, so that whatever thus he he learned of divine letters from scholars, those things he
after a moderate space of time he brought forth, in poetic language adorned with the greatest
sweetness and inspiration and well-made in the English language. And by his poem-songs the
spirits of many men were kindled to distain of the world and to service of a heavenly life.
And likewise, many others after him among the English people endeavoured to compose
pious songs, but none however in like manner to him could do so because he had learned not
at all from men nor through man that he songcraft learned, but he was divinely aided and
through God's gift received the art of poetry. And he therefore he never could make any sort
of lying or idle songs, but just those alone which pertained to piety, and those which were
fitting for his pious tongue to sing. The man was established in worldly life until the time
when he was of advanced age, and he had never learned any songs. And consequently, often
at a drinking gathering, when there was deemed to be occasion of joy, that they all must in
turn sing with a harp, when he saw the harp nearing him, he then arose for shame from that
feast and went home to his house. Then he did this on a certain occasion, that he left the
banquet-hall and he was going out to the animal stables, which herd had been assigned to him
that night. When he there at a suitable time set his limbs at rest and fell asleep, then some
man stood by him in his dream and hailed and greeted him and addressed him by his name:
'Caedmon, sing me something.' Then he answered and said: 'I do not know how to sing and
for that reason I went out from this feast and went hither, because I did not know how to sing
at all.' Again he said, he who was speaking with him: 'Nevertheless, you must sing.' Then he
said: 'What must I sing?' Said he: 'Sing to me of the first Creation.' When he received this
answer, then he began immediately to sing in praise of God the Creator verses and words
which he had never heard, whose order is this:
Book IV Chapter XXIV
In this abbess's monastery was a certain brother particularly glorified and honoured with a
divine gift, in that he fittingly was accustomed to make songs, which pertained to religion and
virtue, so that whatever thus he he learned of divine letters from scholars, those things he
after a moderate space of time he brought forth, in poetic language adorned with the greatest
sweetness and inspiration and well-made in the English language. And by his poem-songs the
spirits of many men were kindled to distain of the world and to service of a heavenly life.
And likewise, many others after him among the English people endeavoured to compose
pious songs, but none however in like manner to him could do so because he had learned not
at all from men nor through man that he songcraft learned, but he was divinely aided and
through God's gift received the art of poetry. And he therefore he never could make any sort
of lying or idle songs, but just those alone which pertained to piety, and those which were
fitting for his pious tongue to sing. The man was established in worldly life until the time
when he was of advanced age, and he had never learned any songs. And consequently, often
at a drinking gathering, when there was deemed to be occasion of joy, that they all must in
turn sing with a harp, when he saw the harp nearing him, he then arose for shame from that
feast and went home to his house. Then he did this on a certain occasion, that he left the
banquet-hall and he was going out to the animal stables, which herd had been assigned to him
that night. When he there at a suitable time set his limbs at rest and fell asleep, then some
man stood by him in his dream and hailed and greeted him and addressed him by his name:
'Caedmon, sing me something.' Then he answered and said: 'I do not know how to sing and
for that reason I went out from this feast and went hither, because I did not know how to sing
at all.' Again he said, he who was speaking with him: 'Nevertheless, you must sing.' Then he
said: 'What must I sing?' Said he: 'Sing to me of the first Creation.' When he received this
answer, then he began immediately to sing in praise of God the Creator verses and words
which he had never heard, whose order is this:
