Cædmon

thumb|Memorial to Caedmon, St Mary's Churchyard. Cædmon (flourished c. 670, said to have died c. 680) is the earliest English poet whose name is known. An Anglo-Saxon herdsman attached to the double monastery of Streonæshalch (Whitby Abbey) during the abbacy of St. Hilda (657 - 680), he was originally ignorant of "the art of song" but supposedly learned to compose one night in the course of a dream. He later became a zealous monk and an accomplished and inspirational religious poet. Quotes Light was firstThrough the Lord's word Named day:Beauteous, bright creation! Creation. The First Day (c. 670) The fiend with all his comradesFell then from heaven above,Through as long as three nights and days,The angels from heaven into hell;And them all the Lord transformed to devils,Because they his deed and wordWould not revere. Creation: The Fall of the Rebel Angels (c. 670). Translated by Benjamin Thorpe, Caedmon's Metrical Paraphrase of Parts of the Holy Scriptures in Anglo-Saxon (London: Society of Antiquaries, 1832) I am in charity, my children, with all the servants of God. Last words (c. 680), reported by Bede. Translated by Lionel Charlton, The History of Whitby, and Whitby Abbey (York: A. Ward, 1779) bk. 1, p. 30 External links Bright's Anglo-Saxon Reader/Account of the Poet Cædmon Bede's Story of Caedmon Bede's World Caedmon at Whitby Attractions St. Hilda and Caedmon Page at St. Wilfrid's Early British Kingdoms: St. Caedmon Category:7th century deaths Category:Poets from England Category:People from Yorkshire