Chapter I: Book I

Chap. I. Of the Situation of Britain and Ireland, and of their ancient
inhabitants.
Chap. II. How Caius Julius Caesar was the first Roman that came into
Britain.
Chap. III. How Claudius, the second of the Romans who came into
Britain, brought the islands Orcades into subjection to the Roman
empire; and Vespasian, sent by him, reduced the Isle of Wight under the
dominion of the Romans.
Chap. IV. How Lucius, king of Britain, writing to Pope Eleutherus,
desired to be made a Christian.
Chap. V. How the Emperor Severus divided from the rest by a rampart
that part of Britain which had been recovered.
Chap. VI. Of the reign of Diocletian, and how he persecuted the
Christians.
Chap. VII. The Passion of St. Alban and his companions, who at that
time shed their blood for our Lord.
Chap. VIII. How, when the persecution ceased, the Church in Britain
enjoyed peace till the time of the Arian heresy.
Chap. IX. How during the reign of Gratian, Maximus, being created
Emperor in Britain, returned into Gaul with a mighty army.
Chap. X. How, in the reign of Arcadius, Pelagius, a Briton, insolently
impugned the Grace of God.
Chap. XI. How during the reign of Honorius, Gratian and Constantine
were created tyrants in Britain; and soon after the former was slain in
Britain, and the latter in Gaul.
Chap. XII. How the Britons, being ravaged by the Scots and Picts,
sought succour from the Romans, who coming a second time, built a wall
across the island; but when this was broken down at once by the
aforesaid enemies, they were reduced to greater distress than before.
Chap. XIII. How in the reign of Theodosius the younger, in whose time
Palladius was sent to the Scots that believed in Christ, the Britons
begging assistance of Ætius, the consul, could not obtain it. [446
A.D.]
Chap. XIV. How the Britons, compelled by the great famine, drove the
barbarians out of their territories; and soon after there ensued, along
with abundance of corn, decay of morals, pestilence, and the downfall
of the nation.
Chap. XV. How the Angles, being invited into Britain, at first drove
off the enemy; but not long after, making a league with them, turned
their weapons against their allies.
Chap. XVI. How the Britons obtained their first victory over the
Angles, under the command of Ambrosius, a Roman.
Chap. XVII. How Germanus the Bishop, sailing into Britain with Lupus,
first quelled the tempest of the sea, and afterwards that of the
Pelagians, by Divine power. [429 A.D.]
Chap. XVIII. How the some holy man gave sight to the blind daughter of
a tribune, and then coming to St. Alban, there received of his relics,
and left other relics of the blessed Apostles and other martyrs. [429
A.D.]
Chap. XIX. How the same holy man, being detained there by sickness, by
his prayers quenched a fire that had broken out among the houses, and
was himself cured of his infirmity by a vision. [429 A.D.]
Chap. XX. How the same Bishops brought help from Heaven to the Britons
in a battle, and then returned home. [430 A.D.]
Chap. XXI. How, when the Pelagian heresy began to spring up afresh,
Germanus, returning to Britain with Severus, first restored bodily
strength to a lame youth, then spiritual health to the people of God,
having condemned or converted the Heretics. [447 A.D.]
Chap. XXII. How the Britons, being for a time at rest from foreign
invasions, wore themselves out by civil wars, and at the same time gave
themselves up to more heinous crimes.
Chap. XXIII. How the holy Pope Gregory sent Augustine, with other
monks, to preach to the English nation, and encouraged them by a letter
of exhortation, not to desist from their labour. [596 A.D.]
Chap. XXIV. How he wrote to the bishop of Arles to entertain them. [596
A.D.]
Chap. XXV. How Augustine, coming into Britain, first preached in the
Isle of Thanet to the King of Kent, and having obtained licence from
him, went into Kent, in order to preach therein. [597 A.D.]
Chap. XXVI. How St. Augustine in Kent followed the doctrine and manner
of life of the primitive Church, and settled his episcopal see in the
royal city. [597 A.D.]
Chap. XXVII. How St. Augustine, being made a bishop, sent to acquaint
Pope Gregory with what had been done in Britain, and asked and received
replies, of which he stood in need. [597-601 A.D.]
Chap. XXVIII. How Pope Gregory wrote to the bishop of Arles to help
Augustine in the work of God. [601 A.D.]
Chap. XXIX. How the same Pope sent to Augustine the Pall and a letter,
along with several ministers of the Word. [601 A.D.]
Chap. XXX. A copy of the letter which Pope Gregory sent to the Abbot
Mellitus, then going into Britain. [601 A.D.]
Chap. XXXI. How Pope Gregory, by letter, exhorted Augustine not to
glory in his miracles. [601 A.D.]
Chap. XXXII. How Pope Gregory sent letters and gifts to King Ethelbert.
[601 A.D.]
Chap. XXXIII. How Augustine repaired the church of our Saviour, and
built the monastery of the blessed Peter the Apostle; and concerning
Peter the first abbot of the same.
Chap. XXXIV. How Ethelfrid, king of the Northumbrians, having
vanquished the nations of the Scots, expelled them from the territories
of the English. [603 A.D.]