Casdmon

From Encyclopediak

Casdmon, the earliest English Christian poet, writing in the last half of the seventh century. He is said to have been commanded in a dream to sing of "the beginning of created things." Against his will he obeyed, and when he awoke he remembered the verses, adding others to them. His gift of song was recognized as divine, and, gaining entrance to the monastery at Whitby, his days as a herdsman were over. He devoted his life to reproducing in verse the Scripture history, aiming to turn men away from sin and teach them the ways of righteousness. A copy of his first hymn is still extant in its original dialect.