Venerable historian? (4)
I believe the answer is:
bede
'venerable historian?' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for bede that I've seen before include "Venerable English historian, d. 735" , "Adam ___, novel by George Eliot" , "Adam, novel name" , "Venerable author of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, d. 735" , "Venerable scholar" .)