Oswald

CONCERNING ST. OSWALD, BISHOP OF WORCESTER, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK,

IN THE YEAR 992.

Preliminary Commentary.

Oswald, Bishop of Worcester, then Archbishop of York, in England (Saint) Caecilius, Bishop of Elvira, Martyr in Spain (Saint) Companions, Martyrs in Spain. BHL Number: 0003

By G. H.

Section I. The time of St. Oswald's episcopates. The year and day of his death and of the elevation of his body. The cult on those days: also on October 15? The kings crowned by him.

[1] Among the outstanding bishops distinguished for holiness and learning who illuminated England in the tenth century of Christ is St. Oswald, first Bishop of Worcester, afterwards simultaneously Archbishop of York. Both cities are ancient and famous. St. Oswald flourished in the 10th century. He died in holiness at York, was buried at Worcester, and became renowned for miracles after death. This city was discussed at length on January 11 and 19, in the Lives of St. Egwin and St. Wulstan, who were themselves also Bishops of Worcester.

[2] It is certain that St. Oswald was consecrated Bishop of Worcester by his predecessor St. Dunstan, successor of St. Dunstan in the bishopric of Worcester who was transferred to the metropolitan see of Canterbury in the year 959: there is some uncertainty about the year of consecration, because below in the Acts it is said that he died in the year 992, in the 30th year of his episcopate, as if he had been ordained bishop in the year 962. But perhaps through the fault of copyists the notation of two years was lost, so that one should read that he died in the thirty-second year of his episcopate. in the year 960 For Florence of Worcester, the Durham chronicler, Hoveden, the Westminster chronicler, and others all write that St. Oswald was consecrated in the year 960, and the authority of all these writers prevails over the writer of those Acts. simultaneously made Archbishop of York in the year 972 The same writers with unanimous agreement testify that he was made Archbishop of York in the year 972, and they record that he succeeded his kinsman Oschitel, who had died in that same year: and the Acts themselves agree with this. Thomas Stubbs the Dominican, who wrote the Acts of the Pontiffs of York in the fourteenth century, places between Oschitel and St. Oswald one Adelwold, who however, since he preferred ^a more tranquil life, resigned the pontificate. The same things are read in ^a letter published under the name of Simeon of Durham, but perhaps collected from the writings of Turgot of Durham, addressed to Hugh, Dean of York, concerning the Archbishops of York: but he calls him Edwald, and states with Thomas Stubbs that St. Oswald assumed the government of that church in the year 971. But Simeon of Durham in his account of the deeds of the Kings of England, omitting Edwald, whom we do not consider to be ^a different person from St. Oswald, states with other writers that he was elected archbishop in the following year, 972.

[3] Thomas Stubbs errs in many things when he asserts that the following year, coming to Rome, he received the pallium from Pope Stephen: he received the pallium not from Pope Stephen then that by the gift of King Edgar himself and the concession of Pope Formosus, who succeeded Stephen, he retained in his own hand the bishopric of Worcester, from which he had been transferred. Formosus succeeded Stephen VI in the year 891, and died in the year 896, that is, seventy-six years before St. Oswald came to Rome according to this reckoning. Nicholas Harpsfield, in his Ecclesiastical History of England, century 10, chapter 12, omitting Formosus, asserts that St. Oswald, having traveled to Rome, brought back the pallium from Pope Stephen, and was not permitted to relinquish Worcester. But no Pope called Stephen sat from the year 943 to the year 1057. but from Benedict VI in the year 973 The Durham chronicler in the cited letter records that he came to Rome and received the pallium from Pope Benedict. This is Benedict VI, elected on December 20 of the year 972, and strangled in prison in the year 974 by Boniface, who was then an antipope: whom Benedict VII succeeded. The Worcester chronicler, whose error others have copied, has this at the year 973: Stephen, the 134th Pope, from whom St. Oswald received the pallium. This is ^a slip of memory on the part of an otherwise careful writer.

[4] The same Worcester chronicler at the same year 973 reports the following: Edgar, the peaceful King of the English, in the thirtieth year of his age, Indiction 1, on the 5th of the Ides of May, the day of Pentecost, was blessed by the holy bishops Dunstan and Oswald [he consecrates and anoints Kings together with St. Dunstan: Edgar in the year 973] and by all the other bishops of all England, in the city of Akeman, and was consecrated with the greatest honor and glory, and anointed as King. The same is recorded by the Durham chronicler, Hoveden, the Westminster chronicler, the Huntingdon chronicler, and others: whom the Anglo-Saxon Chronologist preceded, published along with Bede's history, who adds that the city of Akeman is called by its inhabitants by another name, Bath: which is ^a famous city among the West Saxons in the county of Somerset. King Edgar had already been reigning for fifteen years since the death of his brother Edwin, and he himself died in the year 975, on the 8th of the Ides of July, his son Edward being designated heir to the kingdom. St. Edward, later Martyr, in the year 975 But ^a great dissension arose among the chief men of the realm. For some chose Edward, the King's son, while others chose his brother Aethelred. For which reason the Archbishops Dunstan and Oswald, with their co-bishops, abbots, and very many dukes, assembled together, and chose Edward, as his father had commanded, and consecrated him whom they had chosen, and anointed him as King. So says the Worcester chronicler and the others cited above. Then at the year 978 the following is added: Edward, King of the English, was killed by order of his stepmother... Whose brother Aethelred, ^a distinguished prince, elegant in manners, handsome of face, Aethelred in the year 978 comely in appearance, in the 6th Indiction, on the Lord's Day, the 18th of the Kalends of May, after the Paschal feast, was consecrated to the height of royal power at Kingston by the holy Archbishops Dunstan and Oswald, and ten Bishops. St. Edward, King and Martyr, is venerated on March 18.

[5] St. Oswald died in the year 992. At which year the Worcester chronicler records the following: St. Oswald the Archbishop, he dies in the year 992 in the 5th Indiction, on the 2nd of the Kalends of March, Monday, passing from this life, ascended to the joys of the heavenly kingdom, and rests in Worcester in the church of St. Mary, which he himself had built from the foundations. The remaining writers agree with the Worcester chronicler, along with the Acts of St. Oswald themselves. Moreover, since this year was ^a leap year, he died on February 29, February 29, Monday which day then fell on the Monday after the third Sunday of Lent, with the solar cycle at 21 and the lunar cycle at 5.

[6] inscribed in Martyrologies He is inscribed on this day in the manuscript Florarium and in Greven's supplement to Usuard in these words: In Britain, St. Oswald, Bishop of Worcester and Confessor. The same is recorded by Wion, Dorgan, Menard, and Bucelin in their monastic Martyrologies, Wilson in the English Martyrology, Canisius in the German, and Ferrari in his General Catalogue. In the manuscript Martyrology of the Carmelites of Cologne, and in Maurolycus, the following is read: Likewise St. Oswald the Martyr. There was ^a King of Northumbria named Oswald who was killed by the pagan King Penda of Mercia, erroneously held to be ^a Martyr who is commonly considered ^a Martyr, and is also inscribed in the Roman Martyrology on August 5: the memory of this King and of St. Oswald the Bishop seems to have been confused in the cited Martyrologies.

[7] The successor of St. Oswald in both sees was Aldulf, formerly Abbot of Medeshamstede, His body was elevated by his successor Aldulf in the year 1002, April 15 who in the year 1002, the 25th year of King Aethelred of England, in the 15th Indiction, on the 17th of the Kalends of May, Wednesday, having assembled co-bishops, abbots, priests, monks, and also religious men, raised the bones of St. Oswald the Archbishop from the tomb and placed them honorably in ^a shrine which he had prepared: and not long after, that is, on the 2nd of the Nones of May, he himself died and was buried in the church of St. Mary at Worcester. So says the Worcester chronicler, whom the rest follow. That Elevation occurred on the Wednesday after the Sunday in Albis, not at York but at Worcester with the solar cycle at 3 and the lunar cycle at 15, and the Dominical letter D. Wion, Menard, and Ferrari mention it in these words: At York, the elevation of St. Oswald, Bishop and Confessor. But this elevation occurred not at York but at Worcester, where he had previously been buried. Hence below in the Life, number 22, Aldulf, Archbishop of York, hastening to Worcester, raised the bones of the holy bishop from the earth. With these agree the Westminster chronicler and others, who are cited by Wion, Ferrari, and Wilson in the first edition of the English Martyrology, where the elevation is also said to have taken place at York: this is omitted in the later edition. Bucelin also reports it as having taken place at York, citing besides the Westminster chronicler Edward Mayhew, who treats of St. Oswald only on February 28, making no mention of the day of April 15.

[8] In ^a manuscript Benedictine Calendar of the monastery of the Holy Savior, the following is recorded at June 8: St. Oswald, Bishop of Worcester and monk of Fleury. his memorial on June 8 For what reason he is recorded on that day, I do not find. Perhaps because the author lacked another Saint to propose for veneration on that day. On this day there was also ^a Roman Abbot, but one whom he believed to be ^a disciple of St. Benedict, and the discovery of St. Theodulf the Abbot, which occurred around the year 1000.

[9] But there is ^a greater controversy over why St. Oswald is recorded on October 15. Molanus first published this in his additions to Usuard, in the Louvain edition of the year 1568, in these words: On the same day, of Oswald, Bishop and Confessor, and of ^a certain Bishop Oswald on October 15 and he affixed the letter Q, indicating, as he states in his preface chapter 2, that he was adding the memorial of this Saint from some other Martyrology: which is the manuscript of Usuard, formerly belonging to Augustine Hunnaeus, Doctor of Louvain, and now belonging to the Professed House of Antwerp of the Society of Jesus: there, after the commemoration of the birthday of the fifty Martyrs of Cologne, the following is added: On the same day, of St. Oswald, Bishop and Confessor. Then the rest that are read elsewhere in Usuard are appended there. But we are greatly perplexed about that reading, since everything else that we have thus far found in that manuscript codex greatly exceeds the age of St. Oswald of Worcester. Is this then another, more ancient St. Oswald the Bishop, or was he perhaps inserted by the error of copyists in place of another Saint? In an ancient manuscript codex under the name of Bede, at the same date of October 15, the following is read: In Britain, St. Wulfran, Bishop and Confessor. Whether St. Oswald could be thought to have been substituted in place of this name or another, who will determine? We shall say below that it is more likely the Bishop of Lindisfarne who is meant.

[10] Meanwhile others added certain things to these matters: for in the second edition of Usuard in 1573, Molanus wrote the following: who by conjecture was believed to be the one from Worcester On the same day, of Oswald, Bishop of Worcester and Confessor. And soon, as if all doubt had been removed, others followed: Canisius in his German Martyrology published in 1573 first copied the earlier Martyrology of Molanus, then the second. Then Surius placed the Life of St. Oswald in October, in his edition of 1574, with this marginal note: October 15 according to the Martyrologies. But he died on February 28 or 29. From that point others asserted, on the basis of ^a slender conjecture, that ^a translation had taken place on that day. Thus Wion: At Worcester in England, the translation of St. Oswald, Bishop and Confessor, renowned for miracles. And he adds that Molanus and Galesini treat of this Translation on this day. as if he were venerated on that day because of ^a Translation We have given Molanus's words from both editions. Those of Galesini are as follows: At Worcester, St. Oswald, Bishop and Confessor. And in his Notes he cites Surius. There is no mention of ^a Translation there. Dorgan and Menard followed Wion, but are silent about which Translation is being mentioned. Bucelin in his Benedictine Menology adorns their conjecture thus: At Worcester in England, the translation of St. Oswald, Bishop. The body of this most holy man was translated, prompted by ^a divine revelation, by Adolphus, Archbishop of York, etc. But it should rather be called an Elevation of the body, which occurred on April 15, on which day he had said it was done at York. Perhaps he thought the body had been translated to Worcester on October 15: but the contrary is established from the Life which he cites. In the first edition of the English Martyrology, Wilson reports on February 28 that his principal solemnity is held on October 15: from which Edward Mayhew drew his information, with ^a principal solemnity when he promises that he will therefore treat of him principally on October 15: on which day he afterward is entirely silent about him. In the second edition of the English Martyrology as well, those words about the principal solemnity were omitted by Wilson. But on October 15 his Translation is recorded in that Martyrology, citing Surius and Molanus, then Polydore Vergil, book 7 of his history, and the Westminster chronicler at the years 959 and 960, where his bishopric of Worcester and the monastery of Ramsey are discussed. In the earlier edition, on the day of February 28, he cites Surius at October 15 and the Calendar according to the use of Sarum, which we have, printed at Paris around the year 1533, in the Enchiridion of the Church of Salisbury: in which the name of St. Oswald is expressed twice, namely on February 28 and April 15. But on October 15, St. Wulfran the Bishop is commemorated, about whom I have treated above.

[11] In the manuscript Florarium, ^a certain Oswald is joined with companions on October 15 in these words: Whether this might rather be St. Oswald the Martyr? Likewise of the holy Confessors Oswald the Bishop, Martian and Satyrus, and Candidus the Martyr. Of these, Martian and Saturnian are venerated the following day, but as Martyrs killed in Africa. Should one therefore read: Likewise of the holy Martyrs Oswald the King, Martian, etc.? In the above-cited manuscript Benedictine Calendar, at June 12 the following is found: St. Oswald, Bishop of Lindisfarne and Abbot of Melrose. This is St. Ethelwold, known to others as Aethelwald and Edilwald, whose Life, compiled from various sources, we gave on February 12, on which day he is inscribed in the English Martyrology and in Ferrari's Catalogue. He died in the year 740: whether St. Ethelwald, Bishop of Lindisfarne, was also called Oswald? but on what day, we have not yet discovered. It is possible that the person who augmented our manuscript of Usuard treated of him, and called him Oswald along with others. Thus St. Oswald, who is treated of here, is called by others Edwald and Adelwold, and was afterward considered by some to be ^a different person from him: which we have rejected above.

Section II. Distinguished testimonies from the Acts of other Saints concerning St. Oswald: the written Life, Relics.

[12] Among the distinguished writers closer in time to the age of St. Oswald is Aimoin, ^a monk of Fleury in Gaul, who flourished around the year 1000 of Christ, and dedicated his history of the affairs of France to his Abbot St. Abbo, who was killed in the year 1004, and whose Life he also wrote, to be given on November 13: in it, chapters 4, 5, and 6, the following is read: A legation of the English nation came to the monastery of Fleury, requesting that one of their wise men be granted to them... because ^a certain man of great nobility among them, named Oswald, After St. Oswald had been imbued with monastic training at Fleury having spurned the world, turned to serving Christ in the said monastery of Fleury: from which, on account of the merit of his good life, he was raised by the King of that province to the rank of archbishop, and built ^a monastery for God and his patron St. Benedict in the region of England... At that time the reverend Father Oylbold presided over the holy congregation of Fleury... who requested from this blessed man Abbo St. Abbo was summoned to England that he should not refuse to go to instruct the minds of the men of that nation in divine and human wisdom, in which he himself was remarkably accomplished... After long journeys by land and sea, he entered the borders of England. First of all, he went to the monastery of Ramsey dedicated to St. Benedict. For so was that place called which had been founded by the venerable Oswald in those parts: in which the one who held the office of Abbot was called Germanus by name, and he himself had been raised to the honor of so great ^a rank from this sacred monastery of Fleury. he taught for two years in the monastery of Ramsey There, while the holy man of God Abbo remained for ^a period of nearly two years, he imbued some of the monks with the knowledge of letters.

[13] Within the span of those same years, he went to the King of the English and his Duke Hehelguin. But from the King he received only words, while from the Duke he received gifts worthy of his holiness, and was held in great reverence by him for as long as he was with him. He also enjoyed ^a friendly familiarity with the venerable bishops, a friend of Saints Oswald and Dunstan the often-mentioned Oswald and Dunstan of blessed memory. The former was Archbishop of York, the latter of Canterbury. The grace of Christ showed that it was well pleased with their life and character, famous for the glory of miracles by illuminating their tombs with the glory of miracles to this day. These men held this blessed man in such admiration that in their loving desire to retain him, they disagreed with one another in ^a charitable and, so to speak, discordant concord... At length the man of God Abbo himself, following the admonition of his honorable Father Oylbold, resolving to revisit the face of his native land, was honored by the aforesaid bishops variously gifted by them with the finest gifts: and from the venerable Dunstan he received magnificent presents in silver, to be carried to the holy Father Benedict: and from the Lord Oswald, together with the grace of the priesthood, he also obtained all the ministries befitting that rank. Consecrated Priest by St. Oswald Returning therefore, he brought back with him ^a manifold treasure, containing in its various forms ^a worthy signification of his life. For the golden bracelets and torques signified ^a fitting recompense for his good deeds and sayings: while the priestly vestments portended the splendor of present and future glory. And the golden chalice and the considerable sum of silver coin presaged the purity of an innocent life and the radiance of brilliant eloquence. So says Aimoin, some of which is touched upon below in the Acts: in them, the Count is called Ailwin, who is here called Duke Hehelguin, the founder of the monastery of Ramsey, whose Abbot is there called Ednoth, who is here Germanus, but perhaps he had two names, or else one was the successor of the other.

[14] The already oft-mentioned Dunstan is venerated on May 19, from whose Life the following pertains here: The bishopric of Worcester was held to have been founded in honor of the glorious Apostle Peter. But Oswald, ^a holy and religious man, whom the blessed Dunstan, having been made Archbishop of Canterbury, caused to succeed him in the government of that church; because he could neither convert the Clerics dwelling there from their depravity, St. Oswald builds the church of St. Mary at Worcester nor, since they were noble according to the world and powerful, was he able to expel them: he built ^a church of the blessed Mother of God Mary nearly adjacent to that church itself: in which he himself with the monks whom he had proposed to gather together would serve Christ. And so it was done. The religious life of the monks therefore bred contempt for the Clerics, and diverted the regular attendance of the common people from them to itself. What more? The number of Clerics was gradually diminished on all sides, the community of monks increased daily. Moreover, some of those very Clerics, having converted, were added to their number. and raises it to ^a Cathedral In this way the Episcopal See was transferred to the Church of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin. So says the author of the Life of St. Dunstan, with which the account given below in the Acts at number 11 agrees.

[15] In the Life of St. Wulstan, Bishop of Worcester, who was raised to that see in the year 1060, which we gave from Malmesbury on January 19, concerning this church of St. Mary that was demolished, the following is read on page 244, number 9: St. Wulstan weeps upon seeing it demolished When the construction of the greater church, which he himself had begun from the foundations, had progressed to such ^a point that they were now moving into it, the old church, which the blessed Oswald had also built, was ordered to be unroofed and torn down. At this spectacle, standing in the open air, Wulstan could not hold back his tears. When he was gently reproached for this by his household, who said he ought rather to rejoice, because so great an honor had come to the Church in his lifetime, that the increased number of monks required more spacious quarters, he replied: I understand far differently, that we wretches destroy the works of the Saints because it was ^a Saint's work in order to gain praise for ourselves. Then at number 11 the following is reported: Under William the Elder, Wulstan was challenged by Lanfranc on account of his ignorance of letters; and by Thomas, Archbishop of York, on the grounds that he ought to be subject to him by ancient right. When he had to respond to both objections in ^a council, ordered in Council to plead his own cause he went out to compose his response with more careful deliberation. Then, while the monks who were with him were astonished at the gravity of the matter, he interjected the following: Believe me, we have not yet sung None: let us therefore sing it. When his companions replied after making his prayer that they should first dispatch the business for which they had come, and that there would be more than enough time for singing; and that the King and the magnates, if they heard of this, would with good reason think them objects of ridicule: Believe me, he said, we shall first perform God's service, and afterwards we shall pursue man's litigation. The Hour having been sung, therefore, with no fabricated evasion of falsehood, no contrived gloss of truth, he proceeded to enter the council hall: and when his companions tried to hold him back, he could not be persuaded. Rather, to those who feared for his case, he said: Know for certain that I visibly see here the blessed Archbishops Dunstan and Oswald, [he is taught by Saints Dunstan and Oswald, appearing to him, of the happy outcome of the matter] who today, protecting me with their prayers, will blunt the sharpness of the false accusers. And so, having given his blessing to ^a monk of very little eloquence but with some knowledge of the Norman tongue, he won the case, so that he who had previously been thought unworthy of governing the diocese was humbly entreated by the Archbishop of York to deign to visit his territory, where he himself was afraid to go because of fear of enemies or ignorance of the language.

[16] The remaining matters that could be added from the Annals and ancient records of others, we annotate in the Life of St. Oswald: which Surius published at October 15, as we have said, but with the style somewhat corrected throughout, as he states in his preface. Whence is the Life of St. Oswald here published? We give the same in its original diction, as published in John Capgrave's new Legend of the Saints of England, printed in the year 1516. We have another Life in manuscript, but much abridged. Henry Spelman in his English Councils at the year 969, page 479, transcribes some material from chapter 2, as we note below, with this preface: Concerning this Council, Osbern the Precentor of Canterbury, who flourished in the year of our Lord 1074, and John Capgrave who followed him, write thus. Others assert that he wrote the Life of Saints Odo (St. Oswald's uncle), Dunstan, Alphege, and others, which will be discussed in its proper place: by whom was it written? and these report that the Lives of Saints Oswald and Wulstan were composed by Senatus or Servatus of Brauon, whom they claim was head of the monks of Worcester and flourished around the year 1170. But whoever originally wrote the Life of St. Oswald, we believe it was reduced to an epitome, and thus published by Capgrave, which we also observed regarding the Life of St. Wulstan, and can be clearly demonstrated for the Life of St. Odo, of whose Life we have obtained ^a manuscript version more ample than the one that appeared in Capgrave. Baronius at the year 992, number 62, calls the author of this Life ^a most faithful writer.

[17] Thomas Stubbs in his Pontiffs of York testifies that ^a purple mitre of St. Oswald, adorned with gold and gems, and resplendent with ancient beauty, was preserved in the church of Beverley down to his own times. The mitre of St. Oswald preserved at Beverley From this St. Oswald there is in the county of Worcester ^a hundred called Oswaldslaw, which Camden in his account of the Cornavi asserts he obtained from King Edgar, and that its immunity, when William the Conqueror was conducting ^a survey of England, was recorded in the public acts in these words: The church of St. Mary of Worcester has ^a hundred which is called Oswaldslaw, The hundred of Oswaldslaw, named after him in which lie three hundred hides, from which the Bishop of that church, by the constitution of ancient times, has all the returns of the sokemen, and all the customs therein pertaining to the lord's sustenance and the King's service and his own: so that no sheriff may have any complaint there, neither in any plea nor in any other cause whatsoever. The whole county attests to this. So it reads there. Concerning the various meanings of the word socha, consult the Glossary of William Somner. Here it seems to indicate jurisdiction or the right of holding court.

LIFE

by an ancient author, from Capgrave, Surius, and the Utrecht manuscript.

Oswald, Bishop of Worcester, then Archbishop of York, in England (Saint) Caecilius, Bishop of Elvira, Martyr in Spain (Saint) Companions, Martyrs in Spain. BHL Number: 6380

from Capgrave.

CHAPTER I

The Acts of St. Oswald before his Episcopate. His Canonry at Winchester, his Monastic Life at Fleury.

[1] The holy Archbishop Oswald, born of ^a most noble lineage, shone with an elegant form: St. Oswald devoted to virtue from boyhood this boy, once he had come of age, began to avoid childish follies and to train himself in the works of holiness. For his father's brother was St. Odo, Archbishop of Canterbury, sublime in discernment, grave in character, ^a cultivator of justice, and circumspect in all his actions. To him his nephew Oswald was commended by his parents to be imbued with learning and instructed in good examples and morals. educated under St. Odo, his uncle At length, fully trained in secular knowledge and Sacred Scripture, he was made ^a Canon at Winchester by St. Odo, and while the others, having spurned the rule of their Order, followed the desires of their hearts, Canon at Winchester, then Dean he tirelessly carried out the rule of life of the Canons. Therefore, soon made Dean, he took care, though still ^a young man, to amend the stained life of the elders and to purge their childish sensibilities through the study of heavenly discipline. But they, preferring rather to hold to the old paths of depraved custom, firmly declared that they would by no means listen to him in such matters.

[2] Understanding this, having spurned worldly pomp and riches, he resolved to travel to Fleury, where the body of St. Benedict rests: He enters the monastery of Fleury for St. Odo sent commendatory letters and many gifts, and commended the young man by word and deed. This same St. Odo, when he was ^a young man, had crossed the sea and taken the monastic habit at that same Fleury. And so, having received the sacred habit, he who had come to be taught by others conducted himself in such ^a way that they had enough in him to teach and to imitate. For he was sparing in sleep, sober in food, discreet in speech, assiduous in prayer: how patient, humble, he excels in the exercise of virtues kind, gentle, and benevolent he was, can be gauged from the sincere charity in which he shone beyond human estimation. He received ^a secluded place in the church from the Abbot, in which he might more intimately cleave to God. There, removed from the disturbance of others, he was accustomed to devote himself to prayer, especially of prayer meditation, and contemplation of eternal life, thereby providing great fuel for envy and hatred to the enemy of the human race.

[3] One night, while he was engaged in contemplation and prayer, an evil spirit appeared, and making horrific sounds, tried to terrify the man of God so that he would desist from what he had begun and attempt such things more sluggishly or not at all. But he, protected by the shield of faith, tempted by ^a demon with the voices of beasts was no more frightened by the roaring of ^a lion or the hissing of ^a serpent than by the bleating of ^a sheep. That impudent one hurled at him the voices of these and other beasts: but undaunted, he derided them all along with their author. When the demon perceived this, he vanished: but immediately, transformed into an angel of light, he appeared to the same Saint. [whom, appearing in the form of an Angel, he puts to flight with the sign of the Cross] But the man of God fortified himself with the sign of the Cross: knowing thenceforth that an angel of light is not to be provoked; but that an angel of darkness is to be driven far away. And so it happened. For the malignant tempter, seeing the sign of the Cross, vanished like smoke from his eyes.

[4] When at length St. Odo heard of the holy manner of life of his nephew Oswald, he gave immense thanks to almighty God, and sending various gifts to the Abbot and monks, rendered thanks for his nephew. He is recalled by St. Odo to England He also informed them that he greatly wished to enjoy his presence: both because, worn out by old age, he knew death was near for him, and because he planned to establish men of his nation in the regular life through him. Hearing this, cast down with great grief, yet not daring to oppose the will of the Archbishop, they obeyed, and with due honor directed him at the Bishop's command. Before he could reach Canterbury, however, St. Odo paid the debt of human flesh. In those days ^a certain man named Osketel presided over the church of Dorchester: who, hearing of the arrival of his kinsman Oswald, received him kindly and loved him sincerely, and made him privy to his secrets. He is commended by St. Dunstan to the King When at length Osketel was raised to the Archbishopric of York, St. Dunstan commended Oswald to King Edgar and made him ^a familiar, and by the King's command placed him over the Church of Worcester.

CHAPTER II

The Acts of St. Oswald in the Bishopric of Worcester. The Monastery of Ramsey and Other Monasteries Built. The Clergy Reformed.

[5] Oswald then assembled twelve monks in ^a village named Westbury; whom he was accustomed to visit frequently, He places 12 monks at Westbury to provide counsels of eternal salvation, to console them, and to devote himself to fasting, vigils, and prayers.

[6] It happened also that Count Ailwin was afflicted for many years with the prolonged and painful torment of gout in his feet: and when ^a certain fisherman named Wulget entered the water called Ramsey Mere with his little boat for the purpose of fishing for the use of his lord the Count; and having labored long in vain, wearied by excessive tedium, at length fell asleep: to whom St. Benedict appeared and said: By the command of St. Benedict appearing to the fisherman When the dawn has risen, cast your net, and you will meet with an abundant multitude of fish. Offering the largest of the fish caught, called ^a haket, that is, ^a pike, to your lord Ailwin on my behalf, you shall say to him that, graciously receiving my gift, he should strive without delay to build ^a monastery of monks on this island for the dear mother of mercy, Mary, and for me and all the sacred Virgins: and let him investigate how the animals lie down at night on the island, and where he sees ^a bull, upon rising, strike the earth with its right foot, there let him hasten to erect an altar: and so that he may more surely believe my commands, I bend this outer finger of yours, which he himself, soon released from the bond of gout, shall raise up and restore for you. Upon waking, he enclosed an abundant multitude of fish, and offered the largest to his lord on behalf of the Saint, relating what he had seen and heard: the monastery of Ramsey, with possessions contributed by Count Ailwin he earnestly begged him to raise up his bent finger. Then Ailwin raised the man's finger that was stuck to his hand: and hastened as best he could to the island. And when he had entered the island and was perfectly cured of his illness, ^a bull, rising from the midst of the animals, by striking the earth with its foot divinely indicated the place for building the altar. The Count therefore, praising God, immediately built ^a chapel there from felled timbers. Not long after, with Count Ailwin granting ample possessions, builds it St. Oswald within five years built ^a distinguished monastery there, and in the year of our Lord nine hundred and seventy-four solemnly dedicated it, dedicates it, with an Abbot appointed and appointed the monk Ednoth as Abbot.

[7] About the same time, by the authority of Pope John, Archbishop Dunstan, having convened ^a general council, established and confirmed by decree he is put in charge of the reform of the Clergy by decree of the Council that all Canons, Priests, Deacons, and Subdeacons should either live chastely or relinquish the churches they held. He had King Edgar as ^a faithful helper and firm defender in this matter. The execution of this decree was committed to Oswald, Bishop of Worcester, and Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester. He erects 7 monasteries The blessed Oswald therefore built seven monasteries in his diocese, expelling Clerics who were living insolently, and introduced monks and appointed Abbots over them.

[8] Meanwhile the Abbot of Pershore, whom he had appointed, named Fudbert, He appoints Fudbert as Abbot ^a well-mannered and zealous champion of monastic discipline, was nevertheless, in dealing with his subjects (which was greatly criticized in him), of excessive and indiscriminate severity. When he was brought to his last extremity and taken from this life and placed on ^a bier, he raises him from death to attest to his holiness having recovered his spirit, to the alarm of all, he raised himself up, saying that he had been led by blessed Benedict into the vision of God, and that God had pardoned his sins through the merits of his beloved Oswald, and he declared that he had been brought back to life to make known Oswald's holiness. Having said this, he fell silent, and after receiving the Viaticum of the Lord's body, he survived for half ^a day, and ended his life by dying ^a second time.

[9] In other parts of England he cleared out the distinguished churches of their Clerics for the aforesaid reason, and elevated them with men of the monastic life, whose names are as follows: the church of St. Alban, of St. Etheldreda the Virgin at Ely, and the one established at Benfleet which was held in honor. He establishes monks in the churches of St. Alban, Ely, and Benfleet For in the church of St. Alban he appointed Aelfric as Abbot, who was afterward raised to the Archbishopric of Canterbury; in the church of Ely, Brithnoth as Abbot; and for the church of Benfleet he appointed Godmann as Abbot. He took care to make the rounds of the monasteries he had built, and to minister the things pertaining to salvation by word and deed together, with ^a certain fatherly affection.

[10] He also placed in the monastery of Ramsey Abbo, ^a monk of Fleury, distinguished for the holiness of his character and excellently trained in the knowledge of letters, He places St. Abbo in charge of studies at Ramsey to teach the monks, govern the schools, and be of service in regular discipline and literary learning. Moreover, at the urging of Dunstan, this same Abbo laudably wrote the Passion of the blessed King and Martyr Edmund. Afterward, having returned to Fleury and been made Abbot, he was killed by his own monks.

[11] When he had begun to build ^a monastery at Worcester within the Episcopal See itself, in which he might live together with monks; not far from the work itself there lay ^a certain squared stone, absolutely necessary for the construction of the work: when the craftsmen tried to raise it, it clung to the earth as if rooted there, and could not be moved by any effort. An immense astonishment seized everyone; the matter was reported to Father Oswald: the monastery of St. Mary at Worcester who came and, seeing the great multitude urging in vain around the stone, marveled, and standing astonished and silently praying to God, the devil hindering, but put to flight by the sign of the Cross perceived sitting on that stone ^a certain Ethiopian, mocking with obscene gestures those who were laboring and deriding them. And immediately he hurled the sign of the Cross against the demon, and compelled the terrified creature to take refuge in flight. And the stone which eighty men had been unable to move was most easily raised by ^a few men and placed in the work. And so the church, completed in honor of the Blessed Mary, he builds it and certain monks having been gathered there, some of the Clerics in the Episcopal See, having spurned the world, took the monastic habit: He places the Episcopal See there and the Episcopal See was transferred from the church of Blessed Peter to the church of Blessed Mary, from the Clerics to the monks.

p. St. Ethelwold, also known as Edelvald, is venerated on August 1, and as is read in his Life, St. Ethelwold assigned as companion having received permission from King Edgar, he expelled the Canons entangled in wicked morals and introduced monks from Abingdon, over whom he himself was both Abbot and Bishop. The Durham chronicler reports that he died in the year 984.

q. Concerning the monastery of Pershore in the county of Worcester, see the Monasticon Anglicanum, page 203, and it is said to have been founded in the seventh century. Camden mentions it in his account of the Cornavi, the monastery of Pershore and says the origin of the name is derived from pears.

r. The monastery of St. Alban in the county of Hertford was founded by King Offa in the eighth century, concerning which see the Monasticon Anglicanum pages 176 and following; the feast day of St. Alban will be treated more fully on June 22. St. Alban

s. St. Etheldreda is venerated on June 23, in whose Life much is read about the foundation of the monastery of Ely in the county of Cambridge. St. Etheldreda

t. Aelfric, also known as Alfric, Alric, Elric, or Wulfric, was made Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 996, by whose industry in the year 1001 the Canons were expelled from the church of the Holy Trinity and monks introduced, as Thorn reports in his Chronicle, chapter 5, section 15. Gervase, in his work on the Pontiffs of Canterbury, states that he ruled the Church of Canterbury for eleven years and considers him ^a Saint.

u. Brithnoth is said by the author of this Life to have previously been the provost of St. Ethelwold. Brithnoth

x. Godmann is called Abbot of Thorney in the county of Cambridge, appointed by the same St. Ethelwold. Godmann Whether Thorney is the same as Benfleet, or the latter was subject to it?

y. St. Edmund is venerated on November 20; St. Abbo on the 13th of the same month.

z. Malmesbury in book 3 on the deeds of the English Bishops asserts it was built in the same cemetery. King Edgar, according to Camden in the county of Worcester, approves in these words: The monastery which the reverend Bishop Oswald enlarged in the Episcopal See in honor of the holy Mother of God, Mary, the monastery of Worcester and having eliminated the trifling of Clerics, etc., installed by my assent and favor religious servants of God, monks; I confirm for those same monastic religious men, and with the counsel and endorsement of my Princes and Nobles I strengthen and seal it, etc.

CHAPTER III

The Acts of St. Oswald after his Assumption to the Archbishopric of York. Miracles.

[12] When the Archbishop of York had died, at the urging of King Edgar and St. Dunstan, and with the consent of all the Clergy, he was raised to the Archbishopric. And lest the monks whom he had established should be shaken by any temptation beyond what they could bear, He is made Archbishop of York if, deprived of pastoral care, they had no one on whom to lean; by the authority of St. Dunstan he zealously governed the see of Worcester together with the Archbishopric.

[13] When the monks of Ramsey wished to cross the water by boat while Bishop Oswald was standing on the bank, the overloaded boat began to sink. The monks, alarmed and fearing death, he rescues the boat from the danger of sinking by the sign of the Cross implored the help of the holy Bishop. Seeing this, the Saint made the sign of the Cross, and the boat, rising from the depth of the waters, was carried to the bank with ^a favorable course, as if it bore no load at all.

[14] When it was reported to him that ^a certain monk of Ely had fallen from the work of the church and died ^a sudden death, he was troubled with vehement grief. He knew that the man had not always led ^a happy life. Having summoned the monks of Ramsey, he reported the outcome of the matter the soul of ^a monk who died suddenly and admonished them to pray more earnestly to the Lord for the soul of the deceased. They devote themselves to vigils, psalms, and tears, and knock at the door of the Redeemer's mercy. And behold, one night, as the Bishop persisted in prayers, that same deceased man appeared to him visibly, by his own pious works and those of others and when asked who he was, he replied that he was the one for whom he had prayed to God. And the Bishop, breathing more freely, said: How was it for you, brother, and how is it now? Until now, he said, very badly, but now very well. For by your merits and prayers, the Lord delivered me yesterday from the punishments in which I was being tormented, through his Angel. he frees him from the pains of purgatory And I have come to make this known to you and to give thanks, and to declare that you deservedly ought to be grateful to God for this and other things. Having said this, he disappeared.

[15] Making the rounds of his diocese at opportune times, whatever he could discover in the conduct of his people that might offend the eyes of the supreme God, he tours the diocese he strove to correct and amend with fatherly chastisement. While he was engaged in these things, it happened that he once came to Ripon, where the blessed Wilfrid had formerly merited burial after building ^a noble monastery. That place, however, had long since been largely destroyed by barbarians, in the ruins of the monastery of Ripon and was then suitable as ^a lair for wild beasts. There, persisting in prayers throughout the night in vigil, he learned by divine revelation that the bodies of Saints were buried in that very place: and investigating them, he found them without doubt with the names of each one. by divine revelation At dawn, when they dug the earth, the bodies of the Saints were found together with ^a tablet containing the following: Here rests St. Wilfrid, Bishop of York, and the reverend Abbots Tilbert, Botwine, Albert, Signed, the bodies of St. Wilfrid II and 5 Abbots found and Wilden. The relics that were found he placed for the time being in ^a suitable location. Afterward he fittingly arranged the body of St. Wilfrid in ^a properly prepared shrine with reverence: since he knew him to have been related by blood to the great Wilfrid, the founder of that place. For the body of the elder Wilfrid had long since been translated by St. Odo, Archbishop of Canterbury. and he transfers them to Worcester Having therefore placed the relics in ^a shrine, he transferred them to Worcester with great honor.

[16] A certain powerful man, seized by ^a violent fever, sent word to the man of God by messenger that he was ill. he drives away ^a fever with blessed bread But the Saint blessed bread and sent it to him, commanding him to eat it with faith that he would obtain healing. When he had done so, he felt himself perfectly restored to health. Moreover, the Bishop, sitting at table and blessing bread and distributing it to those sitting with him, upon eating it, ^a mouse is suffocated it happened that ^a mouse came upon the crumbs that had fallen and began to collect them with eager bites, and immediately it choked and died, and was utterly unable to disgorge what it had swallowed in its mouth. And lest anyone should ascribe this to his own praise, the holy man ordered the lifeless creature to be thrown away from the sight of the onlookers.

[17] A certain monk, after ^a bath, began to fall asleep in the place where the Bishop was most accustomed to sit. sitting in his place, he is tormented by demons And behold, there stood before him many foul spirits: and they demanded of him in ^a stern examination why he did not fear to rest in the place of so great ^a Bishop; they attacked him, tormented him, tore at him, dragged him here and there, snatching him from below upwards and casting him from above to the depths, and finally crying out with ^a horrible shout, he openly told everyone what had happened to him.

[18] Every day, besides the others whom he daily fed in countless numbers, the Saint feeds the poor, washes their feet, ministers to them he was accustomed to wash the feet of twelve poor men, to kiss and dry them with his hair and ^a linen cloth, to pour water over their hands, to give them coins, to set ^a table and minister food and drink to them, and at Easter, having clothed them in new garments, to keep them with him in his court for several days. No bodily infirmity held him back from these things: but the weaker he felt in body, even when ill the more forcefully he impelled himself to serve them.

CHAPTER IV

The Death, Translation, and Miracles of St. Oswald.

[19] One day, having gone out from his oratory with his companions, and standing in the open air, he fixed the gaze of his eyes most intently on heaven, praying to Christ, for whom he yearned, with devoted heart and mouth more earnestly. Nor did he quickly lower his uplifted eyes, as usually happens: but as if he were contemplating something new and delightful, he held them fixed for ^a very long time where he had fixed them. Gazing at heaven When asked what he had seen, he said: I consider where I am heading, and tomorrow the matter itself will show you, even if I am silent. For the eternal salvation for which I have labored on earth until now is at hand, nor will tomorrow pass he predicts he will die the following day before my Lord, as he has promised, shall lead me into it. And returning to the oratory, having summoned the Brethren, he is fortified with the Viaticum and holy oil he exhorts them to perform for him the ministry of sacred unction together with the Viaticum of the Lord's Body.

[20] The following night, forgetful of his illness, he entered the church, completed the office, and spent the remainder of the night in divine praises. In the morning, he attends the night office girded in his customary manner with ^a linen cloth, he washed the feet of the poor, and kissing and drying them, having sung the fifteen psalms which he was accustomed to chant during that very ministry, he added: he dies while washing the feet of the poor Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And when the poor had risen to give their customary thanks, he himself, while saying "And to the Holy Spirit," breathed forth his spirit into the hands of Christ before the feet of the poor. And when his body was being carried to the church which he had erected, ^a snow-white dove the body is carried to burial, accompanied by ^a dove and ^a sphere of fire descending from heaven, with wings spread in slow flight, was seen to cover the body of the Bishop. They also beheld ^a fiery sphere like ^a shield falling from heaven upon the bier. When the holy body had been set down before the altar, the vision that had appeared, as if designating the place of burial, turned to the southern part of the church near the altar, and vanished from the eyes of the onlookers. Ailwin dies Count Ailwin indeed, after the death of the holy man, oppressed by extreme anguish and grief of heart, entering the way of all flesh, was buried in the monastery of Ramsey.

[21] When St. Oswald in his youth was leading the monastic life in all holiness in the monastery of Fleury, near the place where he was accustomed to pray, there was ^a certain crypt before the doors, in which twelve poor persons were dwelling and received their daily sustenance from the ministry, while St. Oswald was celebrating Mass at Fleury of whom one was accustomed to minister to the man of God as he offered the sacred hosts. For on ^a certain day, while the Saint, after the Gospel, with eyes raised to heaven, was saying ^a prayer, his attendant saw ^a person of reverend countenance holding ^a very white bread, small in size, between his hands, an Angel standing by with bread gradually growing which he held extended above his head, with worthy honor. And although he was terrified and astonished with extreme fear, he endured nevertheless and did not wish to take sudden flight. But when he observed that the same bread, as the Priest progressed through the Mass, was gradually growing and becoming of extraordinary size, not daring to remain any longer, he slipped out through the door in flight. And so the Priest remained alone, along with the Angel who was seen standing at his right. and when the attendant had fled The attendant meanwhile kept poking his head through the door, and anxiously observed what was happening around the altar. And when the servant of God said he responds and ministers "Per omnia saecula saeculorum" and other things, and the attendant did not dare to respond at all, he heard the Angel responding to each part and performing the service for him. When the Mass was completed, the attendant, looking in and not seeing the Angel, approached the man of God trembling, and explained to him the reason for his flight, asking him whether he too had seen the Angel. And he said: I saw well, St. Oswald commands the attendant to keep silence and I heard what you describe. But blessed be the name of almighty God: because although I was abandoned by you, in the sacred mystery of God I was not abandoned by Him. He forbade him in every way he could that as long as he lived he should make this matter known to anyone. St. Oswald died in the year of grace nine hundred and ninety-two, he died in the year 992 and in the thirtieth year of his episcopate, on the day before the Kalends of March.

[22] In the twelfth year after his death, Aldulf, Archbishop of York, prompted by ^a divine revelation, hastening to Worcester, his bones are elevated where St. Oswald had chosen his burial, raised the bones of the holy Bishop from the earth and placed them in ^a shrine with the greatest honor. The water with which the bones were washed restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, the ability to walk to the lame, and health to all who were infirm. with the water with which the bones were washed, miracles are performed All the vestments were found intact and unharmed in the sepulcher, fragrant with ^a most sweet odor.

[23] his garments unharmed A certain monk of Ramsey was so struck by the ulcer of cancer in his jaw that, the skin and flesh having been consumed, a cancerous ulcer healed by applying the cup of St. Oswald the bare jawbone and bare teeth with the gums were visible. On the feast of St. Oswald, drinking with great devotion and faith from the cup in which the same Saint had been accustomed to drink, and after taking the drink, he immediately applied the empty vessel to his wasting jaw and pressed it more tightly: and when he removed the little vessel from his jaw after ^a short while, all the discharge and putrefaction of the disease adhered to the vessel, so that with the jaw restored from its affliction, no sign of the former evil could be detected in it. As ^a testimony of so great ^a miracle and of the power of God, that jaw was always slightly more ruddy than the other.

[24] A certain man mute from infancy, on ^a certain feast of St. Oswald, saw ^a certain man unknown to him, of reverend countenance, a mute person healed by being struck with ^a staff by St. Oswald resplendent with beautiful white hair, clothed in priestly vestments, carrying ^a staff in his hand, as if hurrying toward him from the place of the holy Bishop's tomb. When he humbly bowed his head to the one passing before him, the latter, raising his staff, struck him on the neck and disappeared. At which blow, terrified, immediately ^a great mass of coagulated blood falling from his mouth to the ground, he began to cry out: Help me, I beg, help me, and lest the church of the Lord be violated by my blood, cast me out from here quickly. Led outside the church, he poured forth blood abundantly, and instructed the bystanders in the manner of his cure.

[25] a fire is stopped at the shrine When ^a voracious flame was once burning the city of Worcester, as soon as the flame approached the shrine of the Saint, the fire grew weak and, having nothing further to feed upon, died out of itself. For the house of ^a certain poor man, thatched with reeds, stood whole and sound from its middle; while the other half of it was burned from top to bottom as if by ^a plumb line.

[26] At another time, when the said city was burning and the monks were carrying the shrine of the Saint to ^a village, again, by bringing the shrine into ^a house vowed to him ^a certain man met them who had recently built ^a fine house, and crying out said: O holy Father and Pastor Oswald, behold I give my house, exposed to the voracious flames, to you, and I place it under your dominion to be possessed by perpetual right: deign, if it please you, to deliver it from the present danger. And so, when the shrine had been brought into that house, and the neighboring house had been entirely consumed by fire, the hall commended to Father Oswald could not be touched by the fire, nor did any trace of fire remain in it.

[27] A cruel pestilence once ravaging the province of Worcester, enveloped men and women, young and old, in sudden death. a pestilence ceases when the shrine is carried through the city Those walking or standing would suddenly fall, and die unrepentant and without confession. The monks with the shrine of the holy Bishop, singing Litanies around the circuit of the city, devoutly prayed for the health of the people. And behold, immediately the pestilence not only utterly departed from Worcester but also from the surrounding villages, from which the inhabitants had come imploring the help of the Saint.