ON S. EADBURGA OR EDBURGA,
DAUGHTER OF EDWARD I KING OF ENGLAND.
ABOUT DCCCCLX.
Sylloge concerning her cult, Life, Relics.
Eadburga, or Edburga, daughter of Edward I King of England (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
Among the more ancient monuments we have two illustrious Ms. Martyrologies, formed in England: of these one in ancient parchment perhaps the autograph, cut in the XI century; the other a copy, from an ancient Ms. of Utrecht of the Church of S. Mary was transcribed, which from the adjoined Chronicle & Paschal Table we gather was collected about the year MCXL. Sacred cult In each, on this XV June, near the end is read: On that day of S. Edburga, or S. Eadburga the Virgin; & thus also is written the name in the Missal, which we found among the Monks of Jumièges in Normandy, written about the year one thousand. Usuard of Brussels of S. Gudula thus has: Likewise S. Eburga the Virgin; & thus at Cologne & Lübeck in the year 1490 it was printed: but the Martyrologists Maurolycus & Felicius call her S. Eadburga: & the same is ascribed to England in Greven in the Auctary of Usuard. In Molanus is adjoined the city of Wenta, which Galesinius & Canisius follow: but for Wenta, in the Ms. Florarium, ineptly is read Numentana: but the city of Winchester is understood. Similar things have Arnold Wion, Benedict Dorganius, Hugo Menardus, Gabriel Bucelinus, Edward Maihew, with the Anglican Martyrology of Wilson, & the Catalogue of Ferrarius: who ascribes her to Salisbury wrongly, after Wion, in the Province of Wilton; when
1the city of Winchester is in the Province of Southampton.
[2] About the year MCXXXVI flourished Osbertus Clarentius, The written Life hidden. or de Stoke-Clare, Monk of London of S. Peter, who is cited by Bale & Pits, as having, among other monuments on the Acts of the Saints, written the Life of S. Eadburga the Virgin with this exordium: To the faithful Sisters in Christ; but it has not been permitted hitherto to see it, nor to judge whether about this S. Eadburga there is treated well conjectured by Mayhew. We had once placed here some Life of S. Edburga Virgin & Abbess from a Ms. codex of Rouge-Val, which also exists
in Capgrave; but this was found the daughter of S. Ethelberg King of Kent, & died on the Ides of December, to be set apart for the XIII day of December. But this other is Eadburga, daughter of Edward the Elder, who after his father Alfred obtained the kingdom of England in the year nine hundred first, & held it twenty-three years, writes William of Malmesbury, in book 2 on the Deeds of the English ch. 5. collectanea given from various sources. Where he narrates his deeds, & enumerates the various children whom from three wives he begot. The third of these was Edgiva, from whom, he says, he received two sons, Edmund & Edred, who both reigned after Athelstan; two daughters, Eadburga & Edgiva. Eadburga, a Virgin consecrated to Christ, rests at Winchester: about whom we here treat, gladly intending to give her deeds more fully, if they should be found.
[3] From infancy devoted to piety. The same Malmesbury ch. 13 of the same book 2, Edward the Elder, he says, about whom I have above referred many things, received many daughters, among whom from his wife Edgiva Eadburga: who while she was three years old, gave a spectacular trial of future sanctity. The father was wishing to explore, whether to God, or to the world the little maiden would incline, & had placed in the triclinium the ornaments of different professions; on one side a chalice & gospels, on the other bracelets & necklaces. Thither the little maiden brought in the arms of the coaxing nurse, sat on the parent's knees; & ordered to choose what she would, with grim look spurning the secular things, & promptly creeping with her hands, with girlish innocence she adored the gospels & the chalice. The assembly of those sitting around cried out, she lives as a nun at Winchester, an auspice of future sanctity in the girl. Kissing his offspring himself, & deeming her worthy of tighter kisses, Go, said he, whither Divinity calls thee: follow with happy foot, the Spouse, whom thou hast chosen. And truly I & my wife are happy, if we have been conquered by our daughter in religion. Thus clothed with the habit of Nuns, she was inviting all her companions to her love in the city of Winchester by the sedulity of service. Nor did the high multitude of her parentage make her supine, because she thought it noble to be inclined in the service of Christ. Sanctity was growing in age, with the adult one humility was growing, so much, famous for miracles, that she would secretly by night steal the shoes of each, & diligently washed & anointed she would place them back at the beds. Wherefore, although God distinguished her living with many miracles, that example I more strongly proclaim as the cause, that all her works charity initiated, & humility consummated. Finally the devotion of the breast & integrity of her body, very many miracles in life & after death commend: which the sacristans of her temples at Winchester & Pershore pronounce with living voice to those not knowing.
[4] Hitherto are the words of Malmesbury, who the same in book 2 on the Deeds of the Pontiffs of the English, §. On the monasteries of the Winchester diocese, repeats. The same also have the Continuator of Bede, book 2 ch. 33; in the New monastery. John Brompton in the Chronicle, on the first year of Edward the father. In the Monastic Anglican Tome 1 pg. 32, where on the Winchester convent is treated, these are read, taken from the Winchester Annals: Edward, son of Elfred King of England. His daughter was Saint Edburga, whose sacred body rests at Winchester at Nunneminster without fallacy, although the Monks of Malvern falsely boast that they have it. He had three sons successors Kings, Athelstan, Edmund & Elred. This Edward gave to the Winchester Church four manors … He gave also to the New monastery many estates, in which he rests buried. Thus there. Consult also pg. 979 in the Addenda. The cited Malvern monastery is situated in the Worcester county, of which there is treatment in the Monastic Anglican pg. 365 without mention of S. Eadburga. But in the same Worcester county is the Pershore convent, to which is said in the said Monastic Anglican pg. 204 Count Wada to have brought Relics of S. Edburga. Malmesbury also, in book 4 on the Deeds of the Pontiffs of the English, Relics in the Pershore convent. §. On the Monasteries of the Worcester diocese near the end, treating of the Pershore convent has these. Are held here some bones of happy Edburga, & they celebrate with present reverence, that there with more frequent than elsewhere she merited the glory of miracles. Michael Alfotdus, in the Annals of the Anglican Church, refers the death of S. Eadburga to the year DCCCCLX, which is well enough proved to us. But that Harpsfeld sec. 10 ch. 8 & Edward Mayhew insinuate that she was Abbess, in the silence of the ancients we omit to conjecture.