5

ΙΟ

15

18]

SIGBERCT KING OF THE EAST ANGLES.

251

P 51 7 SVAE GENTIS AVCTORITATE p 69 1 30 of Aedan pascha contra morem eorum qui ipsum miserant facere non potuit. cf ib 19.

13 VT QVIDAM FALSO OPINANTVR p 261 13 n.

QVIDAM among these seems to have been pope John IV

as he asserts in his letter to the Scots see lib II 19.

14 QVALIBET FERIA P 73 17. CVM IVDAEIS ie as they calculate the day of the passover feast.

99 15 A LVNA XIIII" VSQVE AD XXam

P 23 16.

Hier c Vigilant 14 (II 397)

Matt 28 1 Wetstein μla oaß

ẞáτwv from Hebr. In classical Gr and Lat (as in Eng) found only in combination with ordinals Hdt v 89 εις καὶ τριήκοστος. Cic Cat mai § 13 uno et octogesimo anno. Gell XII § 5. XIII 13 § 4.

ABOUT

XVIII

BOUT this time Sigberct, brother of Earpuald, was king of the East Angles. He had been an exile in Gaul, where he was baptised, and he introduced into his kingdom such schools and teachers as he had seen in his exile. He was assisted in this by bishop Felix. 20 After a time he resigned his kingdom to a kinsman Ecgric and entered a monastery of his own building. He was brought from his retirement to encourage the army when Penda king of Mercia was warring on East Anglia, but both he and Ecgric were slain in the battle, Sigberct having carried no weapon with him. After them Anna became king 25 in East Anglia, and was in the end slain by the same Penda.

P 51 21 EARPVALDVM II 15 the father Reduald had been baptised in Kent, but relapsed into heathenism. Earpuald was induced by Edwin to embrace Christianity with his whole province; which however, after the murder of Earpuald by the pagan Ricberct, remained in error for 30 three years, till Sigberct uir per omnia Christianissimus atque doctissimus (who had lived in Gaul during his brother's reign) became king, and by help of Felix, first bp of Dunwich, won back his province to the faith. Felix was bp 17 years, and was succeeded by Thomas, bp 5 years, and he by Berctgils or Boniface. All three were consecrated 35 by Honorius, who died 30 Sept 653 (III 20). Thus the latest date for Sigberct's accession is 631. See martyrol Angl 27 Sept. martyrol Gall suppl 7 Aug. Pagi 644 6-8.

252

P 51 22 reg I 5.

SCHOOLS FOUNDED.

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EIVS ie Earpualdi: frater eius ex matre W Malmsb de

27 SCHOLAM Fuller church hist cent VII § 46 'This Sigebert is generally reputed the founder of the university of Cambridge.' He discusses the point through §§ 46—60, noticing some of the works 5 written in the controversy between the two universities. Cambridge belonged to Mercia, not to East Anglia; otherwise it would not have been included in the Mercian diocese of Lincoln. So Henr Hunt (MHB 714) regnum Estangle...continet Nordfolc et Sudfolc. Yet Wm Malmesb 1 § 102 says: reges Orientalium Anglorum dominabantur in 10 pago Grantebrigensi.

28 FELICE AA SS Mar 1 779. Felix was a Burgundian by nation, see Will. Malms de pontif lib II who says that he had become

a friend of Sigberct during his exile. Of the foundations of schools he says; scholas quoque litterarum oportunis locis instituens barbariem gentis 15 sensim comitate Latina informabat.

P 52 I COGNATO the relationship between Ecgric and Sigberct is not more accurately defined.

2 PARTEM EIVSDem regni p 44 1 19 n. p 113 1 22 subregulis.

1 7 n. p 175 10.

3 INTRARET MONASTERIVM So Caedualla p 113 1 24 n. cf p 101 20 Stevenson 'the liber Eliensis (p 14 ed 1848) tells us that this was Betrichesworth (Bury). It ascribes the death of Sigeberct to 637. See monast Angl 1 285.'

18 DE REGIO GENERE Flor Vigorn app chron in MHB 636 Anna filius Eni fratris Redwaldi. cuius filia sancta Sexburga Erconberto 25 regi Cantuariorum in coniugio copulata est. altera filia sancta Aethelburga in Gallia in Brigensi monasterio abbatissa facta est. tertia sancta Aetheldritha prius Northumbrorum regina et post Eliensis extitit abbatissa. quarta sancta Withburga eiusdem monasterii sanctimonialis erat femina. Add Milburga nun of Ely and Sæthrytha abbess of Brie. Anna's uncle 30 Redwald (11 15 p 96 20 S) was filius Tytili. cuius pater fuit Vuffa, a quo reges Orientalium Anglorum Vuffingas appellant.

21 PRAEDECESSOR Sigberct 1 5—15. OCCISVS AD 654 liber Eliensis § 11 p 23 regni 19, which, if current, makes his accession 636, 35 as in Flor Vig (MHB 529o).

19]

VISIONS OF FURSEUS.

XVIIII

253

IN

N the reign of king Sigberct Furseus a holy man from Ireland came to the East Angles, and converted much people by his preaching. This man was seized with a great sickness during which he beheld an 5 angelic vision, in consequence of which he made all speed to build a monastery on land given to him by the king. This was at Cnobheresburg. Anna afterwards enriched the monastery by his grants. In the monastery where he lived Furseus was transported from the body and beheld the countenances of the heavenly host. And on his recovery TO from his trance he told of the songs of the angels. On the third day after he was again taken away in spirit and saw not only the joys of heaven but the torments of the evil spirits. This account is all recorded in the book of the life of Furseus.

Beda however inserts one part of the story, and this he does because 15 it seems useful. When Furseus was rapt from his body he was bidden to look back on the world, and he saw a dark valley and four fires in the air. What these fires were the angels explained to him; and soon they became joined together into an immense flame. Furseus was terrified as the fire came near to him, but was told by the angel that the 20 fire which he had not kindled would not burn him. The angels could

pass through the flame, and in the midst were demons preparing fiery war against the just. He saw evil spirits and just, and the souls of holy men of his own nation who spake unto him things of wholesome import. When Furseus was near the flame the evil spirits cast against him one 25 whom they were tormenting in the fire, and thereby his shoulder and jaw were burnt. This happened because Furseus had received the garment of this sinner when he died. When Furseus was restored to the body he bore a visible mark of the burning, and when he related his visions, as he was wont for those who asked him to do so by reason of 30 their own troubled consciences, even in the coldest weather, he was as

hot as in the heat of summer. Furseus afterwards became an anchorite and in the end retired to Gaul, where he built a monastery at Latineacum and there he died. His body was kept by Ercunuald the patrician buried in the porch of the church which he was building at Perrona, 35 till after the dedication. Then it was placed in a tomb near the altar. His body was again moved four years after and found to be incorrupt. The full history of Furseus may be found in the book of his life.

P 52 24 DE HIBERNIA VIR in the homily of Aelfric on the greater

254

OTHER VISIONS OF ANGELS.

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litany (Thorpe II 332) into which the whole story of Furseus is incorporated he is called 'sum Scyttisc preost' Scottish of course meaning Irish. See p 19 1 11 n. P 52 24 FVRSEVS founder of Lagni, brother of saints Foillan and Ultan. Iacobus a Voragine legenda aurea 144=139 PP 639–644 5 Grässe. Stevenson comparing the life (older than Beda) in AA SS 16 Jan (11 36 cf Mabillon saec II Bened) dates his arrival in England 633 (637 Ussher) his departure for France 648 (640 U), his death at Mazières in Poitou 650. Pagi 650 5. 644 3-5.

P 53 2 VIRTVTIS ET SERMONIS 1 22. p 27 1 2 n.

ΙΟ

6 VISIONE P 5 1 5. IV 25. V 12-14. 19 p 208 S vision of St Michael seen by Wilfrid. uita Cuthb 3 an angel mounted. See B Hauréau, les récits d'apparitions dans les sermons du moyen âge in mém de l'inst 1876 XXVIII (2) 239–264. Aelfric gives the particulars of this first rapture thus. "Two angels took his soul and flying with white 15 wings bare him between them. A third angel flew before him armed with a white shield and a shining sword. The three angels were shining with like brightness, and conveyed to the soul wondrous pleasure by the sound of their wings and greatly gladdened it with the melody of their song.'

9 VIGILATE Matth xxiv 42.

I.

20

II LOCVM MONASTERII endowments. 1 17. p 231 16. p 3111.p63 18. p 66 1 2 and 27. p 67 1 29. p 70 1 22-28. p 78 1 26. 1 33. II 3. h a 4 end. 6 p 295 1 47 S. 12 end. epist ad Ecgb 5 (end) monastic endowments to be employed for the foundation of bishoprics. conc Aurel V (549) 25 c 19. Lingard 1 193. II 241.

15 CNOBHERESBVRG Burgh castle in Suffolk, at the junction of the Yare and Waveney (Stevenson).

26 LIBELLVS DE VITA EIVS P 54 1 10. in AA SS 1 c. Stevenson 'another in Bodl ms Rawl 505 f 174, appears from internal evidence to 30 have been written A D 655.'

28 CORPORE EXVTVS the story in Aelfric makes the corpsebearers stand round the body ready to perform their office and it was in their presence that the dead man shewed signs of requickening.

31 IBVNT SANCTI This verse is the song of a troop of holy spirits 35 which in a vision, somewhat like this of Furseus, appeared to St Guthlac. (Goodwin. St Guthlac c 5). The saint, however, was conveyed through the air by evil spirits with creaking wings and iron whips to beat him with; he beheld the north part of heaven surrounded by clouds of intense

19]

LESSONS FROM THE SPIRIT-WORLD.

255

5

darkness, and was carried by the spirits to the door of hell. He is rescued from the evil angels by his patron St Bartholomew. Guthlac is carried back to earth and in the mid height of air there came towards him a troop of holy spirits and cheered him with their song.

P 53 32 REDVCTVS IN CORPORE P 56 1-4. p 69 1 3. p 93 1 19. I 30 (Gregory's letter) 71 114 S fana.. necesse est ut a cultu daemonum in obsequio ueri dei debeant commutari. ib 1 22 ad laudem dei in esu suo animalia occidant. Gregory's epitaph v 7 p 188 1 16 albatum uexit in arce poli. v 10 p 193 16 quos interemptos in Rheno pro10 iecerunt (Hussey). D Rock church of our fathers I 32-34 has some exx from liturgies.

P 54 2 MALIGNORVM SPIRITVVM in the visions of a rediuiuus reported by abbess Hildelid to Boniface, and by him (ep 10 Jaffé) to Eadburga abbess of Thanet, the good spirits strove with the evil for the 15 possession of him; the evil exclaiming p 55 ego sum cupiditas tua ; ego sum uana gloria. . . ; ego sum mendacium etc.

20

7 VERBA SVPERFLVA ibid ego sum otiosum uerbum. The cursed spirits threaten St Guthlac saying "Power is given us to thrust thee into the torments of this abyss" Goodwin p 39.

COGITATIONES Bonif ibid ego uaga cogitatio et inutilis cura, qua te supra modum siue in ecclesia siue extra ecclesiam occupabas. 8 IN LIBRO DESCRIPTAS p 5 1 13-15.

II PROFECTVS SPIRITALIS for an account of a similar vision 25 revealed to Adamnan see Reeves' Life of St Columba introd clvii; there it is said "Adamnan desired to remain in the happy region, but heard the voice of his guardian angel commanding his soul to be replaced in the same body from which it had passed, and that it should relate in the conventions of the laity and clergy the rewards of heaven and the pains 30 of hell such as the conducting angel had revealed to him."

21 ABRENVNTIARE glossary. Chrys ad illuminandos catech 2 4 ἀποτάσσομαί σοι σατανᾶ καὶ τῇ πομπῇ σου καὶ τῇ λατρείᾳ σου.

P 55 10 ACCVSATIONES DEFENSIONES V 13.

23 INCENDERVNT a favorite legend is thus given by Eudes (Odo) 35 of Shirton (ms lat Par n 2593 f 109 cited by Hauréau p 242): Master Serlo exacted a promise from a sick pupil of his that after death he would report to him his state. Accordingly some days after death he appeared to him in a parchment cape, written over within and without with sophisms. The master asking who he was, he replied: 'I am he