A.D. 739. A.D. 739. 1014. Vita Sanctæ Samthanæ, Abbatisse Clon broniensis. Incip." Sancta et venerabilis Virgo Samthana de Ultorum genere originem duxit; cujus pater Dyamranus, mater vero "Columba, vocabatur." Samtann founded the monastery of Clainbronaigh (Clonbroney) on the borders of Meath, in Ireland, and died 19th December, A.D. 739. Sir James Ware (De Script. Hiberniæ, p. 93) mentions this Life, but does not state where any MS. was to be found. She is not noticed by Usher, but her name occurs in the Martyrology of Tallaght, 19th December. 1015. Vita S. Adalberti, Diaconi, B. Willibrordi socii; ad an. circa 740. An extract from a MS. of the Carthusians at Cologne, is given by Mabillon, iii. i. 587; and the entire legend occurs in Surius, 25 June. See also "Acta Sanctorum," under that date. This Life is valuable, as affording another illustration of the energy with which the friends of Wilbrord carried on the work of Christian missions in Germany. It is the production of a monk, who dedicates it to Ecgbert, Bishop of Treves, whose pontificate extended from A.D. 978 to 993. Surius, as usual, has changed the style, but the portions given by Mabillon are in their original state. The narrative treats of England in the first Chapter only, in reference to the birth and early history of Adalbert. 1016. Eulogium S. Nothelmi, Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis, ab an. 736 ad an. 741 (metrice). MS. Lambeth. 159 f. 228 b. paper. folio. xv. cent. Incip.-"Eligitur Sedi mox Præsul Londoniensis." Expl.-"Vivere nos faciat, et sine labe mori. Amen.” Printed in Wharton's "Anglia Sacra," ii. 71. It occurs among the Lives of the first ten Archbishops of Canterbury. The piece consists of ten lines only. A.D. 741. A.D. 743. 1017. Vita Beata Wihtburga, Virginis. MS. Trin. Coll. Cant. Gale. O. 2. 1. ii. Rubr." Incipit Prologus in Vitam Beata Wihtburgæ "Virginis." Incip. Prol." Orientale Orientalium Anglorum sidus, Virgo "Domini Wihtburga." Incip. Vita.-"Veteres narrant historiæ nostræ." Expl. Vita.-" sed quod ex hoc signo erga ipsam amplius "roborarentur in fide ac devotione." This is probably Goscelin's work, which the editors of the "Acta Sanctorum" were unable to obtain. 1018. Vita Sanctæ Wihtburgæ, Virginis. MS. C. C. C. Cant. 393. 4. Rubr.-"Prooemium in Vita Sanctæ Wihtburgæ, Virginis." The text of this MS. is an abridgment of the last mentioned Life (Gale. O. 2. 1. ii.); with the addition of Wihtburg's Translation, as in the "Liber Eliensis," commencing, "Jam vero post quinquaginta-quinque annos," and ending, Quos alii centum et sex subsecuti faciunt insimul trescentos "et quinquaginta-quatuor annos a dormitione ipsius Beata "Wihtburgæ usque ad hunc nostri temporis diem, quo incorrupto ostensa est corpore." 66 1019. Vita S. Wihtburgæ, Virginis. MS. Cott. Tiber. E. i. MS. Bodl, Tanner, 15. vell. folio. XV. cent. Incip.-"Sancta Wythburga filia fuit Annæ Regis Est"anglorum." A.D. 743. A.D. 743. Expl.-"fuisset fracta resolidatur." Printed in Capgrave's "Nova Legenda Angliæ," f. 315 b: For a description of these MSS., see Nos. 35 and 38. Wihtburg, the sister of Etheldreda, having taken the veil, builds a monastery at Derham, and feeds the workmen, who build the church, with the milk of two does. She dies 17th March 743, and is buried at Derham; her body is removed into the church, and a spring rises from the spot where her body had lain. This monastery was destroyed in the Danish wars, and her remains were carried to Ely by Abbot Brithnoth, A.D. 974, and were again translated by Abbot Richard, A.D. 1126. 1020. Miracula Sanctæ Wihtburgæ, Virginis. MS. Cott. Calig. A. viii. 98. vell. 4to. xiv. cent. Rubr.-"Incipit Prohemium in quibusdam Miraculis Sanctæ "Wihtburgæ Virginis." Incip.-"Cum me quidam amicorum." Rubr.-"Incipit Textus subsequentis operis." Incip.-"Magna res et ardua cum inter manus." Expl.-"Virginis Filio et virginum Domino, qui vivit et "regnat unus Deus cum Patre et Spiritu Sancto." Five Chapters of Miracles follow of posterior date to the Translation. The author, who had seen persons who were present at Wihtburg's Translation, when her body was found entire, about 350 years after her death, purposes relating some of her miracles, without attending to the exact order of time in which they took place. There is an account of the well at Derham, at which place she was first buried, and five chapters descriptive of cures of sundry diseases, and the like. The style is verbose and inflated. In Lansd. 436, 13. Wihtburg's life is given with those of Etheldritha, Ethelburga and Sexburga. It is nearly the same as the narrative in Beda and Malmesbury. See No. 687, p. 265. A.D. 743. 1021. Chronicon ab Origine Mundi ad A.D. 743. MS. Cott. Vespas. A. xxii. f. 1. 4to. vell. xiii. cent. Incip.-I. "Adam creatus est." Expl.-"Decxliii."* This piece consists of brief notices of events from the Creation to the year 743. A.D. 743. A.D. 747. 1022. Vita S. Wigberhti, Abbatis Fritzlarensis, ad an. Incip. Præf." Cunctanti mihi, viribusque propriis." Expl.-"... intercessionis vicem compensare dignetur." The Life of this eminent English missionary is the production of Servatus Lupus, Abbot of Ferrieres, who died in or about A.D. 862. It appears, from internal evidence, to have been written about A.D. 836.† We are indebted to Budæus for the first edition of this work, which he appended to the Letters of Hincmar of Rheims. It is included in the collected works of Lupus, by Baluze, and is to be found in the "Acta SS. Ord. S. Bened." iii. 622, of Mabillon. See also "Acta Sanct." 13 August. The Appendix to the Report upon Rymer's "Fœdera," p. 142, mentions a MS. as extant at Leipsic. *The last event recorded is "Dccxxxviii. Eadbertus rex Cantiæ dedit "Stoches." † See "Hist. Lit. de la France,” v. 268, A.D. 747. A.D. 750. A.D. 750. 1023. De Martyrio S. Wistani. MS. Harl. 2253. f. 140 b. Incip."Wiglafus, Rex Merciorum, vir illustris, genuit de Expl.-"pro quo Deus diversa et infinita operatur miracula." In substance, this is the same narrative as Capgrave's, to the death of Wistan, but much more briefly told. 1024. Vita S. Wistani, Regis et Martyris.* MS. Tiber. E. 1. vell. folio. MS. Bodl. Tanner. 15. xv. cent. Incip.-" Sanctissimus et eximius Christi Martyr, Wis"tanus." Expl.-" in feretrum honorifice reponunt." For a description of these MSS. see Nos. 35 and 38. Printed in Capgrave's "Nova Legenda Angliæ,” f. 214 b., and from him in the "Acta Sanctorum," i. 85 (June).. Wistan was the son of Wymund, King of Mercia, and of Elfleda. Brithford, his kinsman and godfather, wishing to supplant him in the kingdom, endeavours to marry his widowed mother, but failing, he murders the youth at a pretended friendly conference. Brithford immediately becomes mad; preternatural light is emitted from the body; it is then carried to Rependon, and is afterwards translated to Evesham. Walter, the first Norman abbot, proves the relics by fire. The chronology, and perhaps some part of the history, of this narrative is open to some suspicion. This Life, down to Wistan's interment at Rependon, is derived from the same source as that above mentioned, but the language is more diffuse. 1025. Vita S. Wistani. MS. Reg. 8. C. vii. This is an erroneous reference in Casley's Catalogue. The piece is a very brief notice of St. Wulstan, Bishop of Worcester. * The date of Wistan's death is uncertain, it is placed as early as 750 and as late as 850. |
