Introduction
In 793, Vikings swept across Northumbria and extinguished the beacon of Lindisfarne, symbol of England’s Christian civilisation. Much of the land lay under a pagan shadow for over a century, but St Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of King Edgar (r. 959-975), helped to rekindle both Church and State.
DUNSTAN was born near Glastonbury, in the reign of Edward the Elder;* one of his uncles was Primate,* another Bishop of Winchester,* and he was remotely allied to the royal family.
A short time before his birth, his parents, Heorstan and Cynethryth, were at church on the festival of the Purification, known in this country by the name of Candlemas, because all who attended it carried lighted candles, with which they walked in procession after the service.* In the midst of mass, the lamps and tapers were suddenly extinguished; the church, though at mid-day, was filled with a preternatural darkness; and while the whole congregation, in fear and trembling, wondered what this might portend, a fire descended from heaven, and kindled the taper in Cynethryth’s hand, thus miraculously foreshewing how great a light should from her be born into the world.
Dunstan was probably born in 909; he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 959, and died in 988. Edward, son of Alfred the Great, reigned from 899 to 924; Edgar the Peaceful came to the throne in 959. Dunstan, Ethelwold of Winchester and Oswald of Worcester were largely responsible for rebuilding the English Church after the ravages of Viking paganism. Some of their reforms owed too much to Continental fashions, notably clerical celibacy (on which Dunstan was much less rigorist than some of his contemporaries); but times were desperate and the need for reform and revitalisation was real.
That is, Archbishop of Canterbury, the first hierarch of the English Church. Dunstan’s father Heorstan was the brother of Athelm, the first bishop of Wells (909-?923) and briefly Archbishop of Canterbury; Athelm presided at the coronation of King Athelstan on September 4th, 925.
Ælfheah, Bishop of Winchester from about 934 to 951.
The Feast, which falls on February 2nd, is known by as many as four names. It commemorates the day, forty days after his birth, when Jesus was ‘redeemed’ from the Temple authorities on payment of a small fee, hence it is called the Presentation of Christ. It also commemorates Mary’s return to Jewish society after childbirth, hence it is called the Purification of the Blessed Virgin. In England it is called Candlemas, as Southey says. In the East it is called the Meeting, as it recalls Mary’s meeting with the prophet Simeon in the Temple at Jerusalem, when Simeon declared that Mary’s newborn child was destined to be the glory of Israel, and ‘a light to lighten the Gentiles’. See our post on Candlemas.
Précis
Shortly after the death of St Dunstan of Canterbury in 988, the story was told that when his mother was pregnant with him, she had gone to church on Candlemas. During the service, all the candles suddenly went out; but a shaft of sunlight came and rekindled her own, a sign that Dunstan would be a light to the English. (60 / 60 words)
Shortly after the death of St Dunstan of Canterbury in 988, the story was told that when his mother was pregnant with him, she had gone to church on Candlemas. During the service, all the candles suddenly went out; but a shaft of sunlight came and rekindled her own, a sign that Dunstan would be a light to the English.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: because, just, must, not, or, since, until, who.
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Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 After. Birth. Royal.
2 Although. Another. Congregation.
3 Kindle. Mid. Preternatural.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
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