The Copy Book

Apparel Oft Proclaims the Man

An austere Bishop of Winchester scolded St Edith for her comely nun’s habit, but the young woman’s eyes saw further than his.

Translated by J. A. Giles
961-984

King Ethelred the Unready 978-1016

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By Sergei Gribkov (1822-1893), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

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Apparel Oft Proclaims the Man

By Sergei Gribkov (1822-1893), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain. Source
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‘Young nun at prayer’, by Russian artist Sergei Gribkov (1822-1893). On a visit to Wilton Abbey King Edgar (r. 959-975) took a fancy to Wulfthryth, a lady of noble birth, and brought her home to his court at Kemsing in Kent. She returned soon after carrying a baby girl, Edith, who grew up in the convent. According to Goscelin, Edith died in 984, aged twenty-three, and was at once venerated as a saint. King Canute (r. 1016–1035) credited her with keeping him from shipwreck; Ealdred, Archbishop of York (r. 1060-1069), had the same experience in the Adriatic. Her feast day is September 16th.

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Episode 1 of 5 in the Series St Edith of Wilton

Introduction

St Edith of Wilton was a daughter of King Edgar (r. 959-975). The nuns of the convent, which was ruled by her mother Wulfthryth, wore rather nice habits and the Bishop of Winchester did not did not think them suitable. Edith, however, was not one to judge a book by its cover.

I HAVE heard one circumstance of her, from persons of elder days,* which greatly staggered the opinions of men: for she led them into false conclusions from the splendour of her costly dress, being always habited in richer garb than the sanctity of her profession seemed to require.

On this account, being openly rebuked by St Ethelwold,* she is reported to have answered with equal point and wit, that the judgment of God was true and irrefragable,* while that of man, alone, was fallible, for pride might exist even under the garb of wretchedness. Wherefore, “I think,” said she, “that a mind may be as pure beneath these vestments, as under your tattered furs.”*

The bishop was deeply struck by this speech; admitting its truth by his silence, and blushing with pleasure that he had been chastised by the sparkling repartee of the lady, he held his peace.

Next St Edith’s Thumb

Translated by J. A. Giles

From ‘Chronicle of the Kings of England’, by William of Malmesbury (1080-1143), translated from the Latin by J. A. Giles.

Chiefly Goscelin (fl. 1050-1090), a monk from Saint-Omer in France who served as secretary to Herman, Bishop of Sherborne in Wiltshire, and a chaplain to the nuns of Wilton Abbey. His ‘Life of St Edith’ can be read (in Latin ) in J. P. Migne’s ‘Patrologia Latina’ MPL 155 cols 0109-0116B.

That is, not to be disputed or opposed.

Æthelwold, Bishop of Winchester from 963 to 984, was a dedicated reformer of England’s monasteries, which he believed had fallen from the ideals of St Benedict of Nursia. A severe disciplinarian, Æthelwold also took it on himself to follow a recent innovation on the Continent and ban married priests from serving, as unworthy of the altar.

Goscelin tells us that Edith actually wore a rough horsehair shirt under her elegant habit, but of course Æthelwold did not know (or ask).

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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 His. Silence. Than.

2 Equal. God. Speech.

3 Answer. Pride. Pure.

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.)

Homonyms Find in Think and Speak

Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1. Lead. 2. May. 3. Point. 4. Even. 5. Man. 6. Rich. 7. Hold.

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For each word above, choose one or more suitable meanings from this list.

1. Guide. 2. Of food, indulgently high in fats, spices or sugars. 3. Sharp. 4. Not odd. 5. Chief cargo space of a ship. 6. A soft metal. 7. Possessing or bringing plenty of money. 8. Have in the hands; one’s grip. 9. A male person. 10. A unit of score in e.g. tennis. 11. Leash. 12. An electrical cable. 13. The hawthorn tree and its blossom. 14. The primary issue. 15. Verb indicating possibility. 16. Flat and smooth. 17. A month of the year. 18. A particular spot. 19. An island in the Irish Sea. 20. In the extreme case. 21. Indicate a direction. 22. Provide the crew for.

Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak

Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1 Hold. 2 Point. 3 Exist. 4 Lead. 5 Seem. 6 Report. 7 Pride. 8 Require. 9 Admit.

Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command

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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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Related Posts

The Setting of Edith’s Star

Edith left behind her a distraught Archbishop Dunstan, but also a legacy of love for the suffering.

St Edith’s Rebuke

King Canute could not believe that his hard-living predecessor Edgar could father a saint.

St Edith’s Thumb

The way Edith kept tracing little crosses with her thumb made a great impression on Archbishop Dunstan.

The Character of St Edith of Wilton

Edith of Wilton may have been the daughter of King, but she did not behave like one in the Abbey or the town.