Introduction
After the Norman Conquest of 1066, ambitious Norman clergymen lined up to do whatever King William wanted in exchange for preferment — and what William wanted was to eradicate English identity, bringing the country into line with the ways of the near Continent.
THIS may be easily proved by what happened in the case of Turstin, of Caen, and the convent of Glastonbury.* This shameless abbot, attempting to compel the monks of Glastonbury to disuse the chant which had been introduced into England by the disciples of the blessed Pope Gregory,* and to adopt the chant of the Flemings or Normans,* which they had never learned or heard before, a violent tumult arose, which ended in disgrace to the holy order.
For when the monks refused new fashions, and their haughty superior persisted in his obstinacy, all of a sudden, laymen, armed with spears, came to their master’s aid, and surrounding the monks severely beat some of them, and, as report says, mortally wounded them.* I could relate many such instances, if they would edify the reader's mind; but such subjects are by no means agreeable, and, therefore, without dwelling on them, I gladly employ my pen on other matters.
Abridged
Turstin was appointed in 1081; these events took place in 1083. Orderic goes on to note how one monk, Guimond of La Croix Saint-Leufroy in the French diocese of Evreux, refused such an appointment. He wrote to William at great length and in no uncertain terms, saying that communities should choose their own abbots and that superior ecclesiastical authority should step in only if the community’s choice broke church law. See .
On the Gregorian Mission of 597, see The Baptism of Kent. In Northumbria, the music and art was particularly influenced by Eastern models thanks to the Abbot of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, St Benedict Biscop. See How Benedict Biscop brought Byzantium to Britain. Some of the iconography of those days has survived in the Lindisfarne Gospels; but sadly, the sacred sounds of the English Church disappeared forever with Abbot Turstin and others like him.
The chant of the Flemish and the Normans was more or less what we today call Gregorian chant. As Orderic evidently knew, Pope St Gregory I (r. 590-604) did not devise this chant; it belongs to an altogether later time, when Charlemagne (r. 800-814) was King of the Franks. Apparently, ‘Gregorian’ chant differed markedly from English chant.
These events invite comparison with those at the Zographou monastery on Mount Athos two hundred years later, when Patriarch of Constantinople John Bekkos wanted them to rubber-stamp the Union of Lyons. See Image of Joy.
Précis
Shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066, King William appointed a new abbot at Glastonbury, Turstin. When Turstin ordered the monks to stop chanting in the English manner and adopt the Norman way, they refused to comply; but Turstin had them thrashed so savagely that some died, and he had his way after all. (54 / 60 words)
Shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066, King William appointed a new abbot at Glastonbury, Turstin. When Turstin ordered the monks to stop chanting in the English manner and adopt the Norman way, they refused to comply; but Turstin had them thrashed so savagely that some died, and he had his way after all.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, besides, if, just, must, or, unless.
Archive
Word Games
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.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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 Employ. Shame. Surround.
2 Have. Mind. Pen.
3 Edify. Mean. Subject.
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.)
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?
Your Words ()
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