ST. GUTHLAC.
At the command of Æthelbald, King of the Mercians, Felix, monk of Crowland, first bishop of the East Angles, wrote a life of St. Guthlac.
He derived his information from Wilfrid, abbot of Crowland, Cissa, a priest, and Beccelm, the companion of Guthlac, all of whom knew him.
Felix relates that Guthlac was born in the days of Æthelred, (675-704), his parents’ names were Icles and Tette, of royal descent. He was baptised and named Guthlac, which is said to mean “Gud-lac,” “belli munus,” “the gift of battle,” in reference to the gift of one, destined to a military career, to the service of God. The sweet disposition of his youth is described, at length, by his biographer, also the choice of a military career, in which he spent nine years of his life. During those years he devastated cities and houses, castles and villages, with fire and sword, and gathered together an immense quantity of spoil, but he returned a third part of it to those who owned it. One sleepless night, his conscience awoke, the enormity of his crimes, and the doom awaiting such a life, suddenly aroused him, at daybreak he announced, to his companions, his intention of giving up the predatory life of a soldier of fortune, and desired them to choose another leader, in vain they tried to turn him from his resolve, and so at the age of twenty-four, about the year 694, he left them, and came to the Abbey of Repton, and sought admission there. Ælfritha, the abbess, admitted him, and, under her rule, he received the “mystical tonsure of St. Peter, the prince of the Apostles.”
For two years he applied himself to the study of sacred and monastic literature.
The virtues of a hermit’s life attracted him, and he determined to adopt it, so, in the autumn of 696, he again set out in search of a suitable place, and soon lost himself among the fens, not far from Gronta—which has been identified with Grantchester, near Cambridge—here, a bystander, named Tatwine, mentioned a more remote island named Crowland, which many had tried to inhabit, but, owing to monsters, &c., had failed to do so. Hither Guthlac and Tatwine set out in a punt, and, landing on the island, built a hut over a hole made by treasure seekers, in which Guthlac settled on St. Bartholomew’s Day, (August 24th,) vowed to lead a hermit’s life. Many stories are related, by Felix, of his encounters with evil spirits, who tried to turn him away from the faith, or drive him away from their midst.
Of course the miraculous element abounds all through the narrative, chiefly connected with his encounters with evil spirits, whom he puts to flight, delivering those possessed with them from their power. So great was his fame, bishops, nobles, and kings, visit him, and Eadburgh, Abbess of Repton, daughter of Aldulph, King of East Angles, sent him a shroud, and a coffin of Derbyshire lead, for his burial, which took place on the 11th of April, A.D. 714.
Such, in briefest outline, is the life of St. Guthlac. Those who wish to know more about him, should consult “The Memorials of St. Guthlac,” edited by Walter de Gray Birch. In it he has given a list of the manuscripts, Anglo-Saxon, Latin, and Old English Verse, which describe the Saint’s life. He quotes specimens of all of them, and gives the full text of Felix’s life, with footnotes of various readings, &c., and, what is most interesting, has interleaved the life with illustrations, reproduced by Autotype Photography, from the well known roll in Harley Collection of MSS. in the British Museum. The roll, of vellum, is nine feet long, by six inches and a half wide, on it are depicted, in circular panels, eighteen scenes from the life of the Saint. Drawn with “brown or faded black ink, heightened with tints and transparent colours, lightly sketched in with a hair pencil—in the prevailing style of the twelfth century—the work of a monk of Crowland, perhaps of the celebrated Ingulph, the well known literary abbot of that monastery, it stands, unique, in its place, as an example of the finest early English style of freehand drawing,” one or more of the cartoons are missing.
The first cartoon, the left half of which is wanting, is a picture of Guthlac and his companions asleep, clad in chain armour.
The 2nd. Guthlac takes leave of his companions.
The 3rd. Guthlac is kneeling between bishop Headda, and the abbess, in Repton abbey. The bishop is shearing off Guthlac’s hair.
The 4th. Guthlac, Tatwine, and an attendant are in a boat with a sail, making their way back to the island of Crowland.
The 5th. Guthlac, with two labourers, is building a chapel.
The 6th. Guthlac, seated in the completed chapel, receives a visit from an angel, and his patron saint Bartholomew.
The 7th. Guthlac is borne aloft over the Chapel by five demons, three of whom are beating him with triple-thonged whips. Beccelm, his companion, is seated inside the Chapel, in front of the altar, on which is placed a chalice.
The 8th. Guthlac, with a nimbus of sanctity round his head, has been borne to the jaws of hell, (in which are a king, a bishop, and two priests) by the demons, and is rescued by St. Bartholomew, who gives a whip to Guthlac.
The 9th. The cell of Guthlac is surrounded by five demons, in various hideous shapes. He has seized one, and is administering a good thrashing with his whip.
The 10th. Guthlac expels a demon from the mouth of Egga, a follower of the exiled Æthelbald.
The 11th. Guthlac, kneeling before bishop Headda, is ordained a priest.
The 12th. King Æthelbald visits Guthlac, both are seated, and Guthlac is speaking words of comfort to him.
The 13th. Guthlac is lying ill in his oratory, Beccelm is kneeling in front of him listening to his voice.
The 14th. Guthlac is dead, two angels are in attendance, one receiving the soul, “anima”, as it issues from his mouth. A ray of light stretches from heaven down to the face of the saint.
The 15th. Beccelm and an attendant in a boat, into which Pega, sister of Guthlac, is stepping on her way to perform the obsequies of her brother.
The 16th. Guthlac, in his shroud, is being placed in a marble sarcophagus by Pega and three others, one of whom censes the remains.
The 17th. Guthlac appears to King Æthelbald.
The 18th. Before an altar stand thirteen principal benefactors of Crowland Abbey. Each one, beginning with King Æthelbald, carries a scroll on which is inscribed their name, and gift.
The Abbey of Crowland was built, and flourished till about the year 870, when the Danes burnt it down, four years later they destroyed Repton.
Guthlaxton Hundred in the southern part of Leicestershire, and four churches, dedicated to him, retain his name. The remains of a stone at Brotherhouse, bearing his name, and a mouldering effigy, in its niche on the west front of the ruins of Crowland Abbey, are still to be seen. His “sanctus bell” was at Repton, and as we shall see, in the account of the Priory, acquired curative powers for headache.