EDGAR’S CORONATION (WHITSUN DAY, 973).
Source.—Anonymous Life of St. Oswald, written between 995 and 1005. Raine, Historians of the Church of York (Rolls Series), p. 436. Translated by W.
Then began the holy season in which according to custom there came the archbishops and all other pre-eminent ecclesiastics and famous abbots and religious abbesses and all dukes, rulers and judges.... They came ... that the most reverend bishops might bless, anoint, and hallow him, with Christ’s blessing.... Then commenced the splendour of great festivity, and the feast of the Holy Ghost. While this was being solemnised all came to hallow the glorious king whose sceptre-bearing glory then more brightly shone, whose golden diadem glittered so that its beauty could not be compared to gold. They led the king, crowned and elected, with glory and honour to the church, where all his counsellors were assembled, and where all the people awaited him. With him went and returned good men and noble abbots, clothed in snowy vestments and in purple. This noble company was followed by the abbesses, matrons of exalted virtue with glorious daughters. These were followed by a multitude of priests, whom our ancestors called elders, with ranks of clerks. Then two bishops took the king’s hands and led him into the church, all singing in a deep and modulated tone this antiphon; “Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.” This antiphon finished, they added thereto, “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.” And when they had entered the church and the king had prostrated himself before the altar, first putting off from his head his diadem, Dunstan, the chief bishop, began with a loud voice the hymn of glory, “We praise thee as God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.” But he could not refrain himself from tears for joy and for the humility of the king, because he knew that the nation had not deserved a king so humble and so wise. When the hymn was concluded the bishops raised the king from the ground. Three oaths, at the archbishop’s question, did he promise that he would observe: “First I promise that the church of God and all the Christian people shall always keep true peace in our dominion. Secondly I promise that I will forbid outrage and all wickedness in all ranks. Thirdly that I will command justice and mercy in all dooms, that the merciful and pitiful God may dispense his mercy to me and to you.” The promises made, the archbishop stood and prayed for him the prayers that were written in their books. Then Oswald, the minister of Christ, said the second Mass with great grace, as the Archbishop arranged, to whose commands all were obedient. When the hallowing was completed, they anointed him and sang nobly together the antiphon, “Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Salomon king over Sion,” and added, “May the king live for ever!” After anointing the king the bishop gave him the ring, then girded him with the sword, and after this gave him the crown upon his head and the blessing. He gave him the sceptre and the staff. The aforesaid bishop completed all these things, and finished Mass, and they declared a solemn feast-day. The sound of the trumpet was not heard there, nor the horn of the jester, but all things, after the manner of wisest Salomon were honourably accomplished, where each drank according to his age and his ability. The most eminent bishops, the venerable Dunstan and the reverend Oswald, were seated on a raised throne with the king, who was so graceful and comely in word and deed that nothing could be seen or heard except the honour and praise shown to him by pious dukes, and famous soldiers and chief men. The king, as we have said, crowned with laurel and adorned with roses, was with the bishops: with him glittered in glorious wise dukes and all the dignitaries of the English, rejoicing in the heavenly King, who had granted to them to have such a king “in whose mind were mercy and truth.” The queen had a banquet with the abbots and abbesses. She was clothed in a garment of linen, girt about with variety of jewels and pearls, raised higher than the other matrons as became her royal dignity, since after the death of the honoured duke, she had been honoured by marriage with the king. When the royal nuptials were completed, all returned to their own homes, blessing the king and queen, and wishing them the tranquillity of peace which ancient kings obtained.
THE MURDER OF KING EDWARD AT CORFE (March 18, 978).
Source.—Anonymous Life of St. Oswald, written between 995 and 1005. Raine, Historians of the Church of York (Rolls Series), p. 448. Translated by W.
When the glory of leaders and emperor of all Albion [Edgar] was snatched away from the storm of this changing world and rescued from the salt shipwreck of the fluctuating sea, there arose everywhere, after the times of gladness which peacefully endured in his reign, dissension and tribulation which neither the bishops nor leaders of church and state could pacify.... For some of the leaders of this country wished to elect Edward, the elder son, as king, others of the chief men desired the younger, Ethelred, since he seemed to all in word and deed more gentle. For the elder filled all with fear and terror, for he scourged them with words, nay, more, with terrible stripes, especially those about his person. Meanwhile the ninth ... month had passed, and the tenth light was shining upon mortals after the election of Edward, against whom some thegns, zealous in his brother’s cause, formed a conspiracy, when he should come to talk with his beloved brother.... One day at evening, as we have said, the noble and elected king came to the house where dwelt his dearly-loved brother with the queen, desiring the consolation of a brother’s love. There came out to meet him, as was fitting, the chiefs and leaders who were staying with the queen his mother. They formed a wicked plot among themselves, who had such evil minds and so dark and devilish a gloom that they did not fear to lay hands on the Lord’s Anointed. He was surrounded on all sides by armed men, amongst them the butler ready to serve in his lowly office. Now the revered king had with him very few thegns, because he feared no man, trusting in the Lord and in the might of His goodness. He had been instructed in the divine law by bishop Sideman, and was strong and hardy in body. So when the conspirators surrounded him ... he remained fearlessly sitting on his horse. Madness was in them, and with it insanity. Then the worst wickedness and the bold madness of Beelzebub the enemy burst out in the minds of the treacherous thegns.... The thegns therefore held him, and one drew him to the right to himself, as though he wished to kiss him, while another roughly seized his left hand and wounded him. The king called out as loudly as he could, “What are you doing, breaking my right hand?” and suddenly fell from his horse, which also died. God’s martyr was taken away by the thegns to the house of a poor man. No Gregorian chant was heard, no dirge: but the famous king of all the land lay covered with a common garment, awaiting the light of day.... When twice six months of days of the solar and the lunar year were past, there came the glorious Duke Ælfhere with a multitude of people, who ordered his body to be raised from the ground. When this had been done, and the body exposed, they found and saw it free from all spot and decay, as it had been in life. When they saw this, all were astonished, with dances rejoicing in the Lord, who alone worketh marvels. Then the thegns washed the body of the revered king, and when they had clothed it with new garments they placed it in a coffin or tomb, put it on their shoulders, and conveyed it on a bier to the place where they buried him with honour, where Masses and holy oblations were celebrated for the redemption of his soul, at the command of the duke.
THE REDELESS KING AND THE DANES (980-1002).
Source.—Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Translated by J. A. Giles. Bohn’s Library.
Anno 980.—In this year ... was Southampton ravaged by a ship-force, and the most part of the townsmen slain and led captive. And that same year was Thanet-land ravaged by a ship-force, and most part of the townsmen slain and led captive. And that same year was Legecester-shire [Cheshire] ravaged by a northern ship-force.
Anno 981.—In this year St. Petroc’s-stowe [Padstow] was ravaged; and that same year was much harm done everywhere by the sea-coast, as well among the men of Devon as among the Welsh.