Prologue of William of Malmesbury to The Antiquity of the Church of Glastonbury. #

¹ To the lord Henry, Bishop of Lincoln, greatly to be embraced and honoured in the affections of Christ [Bible: Philippians 1:8], William, son of your dignity, wishes all the blessedness that can be wished. If there is anything that holds a person firm in this life, and persuades him to remain calm amid the adversities and storms of the world, I think it is above all meditation on the Holy Scriptures. And indeed the writings of the pagans present their usefulness only so far as, by the splendour of their words, they flatter the reader’s intellect and polish his eloquence. But the fruit of books inspired from heaven is far greater, because here they pour into the soul the nourishment of delightful sweetness, and elsewhere they obtain the profit of eternal blessedness. Moreover, there are many things, and in my opinion innumerable things, in the Holy Scriptures by which divine condescension forms the minds of mortals for the practice of a good life: both commandments and examples. By the former we are taught how we must live; by the latter it is made clear how easy, with God’s help, the things commanded are to do. Nature has implanted in some people such a disposition that, although they know both are necessary, they are nevertheless more delighted by hearing examples than exhortations. And indeed they rise in reverence before the deeds of foreigners because of their holiness, but they are seized by a more eager sweetness if the life of some saint who was their own countryman is brought forward, in which, as in a mirror, so to speak, a living image of religion is made visible. For nearness adds something to a pleasing account, so that no one may despair that, by God’s grace, what he hears was done by another close at hand can also be done by himself. Therefore, as I judge, I have applied my pen to a work not to be despised, since by my labour I have committed to eternal memory the life of blessed Dunstan, first Abbot of Glastonbury and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and, at the wish of the brothers of Glastonbury, your sons, my lords and companions, I long ago completed two books on this subject with the whole truth of the matter intact. Yet, so that nothing may be lacking from the duty of my diligence, I shall in the opening of this book set out from the beginning the first establishment and progress of that same church of yours. Nor should this be thought very foreign to my purpose, since the honour of the church redounds to Dunstan, and the praise of Dunstan to the church. For the church cherished Dunstan in her maternal bosom until he became a man, and he added very great splendour to his mother. For this reason my mind grows somewhat in hope that perhaps the saint has brought about this writing, so that, by occasion of the foster-child, the dignity of the nurse may be set forth. Those little books, then, and also the life of blessed Patrick, the miracles of the venerable Benignus, and the passion of the martyr Indract, which I had fashioned with similar care, I long ago allowed to circulate in their hands, so that, if anything had been said contrary to reason, it might be corrected in due time. But they, weighing the writings for a long time with very careful judgement, freed me from every blemish of fault, granting nothing to offence on account of religion, and conceding nothing to favour. This little work, then, such as it is, I dedicate to be examined by your prudence, venerable lord and deservedly beloved father. The reason for my action is ready at hand: that your excellency may know who and what great men founded and advanced the church which now, under God and his saints, relies especially on your protection. You should also know that you have imitated, and I almost say surpassed, the deeds of the heroes of old before you had even heard their names. For, to set my foot more boldly against any detractor, should one perhaps exist, in what can the ancient possessors be preferred to you? In enlarging estates? But you both restore what was long ago driven out and, with skilful diligence, increase what is already possessed. In constructing buildings? Indeed, how far you excel all your predecessors in this matter will be shown better by the finger of one who marvels than by the title of one who praises. In preserving the peace of the inhabitants? But you cast down all robbers with the shield-boss of your name; by the brightness of your face you drive away the clouds of sadness; by the prudence of your speech you untangle the false claims of litigants. In the religious life of the monks? Although it has always flourished, yet by God’s favour it flourishes so greatly in your times that unhappy envy would blush to invent anything malicious about it. Added to this is their public love for your heart: you frighten them with no snarl, but receive them gladly when they come, treat them affably, and bid them farewell like a father when they depart. For indeed it is not said of us what is sung by the poet, not undeservedly, about certain powerful men: “He drives all the common people far away from himself, and reigns like a basilisk in empty sands.” All eloquence, then, falls short of your merit. Your praises rise so high that nothing stands above them. Since this is so, accept, I beg, the gift of my devotion and the pledge of my diligence, and act so that I may not lose the fruit of my labour. Be present, then, if it wholly pleases you, and attend while, through the sequence of successions, I shall try to rescue the antiquity of the church from uncertainties, so far as I have been able to scrape it together from the heap of your records.

Begins how the twelve disciples of the holy apostles Philip and James first founded the Church of Glastonbury #

¹ After the glory of the Lord’s Resurrection, the triumph of his Ascension, and the sending from above of the Spirit, the Paraclete, who filled the hearts of the disciples, still trembling with fear of temporal punishment, by granting them knowledge of all languages [Bible: Acts 2:1-4], all the believers were together with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, as Luke the Evangelist relates [Bible: Acts 1:14], and the word of God was being spread, and the number of believers was growing day by day [Bible: Acts 6:7; Acts 2:47], and they all had one heart and one soul [Bible: Acts 4:32]. Therefore the priests of the Jews, with the Pharisees and scribes, inflamed by the torches of envy, stirred up a persecution against the Church, killing the first martyr Stephen [Bible: Acts 7:58-60] and driving almost all the others far from their borders [Bible: Acts 8:1]. So, while this storm of persecution raged, the scattered believers sought the different kingdoms of the earth assigned to them by the Lord, offering the word of salvation to the nations [Bible: Acts 8:4]. Saint Philip, as Freculfus testifies in the second book, chapter unclear in the supplied text, went to the region of the Franks to preach, converted many to the faith, and baptised them. Wishing, therefore, that the word of Christ should be spread more widely, he chose twelve of his disciples to preach the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, and over each of them he most devoutly stretched out his right hand, and sent them into Britain to proclaim the word of life [Bible: Philippians 2:16; 1 John 1:1]. Over them, as they say, he set his very dear friend Joseph of Arimathea, who had also buried the Lord [Bible: Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:43-46; Luke 23:50-53; John 19:38-42]. Coming, then, into Britain in the year 63 from the Incarnation of the Lord, and in the fifteenth year from the Assumption of the Blessed Mary, they confidently preached the faith of Christ. But the barbarian king, hearing such new and unfamiliar things, together with his people, utterly refused to assent to their preaching, and would not change the traditions of his fathers. Yet because they had come from far away, and because the modesty of their life required it, at their request he granted them, as a dwelling-place, a certain island on the borders of his territory, surrounded by woods, brambles, and marshes, called Yniswitrin by the inhabitants. Afterwards, two other kings in succession, although pagans, having learnt of the holiness of their life, granted to each of them one portion of land, and confirmed it according to custom at their request. From this, the twelve hides are still believed to take their name through them. And so the same saints, while living in that same wilderness, were after a short time warned by a vision of the Archangel Gabriel to build a church in honour of the holy Mother of God and Virgin Mary, in the place shown to them from heaven. Obeying the divine commands without delay, they completed, according to what had been shown to them, a certain chapel, finishing the walls around the lower part with twisted rods, in the thirty-first year after the Passion of the Lord and the fifteenth year after the Assumption of the glorious Virgin; it was indeed of poor outward form, but adorned in many ways by the power of God. And since this was the first church in this region, the Son of God marked it with a higher dignity, namely by dedicating it himself in honour of his Mother. The twelve saints, therefore, so often mentioned, offering devoted service to God and the blessed Virgin in that same place, and giving themselves to vigils, fasts, and prayers, were refreshed in all their necessities by the help and vision of that same Virgin, as it is pious to believe. That this was so we know both from the charter of blessed Patrick and from the writings of the elders. One of these, a historian of the Britons, as we have seen at Saint Edmund’s and likewise at Saint Augustine’s, the Apostle of the English, began as follows: “On the border of western Britain there is a certain royal island, called by the ancient name Glastonbury, spread out over broad boundaries of land, surrounded by fish-filled waters and marshy rivers, suited to many uses of human need, and, what is greatest of all, dedicated to sacred gifts. There, indeed, the first English novices of the Catholic law found, at God’s direction, an ancient church, certainly built by no human beings, as they say, but prepared by God for human salvation; and afterwards the maker of the heavens himself showed, by many deeds of miracles and by many mysteries of powers, that he had consecrated it to himself and to holy Mary, the Mother of God.” But of these things later; now let us return to what we began. The saints already mentioned, living thus in that same wilderness, after many courses of years had flowed by, were released from the prison-house of the flesh. And that same place began to be the lair of wild beasts, which had previously been the dwelling of saints, until it pleased the blessed Virgin that her oratory should return to the memory of the faithful. How this came about we shall now set forth.

How Saints Phaganus and Devinianus converted the Britons to the faith and came to the island of Avalon #

¹ The annals of sound belief record that Lucius, king of the Britons, sent to Eleutherius, the thirteenth Pope after blessed Peter, asking him to illuminate the darkness of Britain with the light of Christian preaching. A king of noble spirit, he undertook an act deserving altogether great praise: that he of his own accord sought out the faith, scarcely yet heard of by him, which at that time almost all kings and peoples were persecuting when it was offered to them. To say something by way of comparison, Æthelberht, many years after Lucius king of Kent, will share in the praise of the same merit, since he did not drive away with a hostile answer the preachers sent to him from Rome, but received them with kindly hospitality. To his kindness was added a skilful graciousness of words, because, although he did not wish to give his own assent to their words, nevertheless, since they had come from far away to share with him what they believed to be best, it could seem absurd if he caused them any trouble. These men, then, are worthy of the fullest remembrance, of whom the one prudently invited Christianity, and the other willingly received it. Therefore, with Eleutherius sending them, two most holy men came as preachers to Britain, namely Phaganus and Deruvianus, as the charter of Saint Patrick and the deeds of the Britons testify. Preaching the word of life [Philippians 2:16; 1 John 1:1], they washed the king and his people in the sacred font in the year of the Lord 166. From there, travelling through the regions of Britain by preaching and baptising, they entered the island of Avalon, penetrating the inner parts of the wilderness after the manner of Moses the lawgiver [Exodus 3:1]. There, at God’s direction, they found an ancient church, built, as they say, by the hands of Christ’s disciples and prepared by God for human salvation; afterwards the maker of the heavens himself would show, by many deeds of miracles and by many mysteries of powers, that he had consecrated it to himself and to holy Mary, the Mother of God. One hundred and three years had passed from the coming of the disciples of Saint Philip into Britain to the coming of the saints just mentioned. Therefore the same saints Phaganus and Deruvianus, having found that oratory in this way, were filled with unspeakable joy. Remaining there for a long time in the praises of God, for nine years in fact, and also carefully examining the place, they found the figure of our redemption and other manifest signs, by which they clearly recognised that Christians had previously inhabited the place. Afterwards, discerning by a heavenly oracle that the Lord had chosen that place specially above the other places of Britain for the name of his glorious Mother to be invoked there, they also found the whole account in ancient writings: how, when the holy apostles had been scattered throughout the whole world, Saint Philip the Apostle came into France with a multitude of disciples and sent twelve of them into Britain to preach. These men, taught by angelic revelation, built the same chapel, which afterwards the Son of the Most High [Luke 1:32] dedicated in honour of his Mother; and to these twelve, three kings, although pagans, gave twelve portions of land for their support. In addition, they found the written deeds of those men, and for that reason they loved that place above all others. In memory of the first twelve, they also chose twelve from among their own companions and, with King Lucius’s consent, caused them to dwell on the same island. These later remained there in different places like anchorites, that is, in the very same places where the first twelve had originally dwelt. Yet they often came together every day in the ancient church, to perform the divine services more devoutly; and just as the three pagan kings had formerly granted the said island with its appurtenances to the first twelve disciples of Christ, so the same Phaganus and Deruvianus obtained from the same King Lucius the confirmation of that same island freely to these twelve companions and to others who would follow in time to come. Thus many, succeeding others, always nevertheless in the number twelve, remained on the same island through many courses of years, until the coming of Saint Patrick, the apostle of the Irish. To this church, found in this way, the holy new converts also added another oratory, made of stonework, which they dedicated to Christ and to the holy apostles Peter and Paul. By their labour, then, the ancient church of Saint Mary at Glastonbury was restored, as faithful antiquity has not kept silent through successive ages. There are also writings of no small credibility, found at Saint Edmund’s, stating that the hands of no other men made this most holy church of Glastonbury, but that the disciples of Christ themselves built it, when Saint Philip the Apostle sent them, as has already been said. Nor is this contrary to the truth, as was said above, because if Philip the Apostle preached to the Gauls, as Freculfus says in book two, chapter four, it can be believed that he also cast the seeds of his word across the ocean.

How a certain monk from Saint-Denis spoke about Glastonbury #

¹ To prove the antiquity of the church of which we have spoken above, let us digress a little. A certain monk of Glastonbury named Godfrey, from whose letter we have taken both this chapter and the one we shall add below, was staying at Saint-Denis in the district of Paris in the time of this Abbot of Glastonbury, Bleensis. An elderly monk asked him of what race he was and from what home. He replied, “A Norman, a monk of the monastery in Britain which is called Glastingeta.” “Good heavens,” he said, “does that ancient church of the perpetual Virgin and Mother of Mercy still stand?” “It stands,” he said. Then the other, gently stroking the head of Godfrey of Glastonbury with a pleasing touch, held him for a long time suspended in silence, and at last opened his mouth: “This church of the most glorious martyr, and that church of which you speak, possess the same dignity of privilege: this one in Gaul, that one in Britain, both arising at one and the same time, and both consecrated by the highest and great pontiff. Yet in one degree that church surpasses this one, for it is called the second Rome.” And while Godfrey was hanging on the man’s words, the monk to whom the duty of receiving the brothers had been entrusted separated them from one another against their will, never to see each other again. But enough of this for now.

How a multitude of people first inhabited Glastonbury #

¹ Having described the foundation, dedication, and later discovery of this oratory, it remains to add how this island came to be inhabited by a multitude. It is read in the ancient deeds of the Britons that twelve brothers came westward from the northern part of Britain and held many regions: Venedocia, Demetia, Buthir, and Kedweli, which their great-grandfather Cuneda had held. The names of those brothers are written below: Ludnertb, Morgen, Catgur, Cathmor, Merguid, Morvined, Morehel, Morcant, Boten, Morgen, Mortineil, and Glasteing. This is that Glasteing who, through the inland parts of the English, near the vill which is called Escebtiorne, followed his sow as far as Wells, and from Wells, by a trackless and watery way which is called Sugewege, that is, “the sow’s way”, followed his piglets and found her suckling beside the church of which we are speaking, under an apple tree. From this it has come down even to our time that the apples of that tree are called Ealdcyrcenes epple, that is, “the apples of the old church”. The sow, too, was for this reason called caldecyre suge; and whereas other sows have four feet, wonderful to say, this one had eight. Therefore this Glasteing, after he had entered that island seen it abounding in many kinds of good things, came to live there with all his household, and there he completed the course of his life. From his offspring and the household succeeding him, that place is said first to have been populated. These things are from the ancient books of the Britons.

Concerning the different names of the same island #

¹ This island, then, was first called Yniswytrin by the Britons; afterwards, when the English had subdued the land for themselves, the earlier name was translated and it was called in their language Glastynbiry, or else from Glasteing, of whom we have already spoken. It is also famously named the island of Avalon, and this was the origin of that name. It was said above that Glasteing found his sow under a fruit-bearing tree beside the ancient church; and because, when he first arrived, he found apples there, which were very rare in those parts, he named the island in his own language Avallonia, that is, “the island of apples”. For avalla in British is translated into Latin as “apples”. Or else it takes its name from a certain Avalloc, who is said to have lived there with his daughters because of the secluded nature of the place.

With what great devotion various saints came there #

¹ The church of which we are speaking, which because of its antiquity is famously called “the Old Church” by the English, was at first made of wattle; yet from the very beginning it breathed out and spread through the whole country something of divine holiness. Although outwardly poor in form, it was held in great reverence: hence the waves of peoples flowing there along every path; hence the gatherings of the wealthy, after laying aside their pomp; hence the frequent extended stays of religious and learned men.

Concerning Saint Gildas #

¹ For, as we have received from our elders, Gildas, a historian neither foolish nor lacking in wit, to whom the Britons owe whatever knowledge they have among the other nations, spent many years there, captivated by the holiness of the place. And there, in the year of the Lord 512, he was taken from this life and was buried in the Old Church before the altar.

Concerning Saint Patrick #

¹ At about that time, though somewhat earlier, when the English were troubling the peace of the Britons and the Pelagians were attacking their faith, Saint Germanus of Auxerre, as is read elsewhere, brought help against both. The former he routed with the chant of Alleluia, and the latter he struck down with the thunderings of the Gospels and the apostles. Then, intending to return to his own country, he took Patrick into familiar companionship, and after some years, at the command of Pope Celestine, sent him as a preacher to the Irish. Patrick vigorously carried out the task entrusted to him, and, returning to Britain in his last days, rejecting his former high estate and the greetings of the marketplace, came ashore in Cornwall upon his altar, which even to this day is held in great veneration among the inhabitants, both because of its holiness and usefulness, and because of the healing of the sick. From there he came to Glastonbury, where he found twelve brothers living as anchorites; gathering them together, and taking up the office of abbot, he taught them to live the communal life, as the following writing, which he himself composed in his own time, declares more plainly.

The charter of Saint Patrick the Bishop #

¹ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I, Patrick, humble little servant of God, sent as legate into Ireland by the most holy Pope Celestine in the year 430 of that same Lord’s Incarnation, by God’s grace converted the Irish to the way of truth [John 14:6]; and when I had strengthened them in the Catholic faith, I at last returned to Britain and, as I believe, under the guidance of God, who is the life and the way [John 14:6], I came upon the island of Iniswytrin, where I found a holy and ancient place, chosen and sanctified by God in honour of the undefiled Virgin Mary, Mother of God. There I found certain brothers, instructed in the rudiments of the Catholic faith and of devout life, who had succeeded the disciples of Saints Phaganus and Deruvianus. Their names, in accordance with the merits of their life, I truly believe to be written in heaven [Luke 10:20], and, because the righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance [Psalm 111:7 Vulgate; Psalm 112:6], since I had come to love those brothers dearly, I wished to set down their names in my writing. They are Brumbam, Hyregaam, Brenwal, Wencreth, Bantcommeweng, Adelwared, Loyor, Wellias, Breden, Swelwes, Hinloernius, and another Hin. Since these men had been born of noble lineage and wished to adorn their nobility with works of faith, they chose to lead the eremitical life; and because I found them humble and quiet, I chose rather to be cast down with them than to dwell in royal courts [Psalm 83:11 Vulgate; Psalm 84:10]. But because the heart and soul of all of us were one [Acts 4:32], we chose all to live together, to eat and drink together, and likewise to sleep in the same house; and so, though I was unwilling, they brought me to be over them, for I was not worthy to loose the straps of their sandals [Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16; John 1:27]. And when we were thus leading the monastic life according to the rule of approved fathers, the same brothers showed me the writings of Saints Phaganus and Deruvianus, in which it was contained that the twelve disciples of Saints Philip and James had built that same Old Church in honour of our same advocate, through the instruction of the blessed Archangel Gabriel. In addition, they showed that the Lord had dedicated that same church from heaven in honour of his Mother, and that three pagan kings had given to those twelve men twelve portions of land for their support. I also found in more recent writings that Saints Phaganus and Deruvianus had obtained from Pope Eleutherius, who had sent them, ten years of indulgence; and I, brother Patrick, obtained twelve years in my own time from Pope Celestine of pious memory. After a long time, taking with me my fellow-brother Wellias, we climbed with great difficulty through the density of the wood to the summit of the hill which rises on that same island. When we had reached it, an old and almost ruined oratory opened before us, yet one fit for Christian devotion and, as it seemed to me, chosen by God. When we entered it, we were filled with such sweetness of fragrance that we believed ourselves to have been placed in the pleasantness of paradise. Going out, therefore, and entering again, and examining the place more carefully, we found a single volume in which were written the Acts of the Apostles, together with the acts and deeds of Saints Phaganus and Deruvianus, for the most part consumed. Yet at the end of that volume we found a writing which said that the same Saints Phaganus and Deruvianus, through the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, had built that same oratory in honour of Saint Michael the Archangel, so that he might have honour there from human beings, who, at God’s command, is to lead human beings into everlasting honours. And since that writing delighted us, we tried to read it to the end. For the same writing said that the venerable Phaganus and Deruvianus stayed there for nine years, and that they had also obtained thirty years of indulgence for all Christians visiting that place with devout will in honour of blessed Michael. Having found, therefore, so great a treasure of divine goodness, I and brother Wellias fasted for three months, giving ourselves to prayers and vigils, and commanding demons and beasts which appeared in many forms. One night, when I had given myself to sleep, the Lord Jesus appeared to me in a vision, saying: “Patrick, my servant, know that I have chosen this place for the honour of my name, and so that the help of my Archangel Michael may honourably be invoked here. And this will be a sign to you and to your brothers, so that they too may believe: your left arm will wither until you have announced to your brothers, who are in the lower cell, the things you have seen, and have returned here again.” And so it happened. From that day we established that two brothers should be there for ever, unless future pastors should decree otherwise for a just cause. To Arnulf and Ogmar, Irish brothers who had come with me from Ireland, because at my exhortation they had humbly begun to remain at the said oratory, I entrusted the present page, keeping another like it in the chest of Saint Mary as a memorial for posterity. And I, Patrick, by the counsel of my brothers, grant one hundred days of pardon to all who, with devout intention, cut down the wood on every side of the same hill with axe and hatchet, so that an easier approach may be prepared for Christians who will devoutly visit the church of the blessed and perpetual Virgin and the same oratory. That these things are truly so, we have proved by the testimony of a most ancient writing of similar form, together with the reports of the elders. Therefore this saint mentioned above, who was both the apostle of the Irish and the first abbot on the island of Avalon, after he had suitably instructed the same brothers in regular discipline, and had fittingly enriched that place with lands and possessions from the gift of kings and other princes, after some years had passed, yielded to nature, and deserved burial in the Old Church on the right side of the altar, an angel showing the place, and a great flame bursting forth from that same spot in the sight of all who were present.

Concerning the death of Saint Patrick #

¹ Patrick therefore departed this life in the 111th year of his age, and in the year 472 of the Incarnation of the Lord, which was the forty-seventh year from the time when he was sent into Ireland. For he came into the light in the year of the Lord 361, and in the year of the Lord 425 he was sent into Ireland by Pope Celestine; this was the sixty-fourth year of his age. And in the year of the Lord 433 he converted the Irish to the faith of Christ. Afterwards, having returned to Britain, he remained for thirty-nine years in the island of Avalon in most excellent conduct of life. He rested in the Old Church, on the right-hand side of the altar, through the course of many years, namely seven hundred and ten years, until the burning of that same church. His body was placed in a stone pyramid beside the altar, towards the south, which, out of reverence for the same saint, the diligence of the household later nobly covered with gold and silver.

A vision concerning Saint Patrick #

¹ Long after the death of blessed Patrick, when the question often arose whether he had been a monk and abbot there, a vision of a certain brother removed every doubt. After the death of the blessed man, when memory wavered as to whether he had been a monk and abbot there, and when frequent questioning turned upon this matter, that brother was confirmed by the following oracle. Falling asleep, he seemed to hear someone reading, after many of Patrick’s miracles, these words: “He, therefore, was adorned with the holiness of the metropolitan pallium. Afterwards, however, he was made monk and abbot here.” The voice also added, as if to one not fully believing, by showing him written in golden letters what it had said.

Concerning Saint Indract and Saint Brigid #

¹ From this arose the ingrained custom among the Irish of frequently visiting the place to kiss the relics of their patron. Hence there is a very well-known report that Saint Indract and blessed Brigid, no obscure inhabitants of that land, once came there. Brigid, who had come there in the year of the Lord 488, after making a short stay on the island called Beokery, returned home, leaving there certain of her tokens, namely her bag, necklace, little bell, and weaving implements, which are preserved there in her memory. Indract, however, was martyred there with his companions and buried there, as our pen has not elsewhere passed over in silence. Afterwards, he was translated by King Ine from the place of his martyrdom into the church of Glastonbury.

Concerning Saint Benignus #

¹ In the year of the Lord 460, Saint Benignus came to Glastonbury. He was a disciple of Saint Patrick and his third successor in the episcopate in Ireland, as their deeds testify. Therefore, at the warning of an angel, leaving behind by vow his homeland the dignity of his bishopric, and undertaking a voluntary pilgrimage, he came to Glastonbury under God’s guidance, where he also found Saint Patrick. How great his grace was before God is clear from many signs of miracles. His tokens at Fernigemere also testify to this: a very abundant supply of water granted through his prayers, and, from his dry staff, a great tree, green and leafy. And so, after immense struggles, he rested with a blessed end on the said island; and after the courses of many years, that is, in the year of the Lord 901, he was honourably translated to Glastonbury.

Concerning Saint Columkille #

¹ In the year of the Lord 504, Saint Columkille came to Glastonbury. Some affirm that this saint completed the course of his life there, but whether this was so, or whether he returned from there to his own country, I do not determine.

Concerning Saint David the Archbishop #

¹ How highly that great David, Archbishop of Menevia, valued this place is now too well known to need illustration by any account of ours. He confirmed the antiquity and holiness of the church by a divine oracle. For, intending to dedicate it, he came to the place with seven bishops, of whom he was the chief. When everything required by the practice of the office had been prepared, on the night before what he thought would be the feast, he gave himself to sleep. With all his senses dissolved into rest, he saw the Lord Jesus standing beside him and kindly asking the reason for his coming. When David had explained it without hesitation, the Lord recalled him from his intention with these words: that the church had long ago been dedicated by himself in honour of his Mother, and that the sacrament ought not to be rashly violated by human repetition. At the same time as he spoke, he seemed to pierce David’s palm with his finger, and added that he should have this as a sign that what he himself had anticipated in doing ought not to be repeated. But because David’s intention had been not so much boldness as devotion, the punishment would not be prolonged. Indeed, on the coming morning, when David was about to say in the Mass “through him, and with him, and in him”, the full strength of health would be restored to him. Shaken from sleep by these terrors, the bishop, just as he then grew pale with an ulcerous discharge, afterwards gave assent to the truth of divine wisdom. But so that he should not seem to have done nothing, he quickly had another church built and dedicated.

Concerning the relics of Saint David #

¹ This saint, worthy of God, departed this life in the year of the Lord 546. Some indeed affirm that relics of this holy and incomparable man were placed with blessed Patrick in the Old Church, and the Welsh, by frequent prayer and by repeated report, assert and confirm this beyond doubt. They bring forward as evidence that Bernard, Bishop of Rhosina Vallis, once and then again sought the relics of the same saint there, and did not find them, though many objected. But how the said relics were translated from Rhosina Vallis to Glastonbury we shall add below. A certain matron named Ælfwitha, in the time of King Edgar, obtained the same relics through a certain kinsman of hers, who at that time was bishop at Rhosina Vallis, when that whole land had been so devastated that scarcely any man could be found there, except a few women, and even they only in scattered places; and she bestowed them on Glastonbury.

Concerning the relics translated from Wales to Glastonbury #

¹ The religious Welshmen of that land are witnesses that, at that time, when they were on their way to Rome, they brought with them to Glastonbury very many bodies of saints and relics, and, as they continued their journey, left them there. This translation took place 420 years after the death of the same saint, in the year 966 of the Lord’s Incarnation.

Concerning the holiness and dignity of the Church of Glastonbury #

¹ The Church of Glastonbury is therefore, of all those that I know, the most ancient; and there, besides blessed Patrick and the others of whom I have spoken above, the bodily remains of many saints are preserved. Nor is any part of the sanctuary empty of the ashes of the blessed: so densely are the stone-paved floor, the sides of the altar, and the altar itself, above and below, piled with relics. Rightly, then, is it called a heavenly sanctuary on earth, a repository of so many saints. How happy, good God, are its inhabitants, whom the very reverence of the place invites to the ordering of their conduct. I would believe that none of them is lost to heaven, since, when they have departed from their bodies, the praise or intercession of so many patrons receives them. There too one may notice in the pavement stones deliberately placed in relation to each other, either in triangles or in squares, and sealed with lead; and if I believe that certain sacred mysteries are contained beneath them, I do no injury to religion. Antiquity and the gathering of saints have stirred up such reverence for the place that scarcely anyone presumes to keep watch there by night, and scarcely anyone by day dares to spit out rising phlegm without shuddering through his whole body, conscious of the disgrace of such irreverence. No one has brought a hunting bird or driven four-footed beasts into the adjoining cemetery and gone away unharmed, either in himself or in his property. Of all those whom present memory includes who have been tested by iron or water, if they had first offered prayer there, all but one rejoiced in their safety. If anyone nearby thought to place some building there which, by its shadow, would begrudge light to the church, it lay open to ruin. And it is well established that no man of that province has any oath holier or more frequent than “by the Old Church”, and that they avoid nothing more, through fear of swift vengeance, than committing perjury by it. The truth of the statements we have set forth, which might otherwise waver, is supported by the testimony of very many most truthful men through the succession of years.

Concerning Saint Paulinus the Bishop #

¹ But to return to my subject: the birth of Saint Patrick, which took place in the year 361 of the Lord’s Incarnation, preceded the coming of blessed Augustine into Britain by 236 years. The tradition of the fathers asserts that Paulinus, his fellow-soldier in preaching, who from Archbishop of York became Bishop of Rochester, covered the fabric of the church, long before made of wattle as we have said, with wooden panelling, and covered it with lead from top to bottom. Clearly the diligence of this praiseworthy man ensured that nothing was taken away from its holiness, and that very much was added to its adornment. And indeed the more majestic furnishing of churches is accustomed to entice even rather dull minds to prayer, and to bend even the most stiff-necked obstinacy to supplication.

Concerning the translation of Indract and his companions #

¹ Some years having passed, through Ine, king of the West Saxons, who had received a divine vision, the bodies of the martyr Indract and his companions were translated from the place of their martyrdom and buried in the same church: Indract himself in a stone pyramid on the left side of the altar, and the others in the pavement, as either chance allowed or care arranged.

Concerning the relics translated from the land of the Northumbrians to Glastonbury #

¹ Again, much later, when the Danes were harassing Northumbria, Tica, abbot of that region, migrating from the north to the west under the protection of peace, came to Glastonbury and ruled that same church with the authority of an abbot in the year 754 of the Lord’s Incarnation. For many years the northern region lay open to the plunder of pirates, while the other parts of England meanwhile suspected nothing hostile. He brought with him rich pledges of his former dwelling-place, namely the relics of Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne; the bodies of the saints Ceolfrid, Benedict, Estrepin, Hetbert, Selgfrid, abbots of Wearmouth; of Bede the Priest; of Hebba, Bega, and Borsili; and also the body of Hilda, abbess of the monastery which was once called Streaneshalch and is now called Whitby. These relics, placed above the altar, added no small reverence to the place. The same Tica, when he had bidden farewell to life, received a notable burial in the right-hand corner of the greater church, beside the entrance to the Old Church. It is distinguished both by the mass of its structure and by the skill of its carving.

Concerning the various relics deposited at Glastonbury #

¹ And since the island of Glastonbury is distinguished by the ashes of many saints, besides those enumerated above, it is pleasing to record the names of a few out of many whose bodily remains, for the greater part, we do not doubt rest there. For to enumerate the particular relics of saints brought there by kings and magnates would be to stretch the work into an immense volume; and they are noted in the Gospel-books. Passing over, therefore, those already mentioned, namely the twelve disciples of Saint Philip, Phaganus and Deruvianus and their many disciples, Patrick, Indract, Benignus with his companions, Gildas the Wise, Saint David of Menevia, and the others whom the venerable Tica is said to have carried there, it should be known that Saint Paulinus, Archbishop of the Northumbrians, is truly said to rest there; also two Innocents translated there from Bethlehem by the pious King Edgar [Matthew 2:16-18]; Saint Dunstan, the magnificent father, whose translation from Canterbury to Glastonbury we shall add below; likewise Saint Idanus the Bishop, and Saint Ultan the Bishop, brother of blessed Fursey, whose wondrous deeds are read. There also are Saint Illtud, very famous among the Welsh, and Saint Besilius, martyred at a tender age; likewise relics of Saint Urban, pope and martyr, bones of Saint Anastasius the martyr, bones of Saint Caesarius the martyr, bones of Saint Benignus the martyr, and bones of Saint Melanius, bishop and martyr. There also rests Saint Ealhswith the queen, and Saint Celrytha the virgin, wholly entire in flesh and bone, as those who saw her testify, with her hair-shirt and sacred veil not decayed. There also are the bones of Saint Bathildis the queen, and the bones of Saint Mamilla the virgin; in addition, the bodies of Saints Ursula, Daria, Chrysanthus, Odilia, Mary, Martha, Lucy, Luceia, Walburga, Gertrude, and Cecilia. And besides the saints enumerated, there are in the same place innumerable relics of saints, from the gift of kings, princes, bishops, and other nobles, some of whose names are noted in the ancient books of the church. Many relics also from the land of the Northumbrians, at the time of the war brought upon them by the Danes, and moreover from Wales in the time of its persecution, were carried to Glastonbury as though to a repository of saints. And although among us there is not full knowledge of them, nevertheless they enjoy that knowledge more fully in divine knowledge and contemplation.

Concerning the translation of Saint Dunstan from Canterbury to Glastonbury #

¹ Now, since we have made mention of the other saints, we shall add the manner of the translation of Saint Dunstan. In the year 1012 from the Incarnation of the Lord, while the illustrious King Edmund, called Ironside in the native tongue, was reigning, the Danes came into the eastern parts of England brought all the borders of Kent under their power. By them many were deprived of their proper dignity, many were driven from their homeland, and many were slaughtered with a most cruel death. And so, as far as the city of London, sparing neither rank, age, nor sex, they destroyed divine and human things alike with murders, robberies, and burnings. Hence, to pass over the others in silence, the venerable Archbishop Ælfheah was driven from the seat of his own dignity; estates were laid waste, possessions were plundered, and who could recount the rest without tears? Alas for sorrow! Those most wicked men entered the metropolitan church of the English, rushing upon the religious servants of Christ, and, horrible to say, driving each one from the house of God and consuming everything with fire. It happened in those same times that the same King Edmund came to Glastonbury; and, staying there for some time, he related in order to Abbot Brithred and the brothers of that place the story of so great a captivity, mentioning to them that the church of Canterbury had been burnt and left utterly widowed of inhabitants and religion. Hearing this, the abbot and the whole congregation were so saddened as if a sword were passing through the souls of each one of them [Luke 2:35]. Among the other things they also recounted the surpassing virtues of their distinguished father Dunstan, who, while he lived, wonderfully distinguished Glastonbury with extensive possessions, gifts, magnificent liberties, and, what is of greater value, regular institutions. Thinking it contrary to religion to pass over these things in silence, they implored with abundant prayers the help and counsel of the king, that they might transfer the relics of the glorious man to religious places, where he had once been nourished with the milk of religion and had grown to such virtues that he could illumine by his teaching not only the flock of Glastonbury, but also the provinces of all England. Hearing this, the king, meeting their desires with devout affection, quickly decreed that what they had asked should be carried into effect. Without delay, the same abbot, now in possession of his wish, entrusted the duty of this mission to four of his fellow-soldiers in the following way: namely that, taking with them the help of companions, they should hasten to Canterbury and transfer the bones of the most holy Dunstan to Glastonbury. The sons received their father’s command most devoutly; and, having prepared what was necessary for so great a journey and received his blessing, they pursued with eager will the task entrusted to them, placing very great trust in the mercy of God and also in the help of the said saint. These same monks had long ago adhered to blessed Dunstan while he was living in the flesh, fulfilling the office of his chapel; and they had also committed his body to burial when his soul had been translated to the seats of rest. Afterwards they remained with his holy successor, namely Archbishop Ælfheah, until that man’s martyrdom. For it pleased the same bishops to have inseparable companions from the monastic community of Glastonbury, both because of the special affection with which they embraced their nurse, and especially so that, kindled by their familiar company as by an example, they should not deviate from the earlier life which they had been accustomed to live with them in the monastery. The names of those brothers were these: Sebircht, Ethelbuth, Bursius, and Adelword, surnamed Quadrans. Therefore the same brothers, coming to Canterbury, found the place stripped of every inhabitant, just as they had heard from the king. And immediately they went to the tomb of the most holy man, perfectly recognised by them, since they themselves had placed him in the mausoleum. When it had been opened, they found the bones of Saint Dunstan precious above gold and topaz, the flesh having dissolved over so long a span of time; and, having found them, they gathered them up with the reverence that was fitting, and not without tears. They also recognised the ring placed on the saint’s finger when he was given to burial, which he himself is said to have made at a more tender age. Therefore, having accomplished everything for which they had come, and offering immeasurable thanks to the prosperer of their journey, they returned to Glastonbury, carrying with them with joy the most precious relics. With what great gladness of all, especially of the monks, they were received on their return, the love of the reader may more fittingly consider than the ability of the writer can unfold. This translation took place in the year of the Lord 1012, namely the second year after the killing of Saint Ælfheah the Archbishop, and the twenty-third year after the falling asleep of Saint Dunstan.

How the relics of Saint Dunstan were hidden under the ground #

¹ When these things had thus been accomplished, the brothers, refreshed by the immeasurable benefits of God, devoted themselves to frequent discussions, considering how they might entrust the same treasure to safer keeping. Not without reason did they fear that, when the enemy’s fury had been calmed and the church of Canterbury restored to its former state, the archbishop, pre-eminent in authority and power, might reclaim for himself the relics that had been taken from him. And so, the more blessed they had been by acquiring them, the more wretched they would become by later losing them. At length, after sharing counsel, they decreed that two of the elder brothers, more faithful in the secrets committed to them, should hide the most holy bones in a more secret place, and should share the knowledge of so great a secret with no one as long as they lived. Yet, when they were labouring at the end of life, they were to point out the place to some more mature and wiser brother, who likewise, at the moment of death, would disclose the matter to someone, just as it had been disclosed to him. Thus, as time passed and because of various events, that place would remain unknown to all, with only one person aware of the truth, until it should please the Most High that the light should not lie hidden under a bushel, but, placed upon a lampstand, should shine for all those who were in the house of God [Matthew 5:15; Mark 4:21; Luke 11:33]. The counsel thus undertaken was carried into effect by the two brothers chosen for this purpose. They made a little wooden chest, quite suitably fashioned for this end, painted it inside, and on the right side of the little chest, with an inscription, and on the left also with an inscription, they wrote letters by which they wished to indicate the name of Saint Dunstan. Placing the same relics in the little chest, they hid them beneath a stone cut out for this purpose in the greater and Old Church, beside the holy water, on the right side of the monks’ entrance, while all the others were entirely ignorant of the place. There, therefore, they lay hidden for 172 years, entrusted successively, in the manner described above, to the knowledge of only one person.

How those same relics were found again #

¹ As time went on, while the same saint was still lying hidden in the underground place, there was a certain monk there named John Canan, mature in age, extremely keen in mind, and very well acquainted with the ancient statutes of the monastery. The not unfounded opinion of the brothers also testified that knowledge of this secret had been entrusted to him by successive transmission. A certain brother named John of Watelege had been assigned to his care, young both in age and in religious life; and because of the promise of his good character, the elder embraced him with very great affection of mind. Encouraged by his companions, this young man urged his master, although he resisted for a long time, with abundant entreaties and with flatteries interspersed among them, to show him the place that knew of so great a treasure. At last, softened by the repeated coaxing of his prayers, on a certain day, when the boy was asking as usual, the elder loosened his tongue in these words: “My most beloved son, you will not enter the church to sprinkle yourself with holy water without touching with your clothes the stone beneath which the things you seek are hidden. But press me no further about these matters; rather, keep what you have heard in a silent and discerning mind.” The boy by no means drew a veil of forgetfulness over these words, and the elder, after completing his days, went to his fate. After his death, the things that had been said by him in darkness were proclaimed on the rooftops [Matthew 10:27; Luke 12:3], and came into common knowledge. Yet since everyone was wavering because of the ambiguity of the saying, and growing cold through excessive sluggishness, no one put his hand to the test by which he might untie the knot of such great uncertainty. After a short space of time, a fire attacked the monastery of Glastonbury, and consumed not only the church and the other buildings, but also its ornaments, treasures, and, what is more important, a great part of the relics. But it is not our task here to describe the grief caused by such a fire, since our intention is not concerned with that. The monks, however, seeking consolation for their sorrow, gathered together the few things that the flame had left, especially among the relics. At last, anxious about Saint Dunstan, they brought back to memory and set before the community those things which John Canan, and afterwards John of Watelege, had said about him, as we have noted above. Therefore, after a few days had passed, two brothers more spirited than the rest in this matter, namely Richard of Canton and Ralph Foc, went with equal zeal to the place long before indicated by John. Examining it more carefully, they found the stone just as they had long ago heard. Rolling it back, they saw beneath it a little wooden chest, strengthened on every side with iron fittings. So, having summoned the prior and the whole community, they opened the case and found the most sacred bones of blessed Dunstan, together with his ring upon one of the bones of his finger. And, to untie every knot of doubt, they saw painting inside: an S with a mark on the right side of the little chest, and a D with a mark on the left, expressing the name of Saint Dunstan who had been placed there. Therefore, the truth of John Canan’s account having been clearly proved, the monks, refreshed after their earlier misery by the finding of the most desired relics, received them joyfully and placed them in a shrine suitably covered with gold and silver, with the reverence and devotion that were fitting, joining to them the shoulder and arm of Saint Oswald, king and martyr. Let the Church of Glastonbury rejoice, then, fortified by the presence of so great a patron; through his intercessions and merits, God does not cease to work his mighty deeds there, very often restoring life to the dead and health of every kind to the sick, and frequently also coming to the aid of brute animals in many dangers.

Concerning the venerable cross which once spoke #

¹ In the Church of Glastonbury there is a certain cross, deservedly venerable, covered with gold and silver, which once spoke. Or, more truly, the Holy Spirit spoke in it with a certain monk of that place named Aylsi, in this way. When that same monk, as he passed by that cross, just as by the altars, did not at all bow himself with the reverence due according to regular discipline, at last on one occasion, as he was passing by it, he bowed. The cross, therefore, breaking out into a voice as though formed by proper organs of speech, said: “You bow too late, Aylsi; you bow too late, Aylsi.” Struck by the divine voice, he immediately fell down and breathed his last.

Concerning another cross from which a diadem fell #

¹ There is also in the same place another very ancient cross, which once used to stand in the refectory. They say of it that, on a certain day, when King Edgar and Archbishop Dunstan were sitting at table in the refectory, thoughts contrary to the divine will arose in the king’s heart. Wonderful to say, the image of the Lord fixed to the wood of the cross shook itself with its whole body, so that by the force of the movement its diadem fell between the king and the archbishop. The king’s confession made clear what this portended. For when the king was asked by Saint Dunstan what he was then thinking, or what he was planning to do, he confessed the things he had thought at that very hour: that, once the monks had been transferred to another place, he would gather nuns there. Therefore, having been reverently rebuked by the archbishop, who said that this was contrary to the divine will, the king brought such a plan to nothing.

Concerning the wounded cross #

¹ There is in the same place a third cross, smaller than the others, yet more famous among the people, covered from ancient times with gold and silver. From this cross, once, after it had been struck by an arrow, very much blood flowed forth by divine power. How this happened another writing will not pass over in silence.

Concerning a certain image of blessed Mary #

¹ There is also there an image of blessed Mary. When a great fire once surrounded the coverings and consumed all the ornaments of the altar, it did not touch the image itself, nor even the veil hanging from its head. Yet on its face, because of the vapour of the fire, blisters rising as though on a living human being bore witness to divine power, and for a long time were visible to those who looked upon it.

Concerning the altar of Saint David, which is commonly called the Sapphire #

¹ It is read in the life of Saint David, Archbishop of Menevia, that when the same saint was serving many brothers in the office of abbot in the monastery at Rhosina Vallis which he himself had built, one night an angel stood by him, saying: “Tomorrow, gird yourself and put on your shoes, and go as far as Jerusalem. But you will also have two men familiar to you and known for their uprightness, namely Eliud and Paternus, as companions on this journey; they will come tomorrow to the meeting-place which I now show you.” The saint, without delay, having arranged the business of his cell and received the blessing of the brothers, set out early in the morning and came to the meeting-place, where he found the promised brothers. Therefore they entered upon the road together, not surrounded by the pomp of attendants, but rich in unity of spirit, each as lord, each as servant. When they came into foreign provinces, Saint David was so endowed with the grace of languages that they did not need an interpreter among the barbarians. At last, when they were approaching the desired place, on the night before their arrival an angel appeared to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, saying: “Three Catholic men are coming from the furthest parts of the west; receive them with joy and the grace of hospitality, and consecrate them for me as bishops.” The Patriarch, having received the divine vision, joyfully carried out the command when the saints arrived. After they had been consecrated, the Patriarch said: “The power of the Jews is growing strong against the Christians, and by stirring us up they drive back the faith. Therefore, I ask you, go forth to preach each day, so that, when their violence has been confuted, it may cease, recognising that the Christian faith has been spread abroad to the western borders and sung out at the furthest ends of the earth.” They obeyed the command, applying themselves to preaching; and, their preaching having been accepted, they converted unbelievers, strengthened the sick, and, when everything had been completed, prepared to return to their own country. Then the Patriarch enriched the venerable father Dewi with four gifts: a consecrated altar on which he consecrated the Lord’s body, and which was also powerful in innumerable miracles; also a notable bell, a staff, and a tunic woven from gold, all of which are proclaimed as shining with glorious miracles. “But,” said the Patriarch, “because these things would be burdensome to us as travellers, when you have reached your own homes I shall send them on to you.” Therefore, having said farewell to the Patriarch, they at last came to their own places, the holy men awaiting the promise. At length they received the gifts sent to them by angels: Dewi in the monastery which is called Langemelech, and Paternus and Eliud in their own monasteries. Hence the common people call them things that came from heaven. Saint David, however, since he longed for so precious a treasure to be guarded after him, while he was still alive entrusted that same stone to the Church of Glastonbury as being most worthy to possess it. For, because of the venerable antiquity of the place, and especially because of Saint Patrick and the relics of other saints hidden there, he embraced it with wondrous affection, as is clear to those who read his deeds from many proofs. The same altar is still shown in the Church of Glastonbury in memory of the said saint, preserved not by human effort but by divine providence; for amid innumerable upheavals of affairs, amid changes of kings and kingdoms, amid the gravest storms of wars, when almost all other things had been taken away, that providence continually drew back the greedy hands of enemies from stealing it. The small case in which blessed David received that same stone is still preserved with fitting honour in his episcopal see. And when the often-mentioned stone had once, through fear of war, lain hidden for a long time, with everyone ignorant of the place, Henry, Bishop of Winchester and Abbot of Glastonbury, of pious memory, found it in a certain doorway of the church of blessed Mary, and magnificently adorned it with gold, silver, and precious stones, as it still appears.

Concerning the nobles buried at Glastonbury #

¹ How venerable the Church of Glastonbury was also to the chief men of the country, and how desirable as a place of burial, so that there above all, under the protection of the Mother of God, they might await the day of resurrection, is shown by many indications; but, to avoid weariness, I refrain from them. I pass over Arthur, the famous king of the Britons, buried with his wife in the monks’ cemetery between the two pyramids, and many princes of the Britons as well. I also pass over Kenwin, placed in one pyramid. In addition, there are the tombs of kings: of Edmund the Elder, in the tower on the right; of Edmund the Younger, before the great altar; and of Edgar, formerly in the chapter house before the entrance of the church, now in the shrine which also boasts of the martyr Vincent. Concerning these, if the place gives opportunity, posterity will maintain that I did not undertake these matters in vain. I am also silent about the tombs of the bishops Brithwi and Brithwold, which richly adorn the northern portico at Saint John the Baptist; and also of the bishops Living and Seifrid; and of the ealdormen Alfar, Æthelstan, Æthelwine, and Delnot. Each of these ealdormen gave to Glastonbury one hundred pounds’ worth of land, together with many other goods.

Concerning the two pyramids #

¹ I would gladly proclaim what is hidden from almost everyone, if I could dig out the truth: what those pyramids mean, which, placed some feet away from the Old Church, stand before the monks’ cemetery. The taller one, which is nearer the church, has five tiers and a height of twenty-six feet. Although, because of its very great antiquity, it threatens ruin, it nevertheless has certain sights of antiquity which can plainly be read, though they cannot be fully understood. On the upper tier there is an image made in episcopal form. On the second there is an image displaying royal pomp, and the letters Her, Sexi, and Blisyer. On the third, likewise, are the names Wemereft, Bantomp, and Pinepegn. On the fourth are Hats, Pulfred, and Eanfled. On the fifth, which is the lowest, there is an image and this inscription: Logpor, Pellicas, and Bregden, Spelpes, Hyin, Gendes, Bern. The other pyramid is eighteen feet high and has four tiers, on which these are read: Hedde the Bishop, and Bregored, and Beorward. What these things mean I do not rashly determine, but from conjecture I gather that the bones of those whose names are read on the outside are contained within, in hollowed stones. Certainly Logpor is confidently said to be the man from whose name Logperesbeorh was called, which is now called the sharp hill. Bregden is the one from whom Brentacnolle was named, which is now called Brentamerse. Beorwald, likewise, was abbot after Hemgisel. Concerning these, and the others who may occur, from this point onward the discourse will range over a freer field. Now, indeed, the narrative will strive to explain the succession of abbots, and what was assigned by which king for the use of the monastery.

Concerning the kings, abbots, and other founders of the Church of Glastonbury set out in order #

¹ First it must be remembered that when the twelve disciples of Saints Philip and James came into Britain in the year 63 of the Lord’s Incarnation, three kings, although pagans, granted them twelve portions of land; from this the name of the Twelve Hides has continued even to the present. Then Saints Phaganus and Deruvianus, coming into Britain and illuminating it by the grace of faith, obtained from King Lucius, who had been reborn in Christ through them, the confirmation of the island of Avalon with its appurtenances, for the twelve brothers established there, and for others to be established after them. After a long time blessed Patrick succeeded them; finding there still twelve brothers living as it were an eremitical life, he instructed them in the communal life and enriched the place with many possessions, though these are unknown to us, as it is right to believe. Saint Benignus succeeded him; and who he was, and how he was called in the native tongue, is not inelegantly expressed by the verses written on the epitaph of his tomb at Ferremere.

² In this stone are placed the bones of father Beonna,
who had been father of the monks here in ancient time.
The Irish say that he was perhaps once Patrick’s servant,
and from his name they call him Beonna.

³ Many abbots of the British nation succeeded there, but antiquity, drawing over them the cloud of forgetfulness, has erased their names, deeds, and memory. Yet the remains of those men resting there show that this church was held in the greatest veneration among the magnates of the Britons. The memory-preserving painting of past things reveals the names of only three of these abbots: Worgret, Lademund, and Bregored. But concerning these, more later.

Concerning the illustrious Arthur #

¹ It is read in the deeds of the most illustrious King Arthur that, when at a certain feast of the Lord’s Nativity at Karlium he had adorned with the insignia of knighthood a most vigorous young man, namely the son of King Nuth, called Ider, and had led him, by way of testing him, to the Mount of Frogs, now called Brentenol, where he had learnt that there were three giants most notorious for their evil deeds, to fight against them, that same novice went ahead, while Arthur and his companions did not know it, bravely attacked the said giants, and slaughtered them in a wondrous massacre. When they had been killed, Arthur arrived and found the said Ider failing from excessive toil, wholly unable to control himself, and collapsed in a trance; and, thinking him dead, he lamented over him with his men. Returning therefore to his own people with unspeakable sorrow, he left there the body which he believed to be lifeless, until he had sent a vehicle there to bring it back. Considering himself also the cause of his death, because he had come too late to help him, when he at last came to Glastonbury he established there eighty monks for Ider’s soul, abundantly granting possessions and territories for their support, as well as gold and silver, chalices, and other ecclesiastical ornaments.

Concerning the land of Yniswitrin given to Glastonbury at the time when the English had been converted to the faith #

¹ In the year 601 of the Lord’s Incarnation, the king of Dumnonia granted to the Old Church, which is situated there, the land which is called Yniswitrin, at the request of Abbot Worgret, in five hides. “I, Mawron the Bishop, have written this charter. I, Worgret, abbot of the same place, have subscribed it.” The antiquity of the document does not allow us to know who this king was. Nevertheless, that he was British may be presumed from this: that he called Glastonbury Yniswitrin in his own language, for it is agreed among them that this is what it is called in British. Worgret the abbot, whose name has a flavour of British barbarism, was succeeded by Lademund, and Lademund by Bregored. The times of their rule are obscure, but their names and dignities are plainly visible in the greater church, as the painting beside the altar declares. Bregored was succeeded by Berthwald.

Concerning King Kenwalh and Abbot Berthwald #

¹ In the year 670 of the Lord’s Incarnation, Kenwald, also called Kenwalh, the seventh from Cerdic among the West Saxons, who believed in Christ through blessed Birinus, in the twenty-fourth year of his reign, gave Ferramere, two hides, to Abbot Berthwald, through the intervention of Archbishop Theodore. “I, Theodoretus, have subscribed.” The same king also gave Beokerie, Godenie, Martynesie, and Andreyesie. This Beorwald, after ten years had passed in the rule of Glastonbury, became Archbishop of Canterbury. But why he renounced the rule of Glastonbury, though the king and the bishop of that diocese resisted it, will be made plain in what follows.

Concerning King Kenwin, who endowed Glastonbury with liberty #

¹ Berthwald was succeeded by Hemgisel, who presided over Glastonbury for twenty-five years. To him, in the year 678 from the Incarnation of the Lord, King Kenwin granted six hides at Glastingai, free from all service; and because of his faithful conduct, and at the request of Bishop Hedde and the monks, he appointed him abbot there, on this condition, however: that the brothers of that place should have the right of choosing and appointing their ruler according to the Rule of Saint Benedict. “Munecatone; and beside the wood,” he says, “which is called Cantucdun, twenty-three hides; in Caric, twenty hides; and in Crucan, three hides, I have humbly granted, under the prompting of divine fear, for the support of the regular life in the monastery of Glastonbury,” and so on. The remains of this king rest in the monks’ cemetery, in a pyramid once nobly carved.

Concerning King Baldred, who gave Pennard Montagu #

¹ In the year 681 of the Lord’s Incarnation, King Baldred gave to Abbot Hemgisel, for the support of the honourable church of blessed Mary and blessed Patrick, which is situated at Glastonbury, one hide at Penward Penger, six hides at Logpores-Beorh, and the fishing-right in the Parrett, with the consent and permission of our bishop Hedde, and with Kenwin also consenting. And after a little: “I, Hedde the Bishop, have written this charter. I, Aldhelm the Abbot, have consented and subscribed.” In the same year, Bishop Hedde.

Concerning Leigh #

¹ With Kenwin and Baldred also consenting, he gave Lanctocacy, six hides, to Glastonbury. Cædwalla confirmed this donation and, although he was a pagan, made the sign of the cross with his own hand.

Concerning the glorious King Ine, who honoured Glastonbury in many ways, both in gifts and in privileges #

¹ Now, since the sequence of years has brought us to Ine, king of the West Saxons, it is pleasing to set out one by one the lands which that distinguished man, with devout generosity, bestowed on the Old Church at Glastonbury.

Concerning Brent, given by Ine #

¹ In the year 620 from the Incarnation of the Lord, Ine gave ten hides at Brent to Abbot Hemgisel. Abbot Berthwald had abandoned this land of his own accord, and without any violence from us and without expulsion, he left the place of his own monastery, and departed against the prohibition and will of our bishop. The same king granted a privilege to the same abbot in these words.

The small privilege of King Ine #

¹ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I, King Ine, by the decree and counsel of our bishop Aldhelm, and likewise at the suggestion of all the priests of God and the petition of the monks who live in the diocese of the West Saxons, bestow this generosity upon the monks who, in the church of blessed Mary, Mother of God, and of blessed Patrick, serve almighty God under Abbot Hemgisel in the ancient town which is called Glastingai; and I place this dignity of privilege upon the altar, so that, without the hindrance of secular affairs and without the tax of fiscal business, they may serve God alone with free minds, and may practise monastic discipline regularly, with Christ granting his assistance, and may deign to pour out prayers before the sight of the divine majesty for the condition and prosperity of our kingdom and for the forgiveness of the crimes we have committed.

² And below: “For the fuller testimony of firmness, we have caused princes and senators, judges and patricians to subscribe. This was publicly done and confirmed in the wooden basilica, in the year 704 from the Incarnation of the Lord. I, Aldhelm, have subscribed,” and so on.

³ This Hemgisel, having completed the thread of his fate, received the rest of his body in the Old Church.

Bouelt #

¹ Berwald succeeded him in the year 705 from the Incarnation of the Lord. Ine gave to Abbot Berwald twenty hides beside the Tamar, and twenty hides in the place which is called Bouelt.

Sovy #

¹ Soey, twelve hides. Corregs, six hides.

Efeford #

¹ Escford, half a hide with a fishery.

Dulting #

¹ Dulting, twenty hides. “I, Aldhelm, have written this document.”

Pitton #

¹ King Ine also gave Pilton, twenty hides, to the same abbot.

Cliwere #

¹ Bishop Wilfrid gave the island of Wethmor, seventy hides, which had been given to him by King Kenwin, and the vill of Cliwere, one hide.

Bledebit #

¹ Albert succeeded him in the year 712 of the Lord’s Incarnation. To him Forthere, Bishop and successor of Saint Aldhelm, gave Bledahit, one hide.

² Echtrid succeeded. To him, in the year 719 of the Lord’s Incarnation, Ine gave one hide with a fishery at Axe. To the same man, Abbot Bugu gave Ora, three hides. In addition, Ine founded the greater church of the apostles Peter and Paul; and because there were several basilicas there, it is pleasing to insert the truth concerning the position of the various churches of Glastonbury and their founders.

³ The first and oldest church, then, was made by the twelve disciples of the apostles Philip and James, as has been written above; this was situated on the western side of the others. The second was made by Saint David, Bishop of Menevia, on the eastern side of the older church, in honour of blessed Mary, when he had planned to dedicate the Old Church and was forbidden by the Lord, because he himself had dedicated it. The third was made by the twelve men who came from the northern part of Britain, namely Morgen, Catgur, Badmor, and the others mentioned above; and this likewise was situated on the eastern side of the Old Church. The fourth and greatest was built by King Ine, in honour of the Lord Saviour and of the apostles Peter and Paul, on the eastern side of the others, for the soul of his brother Mul, whom the men of Kent had burned within Canterbury; on the highest part of this church he had these verses inscribed.

⁴ Starry mountains, beautiful heights of Sion.
Two cedars from Lebanon, blooming with twin flowers.
Gate of the heavens, two lights of the wide world:
Paul thunders with his mouth, Peter flashes from the height.
Among the apostolic crowns with radiant light,
the one is higher than all in rank, the other more learned in teaching.
Through this one may human hearts be borne back, and through that one the stars.
Those whom the one teaches with his pen, the other receives in heaven.
This one opens the way of heaven by doctrine, the other by keys [Matthew 16:19].
Paul is the way to it; Peter is the faithful gate.
This one remains the firm rock [Matthew 16:18], the other is held to be the architect [1 Corinthians 3:10].
Upon these rises the temple in which the altar pleases God.
England, applaud willingly: Rome sends you greeting.
Apostolic splendour shines upon Glastonbury.
Against the face of the enemy two strongholds rise,
whom the city that is head of the world has as towers of faith.
Here pious King Ine, filled with noble love,
gave to his people good things that would not die.
Wholly clinging in affection to divine devotion,
he constantly enlarged the riches of the church.
Our Melchizedek, deservedly both king and priest [Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:1],
completed the work of true religion.
Ruling public laws and preserving lofty palaces,
he was the unique glory and standard of bishops.
Departing from here, he will live there in the honour of his merits;
here too he will be everlasting in the praise of his deeds.

Concerning the silver chapel which King Ine made there with its vessels #

¹ The same king also had a certain chapel constructed of gold and silver, with ornaments and vessels likewise of gold and silver, and placed it within the greater church. For the construction of the chapel he gave 2,640 pounds of silver; and the altar was made from 264 pounds of gold; the chalice with the paten from ten pounds of gold; the censer from eight pounds and twenty mancuses of gold; the candlesticks from twelve and a half pounds of silver; the covers of the Gospel-books from twenty pounds and sixty mancuses of gold; the water-vessels and other vessels of the altar from seventeen pounds of gold; the basins from eight pounds of gold; the vessel for holy water from twenty pounds of silver; the image of the Lord, of blessed Mary, and of the twelve apostles from 175 pounds of silver and thirty-eight pounds of gold; the altar-cloth and the priestly ornaments finely woven throughout with gold and precious stones. This treasure, therefore, the said king most devoutly bestowed on the monastery of Glastonbury out of love for the holy Mother of God and Virgin Mary. In addition, by royal writing he confirmed the lands, possessions, and liberties of the same church in these words.

The great privilege of King Ine #

¹ Help us, O God our Saviour [Psalm 79:9]. Whatever things are determined by sound counsel according to the decrees of the canons and ecclesiastical institutions, although speech alone without written text would suffice, nevertheless, because very often in our times the storms and tempests of secular affairs beat even against the doors of the Church, for this reason we have judged it worth the effort, as a precaution for the future, to attach to written pages the things that have been determined, lest in time to come they be handed over to oblivion and become unknown. Therefore I, Ine, relying on the royal dignity granted by the Lord, with the counsel of Queen Sexburga, and by the permission of Beorhtwald, bishop of the church of Canterbury, and of all his suffragans, and also at the urging of the under-kings Baldred and Æthelard, grant to the Old Church, which is in the place called Glastein — which the great priest and supreme pontiff made known long ago, by the ministry of angels, to have been sanctified by himself and for the perpetual Virgin Mary, to blessed David, with many and unheard-of miracles — from those things which I possess by paternal inheritance and hold as my own particular lordship, in continuous and suitable places, for the support of the regular life and for the use of the monks: Brent, ten hides; Sowy, twelve hides; Pilton, twenty hides; Dulting, ten hides; Bleden, one hide; together with all those things which my predecessors bestowed on the same church. Kenwalh, through the intervention of Saint Theodore the Archbishop, gave Ferlingruere, Beokerie, Godenie, and Martinesie.

² King Kenwin, who had been accustomed to call Glastonbury “the mother of saints”, established that it should be immune from all secular and ecclesiastical service, and granted this dignity of privilege: that the brothers of the same place should have the power of choosing and appointing for themselves a ruler according to the Rule of Saint Benedict. Bishop Hedde, with Cædwalla approving and confirming it with his own hand, although he was a pagan, gave Lantokay. Baldred gave Pennard, six hides. Æthelard gave Preld, sixty hides, with Ine approving and confirming it. I assent to their devotion and kindly petition, and I keep watch against the snares of malicious men and barking dogs by the protection of royal letters, so that the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the perpetual Virgin Mary, just as it is the first in the kingdom of Britain, and the fountain and origin of all religion, may also in that kingdom obtain the surpassing dignity of privilege; nor should she perform servile service on earth to any human being at all, she who rules in the heavens above the choirs of angels. Therefore, with the supreme pontiff Gregory giving his approval, and receiving the Mother of his Lord — and me, though unworthy, with her — into the bosom and protection of the Holy Roman Church, and with all the kings, archbishops, bishops, dukes, and abbots of Britain also consenting, I decree and confirm that all the lands, places, and possessions of blessed Mary of Glastonbury shall be quiet and free from all royal exactions and works which are customarily imposed, namely military service and the building of bridges or fortresses, and from all decrees and disturbances of archbishops and bishops, just as this is found to be established in the ancient charters of the same church, and is known to have been confirmed by my predecessors Kenwalh, Kenwin, Cædwalla, and Baldred; and that they shall remain unshaken and inviolate. And whatever cases arise concerning homicides, sacrileges, poisonings, thefts, robberies, the ordering and assessment of churches, the ordination of clerics, synodal assemblies, and all judicial examinations, let them be determined by the arrangement of the abbot and convent, without prejudice from any person. But I also command all the kings, archbishops, bishops, dukes, and princes of my kingdom, upon their honour and my love, and I command all ministers, both mine and theirs, upon the safety of their bodies, that none of them should dare to enter the island of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the perpetual Virgin Mary, Glastonbury, or the possessions of the same church, for the purpose of pleading, pursuing, seizing, commanding, forbidding, or doing anything which could be a scandal to those who serve God there. Moreover, by the intercession of almighty God, and of the perpetual Virgin Mary, and of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, I forbid with prohibition this thing: that in the Church of Glastonbury itself, or in the churches subject to it, namely Sowy, Brent, Merlinge, Sapewic, Stret, Shudecaleth, and Pilton, nor in their chapels, nor even in the islands, should any bishop, on any intervening pretext, presume to set up for himself an episcopal chair, or celebrate solemn masses, or consecrate altars, or dedicate churches, or perform ordinations, or arrange anything at all, unless he has been invited by the abbot or by the brothers. But if he has been invited to these things, let him usurp nothing for himself from the goods of the church, nor even from the offerings themselves. In two places, from the possessions of that same church, we assign to him two lodgings: one at Poetr, the other in the vill which is called Pilton, so that he may have somewhere to lodge when he comes, or to receive himself when coming from there. Nor indeed is it permitted for him to spend the night there with more than three or four clerics, unless he has been detained by the severity of the weather or by bodily illness, or has been asked by the abbot or by the brothers. Let the same bishop also see to this: that each year, with his clerics who are at Fontanetum, he shall acknowledge that same mother of his, namely the Church of Glastonbury, on the second day after the Ascension of the Lord, with a litany. But if, puffed up by pride, he delays this, and violates the things said and confirmed above, let him lose the lodgings assigned to him above. The abbot or monks may command from whomever they wish, provided that he celebrates the canonical Easter, ecclesiastical services in the Church of Glastonbury, or in the churches subject to it, or in their chapels. But whoever, from this time forward, at any time, on any pretext of whatever dignity, profession, or rank, attempts to overturn this testament of my munificence and generosity, or to bring it to nothing, let him know that he will perish with Judas the traitor [Matthew 26:14-16; Luke 22:3-6] in eternal confusion, in the devouring flames of unspeakable torments. This page of donation and privilege was written in the year 725 of the Lord’s Incarnation, in the fourth indiction, in the presence of King Ine, and Beorhtwald, bishop of Canterbury, and the venerable bishops Daniel and Forthere, and of others whose names are written below.

³ I, King Ine, by the subscription of my own hand, decree that this donation and liberty be made firm under the seal of the holy cross. + I, Queen Æthelburh, have consented. + I, King Baldred, have confirmed it. I, Æthelard, brother of the queen, have consented. + I, Beorhtwald, Archbishop of the Church of Canterbury, have strengthened the donation and liberty of King Ine under the seal of the holy cross, and very many other magnates also.

Concerning the end of King Ine #

¹ Thereafter the same King Ine sent letters, sealed with the royal seal, to the supreme pontiff, in which all the same matters were contained, together with a certain golden cup and other royal gifts, begging him to receive the Church of Glastonbury, with its appurtenances and liberties, into the protection of the Holy Roman Church, and to confirm it for ever by apostolic authority. In the same year in which that king went personally to Rome, he brought back to Glastonbury, on his return, a privilege strengthened with the apostolic seal. And afterwards he again went to Rome with Æthelburh his queen, namely at her prompting. There, lest he should make a display of his conversion, and so that he might please the eyes of God alone, he lived secretly into old age, covered in common clothing, and at last entered the way of all flesh, not without great miracles, as we have received.

Concerning Abbot Cengill #

¹ Cengill succeeded Abbot Æthfrid in the year 729 of the Lord’s Incarnation. Æthelard, successor of Ine, granted to the community which served almighty God in the monastery of Glastonbury under the religious Abbot Cengill, as a stable possession, sixty hides at Polonholt and ten at Torric. His wife Fredogyth also gave Brunantun, five hides.

The privilege of King Cuthred #

¹ In the year 744 of the Lord’s Incarnation, Cuthred, king of the West Saxons, gave a privilege of this kind to Glastonbury. “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I, Cuthred, king of the Saxons, decree that all the assistance of the earlier kings — Kentwine, Baldred, Cædwalla, Ine, Æthelard, and Æthelbald, king of the Mercians — in vills, settlements, fields, estates, and greater holdings, by which the ancient town of Glastonbury has been strengthened, shall endure. And so, by the subscription of my own hand by the sign of the cross, I confirm this gift with stable right, pleasing and valid, and decree that it shall endure as granted by the same kings, for as long as the turning of the heavens, by commanded order, shall revolve the lands and seas beneath the ether of the stars. But if anyone should be seen to break the testament of this my donation, or to take away a foot’s pace of Hengilling entrusted to us, or a fruitful piece of land beyond the fixed bounds, defined limits, or established borders, let him, more sharply punished, be plunged in the punishment of the infernal prison-house, and let him pay for the presumption of his violence for ever. Amen. I, Cuthred, king of the West Saxons, marking with my own hand the figure of the holy cross, confirm this, so that no one who knows himself to have been reborn in Christ may presume to change this donation. + I, Kerewald the Bishop, have subscribed and confirmed it. The sign of the hand of Cumbra of the same king, and of many other nobles.” The copy of this grant and privilege was proclaimed in the year 744 of the Lord’s Incarnation, in the same monastery, in the presence of King Cuthred, who, with the generosity of his own hand with vowed devotion, committed it to the sacred altar in the wooden and honourable basilica, where the brothers possess the sarcophagus of Hemgisel of blessed memory. I, Daniel, have subscribed.

Concerning Ure and Baltenesbeorge #

¹ In the following year, that is, in the year 745 of the Lord’s Incarnation, the same Cuthred gave to Abbot Cumbert one hide at Ure, and Lulla gave ten hides at Baltenesbeorge Scrobbamuth. In the next year, that is, in the year 746 of the Lord’s Incarnation: “I, Æthelbald, for the redemption of my soul, have granted to Tumbert, presiding in his ninth year, and to the community which serves the faithful God with obedience in the monastery of Glastonbury, for the price of 400 solidi, four hides in two places, Jetelig and Bradanlegh.”

Concerning Abbot Tica #

¹ In the year 754, Sigebert granted to Abbot Tica and to the monks living in the town of the Glastonians, for the price of fifty solidi of gold, twenty-two hides in Pololt. The same Tica also bought from the same king, at the royal price, namely fifty solidi of gold, the six hides which had remained in the western part of that place, so that it might be the eternal inheritance of the monastery of Glastonbury. Concerning this man, who also presided over Glastonbury for six years, I have already spoken above in anticipation: namely what relics he brought to the church, and where he received burial with his companions. This epitaph, which I did not neglect to read, bears witness:

² This tomb, fashioned with wondrous beauty, shines; beneath its upper carving it encloses Tica.

³ Concerning this tomb the following miracle is told through successive ages: when someone attempted to tear it down, he was immediately punished with blindness and recognised his fault; whether he deserved pardon, I do not know.

Concerning Abbot Guba under King Cynewulf #

¹ In the year 760, King Cynewulf gave to Abbot Guba, who also presided over Glastonbury for two years, five hides at Sudeton. Huneresburg is on the eastern bank of the Parrett; Æthelard, his minister, gave three hides in Cedern. Sulca, handmaid of Christ, gave eleven hides at Culum and two hides at Cumbæ.

² In the year 712, Cynewulf gave to Abbot Waldun five hides at Cunctum. This man presided over Glastonbury for thirty-two years.

³ In the year 724, Offa, king of the Mercians, gave to Abbot Beadewulf, for the support of the venerable church, ten hides in Espirht. This man presided for six years. Æthelmund, with the assent of King Offa, gave one hide at Huneswulle.

Concerning the liberty given to Kinelm in the Church of Glastonbury #

¹ In the year 726, Leo, the third pope of that name, was made pope. At that time Charlemagne was reigning in Francia; Brihtric was king of the West Saxons; and Kenwulf, after Ecgfrith, who had succeeded his father Offa for scarcely four months, was king of the Mercians in England. But concerning this pope and these kings, anyone who deigns to read may find more in the first book of the Deeds of the Kings of the English. For now it is enough to have touched on their names, since this has much bearing on the matter which we are attempting to explain. Pope Leo confirmed to Kinelm the liberty of the donation of the monastery of Glastonbury, consisting of eight hundred hides, to him and his successors for ever, yet in such a way that the monastery should persevere in its religion and stability for all ages. This liberty was given to Kinelm with Kenwulf, king of the Mercians, supporting and confirming it; and perhaps, as may be inferred from what follows, the state of the kingdoms had changed, as happens, so that although Glastonbury is in Wessex, the kings of the Mercians either defended it out of love or ruled over it by right. As for the privileges of the pope and the king, since I have found them written nowhere except in English, I shall undertake the labour of translating them into Latin, so far as I understand sense from sense.

The privilege of Pope Leo #

¹ Leo, Pope of the apostolic see, servant of the servants of God, wishes and sends perpetual peace and salvation to King Kinelm, and to his ministers, kinsmen, and successors. A thought of good will and praiseworthy desire is to be confirmed and strengthened by apostolic writings, so that what has been well done and confirmed by reasonable examples may not thereafter be disturbed or broken by any corruption, but rather should remain unshaken in inviolable uprightness and by divine authority. And therefore it is commanded by an excellent apostolic judgement that what is known to have been rightly begun ought to be confirmed without delay. Therefore, since it is known that your illustrious faith has asked of us that we should confirm to you in writing the monastery of our Lord Jesus Christ at Glastonbury, in the kingdom of the West Saxons, in which monastery there is a congregation of the servants of God, whose lands are reckoned at eight hundred hides, situated in many provinces and places, just as King Ecgfrith described all that land, with the judgement and permission of King Brihtric, and with the permission and testimony of the bishops and princes of the Mercians, and just as afterwards all those lands were confirmed in writing to Kenwulf, king of the Mercians: therefore we confirm to you, Kinelm, and to your successors, with apostolic strength and authority, that grant of the kings, bishops, and princes, together with the strengthening of Kenwulf, king of the Mercians; namely, that you may have the monastery freely for ever, with all its vills and fields divided among many regions, and with all things belonging to it: woods, meadows, pastures, and fisheries. This is on the condition that lights before God should be maintained there, and that spiritual songs, psalms, and masses should be sung, and that there should be concord without pretence. For this is written in the Gospel: “My house shall be called a house of prayer” [Isaiah 56:7; Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46]. Therefore the servants of God who labour in this life ought daily, with divine fear, to fulfil the whole spiritual office, so that they may be able to please our Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, by apostolic command, and under fear of divine judgement, and under threat of excommunication, we decree that no king, archbishop, bishop, prince, or any man raised up in power, whether in greater or lesser order, should violently break or diminish these apostolic decrees of ours. Rather, we decree that the same monastery shall remain firm and stable for all time. Therefore, if anyone, which we do not desire, should weaken these commands of ours, let him know that by the authority of Saint Peter, prince of the apostles, he is entangled in the bond of excommunication and shut out from the kingdom of God. But whoever holds and preserves these apostolic decrees of ours, let him know that he has deserved the apostolic blessing and eternal life from our merciful Creator. Given by the hand of Eustachius, chief of the notaries, in the month of March, in the third indiction, on the eighth day of March; confirmed by the hand of Paschal the elder, counsellor of the apostolic see, while our Lord Jesus Christ reigns with God the Father for endless ages; in the third year, by the mercy of God, of the papacy of our lord Leo, in the holy and apostolic see of Saint Peter, and also by permission of lord Charles, king of the Franks and Lombards and patrician of the Romans, in the twenty-fifth year of his reign.

The privilege of King Cenwulf #

¹ While our Lord Jesus Christ, Lord of all kingdoms, reigns for ever, I, Cenwulf, king of the Mercians, after I was chosen as king by almighty God, who is the generous giver and rewarder of all good things, obtained from lord Leo, the apostolic pope, the liberty written below for Kinelm and his successors. And just as King Ecgfrith, my predecessor, firmly granted that same liberty to him, so I too confirm it to him in writing, with the counsel and permission of the earthly princes whose names are written below, and I grant it to him firmly to possess, without any falsehood or deceit. This confirmation of Cenwulf, and of his bishops and princes, was established and written in the venerable place which is called Glastonbury, in the year 707 of the Lord’s Incarnation, the second year of my reign, which God granted to me.

Subscriptions #

¹ I, Abbess Cuthredryth, with my dearest kinswomen Æthelburh and Celsled, subscribe by granting to Kinelm this liberty written here, on this condition: that even if, after some time, it should happen that a man of another lineage receives the possession and authority of the venerable place of Glastonbury, nevertheless Kinelm and his successors should remain securely in their liberty and perpetual peace, steadily, confidently, and without any disturbance. To confirm the power of this liberty, I, King Cenwulf, have impressed the sign of the holy cross. Æthelard of Canterbury and Higbert of York, archbishops, subscribed, as did nine bishops and thirteen abbots, among them Beadulf, abbot of the same place, and six princes.

² I am uncertain who this Kinelm was to whom King Cenwulf granted so great a liberty. For although his son was called Kenelm, who was killed by the treachery of his sister when he was scarcely seven years old after his father’s death, he should not be thought to be this man, especially since this liberty was given in the second year of Cenwulf’s reign, and Cenwulf himself reigned for twenty-four years. But, leaving these matters aside, let us pursue what we began.

Concerning Abbot Cuman and King Egbert #

¹ In the year 800, Abbot Cuman succeeded, and he presided over Glastonbury for two years.

² In the year of the Incarnation 802, Egbert, king of the West Saxons, gave to the Church of Glastonbury and for the use of the monks the possession of five holdings beside the river called Toric, at the request of Abbot Muca. Edgisl gave Budecleg, twenty hides, with the assent of King Egbert.

³ In the year of the Incarnation 824, Abbot Guthlac gave to Canulf a portion of one hide in Brumham, for the price of five hundred solidi: two hundred to the abbot and three hundred to the monks.

Concerning Abbot Elmund and King Æthelwulf, who gave the tenth part of his lands to the Church #

¹ In the year 851, Abbot Elmund, with King Æthelwulf approving, transferred Dulting into monastic right; and the same king, with Bishop Alhstan consenting, added twenty hides to it for the support of the regular life. The same king is read to have devoutly granted the tenth part of his lands to the churches of his kingdom. At that time he gave to the monastery of Glastonbury Offaculum, twenty-four hides; Bocland, five hides; Pennard, nine hides; Occenefeld; Scearamton, six hides; Sowy, ten hides; Pyrinton; Logderesbeorguin; Occemund and Bedul; Branuc; and Duneald. Earl Æthelstan gave Clutton, ten hides, with the assent of the same King Æthelwulf. The same earl entrusted the charter of this inheritance of his, together with his body, to the monastery of Glastonbury, begging in the name of Jesus Christ that the brothers of that monastery should never relinquish it. Earl Ænulf gave Dichefpite and Lotteshan, thirty hides, with the assent of King Æthelwulf, and also Honblaperton and Beangean hangran. King Æthelred, son of Æthelwulf, gave Winterburn, twenty-five hides, to Earl Wisera, who afterwards bestowed them on Glastonbury.

² In the year 867, Æthelbald, son of King Æthelwulf, gave to Abbot Hereferth, who presided for fourteen years, Branucminster, ten hides, for the catching of isicii, to the Old Church of blessed Mary, Mother of God, and for the use of the monks in the monastery of Glastonbury. At that time King Alfred, brother of Æthelbald and son of Æthelwulf, gave to Glastonbury the wood of the Lord, which Pope Martin had given to him.

Concerning King Æthelstan #

¹ In the year 916, King Æthelstan gave Merkefburg, ten hides, to Ealdorman Æthelm, who afterwards bestowed them on Glastonbury.

² Archbishop Wlhelm gave Devereb, twenty hides, with the assent of the same king. Osric gave Werdeverel, that is, Munecaton, ten hides.

Concerning Winterburn and Wrington #

¹ Queen Ælfflæd, wife of King Edward, gave Winterburn, ten hides. Ealdorman Æthelstan gave Wrington, twenty hides, which had been bestowed on him by King Æthelstan. This possession the same ealdorman, having been converted and made a monk, offered with himself to the monastery of Glastonbury. He also gave Weston, which is now called Foxcote, namely five hides. He also gave Lim, six hides. Uffa the widow gave Stoke, five hides. At that time Abbot Ælfric presided over Glastonbury for fourteen years. Therefore all the same things, bestowed on Glastonbury through the ministers of King Æthelstan, are ascribed to the munificence of the same king; and the generosity of his servants speaks of his devout affection towards Glastonbury, for their devotion is often inclined in the direction in which they have seen the mind of their lords burn with zeal. The same king devoutly confirmed these things to the Old Church at Glastonbury, namely eighty-six hides, and, adding many excellent and innumerable relics, bestowed them on Glastonbury, as is noted in the book of Saint Dunstan.

Concerning Styward #

¹ In the year 991, Styward succeeded. Paintings testify that his character did not depart from his name, since they always represent him in every image with a whip or broom.

² In the year 922 of the Lord’s Incarnation, Edward restored Cumton to Abbot Aldhun.

Concerning Saint Dunstan the Abbot #

¹ I think it is clear how far from the truth was the man who talked nonsense by saying that blessed Dunstan was the first abbot of Glastonbury. But since we have strained knowledge of these matters out of the whirlpool of antiquity, and have escaped as though from the darkness of ignorance into clearer times, we shall now range with greater freedom over those things which are known to have been bestowed on the monastery in the time of the blessed man, who ruled Glastonbury for twenty-two years. Therefore, in his days, Edmund, brother of Æthelstan, first seized the palm of generosity; he had also, as was said before, by the counsel of divine wisdom appointed Dunstan abbot there. In the year 940 of the Lord’s Incarnation, he gave to Dunstan Cristemulcford, twenty hides; Hingestan, eight hides; Wudetun, five hides; Watelca, four hides; he restored Wrington, twenty hides; he also gave Pucklechurch, thirty hides; and Escford, with a fishery, half a hide. His wife Ælfflæd, at his command, gave Domham with Merton and Pendrigton, one hundred hides, and Stane, eight hides. “These,” he says, “I bestow on the Old Church of blessed Mary, Mother of God, on the mount of Glastonbury, for the cleansing of my sins, and of the sins of my grandfather Alfred and my father Edward.”

Concerning Acford, Bocland, Plis, and Hamedone #

¹ Ælfflæd, widow and queen of Edward, gave Acford, Bocland, and Plis, twenty-seven hides, and Hamedone, fifteen hides, with the assent of King Edmund. Wilfrid, minister of the said king, with the assent of the same, gave Hington, thirty hides, Girlington, ten hides, and at Furnanwrthe, five hides. The same Wilfrid, after the death of his wife, gave Gretelington, thirty hides, and Netelington, twenty hides. This, however, his successor Ælwm completed, by handing over the charters and taking up the regular habit. Likewise the same King Edmund had given to the same Wilfric Tintanhulle, five hides, which the same Wilfric afterwards entrusted to Glastonbury together with his body. Elly gave Badecumbe, twenty hides, with the assent of King Edmund. The same king had given to Earl Æthelstan Melnes, twenty hides, which the same earl bestowed on Glastonbury. Sigewulf gave Abbedesburgh, five hides, with the assent of King Edmund. Welsch gave Langeford, two hides. All these lands, namely 368 and a half hides, bestowed by King Edmund and his ministers, testify to the wonderful devotion of the same king and his men towards the monastery of Glastonbury and its most glorious protector Dunstan. The same king also, in order to distinguish the said place with greater gifts, devoutly bestowed on Glastonbury many relics which he had acquired throughout the land of the Northumbrians, or even in regions beyond the sea; you will find them noted in the old books. Drawn by the holiness of the place, he also vowed his own body to it after his death. There he rests even to the present day. He also gave this privilege.

The privilege of King Edmund #

¹ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I, Edmund, king of the English and governor and ruler of the other peoples dwelling round about, with the counsel and consent of my nobles, for the hope of eternal reward and the remission of my sins, grant to the Church of holy Mary, Mother of God, at Glastonbury, and to the venerable man Dunstan, whom I have appointed abbot there, liberty and power, rights and customs, and all forfeitures from all their lands: breach of borough, hundred, jurisdiction, oaths, ordeals, infangenetheof, hamsocn, breach of truce, forestall, toll and team, throughout all my kingdom. And let their lands be free and released from every claim, just as my own lands are held by me. But especially let that vill of Glastonbury itself, in which the most famous Old Church is situated, be freer than the rest, together with its bounds. Let the abbot of that place alone have power, both in known causes and unknown, in small and great matters, and even in whatever things are above and beneath the earth, in dry lands and in streams, in woods and plains; and let him have the same authority to punish or release offences committed there as my own court has, just as my predecessors granted and firmly established it by statute: namely Edward my father, Alfred his father, Centwine, Ine, Cuthred, and many others, who held that place glorious by honouring it, and strengthened it by apostolic authority. With them I consent in all gladness. And lest any mortal person, whether bishop, ealdorman, or any minister of theirs, should dare rashly to enter it for the purpose of pleading, seizing, or doing anything which could be contrary to those serving God there, I forbid it by the prohibition of God. Therefore whoever with kindly mind strives to enlarge my donation and preserve the dignity of this privilege, let his life be prosperous in this present age, and let him possess the joys of long life. But if anyone, through his own rashness, attempts violently to invade it, let him know without doubt that he will give account, wavering and trembling, before the tribunal of the strict judge, unless he first chooses to make amendment by worthy satisfaction. This page of privilege was enacted in the year 944 of the Lord’s Incarnation, in the second indiction.

² And it was written in golden letters in the Gospel-book which he offered to the same church, made with sufficiently elegant workmanship. So much for Edmund, who, as I have said more than once in this little work, lies at Glastonbury, on the left, in the tower of the greater church.

Concerning Edred, king of the English #

¹ In the year 954, King Edred, brother of Edmund, gave Baddeburi, twenty-six hides, for the price of fifty solidi of gold, and beside the town of Twynam, that is Christchurch, one hide and a fishery. He also gave Ternuc, Stapelwilt, part of Dennun, and Elenberwe. In addition, he restored Pucklechurch and Dulting, which had formerly been alienated either by some tyranny or by the negligence of prelates. The same king also gave Horton, ten hides, to Wilfric, his minister, and Wilfric, with the consent of his lord, assigned them to Glastonbury after his death. But Elwin, his successor in the inheritance, took up the regular habit there and brought another man’s vow to effect. Ælfred gave Camelarton, five hides, with the assent of King Edred.

Concerning King Edwy #

¹ In the year 956, Edwy, son of Edmund, after father Dunstan had been driven into exile, gave Pagenebeorh, one hide free from all service, to the pseudo-abbot Ælfsige, whom he had intruded into Glastonbury. The same man gave Blakeford, three hides. Ælfheah, his minister, with his assent, gave Cranmere, twelve hides. Ezeric, with the assent of the same king, gave Widecumbe, six hides. Ælwine the knight gave one part of Sturton. Brihtric gave Giffelton, five hides, with the assent of the same king. Brihtric entrusted the charter of this same inheritance, together with his body, to the monastery of Glastonbury, begging in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that the brothers of that monastery should never relinquish it. Buthcere gave Widangere, with the assent of King Edwy his lord.

Concerning King Edgar #

¹ After the enumeration of the earlier abbots and the gifts of kings, we at last come to the most blessed times of Edgar. I call them most blessed because they flourished both with the rejoicing of angels announcing them, and with the elevation of blessed father Dunstan to the archbishopric, and therefore with an abundance of every good thing. Let us pursue these matters a little more fully. Concerning Edgar himself, blessed Dunstan, keeping watch over heavenly studies in the Church of blessed Mary at Glastonbury, heard at the hour of his birth a voice thundering from heaven: “Peace for the Church of the English, in the time of the boy now born and of our Dunstan.” The truth of this oracle, as is set out elsewhere, was proved by the outcome of events. When Edgar had taken up the government of the kingdom, he recalled with glory Dunstan, who had been condemned to exile by Edwy, and, amid the great eagerness of the nobles, promoted him first to the bishopric of Worcester, secondly to the bishopric of London, and thirdly to the primacy of Canterbury. The king, while administering the cares of the kingdom most excellently, did not neglect the peace of the Church. Indeed, no king of the English will ever be able to rival Edgar in praises: of them all he was more tranquil in peace, more overflowing in riches, and more ready in devotion towards God. Nor did he misuse the tranquillity of the times, as some do, who, seizing the opportunity of peace granted to them for their own uses, either sink back into enticements or, heaping up mountains of gold, devote themselves to wealth. Rather, spurred on by the frequent admonitions of his teacher and patron, he answered the grace of God, as though in a rival duty of devotion, both through himself and through his men, looking after the interests of monasteries. Among these he honoured Glastonbury with especially great love above the rest, and, by the counsel of the nobles of the country, honoured it with such a privilege that no one should ever be abbot there unless he was a monk of that same place, if anyone suitable could in any way be found, even the least of the congregation. But if extreme lack among its own men required a monk of another place, then that man should be promoted on whom the unanimity of the Glastonbury community agreed. Moreover, the abbot himself might receive benediction from any bishop whatever, and might order his monks or clerics to be blessed; and he might immediately restrain the offences of his own servants, without prejudice from the bishop or from the king’s ministers. Nor should anyone at all enter the island that knew his birth — whether bishop, ealdorman, prince, or anyone else of whatever rank — for the purpose of pleading or doing anything [and below], just as his predecessors had also decreed, namely Kenwin, Ine, Æthelard, Cuthred, Alfred, Edward, Æthelstan, and Edmund. So that this gift should not be unstable or inglorious, he confirmed it by giving upon the altar an ivory horn, overlaid with bands of gold. Indeed, he ordered the horn, cut in half in his presence, to be preserved in faithful custody, so that it might serve as testimony in the future and restrain the greed of plunderers by the damage of its cutting. He also gave another privilege in these words.

The privilege of King Edgar #

¹ “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, although the decrees of bishops and the words of priests are fixed with unshaken bonds, like the foundations of mountains, nevertheless the religion of Holy Church is very often scattered and broken by the stains of the wicked, through the storms and tempests of secular affairs. Therefore we have decreed that it will be useful to succeeding posterity if those things which are determined by wholesome counsel and common assent are strengthened and made firm by our letters. For this reason it seems fitting that the church of the most blessed Mary, Mother of God and ever-virgin, at Glastonbury, just as from ancient times it has held the principal dignity in my kingdom, should also be honoured by us with a certain special and singular liberty of privilege. Therefore, with Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Oswald, Archbishop of York, exhorting us, and with Brithelm, Bishop of Wells, also consenting and approving, together with the other bishops, abbots, and chief men, I, Edgar, by divine disposition king of the English and governor and ruler of the other peoples dwelling round about, in the name of the nourishing Trinity, for the soul of my father, who rests there, and for the souls of my ancestors, decree, establish, and confirm by the present privilege that the same monastery and all its possessions shall remain free and quiet, now and for ever, from every tax of fiscal business; and that they shall have sake and soke, on strand on stream, on wave and on field, in breach of peace, in breach of borough, hundred-setena, oaths and ordeals, call, hordas, busam, corderam, and beneorderam, infangenetheof, outfangenetheof, pursuit of fugitives, fyrdwite, hamsocn, breach of peace, forestall, toll and team, as freely and quietly as I have them in all my kingdom. The abbot and monks of the same monastery shall also have in their court the same liberty and power that I have in my court, both in pardoning and in punishing, and in absolutely all matters. If, moreover, the abbot or any monk of that place should meet on the road a thief who is being led to hanging or to any other danger of death, they shall have power to rescue him from the imminent danger throughout all my kingdom. I also confirm and strengthen that which up to now has been carefully observed by all our predecessors: that the Bishop of Wells, or his ministers, shall have no power at all over this monastery, or over the parish churches of the same church, namely Stret, Miricling, Budeclega, Sapenix, Sowy, or over their chapels, nor even over those contained in the islands, namely Bekeria, which is called Little Ireland, Godeneia, Martenseia, Ferramere, Papeneberga, and Adredefcra, except only so much as they shall have when they have been summoned by the abbot for the purpose of dedicating or ordaining. Nor shall they summon their priests to their synod, chapter, or any plea, nor suspend them from the divine office, nor presume to exercise any right over them at all. According to the ancient custom of the Church of Glastonbury and apostolic authority, with the assent of Archbishop Dunstan and of all the bishops of my kingdom, the abbot may have his monks and the clerics of the same churches ordained by whatever bishop of the province he wishes. As for dedications of churches, if he has been asked by the abbot, we permit them to the Bishop of Wells. At Easter also, according to custom, the abbot shall receive the chrism of sanctification and the oil from the Bishop of Wells, and shall distribute them through his same churches. Above all this, by the prohibition of God and by our authority, while preserving the dignity of the Holy Roman Church and of Canterbury, I forbid that any person of whatever power, whether king, bishop, ealdorman, prince, or any of their ministers, should presume to enter the bounds of Glastonbury or of the same parishes for the purpose of investigating, seizing, pleading, or doing anything else which could be contrary to those who serve God there. Let the power belong only to the abbot and convent, both in known causes and unknown, in small and great matters, and in absolutely all affairs, as we have recorded above. But whoever, from this time onward, with sacrilegious presumption, attempts to overturn the dignity of this my privilege, or to bring it to nothing, on any pretext, of whatever dignity, order, or profession he may be, let him know without doubt that he will give account, wavering and trembling, before the strict judge, unless he first takes care to amend it by worthy satisfaction. This page of privilege was enacted and confirmed at London by the common counsel of all my chief men, in the year 971 from the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the fourteenth indiction. The guarantors of this gift were those whose names are seen written below. I, Edgar, king of all Britain, have confirmed the same liberty with the sign of the holy cross. I, Ælfgifu, mother of the same king, have consented with joy. I, Edward the ætheling, have impressed my father’s gift with the triumph of the holy cross. I, Kenneth, king of Scotland, have agreed. I, Maccus, archpirate, have strengthened it. Likewise I, Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, Oswald, primate of York, Æthelwold, Bishop of Winchester, and Brithelm, Bishop of Wells, together with many others whose names are noted elsewhere, consenting and confirming, have impressed the sign of the cross.”

² For the further support of security, lest so great a generosity should waver, he persuaded Pope John, at that time the eighth of that name, and strengthened his gift by an apostolic decree, whose sequence is as follows.

The privilege of Pope John #

¹ Let it be known to the knowledge of all the faithful that I, John, by the clemency of the merciful Creator, existing as unworthy pope of the Holy Roman See, have been asked with humble entreaty by the glorious Edgar, king of the English, and also by Dunstan, archbishop of the holy Church of Canterbury, concerning the monastery of Saint Mary at Glastonbury, which they, moved by love of the supreme King, have restored for the better; and, gathering there a greater number of monks and establishing a stricter rule, have confirmed by royal command that I too should not delay in doing the same. Assenting to their kindly petition, I receive that same place into the bosom of the Roman Church and the protection of the blessed apostles, and I uphold and strengthen it with privileges, so that henceforth it may remain in the monastic order in which it now flourishes; and the monks themselves may choose a pastor for themselves from among their own, and may send themselves and their own men, whom they judge suitable, wherever they please in the diocese of Canterbury to be ordained. We also decree that no man at all may enter that same island for the purpose of pleading, or of examining or correcting anything there. But if anyone attempts to go against this matter, or to take away, withhold, diminish, or harass with rash vexations the possessions of the same church, let him, by the authority of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and of holy Mary, Mother of God, and of Saint Peter the Apostle, and of all the saints, be given over to perpetual curse, unless he comes to his senses. But to all who preserve what is just for that same place, may there be the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ; and may our confirmation remain unshaken. This apostolic decree was enacted in the time of Æthelweard, abbot of the same monastery. The same pope, promulgating it in a general council at Rome in the year 965 of the Lord’s Incarnation, declared it valid, and directed it to the king to be fortified there by his own authority. Royal assent applauded the pontifical act; and in a crowded court at London, in the eleventh year of his reign, with the consent of all his nobles, he committed the matter with great devotion to eternal stability against transgressors. And so, as long as he lived, he made himself master of his vow; and, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he did not fail their honour and his own glory, and stirred others to do the same, as the following account will make clear.

Concerning the things bestowed on Glastonbury by Edgar: Dundene, Hamme, and Wethul #

¹ In the year 963 of the Lord’s Incarnation, I, Edgar, king strengthened by the merciful clemency of God alone, for the reward of a greater prize, gave to the church of blessed and undefiled Virgin Mary, in the famous place called Glastonbury, for the use of the monks regularly serving God under Abbot Æthelweard, Sture, thirty hides; I restored Merkesbiry, ten hides; I gave Midelton, two hides; and Blakeford, six hides.

² In the year 965, I, Edgar, grant to Abbot Sigegar, by perpetual right, for the honourable Old Church, for the remedy of my soul and for the soul of my father, Hamme, seventeen hides; Dundene, five hides; and Petehulle, three hides.

Concerning Westbury and Othelee #

¹ In his time also, Ealdorman Alfara gave Westbury, forty hides, and Othelee, five hides. “I, Ealdorman Alfara, have entrusted the charter of this same inheritance to the monastery of Glastonbury, for the remedy of my soul and of King Edgar’s, begging in the name of Jesus Christ that the brothers of that monastery should never relinquish it.” Alwine gave Gritelington, twenty-five hides, and Netelcumbe, twenty hides, and so fulfilled the vow of Wilfric, the first donor. Ealdorman Ælfhere gave Batamcumbe, twenty hides. Ealdred gave Clifan, eleven hides; this rural possession, and the same Clifan, Ealdred entrusted to the church of blessed Mary, Mother of God, and to Saint Patrick, under the testimony of King Edgar and his nobles. Æthelhelm gave Dureberge, two hides. Ælfheah gave Cranemere, ten hides. Æthelflæd gave Hanandon, fifteen hides. Queen Ælfthryth gave Winescumbe, fifteen hides; Feimeston, ten; Stretton, six; Tintanhulle, five; Eweredesie, half a hide; and ornaments: a stole with a maniple, and an incomparable chasuble. Hedred gave Mildenhele, fifteen hides. Brinsige gave Effebur, forty hides, and Healtone, five hides. King Edgar confirmed all these lands to the venerable church at Glastonbury by royal authority, namely 215 hides.

² In addition, he made a cross above the great altar, covered all over with gold and silver, and larger bells; and he also bestowed the most precious royal garment in which he had been crowned, so that it might serve as an ornament for the altar. He gave a great shrine covered with silver and gold, suitably set with images of ivory, containing the relics of Saint Vincent and the head of Saint Apollinaris; and in this shrine he himself now rests. In addition, he entrusted to the monastery of Glastonbury, with the reverence that was fitting, many relics which he had acquired throughout all the lands he had travelled, together with the relics of two Innocents translated from Bethlehem [Matthew 2:16-18]. So much for the times of Edgar, whose merits no age will ever leave unspoken, since he surpassed fame by his virtues and enclosed the deeds of centuries within the scarcely thirty-two years that he lived. He was buried, as we said before, in the chapter house at the door of the church; but how he was translated from there will be clear in what follows.

Concerning King Æthelred #

¹ His son Æthelred gave to Abbot Sigegar, who presided for twenty-eight years, Austanclif, six hides; Siteberge, one; and he restored Pucklechurch, thirty. In Pilton he gave one dwelling bought for eleven mancuses of gold, in the year 984. The same man gave Hanandune. In the year 1000 of the Incarnation, King Æthelred gave to Abbot Berred, who presided for sixteen years, Fiscwere. Alwine gave Estun, twenty hides.

Concerning Abbot Brithwi #

¹ In the year 1017, Brithwi was appointed abbot. He made a panel before the altar, adorned with gold, silver, and ivory, and also a cross. After ten years of having undertaken the rule, he was elected Bishop of Wells.

Concerning Cnut #

¹ At about the same time Cnut, king of the Danes, was ranging through England in hostile fashion. Although Edmund, son of Æthelred, had crushed him in several battles, at last, when a treaty had been struck, a brotherly peace was agreed between them: namely, that Mercia should remain to Cnut, and Wessex to Edmund. But not long afterwards Edmund, struck by a fatal illness, came to his end, and, in his last moments, assigned Neweton-Kastel, seventeen hides, together with his body, to the monastery of Glastonbury; and there he received burial before the great altar. When Cnut, by occasion of a journey, came there on the feast of Saint Andrew, honouring his brother’s spirit with a devout lament, he placed upon his tomb a cloak woven, as it seems, with many-coloured peacock feathers. He also granted a privilege in these words.

The privilege of Cnut #

¹ While the Lord reigns for ever, who by his ineffable power disposes and governs all things, and, wonderfully distinguishing the changes of times and human beings, and setting an uncertain end impartially as he wills, also mercifully teaches us from the secret mysteries of nature that from fleeting and undoubtedly transitory things lasting kingdoms must be obtained by the help of God, therefore I, Cnut, king of the English and governor and ruler of the other peoples dwelling round about, with the counsel and decree of Æthelnoth, and likewise of all the priests of God, and with the consent of my nobles, for love of the heavenly kingdom, and for the remission of my sins, and for the soul of my brother King Edmund, grant to the Church of holy Mary, Mother of God and ever-virgin, at Glastonbury, rights and customs throughout all my kingdom, and all forfeitures from all its lands; and let its lands be free and released from every claim and disturbance, just as my own lands are held by me. But this especially, by the authority of the almighty Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and by the prohibition of the perpetual Virgin, I forbid, and I command all reeves and chief men of my kingdom upon their own salvation, that no one at all should dare to enter that island, of whatever order or dignity he may be. Rather, in all matters, both ecclesiastical and secular, let them await only the judgement of the abbot and convent, just as my predecessors decreed and confirmed by privileges: Kenwin, Ine, Cuthred, Alfred, Edward, Edmund, and the incomparable Edgar. But if anyone, at any time hereafter, under any pretext, has attempted to interrupt or make void the testimony of this privilege, let him be separated from the company of the devout by the winnowing-fan of the final judgement [Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17]. But if anyone with kindly intention has striven to do, approve, and defend these things, may God, through the intercession of the most blessed Mary, Mother of God, and of all the saints, enlarge his portion in the land of the living [Psalm 141:6 Vulgate; Psalm 142:5]. The donation of this privilege was written and promulgated in the wooden basilica, in the presence of King Cnut, in the year 1032 from the Incarnation of the Lord.

Concerning Abbot Æthelweard #

¹ In the year 1027 Æthelweard succeeded, occupying Glastonbury for twenty-six years. To him Harthacnut gave the shrine in which the body of blessed Benignus now rests.

Concerning Abbot Æthelnoth, and the translation of King Edgar #

¹ In the year 1053, Æthelnoth succeeded. The rule of both men was harmful to the church, since the one alienated its lands outside, while the other sold off its ornaments within. From that time the affairs of Glastonbury began to slide backwards and to flow into a worse state. Indeed, it was believed that some vengeance threatened the place because of the audacity committed by Æthelweard against King Edgar. For when, perhaps with a good intention of mind, eleven years after Edgar’s death he dug open his tomb, he found the body untouched by any decay, but compact in solid wholeness. Although this ought to have bent him to reverence, it lifted him to audacity. For because the little chest which he had prepared threatened difficult entry because of the size of the body, he violated the royal remains with iron, daring a deed grievous to hear of, let alone to carry out. At once blood, leaping forth in waves, shook the hearts of those standing by with fear and stained their faces with pallor. Thus the king’s bones were placed in a shrine above the altar, with the head of Saint Apollinaris and the relics of blessed Vincent the Martyr, which Edgar himself, having bought them at great cost, had added to the splendour of the house of God. But the violator of the sacred body lost his senses, and not long afterwards, when he had gone out of the church, death found him with his neck broken. In the king’s tomb was placed Æthelweard, who had been the first to succeed blessed Dunstan in the rule of Glastonbury. Nor did the manifestation of the king’s sanctity stop with these things, but went further: a madman and a blind man were healed there. The madman, German by race, after giving many signs that he was not of sound mind, had armed the hands of the citizens against himself, so that they did not hesitate to bind him with iron. Miserable man, he carried his own punishments about with him, being both judge and author of his own pains. You would not know whether he was more wretched or more pitiable, either because he was captive in mind or because he was weighed down in body. Thus, tossed through many provinces for many years, he wasted his time in vain, except that the continuation of his journey was an increase of toil. At last, however, visited by the regard of divine mercy, he received an oracle in the night: that he should go to Glastonbury, and that by the merits of King Edgar he would be relieved of both troubles. So he came, and obtained an outcome matching the answer. For while he was praying in the same church, though rather far from the tomb, every bond of iron burst apart and, driven as if by some whirlwind, fell upon the mausoleum. Moreover, a blind man, very well known in the province, while he kept persistent vigils for health at the tomb, recovered his sight.

Concerning the archbishops and bishops chosen from the community of Glastonbury #

¹ And since we have now come to the times of the Normans, and since the deeds and names of the abbots after that time are known, I shall for a little while pass these over and set down the names of those who were chosen from that church as bishops and archbishops elsewhere. This is indeed a splendid example of both the authority and the favour of Glastonbury: that so many illustrious persons were sufficient not only for their own church, but also for other churches. Nor indeed do I promise that I can set out the sees of all of them, except so far as I have found in the chronicles that this or that bishop died as a monk of this place. So far have the courses of longer ages flowed on that the memory of no human being can investigate those things fully.

² Now concerning the archbishops: Berthwald, once abbot of Glastonbury, became Archbishop of Canterbury. Æthelm was first Bishop of Wells, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury.

³ Dunstan, by whose diligence the church flourished again, made here the organ and two principal bells, one pallium, and a bell in the refectory, where these verses are found:

Dunstan ordered this bell to be cast for himself, and so on.

⁴ On the little vessel of the altar:

⁵ Dunstan the archbishop had ordered this little vessel to be cast;
may the almighty save him for ever.

⁶ He, from being monk and abbot of Glastonbury, was made Bishop of Worcester, afterwards Bishop of London, and finally Archbishop of Canterbury.

⁷ Æthelgar, from being a monk of Glastonbury, was made the first abbot of the New Minster, that is, of Hyde at Winchester; then Bishop of Chichester, and finally Archbishop of Canterbury.

⁸ Sigeric, from being a monk of Glastonbury, was Bishop of Wells, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, the third after Dunstan. He gave seven palls to Glastonbury with white lions, with which the whole Old Church is adorned on his anniversary.

⁹ Ælfheah, from being a monk and prior of Glastonbury, became Abbot of Bath, afterwards Bishop of Winchester, and then Archbishop of Canterbury.

¹⁰ Æthelnoth, from being a monk of Glastonbury, was made Archbishop of Canterbury; mention of him has already come before. When he was being baptised by Dunstan, he held his hand upright in the manner of a bishop blessing the people, and from this Dunstan, as if aware of the divine purpose itself, foretold that he would be archbishop. He was archbishop in the time of Cnut; and also by Cnut’s support and command he translated the martyr Ælfheah to Kent from his resting-place at London. He gave Rabanus’s On the Praise of the Cross, and a book of prayers painted with gold.

Concerning the bishops #

¹ In the year of the Lord’s Incarnation 782, Canfrid the Bishop, a monk of Glastonbury, died.
In the year 782, Æthelwine the Bishop, a monk of Glastonbury, died.
In the year 800, Wibert the Bishop, a monk of Glastonbury, died.
In the year 836, Wigthegn the Bishop, a monk of Glastonbury, died.
In the year 842, Alhstan the Bishop, a monk of Glastonbury, died.
In the year 876, Tumbert the Bishop, a monk of Glastonbury, died.
In the year 956, Daniel the Bishop, a monk of Glastonbury, died.
In the year 988, Ælfric the Bishop, abbot of Glastonbury, died.
Those who follow were bishops in various places in the time of King Edgar.
On the fourth day before the Kalends of July, Sigegar, Bishop of Wells and abbot of Glastonbury, died.

² He is said to lie beneath Saint Benignus. On the Ides of May, Brithelm, Bishop of Wells and monk of Glastonbury, died. On the Ides of February, Ælfwold, Bishop of Crediton and monk of Glastonbury, died. On the Nones of April, Sigefrid, Bishop of Norway and monk of Glastonbury, died. He sent four copes, two with lions and two saffron-coloured. On the Kalends of August, Æthelwold, Bishop of Winchester, monk and prior of Glastonbury, and abbot of Abingdon, died. On the Ides of January, Wilm the Bishop, monk of Glastonbury, died. On the Ides of February, Ælfstan the Bishop, monk of Glastonbury, died. On the eighth day before the Ides of May, Æthelric the Bishop, monk of Glastonbury, died. On the fourth day before the Kalends of July, Kenwald the Bishop, monk of Glastonbury, died. On the third day before the Nones of April, Almer the Bishop, monk of Glastonbury, died. On the fourteenth day before the Kalends of April, Living the Bishop, monk of Glastonbury, died.

³ In the year of the Incarnation 1034, Brihwi, Bishop of Wells and abbot of Glastonbury, died. We have touched on some matters concerning him above. He lies in the northern portico at Saint John the Baptist.

Concerning Bishop Brithwold #

¹ In the year 1045, Brithwold, Bishop of Salisbury and monk of Glastonbury, died. He sent a most precious alb of silk, and also ten copes made from palls, suitably adorned with gold and jewels. He also sent a superhumeral, a stole, a maniple, a chasuble, two chalices, one of twenty marks of silver and four of gold, the other of lesser weight but greater value, and two Gospel-books. He sent a thurible of wonderful size made of gold and silver, an altar worth twenty marks, a processional cross, and twenty-five others; when Abbot Æthelnoth stripped these, together with other ornaments, of their gold and silver, he received twenty-two marks of gold from two of them. From this, then, it can be inferred how great a quantity of money there was in them all. He also gave a collectary illuminated with gold, a pall woven with gold, nine others, and two candlesticks. He redeemed all the land in Wiltshire. He gave three shrines, of Saints Guthlac, George, and Oswald. On one of these are these verses:

² A humble bishop, called Brithwold by name,
to the Lord ruler, and also to mother Mary,
offers a humble gift from a devout heart,
sending it to the Old Church of Glastonbury,
so that he may receive the sweet joys of eternal life.

³ He also gave a cope with white birds. He is placed with Brihtwi in the northern part, a man to be praised for his whole life, who bestowed on the church such things as even plunderers have not yet been able to tear away, although there are some who try to cast blame upon his glory, saying that he gave the property of his bishopric to Glastonbury. But in vain do they fix their teeth into him: he who does not care for praises also does not fear reproaches, especially since doubtful deeds of saints ought to be turned to the better interpretation. Certainly, if the holy man had known that he was doing wrong, he would never have done those things. Indeed, there is a well-known report that all those lands had belonged to Glastonbury from ancient times, but that in the time of the Danes, when unbearable payments weighed down the kingdom, they had been pledged to the royal treasury or otherwise; they were then redeemed and restored by the bishop. And, as they say, when a single halfpenny was lacking for the redemption, the magnificent man threw his ring to the creditors, testifying by the display of his deed to the devotion which he had towards Glastonbury.

Concerning the possessions given to Glastonbury by the English after their conversion to the faith #

¹ Now, since the hands of those who granted possessions have drawn back, it is pleasing to set out briefly what was bestowed on Glastonbury by whom, or confirmed by royal authority.

² First, King Arthur, in the time of the Britons, gave Brentemaris and Poweldon, with many other lands situated on the border, for the soul of Ider, as was touched on above. These lands, taken away by the English when they arrived while still pagans, they restored again after their conversion to the faith, together with several others. Hence the king of Dumnonia gave the land called Yniswitrin, five hides.

³ Kenwalh, or Cædwalla, gave Ferramere, two hides, Beokerie, Godenie, Martenesie, and Andreyesie.

⁴ King Kenwin gave Munekaton, twenty-three hides; in Caru, twenty hides; and in Crucan, three hides.

⁵ King Baldred gave Pennard, six hides, Loggaresbeorg, sixteen hides, and Westwere with a fishery in the Parrett.

⁶ Bishop Hedda gave Lantokai, read as six hides, with Cædwalla confirming it, although he was a pagan king.

⁷ King Ine gave Brentemareis, twenty hides; Sowi, twelve hides; Pilton, twenty hides; Dulting, twenty hides; and beside the Tamar, namely Linig, twenty hides; Rouelt, twenty hides; and elsewhere, with a fishery, one hide.

⁸ Bishop Wilfrid gave Wethmor, seventy hides, and Cliwawere, one hide. Bishop Forthere gave Bledanhid, one hide. Abbess Bugga gave Ora, three hides, with King Ine consenting and confirming it.

⁹ King Æthelard gave Poholt, sixty hides, and in Torric, ten hides. Kedeswitha, his queen, gave Brumanton, five hides.

¹⁰ King Cuthred gave Ure, three hides. Lady Lulla gave Baltenesbeorge and Scrobammurth, or Sabewrtha, ten hides.

¹¹ King Æthelbald gave V Jeksig, Gaffie, and Bradelegh, four hides.

¹² King Sigebert gave in Polhot, twenty-two hides.

¹³ King Cynewulf gave and confirmed Wodeton, five hides, Cumpton, five hides, and Huneresburg.

¹⁴ Æthelard, his minister, gave three hides in Ceddren, Eleanbearo, and Cumbæ, three hides.

¹⁵ Sulca, handmaid of Christ, gave Culum, eleven hides.

¹⁶ King Offa gave Ineswurth, ten hides. Æthelmund gave Hinespulle, near V, with Offa confirming it, five hides.

¹⁷ King Egbert gave five hides beside the river Toric. Edgisl, with him confirming it, gave Budeclege, twenty hides.

¹⁸ King Æthelwulf gave twenty-five hides, and restored Dulting. He also gave Offaculum, twenty-four hides; Bocland, five hides; Pennard, nine hides; Occenefeld; Suaramton, six hides; Sowy, ten hides; Periston; Legderesbeorgune; Ocemund and Bedul; Branuc; and Duneafd. He also confirmed, from the gift of Æthelstan, Clutton, ten hides; from the gift of Ænulf, Dicheswite and Lottesham, thirty hides; Hornblawerton; and Beanganhangran.

¹⁹ King Æthelbald gave Bramnucminster, ten hides. Ælfred, his brother, gave a cross from the wood of the Lord.

²⁰ King Æthelstan granted and confirmed, from the gift of Ealdorman Æthelm, Merkesbury, ten hides; from the gift of Wulfelm, Deverel, twenty hides; from the gift of Osfric, Werdeverel, that is, Munecaton, ten hides; from the gift of Ælfflæd, queen of Edward, Winterburn, ten hides; from the gift of Ealdorman Æthelstan, Wrington, twenty hides, Weston or Foxcote, five hides, and Lim, six hides; and from the gift of Uffa the widow, Stoke, five hides.

²¹ King Edmund gave Cristemuleford, twenty hides; Kingston, eight hides; Wodeton, five hides; Wathelega, ten hides; Pucklechurch, thirty hides; Escford, half a hide with a fishery; Domerham, Merton, and Pendrith, one hundred hides; and Stane, eight hides. He also confirmed, from the gift of Ælfflæd, queen of Edward, Acford, Bocland, and Plis, twenty-seven hides, and Hammedone, fifteen hides; from the gift of Wilfrid, Kington, nineteen hides, Girdlingeton, ten hides, at Turnanwrthe, five hides, and Tintanhulle, five hides; from the gift of Ælfy, Batecumbe, twenty hides; from the gift of Earl Æthelstan, Melnes, twenty hides; from the gift of Sigewulf, Abbedesbury, five hides; from the gift of Wltec, Langefore, two hides. He also restored Wrington, twenty hides. King Eadred gave Baddeburi, twenty-five hides, and in Christchurch, two hides, and Ternuc, and Stapelwilt, and also part of Nuni S., two hides, and of Elenberwe, one hide; and he restored Dulting. Ælfred gave Camelarton, five hides, with Eadred confirming it, and Ælfgifu the nun gave Pengeardminster, ten hides. King Edwy gave Padenebeorge, two hides, and Blakeford, six hides. He confirmed, from the gift of Ælfheah, Cranemere, twelve hides; from the gift of Ezeric, Widecumbe, six hides; from the gift of Elwine, one part of Sturton, namely eight hides; from the gift of Brithric, Giffelton, five hides; and from the gift of Brithere, Widingate.

²² King Edgar gave Sture, thirty hides; Midelton, two hides; Lucum, two hides; Blakeford, five hides; Hamme, seven hides; Dundene, five hides; Wetehulle, three hides; and restored Merkesbury. He confirmed, from the gift of Ealdorman Ælfhere, Witburi, forty hides, and Otherlee, five hides; from the gift of Ælwine, Gritilingtone, twenty-five hides, Netelton, twenty hides, and Horton, ten hides; from the gift of Ealdorman Ælfhere, Badecumbe, twenty hides; from the gift of Caldred, Clifan, eleven hides; from the gift of Ælfhelm, Dirambeorg, two hides; from the gift of Ælfheah, Cranemere, ten hides; from the gift of Æthelflæd, Hanandon, fifteen hides; from the gift of Queen Ælfthryth, Winescumbe, fifteen hides, Idemeston, ten, Stretton, six, and Ædredefie, half a hide; from the gift of Edred, Middelhele, fifteen; Effebury, forty hides; and from the gift of Brinsige, Healton, five hides.

²³ King Æthelred gave Austanclif, six hides, Streberge, one hide, Fiscwere, one dwelling in Wilton, and Hanandon, and restored Pucklechurch. He confirmed, from the gift of Wlfwine, Esctun, twenty hides. Edmund Ironside gave Ninneton-Kastel, eighteen hides.

Likewise concerning other things given to Glastonbury #

¹ A note concerning Aldamton and the others: Cinemereffordi, Lemucerine, Pillesdune, Portbrig, Litlanton, Eatumberg, Siwiamhame, Brentfordlande, Pendesclive, Hulbanleghe. Likewise concerning Elonsanige, Ocemund, Ceolamwrthe, Korstone, Camel, Ruthanbeorg, Peasucmere. Likewise concerning Lidenige, Lamageate, Hengesteshriege, Dilwisce, Orcirleage, Pidelan, Birhwlfintone, Betocer, Huppavene, and Easætenatone. These manors, bestowed by various kings on their dependants, came to the Church of Glastonbury, as appears from the old charters. And although we have set down here an almost incredible number and quantity of lands belonging to one place, nevertheless we do not doubt that all these, and many more which because of uncertainty we do not wish to enumerate, were given to the monastery of Glastonbury. Nor is it to be wondered at if certain manors are read as having been bestowed by different people, either in reality or only in name: both because the names are ambiguous, and because many things given by earlier men were later taken away and restored, and because one person gave part of a manor and another gave another part of the same manor, while the whole was perhaps ascribed to each of them.

The names of the abbots of the Church of Glastonbury #

¹ Year appointed Abbots These from Britain Years ruled 460 St Patrick St Benignus Worgret Lademund Bregored

² These from the English 670 Beorthualdus 10 years 680 Hemgisel 25 705 Beorualdus 7 712 Aldbeorth 7 709 Atfrith 10 709 Kemgisel 16 743 Guban 2 744 Ticcan 6 746 Cuman 2 754 Walthun 32 762 Tumberthe 9 765 Beadulf 6 802 Muca 22 824 Gutlac 27 840 Ealmund 16 849 Hereferth 14 820 Stiwerd 11 905 Ealdhun 34 927 Ælfric 14 940 Dunstan 22 962 Ælwardus 10 972 Sicgarus 28 1016 Beorhtred 16 1034 Brichtwi 10 1053 Ædelward 26 1082 Ægelnoth 29

³ 1100 These from the Normans Turstinus 19 1116 Therlwinus 19 1125 Sifridus 6 1171 Henricus 2 1180 Robertus 1190 Henricus 1219 Willelmus 4 Robertus 1234 Michael

The boundary of the Twelve Hides #

¹ And since the Twelve Hides of Glastonbury are privileged with greater liberty than its other lands, it is useful not to be ignorant of their boundaries. It should be known, therefore, that first the Brutafcha begins at Stretebrugge, at the southern end of the same bridge, and runs eastwards on the southern side of the marsh as far as the southern end of the bridge of Baltenesberge, on the northern side, by the house of Wlgar with the Beard, who was the builder of that same bridge in the time of Saint Dunstan the Abbot. And so above the causeway beyond Pinueflake, through the middle of the marsh, as far as the house of Norman, at the mill of Baltenesberg; and from there upwards along the road as far as the path which comes from that church, and afterwards upwards into Jeholt as far as Lupwite, on the eastern side of the house of Hosgar, and to Attaholt. And from there into the path which leads through the middle edge of that wood, straight as far as the bridge of Kineward, into the ditch of Saint Dunstan the Abbot. And so into the little stream which comes from Coleburi, and thus ascending against the course of the water as far as the house of Osward de la Burne. And from there upwards against la Burne as far as the court of Ailmer the Steward at la Brodelee. And so upwards from that burn into the road which lies before his court, and thus on the southern side of that church eastwards as far as Stoke on the broad road; and so from the same road towards the hill of Withelee, into that path which lies on the southern side of Chulebury. Then into a certain path as far as la Windeiete. And so into the boundaries of Bikenhan and Ferlege; and so descending through the middle of the park of Pilton, beyond the road which stretches above the stone bridge, into that path which leads to Wottun; and so along a certain path as far as Fulebroc, and from there on the southern side of that church beyond the little stream as far as Loffellegethe, and so descending into the moor as far as Hochye, and from there through the middle of the moor beyond la Sowere, as far as the boundaries of the ditch on the northern side of Bachinwere, and so from there into the bank, and thus along the old watercourse as far as the bridge of Bledeme, and so descending through the middle of that bridge as far as Litlenie, which is the boundary of Martenesie. And so around that same island as far as Sadelby; and from there into the bank, and thus along the course of the water as far as the ditch which is between the moor of Stoke and Withtrichelham; and so into la Wynerdlake; and so through the boundaries of the island of Andredefie and of Draicote, ascending towards the hill as far as la Horestone. Then into Wiarepath; and so descending as far as upper Badecumbe, and so through the boundaries of Ceddre as far as la Grene Balle, and thus to Litlelakewepe. From there to la Ymerwivel; from there directly through the middle of the alder-bed as far as la Hore Wythege, and thus as far as Mune Keneleghe. And so all the covered ground belongs to Ceddre, and everything outside the covered ground belongs to Glastonbury. From there as far as a certain trench which is called Bitwynenorde; and so to la Scearpeorde. And so all the covered ground there towards the east belongs to Glastonbury, and outside the covered ground towards the west belongs to Ceddre. From there to Nottepulle. And so all the covered ground remains to Glastonbury, and all the open ground outside the covered ground remains to Ceddre. From there as far as Ylake, and thus along Ylake, descending as far as Ywere, and from Ywere ascending along Abbedesdith as far as Langeby. From there into the course of the great water, and thus ascending along that same water towards the east into the boundaries of Wethmore and Northilade, as far as Tunsingwere. From there as far as Kimpingmere. From there as far as Middelmede. From there beyond the hill as far as Cumessam. From there as far as la Lithlake. Then through the middle of the moor as far as the boundaries of Mere and Poldune. And so through those boundaries eastwards, on the southern side of that moor, as far as beneath Scerpham, and so from there beneath Hundewode, from there eastwards as far as la Brittasche, which we set down as the first boundary of the Twelve Hides.

The principal places within the Twelve Hides #

¹ The places which are contained within these limits, and enjoy the same privilege, we shall set out below. First, the island of Glastonbury itself, with the fields, woods, meadows, and hill belonging to it. Then the island of Heorty, together with its beautiful and spacious alder-grove, with very rich meadows and pastures; after this, a great part of the park of Pilton. Then Bikenham with Stikelingh; after these, Witelegh and Coleburi, with the whole of West Pennard, and the fields, meadows, and pastures belonging to them. Then la Burne and Kineard with their fields and meadows; afterwards a certain part of Baltenesberghe, with fields, meadows, broad pastures, and with every alder-grove and all the moors towards the west, on the northern side of Budeclee, as far as la Britasca, which is at the southern end of the bridge of Strete. Then Edgarlegsi, with the fields and meadows belonging to it; afterwards the island of Beokeri with its appurtenances. From the same Brutaschia, moreover, the whole marsh towards the west, which is on the northern side of Hundeswode and Scerpham, as far as the boundaries of Poldon and Demere, up to la Liklake. Then the island of Mere and of Westye, with fields, meadows, woods, and moors. Finally, the island of Godenie, with its lands and very broad moors; afterwards the island of Martinesie with its adjoining lands. Then the island of Badenebeorge and Northilade, with the lands, meadows, pastures, moors, and ample woods belonging to them. After these, the island of Andrewefie, surpassing the others in its situation and the pleasantness of the place, with very broad lands, woods, meadows, and moors. This is so named from Saint Andrew, whose chapel is there, just as Godenie is named because of the chapel of the Holy Trinity, and Martinesie from Saint Martin, whose chapel is there. After the same places comes Badecumbe, beside Mount Munidop, with all the lands and pastures belonging to it on that same hill. All these places, contained within the bounds of the Twelve Hides and belonging to Glastonbury, have enjoyed every immunity of royal dignity from ancient times; and this has been confirmed to the Church of Glastonbury by the kings of the Britons, the English, and the Normans.

Concerning Turstin, the first abbot from the Normans #

¹ Having dealt with certain matters for the sake of which there has been a slight digression, we must return to the order of the history. The first abbot from the Normans, then, was Turstin, in the year 1082 of the Lord’s Incarnation. William, formerly Duke of Normandy and then made King of England, appointed him abbot there from being a monk of Caen. The same William, after the kingdom had been brought under his rule, enfeoffed many of his fellow-soldiers from the possessions of Glastonbury. It can therefore be inferred from these and the preceding matters how and by whom the monastery of Glastonbury, once most wealthy, was almost stripped bare of its lands: namely through the wastefulness of Æthelweard and Æthelnoth, through the hostile incursion of the Danes and Normans alike, or through violent oppression. Yet the same King William, in order to make amends for the injury previously inflicted on Glastonbury, confirmed to them by royal authority certain lands which they complained had been taken away, in these words.

The charter of King William the First #

¹ Let it be known both to those present and to those to come that I, William, by the grace of God king of England, having seen and recognised the charters of the Church of Glastonbury, grant to the same church for ever, for the sustenance of the monks serving God there, for the salvation of my soul, certain lands which they claimed belonged to the same church by hereditary right, and I confirm them. The names of the lands are written below, namely Midelton, Fulebroc, Berges, Burnington, Lim, Blakeford, and Witon. Witnesses: W., Bishop of Durham, Archbishop Lanfranc, Archbishop Thomas, Bishop Walkelin, Robert, Count of Mauric, and many others.

Concerning the abbots of Muchelney and Athelney #

¹ These things, then, having been accomplished at the insistence of Abbot Turstin, let us also pursue this matter: with what effectiveness he asserted as belonging to his own right the neighbouring abbots of Muchelney and Athelney. For when Lanfranc the Archbishop, because of the false accusation of Giso, Bishop of Wells, sharply attacked them in a general council of England, the abbot of Muchelney, being more practised in worldly affairs, replied that he would answer in the chapter of Glastonbury, at the command of the abbot of that place and his own; but that he did not fear extraordinary accusations. The abbot of Athelney, however, playfully evading the question, when the archbishop threatened that his staff should be taken away from him, said that he did not care, because he had a better one, yet he would not hand that one over to him. Then Abbot Turstin, being ordered to plead the case if he knew it belonged to him, rose as though to deliver judgement, and spoke at length and with steady eloquence, recounting from memory the privileges of the kings from Kings Kentwine and Ine down to Edward. By these he argued that no one had any jurisdiction over those abbots except the Abbot of Glastonbury, to such an extent that no abbot ought to enter the same churches unless he had been elected by the convent of Glastonbury. Then, when the archbishop had turned to the king and said that he did not wish to diminish the nurse of blessed Dunstan, and the king had replied that he too did not wish to sadden the Mother of the Lord, but that, for the safeguard of the future, the Bishop of Wells ought to settle the matter in the chapter at Glastonbury, the abbot resumed his speech: the privileges of his church were authentic; no person of whatever dignity ought to come to Glastonbury for the sake of judgement; all judgements there, both in ecclesiastical and in secular matters, belonged to his church. It would easily happen that an unconquered prince and a holy archbishop, in establishing a new thing, would be struck by everlasting ill-will. But what his predecessors had possessed intact, he, who watched over the defence of the dignity of the church with the same spirit, would by no means let go. Therefore the Bishop of Wells, if he thought anything should be alleged, should come to Glastonbury by his command, not by the king’s or the archbishop’s. Why say more? The abbot won the case. And indeed the bishop came into the chapter, but when the abbots cleared themselves, victory slipped from him, and he departed without glory.

Concerning the translation of Saint Benignus #

¹ To the glory of Turstin’s times belongs the translation of most blessed Benignus, which our pen has set out elsewhere as not undistinguished by miracles. He made two palls, two thuribles, and two candlesticks.

Concerning the discords between Turstin and his community, and concerning the wounded cross #

¹ In his time, however, a certain misfortune occurred which reason dissuades us from passing over in complete silence: not so that the remembrance of a bitter matter may seem a reproach, but so that the miracle which followed from it may be brought into the open for the edification of those who hear. For it is reported that the tares of discord were scattered between that abbot and his community [Matthew 13:25], and the cause of the disagreement is laid upon the abbot’s negligence, indeed his imprudence. For while he was withdrawing many things from the community’s ancient and approved customs, and also changing certain things after the custom of his own country, although he had often been privately questioned about these matters and had been publicly rebuked, nevertheless he pretended not to correct his errors, and in no way put off the stubbornness he had assumed. Among other things, too, having despised Gregorian chant, he began to compel the monks to abandon it and to learn and sing the chant of a certain William of Fécamp. They took this badly, since in this, as in the other ecclesiastical office, they had already grown old according to the custom of the Roman Church; moreover, they perhaps found the ways of that man harder to bear as those of a foreigner, and one not canonically appointed from the bosom of the church. Therefore, when on a certain day he entered the chapter with a troubled mind, and addressed the monks more stormily than usual about these and other matters, and could not bend them to his will, immediately, blinded by anger, he had his armed knights and attendants summoned. Seeing this, the monks, seized by very great fear, turned to flight as best they could, and entered the church as a refuge, blocking its doors with bolts. But the ministers of Belial [2 Corinthians 6:15], breaking into the temple, carried out an absurd example of wickedness. They pursued the monks even as they fled to the altar and sought divine help with many tears, shooting arrows at them with bows. Some even climbed the platforms set up between the columns, so that they might more freely satisfy their malicious spirit with the blood of the innocent; nor could reverence for the place or for the saints stand in their way. At last they killed one of the monks, who was embracing the sacred altar, by piercing him with a lance, and another, at the step of the altar, by riddling him with arrows, and they gravely wounded fourteen others. For this reason the monks, compelled by the urgency of such great necessity, at last defended themselves as best they could, driving their adversaries from the choir. But one of the abbot’s household, more stubborn in wickedness than the others, seeing a certain monk holding in his hands a cross covered with silver, so that it might serve him as a shield of defence, aimed an arrow at him with an indignant mind. But by God’s providence, the arrow, wounding the image of the Lord fixed upon the cross beneath the knees, drew from it a little stream of blood, which, descending from the altar to the steps and from the steps to the ground, struck terror of divine vengeance into those ill-fated men. Seeing this, the perpetrator of this crime, unable to endure his own confusion, was immediately made mad; and, having crossed the threshold of the church, he fell and breathed out his soul with his neck broken. The rest, seeing this, hurried to leave the monastery lest they undergo similar punishments. But the rod of divine justice did not allow those men to be without punishment, since it knew them to have been companions in the carrying out of wickedness. Some within, and some outside, made powerless in mind and body, paid penalties which were not undeserved. At last a complaint about this was brought to King William the First; and when it became clear that the abbot’s fault had been very great, he was compelled by that king to return in disgrace to Normandy, to the monastery from which he had come. As for the monks, very many of them were scattered through bishoprics and abbeys by the king’s command, to be kept under guard. Yet after the king’s death, the same Turstin, with the help of his relatives, is said to have bought back the abbacy of Glastonbury from his son William, called Rufus, for five hundred pounds of silver; and, occupying the monastery for some years and ranging through its possessions, he ended his life miserably far from it, as he deserved. But as for the rest of Turstin’s deeds, let us rather admire them, and not carp at this one, in which he stumbled more by mischance than sinned by design. Let us emulate in him the fervour of religion, some measure of devotion towards God, and much foresight in worldly affairs. The cross mentioned above, covered with silver from ancient times, is held venerable by the community and famous among the people because of so great a miracle, and still shows clear traces of the wound to those who look upon it. These things happened in the year of the Lord 1081. Orosius, the historian of the English, is also a witness to this matter.

Concerning Abbot Herlwin #

¹ Herlwin succeeded in the year of the Incarnation 1101, like Turstin a monk of Caen, equally distinguished by mercy and generosity. Henry the First, with the consent of the community, appointed him abbot there, and he presided there for nineteen years. On the newness of his arrival, because of the spareness of the food, he was marked with disgrace in the kingdom of England. And indeed he conducted himself more strictly than the extent of his fortune required, not from narrowness of spirit, but according to the custom of the people of the country from which he had come. Nevertheless, as I have said, sprinkled with the shame of infamy, he tore away from their foundations the doors of the court, by which the approach of those coming had been barred, so that, with access lying open by night as by day, no one could complain of difficulty of entry. And to show how much he hated the infamy of parsimony, he summoned all the officials and urgently asked this favour of all of them as a gift: that they would help him in recovering a reputation for generosity. He threatened the porter, if he excluded anyone, not only with loss of property but also with the cutting off of an ear. By this it came about that he was called extravagant for generosity, who had previously been cried out against as tight-fisted; for it often happens in human affairs that the man who is prudent is called greedy, and the man who is generous is named prodigal. The church begun by his predecessor, because it did not correspond to the greatness of his possessions, he tore down to the ground and began a new one, on which he spent 480 pounds. He bought an image and a cross for seventy marks. As for the lands taken away since the time of the Normans, when he had offered the king a thousand marks and suffered refusal, turning his mind to the saying of Terence, he said: let us do what we can, if we cannot do what we wish. And so, by giving one hundred marks of silver and two of gold, he repaired the mutilation of his manors. For, recovering six hides in Pucklechurch, he extended them to forty pounds, though before they had scarcely been worth sixteen. For sixty marks he redeemed the land which Geoffrey de Magna Villa held in Wilton. He recovered the land of Cranemere, with King Henry agreeing that he should defend it as three hides. He wrested Milne and Lim from the hands of Harding, son of Eadnoth, then a very powerful man and legal advocate. From Ulric, brother of the Bishop of Durham, when secular wisdom was having little success and he had been deprived of ecclesiastical communion, he received Blakeford. He caused one hide in Compton and another in Sowy to return to the church, as though by right of return after exile. Among the Welsh he acquired land worth ten pounds. He made a cross of wonderful and incomparable workmanship, nine palls, nine copes, one carpet, five dorsal hangings, three albs, and an altar which, when it was shown to John of Crema, first stunned his mind by the enormity of its price; soon afterwards, he said that if it were held at Rome it would be valued at one hundred marks of gold. He enlarged the workshops of the monks. He received freely clerics bringing forth the vow of religion, not making a market of their conversion for any price, as some do. On the day before he died, while singing Mass, with contrition of heart [Psalm 50:19 Vulgate; Psalm 51:17] and a river of tears, he made himself a victim to God; soon afterwards, in chapter, he sought and obtained pardon from the monks for all his offences. He foretold, while they marvelled, that he had come to the boundary of life, and at twilight itself, on the advice of the doctors, he took pills. But when these turned into torment before midnight, he was anointed with holy oil by the monks who hurried to him, and at the boundary of night he closed his day. He was buried beside Turstin at Saint Andrew’s.

Customs #

¹ The customs observed in the times of Abbots Turstin and Herlwin were these. On ordinary days, namely Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, the brothers had three common dishes at the meal and two pittances; but on the other three days, namely Monday, the third feria, and Friday, they had two common dishes and three pittances. On solemn days, when the brothers were in copes, they had mead in pitchers, fine loaves on the table, wine for the charity-drink, three common dishes, and four or five pittances. On the days when they were in albs, they likewise had mead in pitchers, fine loaves on the tables, three common dishes, and three or four pittances. But on the chief feasts, that is, the Nativity of the Lord, Easter, Pentecost, the Assumption and Nativity of Saint Mary, and the dedication of the church, the quantity of everything was greater according to the dignity of the feasts. On the anniversaries of kings, bishops, abbots, and ealdormen who built the Church of Glastonbury, the brothers ought to celebrate masses for their souls at each altar, and especially honourably in the common convent, with the ornaments which they gave to this church set before them. Meanwhile thirteen poor people are to be fed for them, and afterwards in the refectory the brothers ought to be served as on feasts. Concerning their clothing, this is the custom: each of the brothers ought to have two cowls, two frocks, two woollen undergarments, two pairs of drawers, four pairs of stockings, and a new fur garment each year. And on the Lord’s Supper each should have daytime shoes, and in winter nighttime shoes, and two bed-coverings; and they should have ten pairs of foot-coverings, namely two at the feast of blessed Michael, four at the solemnity of All Saints, two at the feast of Saint Martin, and the other two whenever it is useful for them. And this is the allowance concerning when they ought to have wine instead of ale: each should have two charity-drinks in the day. For the smaller details, look in the text.

Concerning Abbot Sigfrid #

¹ Sigfrid, a monk of Sées and brother of Ralph, Archbishop of Canterbury, succeeded in the year of the Lord’s Incarnation 1120. He too was appointed by Henry the First, and ruled Glastonbury for six years. He gave one pall, a white chasuble, and a privilege in these words.

The privilege of Pope Calixtus #

¹ Calixtus, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his most beloved son Sigfrid Pelochin, greeting and apostolic blessing. It is fitting to offer ready consent to religious desires, so that faithful devotion may obtain a swift effect. For this reason, most dear son in Christ, kindly assenting to the desires of your request, we receive into the guardianship and protection of the Roman Church the monastery of blessed Mary, Mother of God, the glorious ever-virgin, over which, with God’s approval, you preside; and we cherish it by this privilege against the troubles caused by wicked men. For by the page and authority of the present decree we establish that whatever things have been conferred on our monastery by lawful grant from popes, archbishops, kings, princes, and other faithful people shall be preserved to it quiet and entire. Whatever, moreover, in future times, with the Lord granting it, you shall be able to acquire justly and canonically, let these remain firm and inviolate for you and your successors. We therefore decree that no person at all shall be permitted utterly to disturb that same monastery, or to take away its possessions, or to keep what has been taken away, or to diminish them, or to harass them with rash vexations. Rather, let everything be preserved entire for the use, in every way profitable, of those for whose governance and preservation they were granted. But if any ecclesiastical or secular person, in future, knowing this page of our constitution, rashly attempts to act against it, and, after being warned a second or third time, does not amend it by suitable satisfaction, let that person lack the dignity of power and honour, and know himself guilty before divine judgement for the iniquity he has committed; and let him be made alien from the most sacred body of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ the Redeemer, and at the final judgement let him be subject to strict vengeance. But to all who preserve what is just for that same place, may there be the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that they may both receive the fruit of good action and find, before the strict Judge, the rewards of eternal repayment. Given at the Lateran by the hand of Amneric, cardinal and chancellor of the Holy Roman Church, on the Ides of May, in the first indiction, in the year 1123 of the Lord’s Incarnation, in the fifth year of the pontificate of Lord Pope Calixtus II.

Concerning Henry of Blois, Abbot of Glastonbury #

¹ When Sigfrid had been made Bishop of Chichester, he had as his successor at Glastonbury, in the year 1126, Henry, brother of Theobald, Count of Blois, and nephew of King Henry through his sister Adela; he was also made Bishop of Winchester not long afterwards. He was a man distinguished, beyond the splendour of his birth, by skill in letters, courteous in the affability of his words, and generous in the kindness of his spirit. You know how greatly his beginnings and progress have benefited you, and therefore with how much favour he has come into the mouths of men. Concerning him, neither would I be unwilling to say more, nor would you grow weary of hearing more, were it not my counsel to spare his admirable modesty. For this is proper to him: although he does things worthy of praise, he nevertheless blushes to be praised.

² The book being finished, and so on.