REPTON’S SAINTS (GUTHLAC & WYSTAN).
“The sober recital of historical fact is decked with legends of singular
beauty, like artificial flowers adorning the solid fabric of the Church.
Truth and fiction are so happily blended that we cannot wish such holy
visions to be removed out of our sight,” thus wrote Bishop Selwyn of the
time when our Repton Saints lived, and in order that their memories may
be kept green, the following account has been written.
ST. GUTHLAC.
At the command of Æthelbald, King of the Mercians, Felix, monk of
Crowland, first bishop of the East Angles, wrote a life of St. Guthlac.
He derived his information from Wilfrid, abbot of Crowland, Cissa, a
priest, and Beccelm, the companion of Guthlac, all of whom knew him.
Felix relates that Guthlac was born in the days of Æthelred, (675-704),
his parents’ names were Icles and Tette, of royal descent. He was
baptised and named Guthlac, which is said to mean “Gud-lac,” “belli
munus,” “the gift of battle,” in reference to the gift of one, destined
to a military career, to the service of God. The sweet disposition of his
youth is described, at length, by his biographer, also the choice of a
military career, in which he spent nine years of his life. During those
years he devastated cities and houses, castles and villages, with fire
and sword, and gathered together an immense quantity of spoil, but he
returned a third part of it to those who owned it. One sleepless night,
his conscience awoke, the enormity of his crimes, and the doom awaiting
such a life, suddenly aroused him, at daybreak he announced, to his
companions, his intention of giving up the predatory life of a soldier of
fortune, and desired them to choose another leader, in vain they tried
to turn him from his resolve, and so at the age of twenty-four, about
the year 694, he left them, and came to the Abbey of Repton, and sought
admission there. Ælfritha, the abbess, admitted him, and, under her
rule, he received the “mystical tonsure of St. Peter, the prince of the
Apostles.”
For two years he applied himself to the study of sacred and monastic
literature.
The virtues of a hermit’s life attracted him, and he determined to adopt
it, so, in the autumn of 696, he again set out in search of a suitable
place, and soon lost himself among the fens, not far from Gronta—which
has been identified with Grantchester, near Cambridge—here, a bystander,
named Tatwine, mentioned a more remote island named Crowland, which many
had tried to inhabit, but, owing to monsters, &c., had failed to do so.
Hither Guthlac and Tatwine set out in a punt, and, landing on the island,
built a hut over a hole made by treasure seekers, in which Guthlac
settled on St. Bartholomew’s Day, (August 24th,) vowed to lead a hermit’s
life. Many stories are related, by Felix, of his encounters with evil
spirits, who tried to turn him away from the faith, or drive him away
from their midst.
Of course the miraculous element abounds all through the narrative,
chiefly connected with his encounters with evil spirits, whom he puts to
flight, delivering those possessed with them from their power. So great
was his fame, bishops, nobles, and kings, visit him, and Eadburgh, Abbess
of Repton, daughter of Aldulph, King of East Angles, sent him a shroud,
and a coffin of Derbyshire lead, for his burial, which took place on the
11th of April, A.D. 714.
Such, in briefest outline, is the life of St. Guthlac. Those who wish
to know more about him, should consult “The Memorials of St. Guthlac,”
edited by Walter de Gray Birch. In it he has given a list of the
manuscripts, Anglo-Saxon, Latin, and Old English Verse, which describe
the Saint’s life. He quotes specimens of all of them, and gives the full
text of Felix’s life, with footnotes of various readings, &c., and,
what is most interesting, has interleaved the life with illustrations,
reproduced by Autotype Photography, from the well known roll in Harley
Collection of MSS. in the British Museum. The roll, of vellum, is nine
feet long, by six inches and a half wide, on it are depicted, in circular
panels, eighteen scenes from the life of the Saint. Drawn with “brown
or faded black ink, heightened with tints and transparent colours,
lightly sketched in with a hair pencil—in the prevailing style of the
twelfth century—the work of a monk of Crowland, perhaps of the celebrated
Ingulph, the well known literary abbot of that monastery, it stands,
unique, in its place, as an example of the finest early English style of
freehand drawing,” one or more of the cartoons are missing.
The first cartoon, the left half of which is wanting, is a picture of
Guthlac and his companions asleep, clad in chain armour.
The 2nd. Guthlac takes leave of his companions.
The 3rd. Guthlac is kneeling between bishop Headda, and the abbess, in
Repton abbey. The bishop is shearing off Guthlac’s hair.
The 4th. Guthlac, Tatwine, and an attendant are in a boat with a sail,
making their way back to the island of Crowland.
The 5th. Guthlac, with two labourers, is building a chapel.
The 6th. Guthlac, seated in the completed chapel, receives a visit from
an angel, and his patron saint Bartholomew.
The 7th. Guthlac is borne aloft over the Chapel by five demons, three of
whom are beating him with triple-thonged whips. Beccelm, his companion,
is seated inside the Chapel, in front of the altar, on which is placed a
chalice.
The 8th. Guthlac, with a nimbus of sanctity round his head, has been
borne to the jaws of hell, (in which are a king, a bishop, and two
priests) by the demons, and is rescued by St. Bartholomew, who gives a
whip to Guthlac.
The 9th. The cell of Guthlac is surrounded by five demons, in various
hideous shapes. He has seized one, and is administering a good thrashing
with his whip.
The 10th. Guthlac expels a demon from the mouth of Egga, a follower of
the exiled Æthelbald.
The 11th. Guthlac, kneeling before bishop Headda, is ordained a priest.
The 12th. King Æthelbald visits Guthlac, both are seated, and Guthlac is
speaking words of comfort to him.
The 13th. Guthlac is lying ill in his oratory, Beccelm is kneeling in
front of him listening to his voice.
The 14th. Guthlac is dead, two angels are in attendance, one receiving
the soul, “anima”, as it issues from his mouth. A ray of light stretches
from heaven down to the face of the saint.
The 15th. Beccelm and an attendant in a boat, into which Pega, sister of
Guthlac, is stepping on her way to perform the obsequies of her brother.
The 16th. Guthlac, in his shroud, is being placed in a marble sarcophagus
by Pega and three others, one of whom censes the remains.
The 17th. Guthlac appears to King Æthelbald.
The 18th. Before an altar stand thirteen principal benefactors of
Crowland Abbey. Each one, beginning with King Æthelbald, carries a scroll
on which is inscribed their name, and gift.
The Abbey of Crowland was built, and flourished till about the year 870,
when the Danes burnt it down, four years later they destroyed Repton.
Guthlaxton Hundred in the southern part of Leicestershire, and four
churches, dedicated to him, retain his name. The remains of a stone at
Brotherhouse, bearing his name, and a mouldering effigy, in its niche on
the west front of the ruins of Crowland Abbey, are still to be seen. His
“sanctus bell” was at Repton, and as we shall see, in the account of the
Priory, acquired curative powers for headache.
ST. WYSTAN.
Among “the Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during
the Middle Ages,” published by the authority of Her Majesty’s Treasury,
under the direction of the Master of the Rolls is the “Chronicon Abbatiæ
de Evesham,” written by Thomas de Marleberge or Marlborough, Abbot of
Evesham. In an appendix to the Chronicle he also wrote a life of St.
Wystan from which the following facts, &c., have been gathered.
Wystan was the son of Wimund, son of Wiglaf, King of Mercia, his
mother’s name was Elfleda. Wimund died of dysentery during his father’s
life-time, and was buried in Crowland Abbey, and, later on, his wife
was laid by his side. When the time came for Wystan to succeed to the
crown, he refused it, “wishing to become an heir of a heavenly kingdom.
Following the example of his Lord and master, he refused an earthly
crown, exchanging it for a heavenly one,” and committed the kingdom to
the care of his mother, and to the chief men of the land. But his uncle
Bertulph conspired against him, “inflamed with a desire of ruling, and
with a secret love for the queen-regent.” A council was assembled at
a place, known from that day to this, as Wistanstowe, in Shropshire,
and to it came Bertulph and his son Berfurt. Beneath his cloak Berfurt
had concealed a sword, and (like Judas the traitor), whilst giving a
kiss of peace to Wystan, drew it and smote him with a mortal wound on
his head, and so, on the eve of Pentecost, in the year 849, “that holy
martyr leaving his precious body on the earth, bore his glorious soul
to heaven. The body was conveyed to the Abbey of Repton, and buried in
the mausoleum of his grandfather, with well deserved honour, and the
greatest reverence. For thirty days a column of light, extending from the
spot where he was slain to the heavens above, was seen by all those who
dwelt there, and every year, on the day of his martyrdom, the hairs of
his head, severed by the sword, sprung up like grass.” Over the spot a
church was built to which pilgrims were wont to resort, to see the annual
growth of the hair.
The remains of St. Wystan rested at Repton till the days of Canute
(1016-1035), when he caused them to be transferred to Evesham Abbey, “so
that in a larger and more worthy church the memory of the martyr might be
held more worthily and honourably.” In the year 1207 the tower of Evesham
Abbey fell, smashing the presbytery and all it contained, including the
shrine of St. Wystan. The monks took the opportunity of inspecting the
relics, and to prove their genuineness, which some doubted, subjected
them to a trial by fire, the broken bones were placed in it, and were
taken out unhurt and unstained. The Canons of Repton hearing of the
disaster caused by the falling tower, begged so earnestly for a portion
of the relics, that the Abbot Randulph granted them a portion of the
broken skull, and a piece of an arm bone. The bearers of the sacred
relics to Repton were met by a procession of prior, canons, and others,
over a mile long, and with tears of joy they placed them, “not as before
in the mausoleum of his grandfather, but in a shrine more worthy, more
suitable, and as honourable as it was possible to make it,” in their
Priory church, where they remained till it was dissolved in the year 1538.
In memory of St. Wystan, the first Parish Church of Repton was dedicated
to him, as we shall see in our account of Repton Church.
[Illustration: Plate 3.
Repton Church Crypt. (Page 17.)]