We are justified in giving this title to St. Werburgh and St. Plegmund,
of whom specially this chapter will treat, since both belonged to the
old kingdom of Mercia, of which Cheshire was a part.
We owe our knowledge of St. Werburgh to the metrical life of the Saint
written by Henry Bradshaw, a monk of St. Werburgh’s Monastery, who died
in 1513. The full title of his work (which was printed in 1521 and
reprinted by the Chetham Society in 1848) is _The Holy Lyfe and History
of Saynt Werburge, very frutefall for all Christen people to rede_.
It purports to be a translation into English verse from the original
Chronicle or Passionary stated by him to be preserved in the Monastery.
He makes frequent allusions to the Venerable Bede (whom he styles his
author), as also to “Master Alfrydus, William Malmsburge, Gyrarde,
Polycronycon, and other mo(re).”
St. Werburgh was born about 650, and was the daughter of Wulfhere, King
of Mercia (whose name is perpetuated in Wolverhampton) and Ermenhild
his wife. She was thus descended from four royal families. Her father
was the second son of Penda, King of Mercia, who claimed descent from
Woden. Her mother was the daughter of Earconbert, King of Kent, and
was thus a descendant both of Tytillus, King of East Anglia, and of
St. Edwin, King of Northumbria. She was also connected with the kings
of France, as St. Ermenhild’s grandfather and great-grandfather both
married princesses of that royal house. We may say that she was of
saintly as well as of royal lineage, for five of her grandfather
Penda’s children (pagan though he himself was) earned the title of
saints; whilst her mother’s family included the names of St. Hilda, St.
Etheldreda, St. Ethelburga, and St. Sexburga (her mother).
Wulfhere and his queen chiefly lived at Stone in Staffordshire, where
St. Werburgh, under the care of her good mother, grew up. Bradshaw
gives a very interesting picture of her early years, in which her
religious disposition, fostered no doubt by her mother’s influence and
example, manifested itself in various ways. Thus:--
“First in the morning to church she would go,
Following her mother the queene every day,
With her boke and bedes, and depart not them fro,
Hear all divine service and her devocyons say:
And to our Blessed Saviour, mekely on her knees pray,
Daily Him desiring, for His endless grace and pity,
To keep her from sin, and preserve her in chastity.”
She was an only daughter having three brothers. She listened with
earnest attention to every word of instruction and advice; abjured
giddy pleasures; and found her truest joy in contemplation of heavenly
things, and holiest bliss arising from a pure conscience, chastened by
fasting and sanctified by prayer.
Bradshaw gives a full description of her young days, and fondly lingers
over the narration of her virtues. She attracted many suitors, but
courteously dismissed them all. Among these was the Prince of the West
Saxons, who made offer of marriage and of all his worldly goods:--
“Landes, rentes, and libertees all at your pleasure;
Servantes every hour, your byddynge for to do,
With ladyes in your chambre to wayte on you also.”