Abbot Mannius -1065

Chronicle of the Abbey of Evesham. In the time of the peaceable King Edward, a most excellent prince whose worth surpassed that of ordinary men, Abbot Mannius¹ most devoutly governed the monastery of Saint Ecgwin, a man dear to God and beloved by all who were subject to him. Among the many highly praiseworthy works he undertook, he resolved to have a shrine made for Saint Odulf. When he saw the work progressing well, however, he determined to dedicate it instead to Saint Ecgwin. At that time many skilled craftsmen were present, and over them all was a certain master craftsman, the father of Master Clement, who afterwards became prior of Evesham. As the nature of such work required, he repeatedly applied himself to casting, hammering, and engraving with a chisel. One day, while sitting as usual and carefully fashioning small figures with his chisel, he suddenly and accidentally wounded his left hand so severely with the tool he was holding that a drop of blood passed through the middle of his hand and fell from the other side. Deeply distressed by so sudden a mishap, he said: "O Saint Ecgwin, am I not here in your service? If you care at all for the service of a wretched sinner, show it now." He spoke, and immediately, through the intervention of divine healing, he was freed from both the pain and the wound through the merits of the holy man. O marvellous man, worthy to be praised by every tongue! He allowed no interval before granting the cure, but, following the example of Saint Mark the Evangelist, God poured healing upon him immediately after the pain of the wound.

Tempore pacifici regis Eadwardi, summi et ultra communem valentiam laudabilis principis, dominus abbas Mannius cœnobium sancti Ecgwini devotissime regebat, vir Deo carus et omnibus subjectis amabilis. Hic inter cætera quæ multum extollenda operatus est, scrinium sancto Odulfo fieri decrevit, quod opus ut vidit in melius ire studuit sancto Ecgwino dedicare. Aderant tum quamplures artificiosi, quorum omnium magister erat quidam, pater videlicet domini Clementis postmodum Eoveshamensis prioris. Is quum, sicut hujusmodi opus exigit, sæpius fundendo et tundendo ac cum scalpro incidendo labori insisteret, quadam die more solito sedens et cum scalpro parvas imaginulas diligentissime coaptans, subito casu tam graviter manum sinistram cum ferro quod tenebat vulneravit ut per mediam manum gutta sanguinis alia ex parte stillaret. Commotus itaque tam repentino casu, "O sancte," inquit, "Ecgwine, nonne hic assum in tuo servitio? Si quicquam de servitio miseri peccatoris curas, jam ostende." Dixit; et statim, divina medela accedente, et dolore et vulnere per sancti viri merita caruit. O virum mirabilem, omniumque ore prædicandum! Non interposuit tempus medelæ, sed, ad Sanctorum, exemplum Marci evangelistæ, mox post dolorem vulneris sanitatem per Deum superinfudit.

Note 1. Abbot Mannius was consecrated on 10th August 1044.

Chronicle of the Abbey of Evesham. In that same year [1044], at a council held in London, Mannius, a monk of this church, was chosen as abbot by King Edward, in the second year of his reign, and was consecrated for this place on the fourth of the Ides [10th] of August. This venerable man was highly accomplished in sacred learning and in many other arts. He was skilled as a singer, scribe, painter and goldsmith, and was regarded as one of the finest masters in almost the whole of this country. At Canterbury and at the church of Coventry, as in many other places, he produced many works which were greatly praised at the time. At this place he began to rebuild the church on a grander scale than before, and brought the work to a successful completion, having the church consecrated. During his time, the manor called Church Lench was restored to this church. Likewise, Withy, which had originally been acquired by our father Ecgwine and had been taken away in the reign of King Edmund, like many other estates, remained lost until Mannius's time, when by the grace of God it was restored to him. He also made the shrine of St Ecgwine from silver, gold and precious stones. In it were three stones which illuminated a large part of the church by night. During the making of this shrine, a miracle occurred which, we believe, was brought about by divine power. One of the goldsmiths, a man named Godric, who after the abbot was the master of the other craftsmen, was carving an image intended to be placed on the shrine when he happened to pierce the middle of his left hand with a craftsman's awl. He immediately wiped away the blood and, feeling no pain, bound up the wound in his hand. When he rose from bed the next day, he found that the injury had been completely healed. He at once showed this to the abbot, who together with the brethren gave thanks and praise to Almighty God and to St Ecgwine, their father. The same craftsman, Godric, later became a monk in the time of Abbot Walter. After living for many years in exemplary religious conduct, he died peacefully with a holy end. Abbot Mannius also made the shrines of the blessed Odulf and St Credan. With his own hand he copied and splendidly illuminated a missal and a large Psalter, and he also produced many other praiseworthy works for this church. About seven years before his departure from this life, the perfectly just mercy of God, wishing to test his patience as it had tested that of holy Job, permitted him to fall victim to a most severe and incurable bodily illness, which the Greeks call paralysis. All his limbs were so weakened that he was no longer able to make any arrangements concerning the government of the abbey.

Eodem anno, facto concilio apud Londonias, Mannius hujus ecclesiæ monachus abbas a rege Æduuardo, secundo videlicet anno regni ejus, eligitur, atque ad istum locum quarto idus Augusti consecratur. Hic vir venerabilis valde et sacris litteris aliisque plurimis artibus fuerat imbutus, videlicet cantoris, scriptoris, pictoris, aurique fabrilis operis scientia pollens, super omnes alios fere hujus patriæ magister optimus habebatur. Apud Cantuariam vero atque ecclesiam Coventreiam sicuti in multis aliis locis plurima opera tunc temporis valde laudabilia operatus est. In isto denique loco ecclesiam majori opere quam antea fuit construere cœpit, et usque ad bonum finem consummando consecrari fecit. Villa quæ appellatur Chirichlench suo tempore reddita est huic ecclesiæ. Similiter et Witheleia primitus a patre nostro Eegwino acquisita, et tempore Ædmundi regis veluti plures aliæ usque ad sua tempora ablata, iterum, Dei gratia, sibi est reddita. Feretrum etiam sancti Egwini ex argento, auro, et lapidibus pretiosis composuit, in quo erant tres lapides magnam partem ecclesiæ de nocte illuminantes, in quo opere quoddam miraculum contigit divinitus, ut credimus, peractum. Nam quidam inter aurifices post abbatem magister aliorum, Godricus nomine, quum seulperet quandam imaginem quæ deberet poni in illo serinio, contigit ut manum sinistram cum artificiali subula mediam perfoderet; at ille, statim sanguinem extergens nihilque doloris sentiens, sed quodam ligamine vulnus manus sue ligans, crastina die surgens do lecto, reperit ipsam plagam ex omni parte curatam Quam rem mox ostendit abbati, qui simul cum fratribus gratias et laudes referunt Deo omnipotenti sanctoque Eegwino suo patri. Idem artifex Godricus postea, tempore Walteri abbatis, monachus factus, plurimis annis vivens in bona conversatione sancto fine quievit in pace. Fecit etiam idem abbas Mannius feretra beati Odulfi et sancti Credani; missalem librum atque Psalterium magnum propria manu descripsit ac laudabiliter depinxit, nec non et plura alia opera huic ecclesiæ laudabiliter operatus est. Ante septem fere annos ex hac luce suæ transmigrationis, justissima Dei clementia, parapatientiam ejus volens probare sicut et sancti Job, permisit eum incurrere gravissimam atque insanabilem corporis infirmitatem quam Greci paralysin appellant, ita ut, dissolutis omnibus membris, ultra non valeret aliquid disponere de ista abbatia.

Chronicle of the Abbey of Evesham. A certain matron named Algitha, who during the time of the aforesaid King Edward frequently visited the church of St Ecgwin [Map], conceived the idea, out of love for the saint, of trying by every means to obtain something of his relics. She therefore began cunningly to consider how she might most easily accomplish her desire. Secretly summoning some boys of the place and, as is said, giving them gifts and promising them greater ones, she asked them to obtain for her in secret even some small part of the relics of St Ecgwin, so that they might thereby receive a greater reward from her. For she knew that people of that age had less understanding and could more easily be deceived. The boys agreed and began to look for a time and hour when they might fulfil their promise without anyone else knowing. But what will burning greed not dare? Avarice accomplished its purpose through their immature age. By night the boys went to the shrine of St Ecgwin and, quickly opening the casket, stole away a great treasure, more precious than any pearl. Alas! With irreverent and reckless hands they handled the saint's limbs and, taking away part of an arm together with one tooth, endeavoured secretly to carry them to the matron. But divine vengeance did not long delay in taking punishment for such incredible audacity, as what followed made clear. For the aforesaid matron, receiving the treasure she had so long desired, returned joyfully home. Having honourably placed the relics of St Ecgwin, as well as she could, in a very clean little reliquary, she believed that she would enjoy the fruits of her theft for a long time. But behold, St Ecgwin, the man of God, appeared to the matron in a vision by night and ordered her to carry him back to his proper place, saying that he had been unjustly taken from there by her. She disregarded the command, and a second time she was warned by a similar vision. But when she did not obey even then, and because of her excessive desire to possess the relics dismissed the visions as mere phantoms, St Ecgwin finally appeared to her in a third vision and, greatly angered, ordered her to take him back. When she refused, the saint said, "Before tomorrow's sun shines forth as usual, you will wish that you had obeyed my commands." Why prolong the story? At daybreak the matron arose blind, though her eyes were open, and for as long as she remained alive she continued in perpetual blindness, despite having most beautiful eyes. Afterwards, however, though too late, she sent to Mannius, who at that time was abbot of the monastery of St Ecgwin, asking permission to keep the relics and promising that she would make a shrine adorned with gold and silver in honour of them. She also promised that, when she died, she would without fail give the shrine itself with the relics, and in addition her own estate, which the inhabitants call Suella, to St Ecgwin and his servants. Although she was prevented by the sin of her son from fulfilling this promise herself, Almighty God afterwards brought it to fulfilment through the lord and most prudent Abbot Ælfwine¹, successor of the lord and most skilful Abbot Mannius. For that same abbot obtained by judgement the aforesaid estate, which had been given to him as a pledge, because of the difficulty in repaying the money. He also, after identifying the shrine at Worcester, with God's help brought it into his own possession, and it is preserved to the present day in the monastery of St Ecgwin. So much for the matron. The boys mentioned above, who had been responsible for the aforesaid theft, eventually fell grievously under the judgement of God. One of them was drowned in water, while another, for as long as he lived, was continually afflicted without respite by a very severe bodily illness.

Matrona quædam, Algitha nomine, dum sæpius tempore prædicti regis Eadwardi ecclesiam sancti Ecgwini frequentaret, venit ei in mentem ob amorem sancti omnimodis tentare si quicquam de reliquiis ejus valeret acquirere. Cœpit igitur callide volutare qualiter desiderium suum posset facilius perpetrare. Accitis itaque secreto pueris loci, eisque, ut fertur, dona tribuens et ampliora promittens, rogavit quatenus sibi de reliquiis sancti Ecgwini vel modicum quid clam perquirerent, ut per hoc majorem mercedem ab ea perciperent. Sciebat enim illam ætatem minus habilem intelligentiæ leviusque posse decipi. Præbent assensum pueri, et cœpere quærere tempus et horam qua sine notitia aliorum implerent promissum. Verum quid non audet ardens cupiditas? Per infirmam ætatem perficit avaritia suum officium. Pergunt nocte pueri ad sancti Ecgwini feretrum, apertoque velociter scrinio, furto auferunt magnum thesaurum, omni margarita preciosiorem. Proh dolor! Temerariis manibus irreverenter tractant membra sancti, et, sublatas parte brachii cum uno dente, matronæ studuere clanculum deportare. Verum enimvero super tam incredibili audacia non diu distulit, ut in sequenti patuit, vindictam sumere ultio divina. Nam sumens prædicta matrona diu desideratum thesaurum, læta repedavit ad propria. Locatis igitur honorifice secundum suum posse reliquiis sancti Ecgwini in mundissimo locello, credebat se diutius gavisuram de furto. Quum ecce! sanctus Domini Ecgwinus per visionem matronæ noctu apparens, jubet eam se ipsum proprium reportare ad locum, dicens se injuste ab ipsa inde fuisse sublatum. Negligit illa imperata, et identidem secunda admonita est ejusmodi visione. Sed quum nec sic obtemperaret, verum ob nimiam cupiditatem habendi visiones phantasiæ deputasset, tertia demum visione venit sanctus Ecgwinus, [et,] valde commotus, jubet ut se reduceret. Qua negante, "Prius," inquit sanctus, "quam crastinus Titan solito refulserit, velles meis obtempe rasse præceptis." Quid moras nectimus? Matrona diluculo surgit apertis oculis cæca, sicque dum præsenti usa est vita, pulcherrimos habens oculos, permansit in perpetua crecitate. Misit tamen postea, licet sero, ad Mannium, ea tempestate abbatem monasterii sancti Ecgwini, quærens licentiam habendi reliquias, et promittens se feretrum ex auro et argento adornatum ob honorem reliquiarum facturam. Spopondit etiam ipsum scrinium cum reliquiis, et insuper terram propriam quæ Suella ab incolis vocitatur, quum vita decederet proculdubio sancto Ecgwino ejusque servis datuQuam sponsionem, licet peccato filii sui præpedita per se implere nequiret, implevit tamen postea Omnipotens per dominum ac prudentissimum Agelwinum abbatem, successorem videlicet domini et artificiosissimi Mannii abbatis. Nam idem abbas et prædictam villam, quæ sibi in vadimonium tradita fuerat, ob difficultatem reddendæ pecunise judicio obtinuit, et etiam scrinium quum apud Wigorniam recognovisset per Dei adjutorium suo dominio mancipavit, quod usque inpræsentiarum in monasterio sancti Ecgwini servatur. Hactenus de matrona. Pueri vero supra commemorati qui præfati furti auctores exstiterunt, judicio Dei demum graviter subjacuerunt. Nempe quidam ex eis in aqua necatus est, quidam vero quoad vixit molestia corporali pane sine intercapedine gravissime detentus est.

Note 1. Abbot Ælfwine was consecrated on 23rd April 1058 succeeding Mannius who had resigned as consequence of being stricken by paralysis. Mannius died on 5th January 1065.

Chronicle of the Abbey of Evesham. When the wise king learned of this and granted his pious request, he had Ælfwine honourably consecrated by Archbishop Aldred at Gloucester, where he was then holding his court, in the presence of many of the leading men of this country, during the Easter festival, on the feast day of St George the Martyr [23rd April 1058]. From that time onwards he was dear both to the king and to all his barons, and was regarded as one of his foremost and trusted counsellors. When he returned home, accompanied by many nobles on the king's behalf, he was received with great honour and affection both by the brethren and by all the people of this holy church. For as long as his abbot Mannius remained alive, Ælfwine took the greatest care of him, appointing two of the more worthy members of the community, together with certain servants, to attend him humbly day and night. Ælfwine himself visited him frequently and, with humble devotion, carried out whatever Mannius wished. As long as Mannius lived, Ælfwine would never, out of humility, consent to stand in the abbot's place. Mannius departed this life, as is said, on the same night and at the same hour as the glorious King Edward [the Confessor], namely on the feast of the Holy Epiphany¹ of the Lord [5th January 1065]. Their souls, we believe, were received by angels and brought into the joy of their Lord. While that worshipper of God, King Edward, was still alive, Abbot Ælfwine governed this place for seven years and obtained many lands both from him and from other good men, whose names we shall set out below. After the death of that king, when Harold received the kingdom, Ælfwine obtained from him whatever he wished.

Quod rex prudens cognoscens ejusque piæ petitioni annuens, fecit eum apud Glocestre (ubi tunc curiam suam tenebat) coram multis principibus hujus patriæ ab Aldredo archiepiscopo honorabiliter in Paschali solemnitate die festivitatis sancti Georgii martyris consecrari, et ab illo tempore tam sibi quam cunctis baronibus suis carus, et inter primos necessarios consiliarius habebatur. Reversus namque domum cum multis optimatibus ex parte regis grandi honore atque amore suscipitur tam a fratribus quam ab omnibus hujus sanctæ ecclesiæ populis. Quam diu vero abbas suus Mannius supervixit maximam ei curam gerebat, constituens duos de melioribus personis cum quibusdam servientibus qui die noctuque ei humiliter deservirent. Ipse autem frequenter eum visitans, quæ volebat humili devotione obediendo perficiebat, nec unquam quamdiu supererat in loco abbatis causa humilitatis stare volebat. Transiit quoque vir ille Mannius eadem nocte et hora, ut fertur, qua rex gloriosus Æduuardus, festivitate videlicet sanctæ Epiphaniæ Domini, quorum animas, ut credimus, angeli suscipientes deduxerunt in gaudium Domini sui. Vivente autem isto Dei cultore rege Æduuardo septem annis abbas Ageluuius huic loco præerat, pluresque terras tam ab eo quam ab aliis bonis hominibus obtinebat quarum nomina inferius demonstrabimus. Defuncto nempe rege isto et Haraldo regnum accipiente, quicquid volebat ab eo impetravit.

Note 1. The Feast of the Holy Epiphany is the 6th of January. Mannius and King Edward the Confessor died the day before, the 5th of January.