Durham E-Theses 'The manner of life of Anselm, a man beloved of God': Saint Anselm's legacy in historical and hagiographical writing connected to Christ Church, Canterbury and the abbey of Bec c.1080- c.1140 BRITTON, STEPHANIE,CAROLINE How to cite: BRITTON, STEPHANIE,CAROLINE (2018) 'The manner of life of Anselm, a man beloved of God': Saint Anselm's legacy in historical and hagiographical writing connected to Christ Church, Canterbury and the abbey of Bec c.1080- c.1140, Durham theses, Durham University. 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Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 ‘The manner of life of Anselm, a man beloved of God’: Saint Anselm’s legacy in historical and hagiographical writing connected to Christ Church, Canterbury and the abbey of Bec c.1080- c.1140 Stephanie Britton This thesis explores Saint Anselm’s legacy in the writing of hagiography and history by authors connected to Le Bec monastery and Christ Church, Canterbury, c.1080 -c.1140. Anselm was a prominent monastic and ecclesiastical figure in England and Normandy. In addition, he produced a number of significant meditational and theological texts. The impact of his life and influence has previously been seen almost exclusively within the sphere of contemporary and later theological writing. This thesis will argue that there was a circle of authors, largely connected to the Christ Church, Canterbury and Le Bec monasteries, who were actively incorporating Anselmian themes into their recording of historic and contemporary events. These incorporations generally took the form of the re-envisioning of characters in Anselm’s image and the insertion of themes from Anselm’s theological thought into the narratives of these texts. This study will examine how these authors shaped Anselm’s legacy in their texts and the degree to which these constructions were influenced by Anselm. The conclusions of this study will highlight the potential for prominent figures to have a strong impact on the recording of contemporary and historic events in this period. 1 2 ‘The manner of life of Anselm, a man beloved of God’: Saint Anselm’s legacy in historical and hagiographical writing connected to Christ Church, Canterbury and the abbey of Bec c.1080- c.1140 Stephanie Britton Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History Department of History, Durham University 2017 3 4 Table of Contents Abstract.................................................................................................................................... 1 Table of Contents..................................................................................................................... 5 List of Abbreviations................................................................................................................. 7 Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................. 9 Introduction........................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 1: Eadmer of Canterbury’s hagiographical writing………………………………………………. 38 Chapter 2: Eadmer of Canterbury’s Vita Anselmi……………………………………………………………… 71 Chapter 3: Eadmer of Canterbury’s historical writing……………………………………………………… 120 Chapter 4: Osbern of Canterbury’s hagiographical writing……………………………………………… 165 Chapter 5: The Bec Vitae and William of Malmesbury……………………………………………………. 206 Conclusion...........................................................................................……………………………… 257 Bibliography: Primary Sources............................................................................................. 263 Bibliography: Translations.................................................................................................... 268 Bibliography: Secondary Sources…………………………………………………………………………………….. 269 5 6 List of Abbreviations ANS Anglo-Norman Studies, Proceedings of the Battle Conference De libertate ‘De libertate Beccensis monasterii’, in Three Treatises from Bec on the Nature of Monastic Life, ed. G. Constable and trans. B. S. Smith (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008), pp. 136-69 Ep. Epistola Epp. Epistolae Gilbert, VH Gilbert Crispin, ‘Vita Herluini’, in The Works of Gilbert Crispin, Abbot of Westminster, eds. A. Sapir Abulafia & G. R. Evans (London: British Academy, 1986), pp. 182-212 GPA William of Malmesbury, Gesta pontificum Anglorum: the history of the English bishops, ed. and trans. M. Winterbottom (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2007) Eadmer, Historia Eadmer of Canterbury, Eadmeri Historia Novorum in Anglia et opuscula duo de vita Sancti Anselmi et quibusdam miraculis ejus, ed. M. Rule (London: Longman, 1884) HN Eadmer of Canterbury, History of recent events in England, trans. G. Bosanquet (London: Cresset Press, 1964) Osbern, VA Osbern of Canterbury, ‘Vita Alfege’ in Anglia sacra, sive Collectio historiarum, partim antiquitus, partim recenter scriptarum, de archiepiscopis & episcopis Angliae, a prima fidei Christianae susceptione ad annum MDXL, ed. H. Wharton, 2 vols (London: Gregg Publishing, 1691), vol. 1, pp. 122-147 Osbern, VD Osbern of Canterbury, ‘Vita Dunstani’, in Memorials of St. Dunstan, ed. W. Stubbs (London: Longman, 1874), pp. 69-161 Migne, PL Patrologia Latina, ed. J. P. Migne, 221 vols (Paris: Imprimerie Catholique, 1841-55) Southern, Biographer R. W. Southern, Saint Anselm and his biographer: a study of monastic life and thought, c.1059- c.1130 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1963) 7 Southern, Portrait R. W. Southern, Saint Anselm: a portrait in a landscape (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990) VA Eadmer of Canterbury, Vita Anselmi, ed. and trans. R. W. Southern (London: Nelson, 1962) VD Eadmer of Canterbury, ‘Vita Dunstani’, in Lives and miracles of Saints Oda, Dunstan and Oswald, eds. and trans. A. J. Turner & B. J. Muir (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2006), pp. 41-212 Vita Alfege Osbern of Canterbury, Vita Alfege, trans. F. Shaw (London: St. Paul’s Publishing, 1999) VO Eadmer of Canterbury, ‘Vita Oswaldi’, in Lives and miracles of Saints Oda, Dunstan and Oswald, eds. and trans. A. J. Turner & B. J. Muir (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2006), pp. 213-324 VOO Eadmer of Canterbury, ‘Vita Odonis’, in Lives and miracles of Saints Oda, Dunstan and Oswald, eds. and trans. A. J. Turner & B. J. Muir (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2006), pp. 1-40 VW Eadmer of Canterbury, Vita Wilfridi, eds. and trans. A. J. Turner & B. J. Muir (Exeter: University of Exeter Press, 1998) This thesis uses S. Anselmi cantuariensis archiepiscopi opera omnia, 6 vols, ed. by F. S. Schmitt (Edinburgh: Nelson, 1946–1961) of Anselm’s works and letters in Latin for all quotations. English translations for the letters are from The letters of Saint Anselm of Canterbury, 3 vols, trans. W. Fröhlich (Kalamazoo, Michigan: Cistercian Publications, 1990-4), with emendations where necessary. English translations of Anselm’s treatises are from Complete philosophical and theological treaties of Anselm of Canterbury, trans. J. Hopkins and H. Richardson (Minneapolis: The Arthur J. Banning Press, 2000). All biblical references are to Douay-Rheims Bible in the Latin Vulgate, as accessed at: www.drbo.org. 8 Acknowledgements Dr Giles E. M. Gasper of the Durham University Department of History and Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies has been invaluable in his role as my primary supervisor. I have benefitted from his expertise and teaching throughout the course of my postgraduate studies. I would also like to express my thanks to Dr Helen Foxhall Forbes, my second supervisor, for her support and kindness. Prof Sally Vaughn and Dr Sigbjørn Sønnesyn have both offered useful biographical help in support of my research. Finally, I would like to thank the Arts and Humanities Research Council for funding this thesis. The dissemination of this project at international conferences has been made possible by further financial assistance from the Durham University Department of History, the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Pembroke College (University of Oxford) and Boston College, Massachusetts. 9 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without the author's prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. 10 Introduction This thesis investigates the incorporation of Anselm of Canterbury’s theological and meditational thought into the record of historical and contemporary events in the late eleventh and early twelfth century. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that a network of Benedictine monks, primarily operating from the abbey of Bec and Christ Church, Canterbury mediated Anselm’s teachings on the nature of the world and humanity through their writings on hagiography and history. This