Book contents
- The Afterlife of St Cuthbert
- Cambridge Studies in Medieval Literature
- The Afterlife of St Cuthbert
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Blessings on Pregnant Seals: Constructing Cuthbert’s Asceticism in His Anonymous and Bedan vitae, and the Historia ecclesiastica, 690–740
- Chapter 2 Travels with My Coffin: The Dislocation and Defence of the Community of St Cuthbert in the Historia de Sancto Cuthberto, 793–1050
- Chapter 3 The Bishop in the Rain: Celebrating the New Order in Symeon of Durham’s Libellus de exordio, Old English Durham and the Capitula de miraculis et translationibus sancti Cuthberti, 1066–1140
- Chapter 4 Expansions and Contractions of Saintly Space in Two Cuthbertine Miracle Collections: Reginald of Durham’s Libellus de admirandis, and De mirabilibus, 1150–1210
- Chapter 5 Godric of Finchale, Bartholomew of Farne and the ‘Irish’ Libellus de ortu Sancti Cuthberti: Three Eremitic Responses to St Cuthbert, 1150–1210
- Chapter 6 Delimiting Sanctity in Two Meditations from Farne Island: The Exortacio ad contemplacionem and the Meditaciones of the Monk of Farne, 1210–1370
- Chapter 7 Vernacular Epitomes and Encyclopedias: Southern Legendaries and the Metrical Life of St Cuthbert, 1270–1500
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Cambridge Studies in Medieval Literature
Chapter 5 - Godric of Finchale, Bartholomew of Farne and the ‘Irish’ Libellus de ortu Sancti Cuthberti: Three Eremitic Responses to St Cuthbert, 1150–1210
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 December 2020
- The Afterlife of St Cuthbert
- Cambridge Studies in Medieval Literature
- The Afterlife of St Cuthbert
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Blessings on Pregnant Seals: Constructing Cuthbert’s Asceticism in His Anonymous and Bedan vitae, and the Historia ecclesiastica, 690–740
- Chapter 2 Travels with My Coffin: The Dislocation and Defence of the Community of St Cuthbert in the Historia de Sancto Cuthberto, 793–1050
- Chapter 3 The Bishop in the Rain: Celebrating the New Order in Symeon of Durham’s Libellus de exordio, Old English Durham and the Capitula de miraculis et translationibus sancti Cuthberti, 1066–1140
- Chapter 4 Expansions and Contractions of Saintly Space in Two Cuthbertine Miracle Collections: Reginald of Durham’s Libellus de admirandis, and De mirabilibus, 1150–1210
- Chapter 5 Godric of Finchale, Bartholomew of Farne and the ‘Irish’ Libellus de ortu Sancti Cuthberti: Three Eremitic Responses to St Cuthbert, 1150–1210
- Chapter 6 Delimiting Sanctity in Two Meditations from Farne Island: The Exortacio ad contemplacionem and the Meditaciones of the Monk of Farne, 1210–1370
- Chapter 7 Vernacular Epitomes and Encyclopedias: Southern Legendaries and the Metrical Life of St Cuthbert, 1270–1500
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Cambridge Studies in Medieval Literature
Summary
Attention to eremitic place is one way by which the ascetic dimensions of Cuthbert’s sanctity are returned to the fore by Durham priory in the late twelfth century. The other way, much more animated and contemporary, is through the creation of modern-day hermits in Cuthbert’s image. This chapter examines Reginald of Durham’s vita of the faintly dubious Benedictine hermit, Godric of Finchale; Geoffrey of Durham’s vita of Bartholomew of Farne and his associate, Thomas, more safely and consistently Benedictine; and finally, the anonymous new ‘Irish’ vita of none other than Cuthbert himself, the Libellus de ortu Sancti Cuthberti, substantially recreated to further a Cistercian and eremitic agenda.
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- Information
- The Afterlife of St CuthbertPlace, Texts and Ascetic Tradition, 690–1500, pp. 99 - 138Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2020