Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nicholas (d.1124)
NICHOLAS (d. 1124), prior of Worcester, was an Englishman of noble birth whose parents were friends of Bishop Wulfstan II (1062–1095) [q. v.] Nicholas was baptised by him and taught by him in Worcester monastery; he soon became the bishop's favourite pupil, and seldom left his side. When he had made some progress in his studies, Wulfstan sent him to Christchurch, Canterbury, to be taught by Lanfranc. William of Malmesbury says that no one was so fond of narrating the words and acts of Wulfstan, and blames Nicholas for not writing the bishop's life. He tells the story that the bishop miraculously arrested while he lived the tendency of Nicholas's hair to fall out, but that Nicholas lost all his hair in the week that the bishop died. In 1113, on the death of Thomas, Nicholas succeeded him as prior of Worcester; the monastery, although comparatively small, acquired, through Nicholas's example, fame for its zeal for learning. He died in 1124.
While at Canterbury Nicholas had made the acquaintance of Eadmer [q. v.]; subsequently he appears to have kept up a correspondence with him, and his opinion on historical matters was highly valued. In one letter from Nicholas to Eadmer (Stubbs, Dunstan, p. 422) he answers a question with regard to the mother of King Edward the Martyr, and enabled Eadmer to correct Osbern of Canterbury's errors in his ‘Life of Dunstan.’ Another letter of Nicholas's to Eadmer, dated 1120, is extant (Haddan and Stubbs, Councils, ii. 202); Eadmer had recently been appointed to the see of St. Andrews, and had invited Nicholas's opinion respecting a dispute in regard to his consecration. Nicholas denied that the see of York had any claim to primacy over Scotland; and recommended his friend to secure the support of the ‘barbaric race’ of the Scots, and by the favour of the king of Scots to seek papal consecration. Nicholas was himself prepared to plead in favour of the liberty of the Scottish church at the court of Rome. Eadmer had no sympathy with the liberties of the Scottish church, and did not follow Nicholas's advice.
[William of Malmesbury's Vita Wulstani III, c. 17 in Wharton's Anglia Sacra, ii. 265; Gesta Pontificum (Rolls Ser.), p. 287; Stubbs's Dunstan (Rolls Ser.), p. 422; Haddan and Stubbs's Councils, ii. 202.]