at that time, Æthelwold was abbot, in after years so celebrated, on account of his expelling the married clergy from their benefices during the reign of Edgar, and as translating the monastic rules of St. Benedict into the Saxon language. Upon Æthelwold's promotion to the see of Winchester, A.D. 963, (see Florence of Worcester,) Ælfric accompanies him, and during his residence in that city, appears to have been diligent in studying the Latin language, and the works of the fathers of the Church. Whilst here he is supposed to have written his "Glossary," and the "Colloquia puerorum," which was afterwards enlarged and re-edited by his namesake Ælfric Bata. He also, probably at this place, translated from the Latin into the Saxon language at the request of Æthelweard[1] the ealdorman of Cornwall, most of the historical books of the Old Testament, viz., the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, part of the book of Kings, Esther, and (afterwards to encourage the people to bear up manfully against the invasions of the Danes) the books of Judith and Maccabees.
The greater part of these works (Maccabees and Esther excepted) are extant in our libraries at the present time.
After continuing at Winchester many years, Ælfric was next, according to Capgrave - in his life of Oswald,[2] bishop of Worcester - about the year 969, nominated abbot of St. Alban's, and he was in after years, according to the same authority, raised to the see of Canterbury; whilst at this place, he composed a liturgy for the service of his abbey, which was used in the days of Leland.
Radulph de Diceto (in his Abbreviated Chronicle, p. 446)
- ↑ This Æthelweard was - as Mr. Thorpe and Dr. Lappenberg consider - the Latin chronicler of that name, who composed his work about A.D. 1000. He was a descendant of King Æthelred the first, and styles himself "Patricius consul, Fabius Quæstor Ethelwerdus." See Lit. Introd. to Lappenberg's History of England under the Anglo-Saxon Kings, p. xlv.
- ↑ Oswald joined Dunstan, archbishop of Canterbury, and Æthelwold, bishop of Winchester, in expelling the married clergy. He was afterwards archbishop of York, and died 992. See Saxon Chron., and Twysden.
