'I would fain visit the parts beyond the sea,' he told the archbishop, 'and in the place that your love shall decree enter the service of God and His saints,' In other words, he would resign his position and his prospects, leave home and country, and become a monk in a foreign land. Had he been of a Wessex stock he would not have looked so far afield. Glastonbury under Abbot Dunstan would have provided him with the life he sought. Perhaps it is an indication of the silence with which Dunstan worked, that the fame of Glastonbury as the home of a new spiritual movement was not yet such as to attract this restless Danish youth. At any rate his uncle welcomed his determination and sent him with gifts and commendation to Fleury, where, under Abbot Wlfald, he would find the most perfect observance of the Rule.[1]
Oda in his old age implored that Oswald might be sent back to him. It may be that he hoped that the young monk might bring his experience to the English Church, and found a monastery on the reformed lines at home. It is a curious fact that in the last year of his life Oda obtained from King Edwy the grant of 'forty manses' at Ely, which was then practically deserted and in the king's hand.[2] We shall find King Edgar offering Ely to Oswald at a later period among other available sites for the settlement of his monks. We may hazard the suggestion that Archbishop Oda had his nephew Oswald in view when he obtained lands at Ely from King Edwy. But Ely was to wait for another refounder, Bishop Ethelwold. And though Oda's request was granted by the abbot of Fleury, his nephew's return came too late: before he reached England the archbishop had passed away, on June 2, 958.
Oswald accordingly travelled north to his kinsman Oskytel, the archbishop of York, by whom he was commended to Dunstan, who had now been recalled from exile and was administering the sees of Worcester and London. Dunstan at once recognized his gifts and his goodness; and among his first acts on becoming archbishop of Canterbury he consecrated Oswald, with King Edgar's permission, to the see of Worcester, which he had just vacated. This was in the year 961. His biographer now tells us how the new bishop, in
- ↑ Wlfald succeeded Archembold, who had ruled Fleury after Abbot Odo's death in 941. Wlfald sent monks to St Peter's at Chartres, at the request of Ragenfred, who was bishop of Chartres from 941 to 960. This took place, we are told, some three years after Wlfald's accession (Ann. O. S. B. iii. 503). Abbo was dedicated as a boy at Fleury under Abbot Wlfald (ibid. 538). Wlfald became bishop of Chartres in 962 (ibid. 560). Accordingly he may have been abbot of Fleury from 943 to 962.
- ↑ Crawford Charters, no. V (B. C. S. 999): 9 May, 957.
