Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Glossary
- Introduction
- 1 The Meaning of Leadership in the Medieval English Nunnery
- 2 Leadership and Lineage
- 3 Guardians of the Brides (care of the female religious by bishops, archbishops and their representatives)
- 4 The Lady and the Monarchs (the relations of the abbess or prioress with king and pope)
- 5 The Distaff and the Crosier (balancing financial and spiritual responsibilities)
- 6 The Clerical View (interpretations of episcopal reports)
- 7 Shifting Perspectives (secular views of the nunnery superiors)
- 8 Epilogue (preparations for the Dissolution and reaction to its demands)
- Conclusion
- Appendix A List of nunneries and incomes
- Appendix B List of nunnery superiors
- Appendix C Election procedures at Wilton
- Appendix D Eulogy for Euphemia of Wherwell
- Bibliography
- Index
- Other Volumes in Studies in the History of Medieval Religion
Appendix D - Eulogy for Euphemia of Wherwell
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 September 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Glossary
- Introduction
- 1 The Meaning of Leadership in the Medieval English Nunnery
- 2 Leadership and Lineage
- 3 Guardians of the Brides (care of the female religious by bishops, archbishops and their representatives)
- 4 The Lady and the Monarchs (the relations of the abbess or prioress with king and pope)
- 5 The Distaff and the Crosier (balancing financial and spiritual responsibilities)
- 6 The Clerical View (interpretations of episcopal reports)
- 7 Shifting Perspectives (secular views of the nunnery superiors)
- 8 Epilogue (preparations for the Dissolution and reaction to its demands)
- Conclusion
- Appendix A List of nunneries and incomes
- Appendix B List of nunnery superiors
- Appendix C Election procedures at Wilton
- Appendix D Eulogy for Euphemia of Wherwell
- Bibliography
- Index
- Other Volumes in Studies in the History of Medieval Religion
Summary
On the 6th of the Kalends of May, in the year of grace, 1257, died the blessed mother abbess Euphemia, most worthy to be remembered, who, by our affection and good fellowship, and with divine sanction succeeded the late abbess Maud of sweet memory, in our special prayers and suffrages, of one who ever worked for the glory of God, and for the weal of both our souls and bodies. For she increased the number of the Lord's handmaids in this monastery from forty to eighty, to the exaltation of the worship of God. To her sisters, both in health and sickness, she administered the necessaries of life with piety, prudence, care, and honesty. She also increased the sum allowed for garments by 12d. each. The example of her holy conversation and charity, in conjunction with her pious exhortations and regular discipline, caused each one to know how, in the words of the Apostle, to possess her vessel in sanctification and honour. She also, with maternal piety and careful forethought, built, for the use of both sick and sound, a new and large farmery away from the main buildings, and in conjunction with it a dorter and other necessary offices. Beneath the farmery she constructed a water-course, through which a stream flowed with sufficient force to carry off all refuse that might corrupt the air.
Moreover, she built there a place set apart for the refreshment of the soul, namely a chapel of the Blessed Virgin, which was erected outside the cloister behind the farmery. With the chapel she enclosed a large space, which was adorned on the north side with pleasant vines and trees. On the other side, by the river bank, she built offices for various uses, a space being left in the centre where the nuns are able from time to time to enjoy the pure air. In these and in other numberless ways, the blessed mother Euphemia provided for the worship of God and the welfare of the sisters.
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- Leadership in Medieval English Nunneries , pp. 217 - 218Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2005