The Cathedral Church of Oxford: A description of its fabric and a brief history of the Episcopal seeDearmer, Percy
History
The Cathedral Church of Oxford: A description of its fabric and a brief history of the Episcopal see
Dearmer, Percy
Christ Church Cathedral (Oxford, England)
On the ambassadors' return to Algar, he was filled with rage against
"that witch, hagge, and fury Frideswyde," and planned vengeance:--"The
king then gathering a force and intending for Oxon, breathed out nothing
but fire and sword to this place. But the night before he came hither,
there was an angel (as the story goes) appeared to Frideswyde in a dreame,
saying to her these words: '_Ignoras, O Virgo_,' &c.: 'thou art as yet
ignorant, O virgin, what will befall you tomorrow: for King Algar with
his assistants intend to sett upon you and if it be possible will satisfy
his lust upon you and leave you a miserable creature. But doe not feare:
there is a safe place provided for you; and he for this his attempt
shall be struck blind and never recover his sight. Arise therefore,
and make hast to the way that leads to the river Thames, where you
shall find a ship boat ready provided for you and one in it to convey
you away in safety.' After this was pronounced Frideswyde awakened;
and, suddenly arising from her couch, took two of her sisters the nunns
named Katherine and Cicely; and walked to the place appointed her by the
angell in her dreame. Where according to his admonitions, she found a
boat by the river's side and in it the appearance of a yong man with a
beautiful countenance and clothed in white: who, mitigating their feare
with pleasant speech, placed them in the boat, in which, the space of
one hour, shee and her sisters arrived neare the towne called Benton
[Bampton or Bensington], ten miles and above distant from Oxon.
"Where after their landing, followed a path adjoyning, which conveyed
them into a vast and dismall wood. And wandring therin too and fro, met
at length with a kind of hovell or shelter purposely erected to harbour
swine and other cattell in times of cold and wett weather; and there
taking up a resolution to fix, crossed themselves and retired therin.
Which place being quickly overgrowen with ivy and other sprouts, they
continued therin a long time, being in fasting and prayers, and utterly
unknown to the inhabitants therabouts."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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