Chapter 8

In the year of our Lord 640, King Eadbald of Kent departed this life, and his son Earconbert succeeded to the government of the realm, which he ruled most nobly for over twenty-four years and some months. He was the first of the English kings to give orders for the complete abandonment and destruction of idols throughout his realm, and for the observance of the Lenten fast, enforcing his decrees by suitable penalties for disobedience. His daughter Earcongota, who shared her father’s zeal, was a nun of outstanding virtue, who served God in a convent in Frankish territory founded by the noble Abbess Fara at a place called Brie:¹ for as yet there were few monasteries built in English territory,² and many who wished to enter conventual life went from Britain to the Frankish realm or Gaul for the purpose. Girls of noble family were also sent there for their education, or to be betrothed to their heavenly Bridegroom, especially to the houses of Brie, Chelles, and Andelys; among such girls were Saethryd, step-daughter of King Anna of East Anglia, already mentioned, and Ethelberga his own daughter. Although foreigners, both were of such merit that they became abbesses of Brie. Sexburg, Anna’s eldest daughter, and wife to King Earconbert of Kent, was the mother of Earcongota, who deserves especial mention.

To this day the people of the district tell stories of the wonderful deeds and miracles of the nun Earcongota; but I must restrict myself to a brief account of her passing to the heavenly kingdom. When she felt her call approaching, she set out to visit the cells of all the infirm handmaids of Christ, especially those who were of a great age or were most esteemed for their holiness of life, and humbly commending herself to their prayers, she revealed to them how she had received intimation of her coming death. She told how, in a vision, she had seen a company of men in white robes entering the monastery, and when she asked them what they were looking for and what they wanted, they replied: ‘We have been sent to bring away with us the golden coin that was brought here from Kent.’ And on the very night when, as dawn drew near, she left the darkness of this world and entered the light of heaven, many brethren of the monastery, who lived in separate buildings, said that they had clearly heard choirs of angels singing and a sound like that of a great throng entering the monastery. And when they came out to discover what it might be, they saw a great light coming down from heaven, which carried away the holy soul of Earcongota, freed from the bonds of the body, to the eternal joys of heaven. Other miracles are reported to have taken place in the monastery that night; but these I leave to her own people to recount, while I turn to other matters. The venerable body of this virgin and spouse of Christ was laid to rest in the church of the blessed Protomartyr Saint Stephen. Three days later it was decided to take up the stone slab covering the grave, and replace the body at a greater depth. While this was taking place, a perfume of such fragrance rose from below that it seemed to all the brethren and sisters standing round as though a store of balm had been unsealed.

Ethelberga, aunt of Earcongota, also preserved with strict self-discipline the glory of the perpetual virginity beloved by God, and the extent of her holiness became even more apparent after her death. For while she was abbess she began building within her monastery a church in honour of all the Apostles, in which she wished to be buried; but when the work was only half done, she was prevented by death from completing it and was buried within the church in a spot that she had chosen. After her death the brethren became wholly occupied in other matters, and the building of the church was discontinued for seven years. At the end of this period they decided to abandon an undertaking that had proved too great for their resources, and to remove the abbess’ bones to another church that was already completed and consecrated. When they opened the tomb, they found the body untouched by decay as if it had been immune from the corruption of sinful desires. So having washed it, and clothed it in fresh garments, they removed it to the church of Saint Stephen the Martyr. Her feast-day is kept there with great splendour on the seventh of July.³