St. Hugh of Lincoln, BC, c1135-1200
Bishop of Lincoln, famed for his sense of justice, for opposing the wrath of mobs and kings, and taking a swan as his best friend.
Hugh was born at a place with the unlikely name of Avalon (in Burgundy, and not, presumably, King Arthur’s). In his youth, he lived with his father in an Augustinian monastery, but harboured a desire for the austere life of a Carthusian. This seems to have caused a bit of a struggle between his respective superiors, both of whom wanted their Orders to keep hold of this palpably holy young man. After eventually becoming a Carthusian, he was brought to England by Henry II as prior of the Charterhouse at Witham in Somerset which Henry had founded to get out of having to go on a Crusade. Although he had founded it, he seems to have neglected to provide Witham with much in the way of funding, as both of Hugh’s predecessors had died from illness contracted due to living in a building without a roof.
Hugh made hisself a nuisance to Royal Authority, but King Henry seems to have grudgingly acknowledged that Hugh spoke justly, which may explain various contradictions in their relationship – as may Hugh’s famously sharp sense of humour. For example, Hugh was amongst those who denounced the King for failing to appoint bishops in good time (under the feudal system, the revenues from vacant bishoprics reverted to the Crown, and this led to monarchs who were strapped for cash – i.e., most of the – not appointing bishops for years, or even decades) – but when Henry finally resolved to make some appointments, Hugh was offered Lincoln.
In typical fashion, Hugh refused, on the grounds that the Canons of the Cathedral hadn’t elected him fairly (it was another mediaeval custom that the Crown would tell cathedral chapters what the results of their episcopal elections would be, well in advance). Eventually, the canons and his Carthusian superior were able to persuade him to take the post. He excelled in this, needless to say, remaining resident in his diocese and beginning the rebuilding of the Cathedral – medieaval cathedrals underwent continually rebuilding, largely as a result of fire, but on this occasion the damage had been caused by an earthquake, of all things. He travelled tirelessly around his vast diocese, not only carrying out his many duties but also tending to lepers and presiding over trials on behalf of the pope.
Both as a prior and as a bishop, Hugh was remarkable for opposing abuse of power. He railed against the unfair forest laws that left most English people forbidden from making use of land set aside for royal hunts. Even when supervising building works at Witham he was sure to ensure compensation for those whose lands the King had appropriated for the space.
Hugh also stood up to a mob who were attempting to lynch a local Jews, demanding that they let their vicim free. Lincoln had a significant Jewish population at the time who suffered serious persecution: in fact, some years after Hugh’s death, the city mob became convinced that their jewish neighbours had murdered a Christian boy for use in a blood rite, and drove them out, slaughtering many. In a post-script grisly for its irony, the murdered lad was installed in the cathedral as a saint – and given the name of ‘Hugh’.
However, the story with attaches most to the real Hugh is a far happier one – the curious tale of the Swan of Stowe. This excellent creature moved into his episcopal manor at the time of his appointment, and, evolving a great love for Hugh, lived there for the fourteen years of his prelature, even guarding him as he slept (swans are very loyal creatures, and physically very strong – as an alternative to the guard-dog, they present many admirable qualities, apart from their inability to bark or make any equivalent loud noise; they do not normally live longer than seven years in the wild, but ages of up to forty have been reported for well-treated specimens, so the age of Hugh’s friend is unremarkable).
He was canonised in 1220, and his shrine became a great centre for pilgrimage. His relics are now lost although his white stole is held at the Charterhouse at Parkminster, Sussex.
In short, a man who was unafraid in his holiness and one of the great adoptive saints of England. Not to mention an ornithologist.
Hugh was born at a place with the unlikely name of Avalon (in Burgundy, and not, presumably, King Arthur’s). In his youth, he lived with his father in an Augustinian monastery, but harboured a desire for the austere life of a Carthusian. This seems to have caused a bit of a struggle between his respective superiors, both of whom wanted their Orders to keep hold of this palpably holy young man. After eventually becoming a Carthusian, he was brought to England by Henry II as prior of the Charterhouse at Witham in Somerset which Henry had founded to get out of having to go on a Crusade. Although he had founded it, he seems to have neglected to provide Witham with much in the way of funding, as both of Hugh’s predecessors had died from illness contracted due to living in a building without a roof.
Hugh made hisself a nuisance to Royal Authority, but King Henry seems to have grudgingly acknowledged that Hugh spoke justly, which may explain various contradictions in their relationship – as may Hugh’s famously sharp sense of humour. For example, Hugh was amongst those who denounced the King for failing to appoint bishops in good time (under the feudal system, the revenues from vacant bishoprics reverted to the Crown, and this led to monarchs who were strapped for cash – i.e., most of the – not appointing bishops for years, or even decades) – but when Henry finally resolved to make some appointments, Hugh was offered Lincoln.
In typical fashion, Hugh refused, on the grounds that the Canons of the Cathedral hadn’t elected him fairly (it was another mediaeval custom that the Crown would tell cathedral chapters what the results of their episcopal elections would be, well in advance). Eventually, the canons and his Carthusian superior were able to persuade him to take the post. He excelled in this, needless to say, remaining resident in his diocese and beginning the rebuilding of the Cathedral – medieaval cathedrals underwent continually rebuilding, largely as a result of fire, but on this occasion the damage had been caused by an earthquake, of all things. He travelled tirelessly around his vast diocese, not only carrying out his many duties but also tending to lepers and presiding over trials on behalf of the pope.
Both as a prior and as a bishop, Hugh was remarkable for opposing abuse of power. He railed against the unfair forest laws that left most English people forbidden from making use of land set aside for royal hunts. Even when supervising building works at Witham he was sure to ensure compensation for those whose lands the King had appropriated for the space.
Hugh also stood up to a mob who were attempting to lynch a local Jews, demanding that they let their vicim free. Lincoln had a significant Jewish population at the time who suffered serious persecution: in fact, some years after Hugh’s death, the city mob became convinced that their jewish neighbours had murdered a Christian boy for use in a blood rite, and drove them out, slaughtering many. In a post-script grisly for its irony, the murdered lad was installed in the cathedral as a saint – and given the name of ‘Hugh’.
However, the story with attaches most to the real Hugh is a far happier one – the curious tale of the Swan of Stowe. This excellent creature moved into his episcopal manor at the time of his appointment, and, evolving a great love for Hugh, lived there for the fourteen years of his prelature, even guarding him as he slept (swans are very loyal creatures, and physically very strong – as an alternative to the guard-dog, they present many admirable qualities, apart from their inability to bark or make any equivalent loud noise; they do not normally live longer than seven years in the wild, but ages of up to forty have been reported for well-treated specimens, so the age of Hugh’s friend is unremarkable).
He was canonised in 1220, and his shrine became a great centre for pilgrimage. His relics are now lost although his white stole is held at the Charterhouse at Parkminster, Sussex.
In short, a man who was unafraid in his holiness and one of the great adoptive saints of England. Not to mention an ornithologist.
posted by dj_ordinaire at 3:03 pm
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