Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/139

ST. OSITH 127 7tb or 8tli centnry. The house where she is said to have ruled was destroyed by Edric in 1016, and on its site an abbey was bnilt, round which the town grew up. We have no records of Osburg until 1410, but she seems to be credited with being contemporary with SS. Ositu andMoDWENNA,etc. Stanton. Eckenstein. St. Osella, AsELLA. St Os^th, OsiTH. St. Osita, OsiTH. St Osith, Oct. 7, April 27 (Asgith, Cyte, Osgith, Osita, Oswith, Osyth, Stthe ; in Spanish, Ostia) ; 7th or 9th century. Princess of Mercia or of Northumbria. Bepresented (1) with a stag beside her ; (2) with a long key hanging from her girdle; (3) carrying a key and sword crossed, a device which comme- morates St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Andrew. Accordiag to the legend, Osith was the daughter of Frithewald, king or prince of some part of Mercia, or sub- regulus of Surrey; her mother was Wilteburga, or Wilbnrga, daughter of Penda. The parents of Osith, with. St. Erconwald, founded the monastery of Chertsey in 675. Osith was bom at Quarendon near Aylesbury. Her childhood was spent under the care of the two holy abbesses, St. Edith (3) and St. Modwenna ; she was sometimes with one and sometimes with the other. Modwenna founded monasteries at Burton - on - Trent in Derbyshire, Stramshall in Staffordshire, and at Pollesworth in Warwickshire. One day in winter, Edith sent Osith to take a book to Modwenna, to point out to her a particularly interesting passage she had discovered. To reach Modwenna's house, Osith had to cross a stream by a bridge. The stream was swollen, the wind was high, she was blown into the water, and remained there for two days before she was dis- covered. Edith thought she was i^afe with Modwenna, who, not expecting her visit, was not surprised at her non- appearance. On the third day, Edith, wondering that her pupil had not re- turned with an answer to her message, came to Modwenna. Great was the consternation of the abbesses when they found they had lost their charge. They went to search for her. Following the banks of the stream, they saw the child lying at the bottom, holding the book open at the passage she had been told to show to Modwenna. The abbesses prayed for her restoration, and com- manded her to arise from the water and come to them ; which she did, she, her dress and the book quite uninjured. After the death of Modwenna, Osith returned to her parents, who soon ac- cepted for her an offer of marriage from Sighere, king of Essex, who reigned jointly with Sebba, 664-686. Sighere had relapsed into heathenism, but promised to become a Christian on marrying Osith. Osith's inclinations turned towards a religious life, she would rather have been an abbess than a queen, and had secretly made a vow of celibacy. Her fate was decided for her, and she was given to Sighere, but still prayed that she might have no husband but the Lord. On her marriage, she went with her husband, probably to London, which was then the capital of Essex. On one pretence or other, she declined for several days to receive the king in her bower — a separate house for herself and her attendant ladies, within the enclosure of the royal residence. At last her contrivances were exhausted, and so was the king's patience. Her seclusion came to a sudden end and her husband stood before her. Still she prayed that she might keep her vow. Sighere began to protest that without her, life held no happiness, no interest for him. But even while he spoke, there was a sound of eager voices and hurrying feet. Some of his lords cried, ** The stag, the stag 1 " and close to the gate was the largest stag that ever was seen. Up sprang Sighere, and with all his Court, started in pursuit. Osith regarded this interruption as an answer to her prayers, and took his departure as a release from her engagement. She sent in all haste for Bishops Acca and Bedwin. When the king returned, after a chase of four or five days, he found her a veiled nun. He generously gave her an estate at Chich in Essex, and built her a church