Saint Osgyth

St. Osith, Abbess of St. Osiths

(Died c.AD 700)

According to tradition, Osith was daughter of Frithuwold, the Mercian sub-King of Surrey. Her mother was Wilburga, daughter of King Penda of Mercia. The parents of Osith, with St. Erconwald, founded the monastery of Chertsey (Surrey) in AD 675. She was born at Quarendon, near Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire), and her childhood was spent the care of her maternal aunts, the two holy abbesses, St. Edith of Aylesbury and St. Edburga of Bicester.

There is an old story that St. Edith sent Osith, one day, to take a book to St. Modwenna at her nunnery, in order 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 swollen, the wind was high, she was blown into the water and remained there for two days before she was discovered. Edith thought she was safe 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 returned 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 commanded her to arise from the water and come to them. This she did: she, her dress and the book being quite uninjured. There is some confusion over which Modwenna is meant here. The story seems to indicate St. Modwenna of Burton-on-Trent, but this is impossible. The lady in question is probably the little known St. Modwenna of Northumbria.

After the death of St. Edith, Osith returned to her parents, who soon accepted, on her behalf, an offer of marriage from Sighere, King of Essex, who reigned jointly with Sebba. Sighere had relapsed into heathenism, but promised to become a Christian on marrying Osith. Osith's inclinations, however, had turned towards a religious life and she would rather have been an abbess than a queen, having secretly made a vow of celibacy. Her fate was decided for her though and she was given to Sighere, whilst still praying 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 some pretext 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, however, 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, but Sighere began to protest that, without her, life held no happiness and 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" 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 and, 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 (St. Osiths) in Essex, and built her a church and a monastery, where she soon gathered many holy nuns about to wonderful sanctity.

After many years, on 7th October around AD 700, the Danes made a raid on the Essex coast. Their leader tried by threats and entreaties to make Osith renounce her religion, but in vain and, incensed at his failure, he cut off her head. As it fell to the earth, a fountain bubbled up which, for many years afterwards, had a wonderful power of curing diseases. Osith rose to her feet and carried her head in her hands to the church, staining the door with blood as she opened it. Her family claimed her body and it was buried for a while at Aylesbury Abbey; but the saint intimated, by visions and other signs, that she chose to rest in her own monastery. There, accordingly, she was eventually placed in a rich shrine by Maurice, Bishop of London.

She is represented in art with a stag behind her and a long key hanging from her girdle, or otherwise carrying a key and a sword crossed, a device which commemorates St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Andrew.

Edited from Agnes Dunbar's "A Dictionary of Saintly Women" (1904).

• St. Osyth of Mercia

father:

• Frithwold UnderKing of Surrey

(end of information)

mother:

• Wilburga of Mercia

siblings:

unknown

spouse:

• Sigehere King of Essex

died about 0683

children:

• Offa King of Essex

died 0709 (probably) Rome

biographical and/or anecdotal:

notes or source:

ancestry.com

Vikings Inguar and Hubba came up the creek in 653AD and gave her the usual choice of death or dishonour. Obedient to her vows, she opted for the first choice, whereupon they cut off her head. Undeterred, she walked a quarter mile, carrying her head in the traditional manner, until she fell at the church door.

On being made a saint, her shrine became a place of pilgrimage and the priory of Chiche which she founded was named after her.

The priory was re-built in 1118AD, so that nothing of Osyth's original priory can now be seen. However, St.Cedd's chapel at Bradwell, built in about 654 survives as an example of church building at the time of Osyth's martyrdom.
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From: Catholic Online

St. Osyth d. 700 Feastday: October 7

Martyred nun, also called Osith and Sytha. Known mainly through legends, she was supposedly the daughter of a chieftain of the Mercians in England and Wilburga, daughter of the powerful pagan king Penda of Mercia. Raised in a convent, Osyth desired to become a nun but was married against her will to King Sighere of Essex, by whom she had a son. Eventually, she won his permission to enter a convent, and she established a monastery on land at Chich, Essex, donated by Sighere, where she served as an abbess. She was reputedly slain by Danish raiders and is thus depicted in art as carrying her own head. There are historical difficulties associated with her existence, especially as no mention is made of her by Bede in his Ecclesiastical History.

Osyth was a Saxon princess, married to Sighere, King of Essex. The marriage only lasted until the first evening, when Sighere decided he preferred stag hunting. Taking exception to this, Osyth took herself off to found the priory.

Vikings Inguar and Hubba came up the creek in 653AD and gave her the usual choice of death or dishonour. Obedient to her vows, she opted for the first choice, whereupon they cut off her head. Undeterred, she walked a quarter mile, carrying her head in the traditional manner, until she fell at the church door. 

On being made a saint, her shrine became a place of pilgrimage and the priory of Chiche which she founded was named after her. 

The priory was re-built in 1118AD, so that nothing of Osyth's original priory can now be seen. However, St.Cedd's chapel at Bradwell, built in about 654 survives as an example of church building at the time of Osyth's martyrdom. 

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From: Catholic Online

St. Osyth 

d. 700 Feastday: October 7 

Martyred nun, also called Osith and Sytha. Known mainly through legends, she was supposedly the daughter of a chieftain of the Mercians in England and Wilburga, daughter of the powerful pagan king Penda of Mercia. Raised in a convent, Osyth desired to become a nun but was married against her will to King Sighere of Essex, by whom she had a son. Eventually, she won his permission to enter a convent, and she established a monastery on land at Chich, Essex, donated by Sighere, where she served as an abbess. She was reputedly slain by Danish raiders and is thus depicted in art as carrying her own head. There are historical difficulties associated with her existence, especially as no mention is made of her by Bede in his Ecclesiastical History.