Ebba, abbess of Coldingham, and her community did the same in the
face of a Viking attack in 870. This is discussed in Jo Ann
McNamara's Sisters in Arms, p 174, citing Roger of Wendover, Flowers
of History, vol I, trans JA Giles (London, 1892), 191-2, and Carl
Horstmann, ed. Lives of the Women Saints of Our Contrie of England,
de sancta Ebba (London: EETS, 1886).
Maeve
>Dear list members,
>
>Twice I have come across the story of nuns cutting off their noses
>in order to protect their chastity in face of the enemy (Saracens);
>once concerning the sisters of the order of St John in Antioch when
>the city was besieges in 1267, and once concerning the nuns of the
>convent of St Lazarus in Acre during the loss of that city in 1291.
>Is this a common topos? Does anyone know other examples?
>
>Thank you very much in advance,
>
>Myra Struckmeyer
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>UNC-Chapel Hill
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