medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I think the most likely explanation is that she was a young noblewoman,
married to the king - but that the story got re-spun into one of rape to
fit with the increasing emphasis on virginity at the end of the first
millennium. In that first vita of St David, his father is King Sanctus,
described as sanctus by name and by nature, an elderly man who receives
prophecies about the coming of a miraculous son (some obvious analogies
there) - but this holy, mature man then completely loses the plot and rapes
a beautiful young noblewoman, Non. It is the only way she could have a
child without her spiritual virginity being damaged. (Christina Harrington
makes the point that concepts of virginity in the Irish church in the first
millennium have more to do with spiritual than physical virginity - eg
virginity can be regained and in some cases is described as being retained
through a fertile marriage. One can't necessarily argue from Ireland to
Wales but it's an interesting parallel.)
There are similar examples of renegotiation in the lives of other Welsh
saints - Gwladus and Gwynllyw, the parents of Cadoc, are represented as
having eloped and led a life of immorality until their holy son converts
them, whereupon they take vows of chastity, bathing in the river Usk in
midwinter to quell their bodily lusts and eventually living apart and
founding two separate monasteries. Jeremy Knight thinks this is simply an
onomastic story to explain the two dedications but I think there's more to
it than that.
Maddy
Dr Madeleine Gray, in the foothills of God's golden county of Gwent
School of Humanities and Science, UWCN Caerleon Campus
PO Box 179, Newport NP18 3YG. Tel: +44 (0)1633.432675
http://scarab.newport.ac.uk/mg
History at Newport: http://humanities.newport.ac.uk/HIST.html
Gwent County History Association website:
http://gwent-county-history-association.newport.ac.uk
Cistercian Way: http://cistercian-way.newport.ac.uk
'How wonderful to have a Real Brain that could tell you things', said Pooh.
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