Reginald's Verses on the Canterbury Shrines

Abstract

This paper examines two works of the Poitevin monk Reginald of S. Augustine’s Canterbury (ca. 1035-1109), the dedicatory hymn to the new shrines of S. Augustine whose relics were recently translated in 1091, Laus sepulchri S. Augustini sociorumque eius, and the series of titular quatrains to the shrines, Tituli versusque nostrorum virorum. Reginald’s dedicatory hymn was probably written for the feast of commemoration of the shrines which occurred in the Canterbury liturgical calendar on September 13th and appears to belong to the large group of hymns Reginald wrote for September liturgical feasts. The hymn reflects the disposition of the shrines in the new ambulatory of the church of SS. Peter and Paul and contains elements relating to the events of the 1091 translation. The verses on S. Liudhard appear to have been composed at a different time and internal evidence in these verses suggests that Reginald was a witness to the 1091 translation. The titular quatrains were likely intended to be inscribed on or placed near the newly constructed shrines for prayer. Both the dedicatory hymn and the titular quatrains, which were likely written around the same time, are indebted to Goscelin’s hagiographical and polemical work especially Reginald’s verses on S. Mildrith and in the titular quatrains on her two sisters Mildgith and Mildburg and mother Domne Eafe. Reginald demonstrates an awareness of the controversy surrounding the relics of S. Mildrith. Altogether, Reginald’s verses on the shrines provide an important ancillary to Goscelin’s Historia Translationis, Libellus and Vita Mildrethae.