Gervase of Canterbury
Encyclopedia
Gervase of Canterbury (c. 1141 – c. 1210) was an English
chronicler.
of Christ Church, Canterbury
, was Thomas of Maidstone, they came of a Kent
ish family. St. Thomas of Canterbury
received his religious profession on February 16, 1163, and also ordained him. He was one of the monks who buried the saint after his martyr
dom, December 29, 1170.
Historical records show that Gervase took a prominent part in the disputes between the monks and Archbishop Baldwin
(1185-1191) and was one of the monks sent to announce to the archbishop an appeal to the pope
. In 1189 he was again one of a deputation sent to lay the matter before King Richard I
. As yet, Gervase, though one of the senior monks, had held no prominent office, but about this time he was made sacristan
, for in 1193 he attended the new archbishop, Hubert Walter
, in that capacity. He probably ceased to hold this office in 1197 when he speaks of one "Felix", as sacristan.
The rest of Gervase's life is obscure. He was still writing in 1199 and there are slight indications in another chronicle, the Gesta Regum, that he continued to write till 1210, when a sudden change in style and arrangement point to a new chronicler. His death
may therefore be assumed in or soon after that year. Gervase has occasionally been confused with others of the same name, notably with Gervase of S. Ceneri, and thus he is described as prior
of Dover
by Dom Brial (Recueil des Historiens de France, XVII, 1818), which is impossible on chronological grounds. Thomas Duffus Hardy
identified him with Gervase of Chichester, but William Stubbs
argued against this theory, as also against confusing him with Gervase of Melkeley.
.
In his chronicles Fratello Gervase wrote the following.
's reign. (3) Actus Pontificum Cantuariensis Ecclesia, a history of the archbishops of Canterbury to the death of Hubert Walter
in 1205, also printed by Twysden with the chronicle. (4) Mappa Mundi
, a topographical
work with lists of bishopric
s and ecclesiastical foundations in the various counties of England
, Wales
, and part of Scotland
. The works of Gervase were published in the Rolls Series
in 1879–1880 under the editorship of Dr. Stubbs, whose introduction has been the groundwork of all subsequent accounts of Gervase.
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
chronicler.
Life
If Gervase's brother Thomas, who like himself was a monkMonk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
of Christ Church, Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
, was Thomas of Maidstone, they came of a Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
ish family. St. Thomas of Canterbury
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
received his religious profession on February 16, 1163, and also ordained him. He was one of the monks who buried the saint after his martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
dom, December 29, 1170.
Historical records show that Gervase took a prominent part in the disputes between the monks and Archbishop Baldwin
Baldwin of Exeter
Baldwin of Forde was Archbishop of Canterbury between 1185 and 1190. Son of a clergyman, he studied both canon law and theology at Bologna and was tutor to Pope Eugene III's nephew before returning to England to serve successive bishops of Exeter...
(1185-1191) and was one of the monks sent to announce to the archbishop an appeal to the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. In 1189 he was again one of a deputation sent to lay the matter before King Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
. As yet, Gervase, though one of the senior monks, had held no prominent office, but about this time he was made sacristan
Sacristan
A sacristan is an officer who is charged with the care of the sacristy, the church, and their contents.In ancient times many duties of the sacristan were performed by the doorkeepers , later by the treasurers and mansionarii...
, for in 1193 he attended the new archbishop, Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter was an influential royal adviser in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries in the positions of Chief Justiciar of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor. As chancellor, Walter began the keeping of the Charter Roll, a record of all charters issued by the...
, in that capacity. He probably ceased to hold this office in 1197 when he speaks of one "Felix", as sacristan.
The rest of Gervase's life is obscure. He was still writing in 1199 and there are slight indications in another chronicle, the Gesta Regum, that he continued to write till 1210, when a sudden change in style and arrangement point to a new chronicler. His death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
may therefore be assumed in or soon after that year. Gervase has occasionally been confused with others of the same name, notably with Gervase of S. Ceneri, and thus he is described as prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
of Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
by Dom Brial (Recueil des Historiens de France, XVII, 1818), which is impossible on chronological grounds. Thomas Duffus Hardy
Thomas Duffus Hardy
Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy was an English archivist and antiquary.-Life:He was the third son of Major Thomas Bartholomew Price Hardy, and belonged to a family several members of which had distinguished themselves in the British navy. Born at Port Royal in Jamaica, he crossed over to England and in...
identified him with Gervase of Chichester, but William Stubbs
William Stubbs
William Stubbs was an English historian and Bishop of Oxford.The son of William Morley Stubbs, a solicitor, he was born at Knaresborough, Yorkshire, and was educated at Ripon Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated in 1848, obtaining a first-class in classics and a third in...
argued against this theory, as also against confusing him with Gervase of Melkeley.
Gervase and the Moon
In 1178, Gervase took down the depositions of five monks of Canterbury who had witnessed a spectacular flash of light on the moon, thought possibly to be the meteoric impact that formed the Giordano Bruno craterGiordano Bruno (crater)
Giordano Bruno is a 22 km lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon, just beyond the northeastern limb. At this location it lies in an area that can be viewed during a favorable libration, although at such times the area is viewed from the side and not much detail can be seen...
.
In his chronicles Fratello Gervase wrote the following.
- "This year on the 18th of June, when the Moon, a slim crescent, first became visible, a marvelous phenomenon was seen by several men who were watching it. Suddenly, the upper horn of the crescent was split in two. From the mid point of the division, a flaming torch sprang up, spewing out over a considerable distance fire, hot coals and sparks. The body of the Moon which was below, writhed like a wounded snake. This happened a dozen times or more, and when the Moon returned to normal, the whole crescent took on a blackish appearance."
Literature
The works of Gervase consist of: (1) The Chronicle, covering the period from 1100 to 1199. It was first printed by Twysden in Historiae Anglicanae Scriptores Decem (London, 1652). (2) The Gesta Regum, which is in part an abridgment of the earlier chronicle, and from the year 1199 an independent source of great value for the early years of JohnJohn of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
's reign. (3) Actus Pontificum Cantuariensis Ecclesia, a history of the archbishops of Canterbury to the death of Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter was an influential royal adviser in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries in the positions of Chief Justiciar of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor. As chancellor, Walter began the keeping of the Charter Roll, a record of all charters issued by the...
in 1205, also printed by Twysden with the chronicle. (4) Mappa Mundi
Mappa mundi
Mappa mundi is a general term used to describe medieval European maps of the world. These maps range in size and complexity from simple schematic maps an inch or less across to elaborate wall maps, the largest of which was 11 ft. in diameter...
, a topographical
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
work with lists of bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s and ecclesiastical foundations in the various counties of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and part of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The works of Gervase were published in the Rolls Series
Rolls Series
The Rolls Series, official title The Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages, is a major collection of British and Irish historical materials and primary sources, published in the second half of the 19th century. Some 255 volumes, representing 99 separate...
in 1879–1880 under the editorship of Dr. Stubbs, whose introduction has been the groundwork of all subsequent accounts of Gervase.
Modern representations
A play by Dorothy L. Sayers, The Zeal of Thy House is based on Gervase's account of the death of William of SensWilliam of Sens
William of Sens was a 12th century French architect, supposed to have been born at Sens, France.He is referred to in September 1174 as having been the architect who undertook the task of rebuilding the choir of Canterbury cathedral, originally erected by Conrad, the prior of the monastery, and...
.