Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 1.djvu/467

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453
453

ST. KYNEBURGA 453 St. Kinisdred, Etnedride. St. Kinna or Eixnia, Oinna, St. Kinnock, Eennogha. St. Kirreque or Chindreacha, Not. 6, V. at Dearcin. Gu^rin. Probably same as Eairbgha. Kirschme^. {See Triads.) Kisten or &stin, Christina. SS. Koldingamenses, VV. MM., nuns of Coldinghame. (See Ebba.) St. Kombre, Wiloefortis. St. Kristna, Christina (5). St. Kummernisz or Eummbrnus, Wilgeportis. St. Kuneburg, Eynbburoa. St. Kunegund, Cunegund. St Kunere, Cunera. St. Kunhuta, Cunegund (3). St. Kuninga, Cunegund. St. Kjrneburga (l), Qneen, March 6, Sept. 15 (Eng/iBh Mart), + G8(> (Cuneburga, Cunneberg, Cunnyburrow, Ctmburga, Cyneburh), Abbess of Dor- mnndcaster in Northamptonshire. Eldest daughter of Penda, king of Mercia (628- 655). Wife of Alchfrid, king of Nor- thnmbria. Penda, king of Mercia; was an in- veterate heathen, and a cmel and sayage devastator of his rivals and neighbours. He had many children, all of whom became Christians during his life. Some were eminent for their sanctity, or their marriages to saints, and all for their generous patronage of the clergy and strenuous exertions in the cause of evangelization. Eyneburga is the only one in whoso name churches have been dedicated. When in 051, Oswy, kingof Northum- bria, succeeded in defeating Penda and bringing him to terms, one of the chief conditions of the treaty was that Alchfrid or Alfrid, the eldest (illegitimate) son of Oswy, a pious Christian prince, should marry Eyneburga, the daughter of Penda. If she was not already a Chris- tian, she became so on her marriage, and kept her house with so much regard to prayer and religious observances, that it was more like a monastery than a court. 8he assisted her husband in the conver- sion of her brother Peada, who married Alohfrid's sister. Alchfrid joined his father in opposing Penda in 651, in the great battle where the Mercian king fell, fighting, in his eightieth year. Soon afterwards, in 657-658, Alchfrid began to reign in Northumbria with his father. He was a religious man, and a friend of the clergy. St. Wilfrid lived at his court for three years, and was there ordained priest. Alchfrid built the monastery of Bipon, and the smaller one of Stamford. Alchfrid and Eyneburga were present at the Conference of Whitby and took the Latin side. Eyneburga's signature fol- lowed that of her brother, Eing Wulfere of Mercia, in his charter giving the abbey of Medehamstede (Peterborough^ to the Church, in 656. When her nusband died or retired to a monastery, Eyne- burga left Northumberland and became a nun near Peterborough, at Dormund- oaster, of which she was, perhaps, the founder. It was afterwards called in her honour, Eyneburgcaster, and this was shortened to Caster or Caistor. Here Idabuiig or Eadburg, sometimes called her sister, was abbess, and her sisters Etnedride and Etneswide, who had taken the veil very young, were nuns with her. She had another sister, Wil- BURGA. Eyneburga was abbess of Caster for several years. According to some authorities, Alch- frid and Eyneburga had a son, Osric, king 7 18-729, and another, St Rum wold, a very precocious infant who died about three days old. Eadburga and Eva are some- times called the daughters, sometimes the sisters of this Eyneburga. It is possible she was the mother of Eyneburga (2), abbess of Gloucester. In the 11th century the body of Eyneburga (1) was translated to Peterborough, with those of her sister Etneswide and their kins- woman TiBBA. British Mart. Bede. Strutt Montalembert. Hole, in Smith and Wace. Butler. Stanton. Miss Forster. St. Kyneburga (2), March 6 (Een- berg, Ebneburga), + 710, first abbess of St. Peter's, Gloucester. This nunnery was founded in 681, by her brother Osric, who is variously described as a minister of Ethelred, king of Mercia (brother of Etneburga (1)), and as king of the Hwiccii. He is perhaps the same a&