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AGELNOOTH

Volume 2 · 243 words · 1842 Edition

Egelnoth, or Aethelnoth, in Latin Aethelnothus, archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of Canute the Great, succeeded Livingus in that see in the year 1020. This prelate, surnamed the Good, was son of Earl Agilmer, and at the time of his election, dean of Canterbury. After his promotion he went to Rome, and received his pall from Pope Benedict VIII. On his way thither, as he passed through Pavia, he purchased, for a hundred talents of silver and one of gold, St Augustine's arm, which was kept there as a relic, and sent it over to England as a present to Leofric, earl of Coventry. Upon his return, he is said to have raised the see of Canterbury to its former lustre. He was much in favour with King Canute, and employed his interest with that monarch to good purposes. It was by his advice that the king sent over large sums of money for the support of the foreign churches; and Malmesbury observes, that this prince was prompted to acts of piety, and restrained from excesses, by the regard he had for the archbishop. Agelnoth, after he had sat 17 years in the see of Canterbury, departed this life on the 29th of October 1038, and was succeeded by Eadsinus, King Harold's chaplain. This archbishop was an author, having written, 1. A Panegyric on the blessed Virgin Mary; 2. A Letter to Earl Leofric concerning St Augustine; 3. Letters to several persons.