Wulfstan the Cantor facts for kids

Wulfstan the Cantor, also known as Wulfstan of Winchester, was an Anglo-Saxon monk who lived a long time ago (around 960 to the early 1000s). He was a talented person: a writer, musician, composer, and even someone who copied books by hand (a scribe). Wulfstan is best known for his book, Vita S. Aethelwoldi, which tells the life story of a saint.

Life of Wulfstan

We don't know much about Wulfstan's early life. Experts think he was born around 960. When he was a child, he went to live at the Old Minster, Winchester, a large church and monastery. He stayed there for his whole life.

At the Old Minster, Wulfstan learned from Æthelwold of Winchester. Wulfstan later wrote a book about Aethelwold's life. Wulfstan became a monk and a priest. He then became a precentor. A precentor was a very important person in the church. They were in charge of all the music! This included leading the singing, teaching the choir, and writing new songs and poems. Because of this job, Wulfstan was often called Wulfstan Cantor, which means "Wulfstan the Singer."

Besides music, Wulfstan also worked as a scribe, copying books by hand. He also wrote stories about saints. We know he died on July 22nd, but the exact year is not known. His last known writing was Vita S. Aethelwoldi, which he finished after 996. He probably died sometime in the early 11th century.

Writings by Wulfstan

Wulfstan wrote several important works. He was very skilled with words and music.

The Life of Saint Aethelwold

Wulfstan's most famous book is Vita S. Aethelwoldi, which means "The Life of Saint Aethelwold." This book tells the story of Saint Aethelwold, who was a bishop. It also describes the amazing things (miracles) that happened through him.

The book has 46 chapters and is written in a complex style. It was written soon after Aethelwold became a saint, which happened on September 10, 996. Some people think Wulfstan wrote it to celebrate this special event. Even though the book doesn't say Wulfstan wrote it, we know it's his work. Other writers from that time, like William of Malmesbury, said Wulfstan wrote it. Also, the way it's written is very similar to Wulfstan's other works.

Wulfstan wrote this book to show that Saint Aethelwold had special powers from God. He wanted people to know they could pray to Aethelwold to help them connect with God. Wulfstan's book was similar to other saint stories of his time. He was likely inspired by other writers like Lantfred and Bede.

Poem about Saint Swithun

Wulfstan also wrote a long poem called Narratio metrica de S. Swithuno. This poem is a version of an earlier story about Saint Swithun. Wulfstan wrote it between 992 and 994. He later added parts from his Vita S. Aethelwoldi to it.

This poem is very long, with 3386 lines! It's the longest Anglo-Latin poem that we still have today. It also shows how skilled Wulfstan was as a poet. The poem talks about how Saint Swithun became famous. It's also believed to be the origin of the saying that if it rains on Saint Swithun's Day (July 15th), it will rain for the next 40 days!

Poem about All Saints

Breuiloquium de omnibus sanctis is another poem by Wulfstan that was found more recently. This poem is important because it clearly has Wulfstan's name on it. This helps experts study his writing style and figure out if he wrote other works.

The poem is long, with 669 lines. It's a poetic version of a popular sermon about All Saints' Day. Wulfstan's poem starts by describing how Pope Boniface IV explained the Pantheon in Rome. Then, it lists different types of saints that the Church honors on All Saints' Day.

Lost Music Book

Wulfstan also wrote a book about music called De tonorum harmonia, or sometimes Breuiloquium super musica. This book is now lost, so we don't have it anymore. Most of what we know about it comes from another book written much later.

This later book mentions a person named 'Wulstan' who wrote about music theory, not just how to play music. Wulfstan was seen as an expert on music theory. Even though it's lost, Wulfstan's De tonorum harmonia is special because it's the only known book about music written by an Anglo-Saxon.

Other Works

Wulfstan also wrote prayers, hymns, and other musical pieces for the special celebrations of Saint Aethelwold. As the precentor, it was his job to create these things. He is also thought to have written parts of musical books called the "Winchester Tropers." Many of these works don't say Wulfstan wrote them, but experts believe he did because of his unique writing style.

Wulfstan's Legacy

Wulfstan's work had a big impact, especially on how people remembered Saint Aethelwold and on later writers.

Understanding Saint Aethelwold

Wulfstan's Vita S. Aethelwoldi is the main source of information about Saint Aethelwold. Aethelwold was a key leader in a movement to reform monasteries in Winchester. While other writings about Aethelwold exist, Wulfstan's book is the longest and has the most details.

It's clear from his book that Wulfstan was very important in helping Aethelwold become a saint. He also helped start and promote the special celebrations for Saint Aethelwold. To do this, he needed to publish a good book about Aethelwold's holiness and miracles. He also had to write the hymns and prayers needed for Aethelwold's feast day. As the precentor, Wulfstan did all these things. He helped make Aethelwold a respected Anglo-Saxon saint.

Influence on Later Writers

Many of Wulfstan's writings were read widely in Medieval England. His Vita S. Aethelwoldi was especially popular and influenced many later stories about saints. Experts believe it was one of the most widely read saint's lives written in Anglo-Latin before the Norman Conquest.

Wulfstan's Vita likely inspired Aelfric of Eynsham's Vita S. Aethelwoldi. The two books are very similar, which means one writer used the other's work. Aelfric's version was shorter and written in 1006. Aelfric was known for making shorter versions of other authors' texts. So, many experts think Aelfric's book is a summary of Wulfstan's. No matter which was written first, Wulfstan's version was read much more widely. Because of this, most later writings about Aethelwold were based on Wulfstan's book.

Many other writers also used Wulfstan's Vita S. Aethelwoldi when writing their own works. For example, Goscelin and Orderic Vitalis used Wulfstan's stories. Even as late as the 15th century, works like The South English Legendary used Wulfstan's book. His poem about Saint Swithun, his lost music book, and his hymns were also read and referenced by other writers in southern England, though not as much as his Vita.