Robert of Cricklade (–1174×79) was a medieval English writer and prior of

St Frideswide's Priory St Frideswide's Priory was established as a priory of Augustinian canons regular, in 1122. The priory was established by Gwymund, chaplain to Henry I of England. Among its most illustrious priors were the writers Robert of Cricklade and Phi ...

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. He was a native of Cricklade and taught before becoming a cleric. He wrote several theological works as well as a lost biography of

Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then ...

, the murdered Archbishop of Canterbury.

Life

Robert was from

Cricklade Cricklade is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in north Wiltshire, England, midway between Swindon and Cirencester. It is the first downstream town on the Thames. The parish population at the 2011 census was 4,227. History Cricklade ...

in Wiltshire and was of Anglo-Saxon descent. At some point, he taught in the

schools A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsor ...

, where he was called "master" for his learning. He became an

Augustinian canon Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...

Cirencester Abbey Cirencester Abbey or St Mary's Abbey, Cirencester in Gloucestershire was founded as an Augustinian monastery in 1117 on the site of an earlier church, the oldest-known Saxon church in England, which had itself been built on the site of a Roman str ...

before becoming prior of the priory of St Frideswide in Oxford, an office he occupied from sometime before the end of 1139, when he is first securely attested in the office, until after 1174, his last appearance as prior. In 1158 he went to Rome, extending his travels to Sicily and Paris on the same trip. Another trip was to Scotland in the 1160s. Possibly he also traveled to Rome in 1141 and Paris in 1147, but these trips are not securely attested. Although earlier historians claimed that he was chancellor of Oxford, this office did not yet exist during Robert's lifetime. There were students at Oxford in his lifetime, though his precise role in local teaching is unclear.

Writings

Robert was the author of many works, most of which survive in one or more manuscripts, but some of which are lost. A commentary on the Psalms is also attributed to him, preserved in a single manuscript, but this is more likely the work of

Robert of Bridlington Robert of Bridlington (or Robert the Scribe) was an English clergyman and theologian who was the fourth prior of Bridlington Priory. He held the office during the period from 1147 to 1156, but it is not clear if he died in office or resigned befor ...

''De connubio Iacob''

''On the Marriage of Jacob'' was written while Robert was at Cirencester. It is an allegorical treatment of the

Jacob Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. J ...

story from the Bible, written after 1137 and before Robert's move to Oxford in 1138/9. He mentions

Bernard of Clairvaux Bernard of Clairvaux, O. Cist. ( la, Bernardus Claraevallensis; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templars, and a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order throug ...

and

William of Malmesbury William of Malmesbury ( la, Willelmus Malmesbiriensis; ) was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. He has been ranked among the most talented English historians since Bede. Modern historian C. Warren Hollister described him as " ...

as major influences on his writing. It survives in five manuscripts: * Antwerp, Museum Plantin-Moretus, MS M. 103 (catalogue no. 107) (once belonged to All Souls College, Oxford) * Hereford Cathedral, MS P.iv.8 (from Cirencester Abbey) * London, British Library, Royal MS 8 E. ii * Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud Misc. 725 (from

Reading Abbey Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, m ...

), fols 92r–184v * Oxford, Balliol College, MS 167

''Defloratio historie naturalis Plinii''

The ''Anthology of Pliny's Natural History'' is an epitome of

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ' ...

's '' Natural History'' dedicated to King

Henry II of England Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin king ...

. It is of some importance in the transmission of Pliny's ideas to medieval Europe, although it is less important as a witness to Pliny's text than once thought. The book appears to have originally been composed in the 1130s, perhaps as a text for his students, and only later dedicated it to King Henry. It has been printed in a critical edition. The work survives in five manuscripts: * Eton College, MS 134 * Hereford Cathedral, MS P.v.10, fols. 125r–177r * London, British Library, Royal MS 15 C. xiv * Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana MS Vat. Regin. lat. 598 + 198
Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek, Cod. Guelf. 160.1 Extrav.

''Speculum fidei''

The ''Mirror of Faith'' was a theological work that mainly collected texts from the Old and

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...

discussing basic theological concepts, dedicated to

Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1104 – 5 April 1168) was Justiciar of England 1155–1168. The surname "de Beaumont" was given to him by genealogists. The only known contemporary surname applied to him is "Robert son of Count Rober ...

. It was written between 1164 and 1168, but the surviving manuscript opens with an addition noting a

decretal Decretals ( la, litterae decretales) are letters of a pope that formulate decisions in ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church.McGurk. ''Dictionary of Medieval Terms''. p. 10 They are generally given in answer to consultations but are sometimes ...

of Pope Alexander III from 1170. It is best known for Robert's refutation of the views of

Peter Lombard Peter Lombard (also Peter the Lombard, Pierre Lombard or Petrus Lombardus; 1096, Novara – 21/22 July 1160, Paris), was a scholastic theologian, Bishop of Paris, and author of '' Four Books of Sentences'' which became the standard textbook of ...

's theology. It survives in one manuscript: * Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 380, fols 2r–132v

''Omelie super Ezechielem''

The ''Homilies on Ezechiel'' are a series of 42

homilies A homily (from Greek ὁμιλία, ''homilía'') is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture, giving the "public explanation of a sacred doctrine" or text. The works of Origen and John Chrysostom (known as Paschal Homily) are considered ex ...

on the

Book of Ezekiel The Book of Ezekiel is the third of the Latter Prophets in the Tanakh and one of the major prophetic books, following Isaiah and Jeremiah. According to the book itself, it records six visions of the prophet Ezekiel, exiled in Babylon, during ...

and were written about 1172. They are a continuation of the homilies on Ezekiel by

Gregory the Great Pope Gregory I ( la, Gregorius I; – 12 March 604), commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great, was the bishop of Rome from 3 September 590 to his death. He is known for instigating the first recorded large-scale mission from Rome, the Gregoria ...

. The work survives in two manuscripts: * Cambridge, Pembroke College, MS 30 (from Bury St Edmunds Abbey) * Hereford Cathedral, O.iii.10 (from Cirencester Abbey)

''Vita et miracula sancte Thome Cantuariensis''

Robert wrote his ''Life and Miracles of St Thomas of Canterbury'' around 1173 to 1174. Though lost, it is one of the main sources for an Icelandic saga on Becket entitled '' Thómas saga erkibyskups'', which survives in a copy dating from the first half of the 14th century. This saga preserves several otherwise unknown details about Becket's life and remains one of the main sources for Becket studies. Robert's life also was a source for the work of Benet of St Albans, another biographer of Becket. A modern historian partially reconstructed Robert's biography from these sources. A major source for Robert's work on Becket was the writings of

John of Salisbury John of Salisbury (late 1110s – 25 October 1180), who described himself as Johannes Parvus ("John the Little"), was an English author, philosopher, educationalist, diplomat and bishop of Chartres. Early life and education Born at Salisbury, E ...

. A modern biographer of Becket, Frank Barlow, speculates that Robert's biography was lost because it favored the king's side of the story, rather than Becket's.

Letter to Benedict of Peterborough

Benedict of Peterborough Benedict, sometimes known as Benedictus Abbas (Latin for "Benedict the Abbot"; died 29 September 1193), was abbot of Peterborough. His name was formerly erroneously associated with the ''Gesta Henrici Regis Secundi'' and ''Gesta Regis Ricardi'', E ...

quotes in his ''Miracula S. Thome Cantuariensis'' a letter to him from Robert, giving an account of his healing from a serious illness, for which he credits the intercession of Thomas Becket. Another canon in Oxford, also named Robert, was similarly healed. The account is printed as part of the

Rolls Series ''The Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages'' ( la, Rerum Britannicarum medii aevi scriptores), widely known as the is a major collection of British and Irish historical materials and primary sources publish ...

Life of St Magnus

The earliest account of the death of

Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney Saint Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney, sometimes known as Magnus the Martyr, was Earl of Orkney from 1106 to about 1115. Magnus's grandparents, Earl Thorfinn and his wife Ingibiorg Finnsdottir, had two sons, Erlend and Paul, who were twin ...

, whose Latin original is lost but partially survives in an Icelandic translation was written by a 'Meistari Roðbert'. It has been suggested 'with some confidence' that this may be the work of Robert of Cricklade.

''Vita sancte Frideswide''

A ''Life of St Frideswide'', on

Frithuswith Frithuswith, commonly Frideswide (c. 65019 October 727; ang, Friðuswīþ), was an English princess and abbess. She is credited as the foundress of a monastery later incorporated into Christ Church, Oxford. She was the daughter of a sub-ki ...

, the patron of Robert's priory in Oxford, has been shown to have been written by Robert, and has been critically edited. It is a revision of another earlier work. It survives in three manuscripts: * Oxford, Bodleian Library, Laud Misc. 114, fols 132r–140r * Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, 129, fols 167r–177v * Gotha, Forschungsbibliothek, MM. I.81, fols. 225v–230r

Death and legacy

Robert died after 1174, and was probably buried in his priory. His successor was Philip of Oxford, who was in office by 1179. Besides his theological works, Robert also searched throughout England for

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

texts of the works of

Josephus Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for '' The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly ...

, according to

Gerald of Wales Gerald of Wales ( la, Giraldus Cambrensis; cy, Gerallt Gymro; french: Gerald de Barri; ) was a Cambro-Norman priest and historian. As a royal clerk to the king and two archbishops, he travelled widely and wrote extensively. He studied and taugh ...

, who claims in '' De principis instructione'' that Robert knew the Hebrew language.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robert of Cricklade 1100s births 1170s deaths 12th-century English Roman Catholic theologians 12th-century Latin writers Canonical Augustinian theologians Canonical Augustinian abbots and priors Canonical Augustinian scholars Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain 12th-century English writers