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Updated: May 24, 2025
Every day he went with Queen Glamorgan, his wife, into the monastery chapel and was present at the religious ceremonies and joined in the hymns. Now among these monks there was a brother called Oddoul, who, while still in the flower of his youth, had adorned himself with knowledge and virtue. The devil entertained a great grudge against him, and attempted several times to lead him into temptation.
And when King Brian, attracted by the noise, entered the chamber, Glamorgan, showing him her dishevelled hair, her eyes flooded with tears, and her bosom that in the fury of her love she had torn with her nails, said: "My lord and husband, behold the traces of the insults I have undergone. Driven by an infamous desire Oddoul has approached me and attempted to do me violence."
And she opened the door to facilitate the young man's escape. Oddoul felt himself pushed violently out. Scarcely had he gone down into the street than a chamber-pot was poured over his head; and he thought: "Mysterious are thy designs, O Lord, and thy ways past finding out." The direct posterity of Brian the Good was extinguished about the year 900 in the person of Collic of the Short Nose.
"In truth no, I have not done it," answered Oddoul, his hand on his heart. "Thou hast not done it?" "No, I have not done it. The very thought of such an action fills me with horror." "Then," cried the angel, "what art thou doing here, thou impotent creature?" * * The Penguin chronicler who relates the fact employs the expression, Species inductilis. I have endeavoured to translate it literally.
But the young monk kept making excuses. At times he would say that he was not a learned enough teacher, and on other occasions that his state forbade him all intercourse with women. This refusal inflamed Glamorgan's passion. One day as she lay pining upon her couch, her malady having become intolerable, she summoned Oddoul to her chamber.
And the angel said to young Oddoul: "I love thee because thou art daring." And young Oddoul, believing that it was Gudrune herself, answered with downcast looks: "It is by the grace of the Lord that I have resisted the violence of the queen and braved the anger of that powerful woman." And the angel asked: "What? Hast thou not done what the queen accuses thee of?"
With outstretched arms to which passion gave more length, she endeavoured to seize him and draw him towards her. But he fled away, reproaching her for her wantonness. Then, incensed with rage and fearing that Oddoul might divulge the shame into which she had fallen, she determined to ruin him so that he might not ruin her.
Meanwhile Oddoul, in the prison of the palace, was waiting for the moment when he should be burned alive. But God did not suffer an innocent to perish. He sent to him an angel, who, taking the form of one of the queen's servants called Gudrune, took him out of his prison and led him into the very room where the woman whose appearance he had taken dwelt.
Forthwith, like a subtle poison, love flowed into Glamorgan's veins, and she burned with an ardent desire to do as she listed with Oddoul. Several times she asked him to teach reading and singing to her children. "I entrust them to you," said she to him. "And will follow the lessons you will give them so that I myself may learn also. You will teach both mother and sons at the same time."
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