206 SOME SAXON SAINTS OF WIMBORNE. 



and she soon became learned both in the Holy Scriptures 

 and in her knowledge of the Latin authors. She was somewhat 

 of a hero worshipper. The great subject of her admiration 

 was a soldier of the Cross, her own kinsman St. Boniface. 

 The news of the work which he was doing in Germany reached 

 her in the seclusion of the convent in Wimborne, and one day 

 she wrote to him as follows : 



" To the most reverend Boniface, invested with the insignia 

 of the highest order " (at this time he occupied the position of 

 Archbishop), "beloved in Christ, his kinswoman Leobgytha, 

 the lowliest of the handmaidens of God, health and eternal 

 salvation. I ask of your clemency that you would deign 

 to remember the former friendship that you had in bygone 

 days with my father Tinne, in the western regions. He died 

 eight years ago. Do not refuse to pray for the repose of his 

 soul. I also commend to your remembrance my mother 

 Ebba, related to you by the ties of blood. Though she still 

 lives, she suffers much, and for a long time has been troubled 

 with ill health. I am the only daughter of my parents, and 

 unworthy though I am I would that I might regard you as 

 my brother, for there is no man in whom I can place more 

 confidence than I can in you. I venture to send you this 

 little missive ; not that it is worthy of your notice, but that 

 you may have some remembrance of me, and that in spite of 

 our distance from each other the bond of love may unite us 

 for the rest of our days. My dear brother, I beg of you that by 

 your prayers you will shield me from the poisoned darts of 

 the enemy. One more thing I would beg of you, and that is 

 that you will pardon the rustic simplicity of this letter, and 

 that you will courteously send me some few words by way of 

 reply. You will find below some verses which I have tried to 

 compose in accordance with the rules of poetic tradition, 

 not audaciously, but to exercise my mind even though it be in 

 a feeble way and to ask your counsel. All that I know I 

 have learnt from Eadburgh my mistress, who was ever study- 

 ing the Divine law. Farewell. Live long and happily. 

 Intercede for me. 



