This is a reblog of The Legend of St. Frideswide of Oxfordfrom from the Website Under the Influence by ZTEVETEVANS This is an interesting tale of Frideswide and the attempts of Aelfgar to woo her.
Saint Frideswide hiding among the pigs – Public Domain
Frideswide
Frideswide was the daughter of Didan the king of Lower Mercia and Selfrida, his wife. She lived in the middle of the 7th century and was born in the royal palace in Oxford. She was brought up at what is now called Didcot which belonged to her father and was named after him. Frideswide was known as Fritha to her family and friends and placed under the guidance of a holy woman named Elgitha, or Algiva, who was her governess. Elgitha came to have a tremendous influence on Frideswide teaching her that, “Whatever is not God is nothing”. So it was that she grew up in a spiritual environment and was a very quick and enthusiastic student, especially with her Christian studies.
When her mother died she moved back to Oxford to be with her father and managed to…
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