Elisabeth Austin PhD Thesis - University of St Andrews

humility other evidence makes clear; Samson fathered several
children, and he was no stranger to gluttony.
But if Orderic accurately portrays his character in 1081,
Samson seems either to have overcome his scruples or reformed his
mode of living by 1096 when he accepted the bishopric of Worcester
from Willam Rufus. Orderic considered that Samson made a
satisfactory bishop, grouping him among the many proteges of Odo of
Bayeux who "diligently led their flocks, feeding them on sound
doctrine and lighting their paths with virtues."85
Samson fares worse under the pen of William of Malmesbury.
The final redaction of the Gesta Pontificum, it is true, terms Samson
nothing worse than "old-fashioned in his customs," and praises him
for his learning, eloquence, and liberality.86 But the earlier version is
scathing. William of Malmesbury accuses Samson of sins ranging
from gross obesity to fraud. In addition to despoiling a monastery
under his care, Samson disgusted the Wiltshire monk by his
gourmandizing.87
Samson also receives some heated criticism from his one-time
fellow clerk, Rainald, in the Jumieges text quoted above. Rainald
sought to establish his claim over Samson's to some property in
85OV, 4, p.1l8: qui nostris temporibus in aecc1esia Dei floruerunt, et subiectis
ouibus pabulo doctrinae radiisque uirtutum sollerter profuerunt ...
86CP, p. 289: ... non parvae litterature vir nec contempnendae facundiae.
Antiquorum homo morum, ipse liberaliter vesci, et allis dapsiliter Jargiri.
87 GP, note pp. 289-90, from MSS Band C: Non exiliter lineris educata nimia
dapsilitate urgens stomachum, adeo ut isto eva dicatur unicus gurges escarum.
Qui niehil umquam quod esset veneri propositum ineptum dimitterer. modo
gulae lacunam explere conditiore duntaxar irritamenro
posser. Apponebatur ei patina quadrantia scrofae et xxti Wor pullorum
gallinatorum capax, ut, cum se ex media avide insulsisset, reliquum quod esser
in disco mitterer vel darer assidenti sine improperio. Nee tamen inter haec
oblitus pauperum ccc cotidie ad minus reficerer numerUI.il.
49