Osmond de Sées then Osmond de Salisbury and later holy Osmond (Sées, about 1050 - December 3rd 1099), was bishop of Salisbury as from 1078, Count de Dorset (1070). It was also Lord Chancelier of England (1072-1077) and private adviser of the king William the Conqueror (1073-1082). Commemorated the December 4th.

He was the son of Henri de Centvilles, count de Sées , and of Isabelle of Conteville. It is sometimes known as that Isabelle would be bastard of Robert Splendid the, but it is rather improbable. It is possible that it nevertheless had distant family ties with William the Conqueror.

Biography

With the service of the king

It is possible that it has accompanied William the Conqueror in his Conquête by England in 1066. Its name is on one of the shelves of the Abbaye of the Battle.

It was the chaplain of the king right after the conquest. From 1070 to 1078, it was its chancellor, and thus it was responsible for the small study which compiled the royal documents, mainly charters and legal documents.

Guillaume de Malmesbury described it later like a studious person who, even as a bishop, “a   did not scorn to write or connect books   ”. During his presence with the head of the chancellery, Latin completely replaced English like only official language of the government.

Évêché de Salisbury

According to a practically invariable habit, Osmond was thanked for its services by one évêché. It was indicated by the pope Gregoire VII, but it was actually chosen by the king. It was devoted by Lanfranc in 1078. Its diocese included/understood the counties of Dorset, Wiltshire and Berkshire. It had been formed in 1058 by the fusion of both évêchés of Sherborne and Ramsbury, and the new seat installed with the Sarum Old man. It built a cathedral in Salisbury (on the site known today under the name of Vieux Sarum ). It was devoted on April 5th, 1092. Four days later a violent one flash fell down on the roof of the tower of the cathedral, reducing it in parts and damaging the masonnery.

He reformed the chapter cathédral, by installing a hierarchy of officers and thirty-two canons. He does not seem having played a particularly important part in the national ecclesiastical policy. Nevertheless, its most durable work was the institution new orders for the liturgical offices, the Usage of Sarum ( Use off Sarum ), a compilation having for goal to establish the uniformity of the worship. This reform was probably introduced in front of the reserve of the English to adopt the styles of the chants Normans, but was also made necessary because of the variations introduced by the many foreign ecclesiastics installed after the conquest. With improvements, particularly about the 13th century, the Use of Sarum was essential in a hundred year in all England, until the end of the Middle Ages, and left an indelible mark there.

It was present at the Concile of Rockingham in 1095, in which it lined up as regards king Guillaume II the Russet-red against Anselme of Canterbury. In 1099, with the Council of Lateran, it lined up as regards archbishop, and accepted from him the discharge.

Domesday Book

See also: Domesday Book

Osmond was narrowly implied in the planning of Domesday Book. It was probably one of the police chiefs of the report/ratio for the counties of the south-west, which is contained in the Exon Domesday , and which was surely written with the Scriptorium of Salisbury.

In the Domesday Book, it is mentioned like holding of the personal grounds in the Berkshire and the Lincolnshire, as well as grounds for the Church in the Dorset, the Surrey and the Wiltshire.

Died and canonization

Deceased the night of the from December 3rd to 4th 1099, it is initially buried with the Sarum Old man, then in July 1457, in the cathedral of new the Salisbury, in a sumptuous tomb, currently in the holy vault with the simple mention “MXCIX”. After him, the seat remains vacant during eight years before the nomination of Roger de Salisbury.

In 1228 already, the bishop of the Sarum Old man and his canons requested from Gregoire IX canonization, but it is only in 1457 that it will be béatifié under the name of Osmond, by Calixte III. He will be last English declared holy before the canonization of Thomas More and John Fisher in 1935.

Guillaume de Malmesbury will say of Osmond “ that it was so eminent in chastity, strict and severe for the others but still for him, released more of ambition, it did not have impudence to waste its integrity nor of ambitionner the fortune of others ”.