Cynesige perhaps came from
Rutland, as he owned the manor of
Tinwell there later in life. The
Liber Eliensis claimed that he had been born by
Caesarian section, but this is most likely a later accretion to his life story, added after his death because of efforts to have him declared a saint. The belief was that for an infant to survive a caesarian section was a miracle, and thus a fitting beginning for a future saint. Cynesige had been a royal clerk prior to his appointment to York in 1051, although the monks of
Peterborough Abbey maintained that he had been a monk in their house. During his time as archbishop he was claimed to have consecrated both
John and
Magsuen as
Bishops of Glasgow, although the two bishops probably never lived in their diocese. Cynesige dedicated the church of the
Abbey of Waltham Holy Cross in the presence of King
Edward the Confessor around 3 May 1060. This was at the invitation of Earl
Harold Godwinson of Wessex. The chronicle of Waltham Abbey states that Cynesige did the consecration because the archbishopric of Canterbury was vacant. However, there was an occupant of Canterbury,
Stigand, but his election to Canterbury was not considered canonical by the papacy, and Harold may have excluded him because of concerns about Stigand's canonical status. and built the tower at
Beverley, as well as giving books and other items to the church there. He consecrated
Herewald as
Bishop of Llandaff at a council held at London in 1056, In 1059 he, along with Earl
Tostig and
Æthelwine Bishop of Durham, escorted King
Malcolm III of Scotland to King Edward's court at
Gloucester when Malcolm came south, probably to thank Edward for his help in restoring Malcolm to the Scottish throne, and perhaps to acknowledge the English king as Malcolm's lord. Cynesige died on 22 December 1060 After his death, he was honoured as a saint by the monks at Peterborough, although the cult does not seem to have spread far. His bones, along with those of his predecessor
Ælfric Puttoc, were found in 1643. He gave gifts to Peterborough in his will, but the gifts were taken by Queen
Edith instead. == Notes ==