Oswald OF Worcester, an English prelate who flourished in the second half of the 10th century, is noted as one of the principal advocates on English soil of the monastic associations. He was a nephew of Odo of Canterbury (q. v.), and was, like him, of Danish par- entage, but of English birth. In his childhood he was placed under Fridegode (q. v.), and made great prog- ress in profane as well as theological learning. His un- cle then called him to Canterbury, and made hira canon of the old minster. Oswald was, however, very restless in this position, having conceived a great preference tor the monastic state, and finally passed over to France and joined the monks of Fleury. On the approach of Odo's death Os^v'ald was sent for, but he reached Eng- land too late to see his uncle again. Oswald was, how- ever, induced to remain in liis native country, after he had returned to the Continent for a short stay with his kinsman Oskitel, and was honored by the English clergy with several rich benefices, and in 960 with the see of Worcester. In 972 he was still further recognised by being elevated to the archbishopric of York, retaining at the same time the bishopric of Worcester. Together w\Vl\ Dunstan and Ethelwald, Oswald now labored for the triumph of English monasticism, and at the differ- ent English councils advocated the abolition of a mar- ried clergy (see Lea, Hist, of Celibacy, p. 174; Hill, English Monasticism, p. 162 sq.). Oswald died Feb. 28, 992. Four books have been attributed to Oswald, none of which are known to exist at present : a book of let- ters to his uncle Odo ; a letter or treatise addressed to Abbo, beginning with the words " Prascientia Die monachus;" a book. Ad sanctos dum esset Floriaci, be- ginning with the words " Oswaldus supplex monachus ;" and Statuta synodalia. The only ground for the first of these titles appears to be the statement of his biog- raphers that, in answer to Odo's letter begging him to return to England, he wrote excuses for staying at Fleury. It is difficult to judge of the authenticity of the other throe, since they rest on the simple statement of the old bibliograpliers. See Inett, Hist, of the Eng- lish Church, yn\. i; Wright, Biog. Brit. Literaria (An- glo-Saxon period), p. 462-467. (J. H. W.)
Oswald, Heinrich Siegmund, a German di- vine of note, was born at Niramerseet, in Silesia, June 3(1, 1751. After receiving his education at the school at Schmiedeberg, in Silesia, he went, in 1765 or 1766, into the office of his elder brother, who at that time held a public appointment. Seven years afterwards Oswald engaged liimself as secretary to the landgrave of Glatz, but failing health obliged him to resign this
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position. He established himself in business at Bres- lau, but not meeting with success, he became a mer- chant's clerk. In 1790 Oswald became personally ac- quainted with king Frederick William II, who appoint- ed him a court councillor, and afterwards a lector, and in 1791 a privy councillor. After the death of tlie king he retired with his family to Hirschberg, and later to Breslau, receiving a pension until his death, which oc- curred Sept. 8, 1834. His latter years Oswald had de- voted to the production of musical, poetical, and relig- ious works, and published in 1793 Gedichte und Lieder furs llerz. One of his best-known hymns, which is to be found in the Schwanengesdiif/e (Swan's Songs), is the one commencing " Wem in Leidenstagen" (English transil. by E. Cox in Ilyimis from the German, "Oh ! let him whose sorrow"'). Others of his hymns may be found in some of the modern hymn-books. See Koch, Gesch. d. Kirchenliedes, vi, 395 sq. ; Sack, in Niedner's Zeilsclirift fur Idstor. Theologie (18C3), pt. iii ; Miller, Sinijers and Songs of the Church, p. 303 ; Cox, Hymns from the German, p. 248 ; Knapp, Evangel ischer Lieder- schatz,p.loiO; Sch'utz, Deutschlands Bichter utid Schtift- steller, s. v. (B. P.)
Otfried (Lat. Otfridits') of Weissenburg, one of the most noted of mediieval characters, is celebrated especially as the author of a popular version of the Gos- pels, and for his efforts to familiarize the German people with the sacred Scriptures. He was probably of Ale- mannic race, and was born some time in the 9th cen- tury. He was at first educated at Fulda under Kabanus Maurus (q. v.), the pupil of Alcuin (q. v.) ; next he lived many years in St. Gall, and finally removed to Weissen- burg, in Alsace, one of those numerous monasteries scat- tered along the borders of Switzerland where the moun- tains break down to the lakes. While at Weissenburg Otfried wrote his Liber evangeliorum, a poetical para- phrase of the Gospels, in four-lined verses, with rhyme. Otfried's aim was to make the people familiar with God's Word in the German tongue. It was his wish, he said, that the praise of Christ might be sung in German (" tliaz wir Christus sungun in unsera zungun") ; that the Franks might learn to sing by heart what the Bible taught, and also be constantly reminded to reduce it to practice. He thought it " a shame that the Franks, a people not inferior in other respects to the Greeks and Romans, a people who had conquered so many nations, should not possess God's Word in their own language." Otfried's work is the first rhymed poem we possess of the 9th century, and has always marked an important epoch in modern literature. True, there are very fre- quently introduced episodes, sometimes similes or alle- gories from ecclesiastical works, sometimes mystical and moral reflections of his own, which make Otfried's work less poetical ; but, on the other hand, there are passages where the poet rises to warmth and true poetry, as where, in describing the journey of the Magi, he speaks of the longing of the soul for its heavenly fatherland. The poem, which was probably written before 868, was first published by M. Flacius (Basle, 1571); an edition with a Latin translation was published by Schilter, The- saurus antiquitatum Teut07iicarum (Ulm, 1726) ; a crit- ical edition was published by Graff, Krisf, das dlteste kochdeutsche Gedicht (Kcinigsb. 1831), and by Kelle (Regensb. 1856); a German translation was published by Rapp (Stuttg. 1856). See Grandidier, Sur la Vie et les Ouvrages d'Otfrid (Strasb. 1778) ; Lechler, in Stu- dien ii. Kritiken (1849), i, 54-90; ii, 303-332; Lachmann, in Ersch u. Gruber's Enri/klop. iii, § vii, 228-282 ; Ne- ander. Hist, of the Christian Church, iii, 425 (Torrey's transl.) ; Wlnkworth, Christian Singers of Germany, p. 15 sq. ; Koch, Geschichte des deutschen Kirchenliedes, i, 171 sq. (Stuttg. 1866) ; Schlitze, Deutschlands Dichter u. Schriftsteller, s. v. ; Vilmar, Gesch. d. deutschen Natio- nalliteratur, p. 36 sq. ; Grimm, in the Introduction to his Deutsche Grammatik ; Gostwick and Harrison, Out- lines of German Literatui-e, p. 11 ; Jliiller, Chips from a German Workshop, iii, 6 ; Hoffmann v. Fallersleben,