St. Swithin
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [1]
an English ecclesiastic of the 9th century, was chaplain to king Egbelt, and tutor to his son Ethhewolf, by whom he was made chancellor. He had the charge of the education of king Alfred, whom he accompanied to Rome. In 852 he was consecrated bishop of Winchester. William of Malmesbury records of him that he was "a rich treasure of all virtues, and those in which he took most delight were humility and charity to the poor." The origin of the tribute called "Peter's pence" (q.v.) has often been assigned to Swithin, and he is said to have procured an act of the Witenagemote enforcing, for the first time, the universal obligation of paying tithes. Swithin died July 2, 862. See Mrs. Jameson, Legends of the Monastic Orders, p. 89.
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [2]
Bishop of Winchester from 852 to 862; was buried by his own request in Winchester Churchyard, "where passers-by might tread above his head, and the dews of heaven fall on his grave." On his canonisation, a century after, the chapter resolved to remove his body to a shrine in the cathedral, but their purpose was hindered on account of a rain which lasted 40 days from the 15th July; hence the popular notion that if it rained that day it would be followed by rain for 40 days after.
