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 jschbishop of Canterbury 
 
 IS LIFE AS TOLD BY 
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 ST EDMUND
 
 St Edmund of Canterbury. 
 . a fresco in tin Church at Frindsbury, near Rochester. See Note, p. 259.) 
 
 [Front
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 
 
 HIS LIFE, AS TOLD BY 
 OLD ENGLISH WRITERS 
 
 ARRANGED BY 
 
 BERNARD WARD 
 // 
 
 PRESIDENT OF ST EDMUNd's COLLEGE, OLD HAI.I. 
 
 LONDON 
 SANDS & CO. 
 
 12 BURLEIGH STREET, STRAND 
 1903
 
 ilihil (Dbstat: 
 
 Robektus Butler, D.D., 
 
 Censor Deputatus. 
 
 imprimatur 
 
 Herbertus Card. Vaughan, 
 
 A rchiep. \ I T estmonast. 
 
 October 1902.
 
 GO 
 
 EDMUNDIANS OF ALL GENERATIONS, 
 
 ESPECIALLY THOSE WHOM DURING THE LAST FORTY YEARS IT HAS BEEN 
 
 MY PRIVILEGE TO KNOW, WHETHER AS MASTERS AND FELLOW 
 
 STIIHENTS IN YOUTH, OR AS COLLEAGUES AND PUPILS IN 
 
 LATER LIFE, WHOSE FIRM BOND OF UNION IS LOVE 
 
 AND DEVOTION TO OUR PATRON, AND THE 
 
 EVER-PRESENT DESIRE TO BE FILLED 
 
 WITH HIS SPIRIT, THE FOLLOWING 
 
 PAGES ARE RESPECTFULLY 
 
 AND AFFECTIONATELY 
 
 2>c<McateD
 
 PREFACE 
 
 WITHIN the last ten years, two well-known works on 
 the Life of St Edmund have appeared. It may reason- 
 ably be asked, therefore, for what purpose a third one is 
 now being issued. 
 
 The answer will be supplied by a short examination 
 of the contents of this volume, which will, I hope, be 
 found not to clash in an)- way with the two works 
 alluded to, but rather to supplement them, both as regards 
 the text and illustrations* Its form is somewhat novel, 
 and was suggested to the author by the series of little 
 books published by David Nutt, entitled English History 
 from Contemporary Writers. One of these booklets, that 
 on St Thomas of Canterbury, is not altogether unlike the 
 present work. There is this important difference, however, 
 that whereas the life of St Thomas is treated purely from 
 its political standpoint, that side of St Edmund's career 
 occupies a comparatively subordinate place. His name 
 does indeed occur frequently in the chronicles of the- seven 
 years during which he was Archbishop of Canterbury, 
 man}- of which are quoted in the following pages, and he 
 stands out as having had considerably greater strength and 
 
 * It may be well to say that this book was three parts written 
 before I was aware that the Baroness de Paravicini's work was 
 likely to appear.
 
 viii PREFACE 
 
 influence on the course of English history than is generally 
 remembered. But this period formed only a compara- 
 tively small part of his life. To mention only one other 
 side of his work, St Edmund's life as student and teacher 
 at Paris and Oxford, and his influence on the future 
 destiny of the latter University, and in preparing the way 
 for the advent of the Friars, would alone give him a place 
 among the most interesting of our saints. The time he 
 spent as preacher of the Crusade, and in missionary 
 labours, has likewise an interest of its own. 
 
 The object aimed at in the following pages, then, 
 is to present a picture of the saint's own life as it appeared 
 to his contemporaries in Catholic England, and in their 
 own words, and so to obtain at first hand a glimpse of the 
 religious life of our Catholic ancestors. The sources from 
 which to draw for this purpose are happily abundant, 
 for although in modern times the memory of St Edmund 
 has to a great extent died out amongst us, it was not so in 
 the Middle Ages. He seems to have been one of the 
 most popular of our saints, and his life has been written 
 and re-written many times.* The work of selecting 
 suitable extracts so as to form a continuous story, has of 
 course involved much thought : it is hoped that in the 
 result a fairly complete picture of the saint has been 
 afforded. 
 
 Moreover, St Edmund himself was thoroughly English 
 in mind and character. " St Edmund's life is worth 
 studying" (writes Bishop Hedley), "for this reason among 
 others, that it is almost the only example that we have 
 of mediaeval Catholic piety displayed in a thoroughly 
 English character." " Doubtless," he adds, " we are not left 
 to this single life to conjecture what the piety of Catholic 
 * See Appendix A.
 
 PREFACE ix 
 
 England was in the days of faith ; but there is no illustra- 
 tion of it on so wide a field in so concrete a form, and in 
 a subject so attractive." * 
 
 It is hardly necessary to add that this attraction, 
 which should appeal to all English Catholics, is something 
 more to those among us who have been brought up under 
 the shadow of his patronage, and have learnt to know the 
 details of his life and spirit from our earliest years. And 
 it is not without singular appropriateness, that one who 
 was known as the " Angel of the Schools " at Oxford, and 
 was in so many ways the model of a Christian student, 
 should be the patron of the first house of ecclesiastical 
 studies set up in this country since the days when 
 England was Catholic. 
 
 Numerous illustrations will be found throughout the 
 book. Thev have been chosen with considerable care to 
 illustrate such relics of the saint's life and times as can be 
 found after the lapse of more than six and a half centuries. 
 Some of them are reproductions of contemporary sketches, 
 drawn for the most part by Matthew Paris, the monastic 
 chronicler, in the quaint style of the day. Others are 
 modern photographs of buildings, or parts of buildings, 
 which date back to St Edmund's time, or are in some way 
 connected with his life. In putting these together, I have 
 to acknowledge gratefully the assistance of several friends. 
 In the first place, the Baroness de Paravicini — whose devo- 
 tion to St Edmund is well known — has been of the greatest 
 assistance with respect to the Oxford section, of which sub- 
 ject she has made a special study. The references on the 
 map of Oxford, and most of the information of the localities 
 connected with St Edmund, are due to her ; and this 
 seems a fitting place also to acknowledge her great 
 * Ampleforth Journal, April 1899, p. 264.
 
 x PREFACE 
 
 kindness in presenting her own transcripts of the manu- 
 script Lives to St Edmund's College. These transcripts 
 were made with great care at the time she was writing her 
 Life of St Edmund of Abingdon. They have now been 
 bound up into volumes, and form an interesting feature of 
 the museum belonging to this college. 
 
 My warmest thanks are likewise due to the Oblates of 
 St Edmund, who have man}- times during the last five and 
 twenty years received me at Pontigny with the greatest 
 cordiality, and especially to Pere Masse, the author of the 
 French Life of St Edmund, for much assistance in tracing 
 the history of the ancient abbe}- there. Although St 
 Edmund was at Pontigny only a few weeks during his 
 lifetime, since his death the abbey has been so identified 
 with devotion to his memory, for more than six and a 
 half centuries, that no apology is needed for the consider- 
 able amount of space devoted to its description and 
 history. Moreover, as a shrine of an English saint, which 
 has survived all the destruction of the sixteenth century, 
 and exists to-day with a continuous and unbroken 
 tradition, it is unique, and I cannot but think it a reproach 
 to us in England that it is not better known. 
 
 Lastly, I am indebted to several kind friends who have 
 helped in various ways, and enabled me to get through in 
 a comparatively short space of time what in the pressure of 
 other duties would not have otherwise been possible.* 
 Thus, in making the translations from the manuscript 
 Lives, I received much assistance from Rev. Francis Ross, 
 and Mr Alfred Herbert, M.A. Although several of the 
 extracts quoted have already appeared, either in the Life by 
 Dom Wallace, or in that by the Baroness de Paravicini, 
 
 * The work was finished three years ago. Its publication was 
 dclaved bv accidental circumstances.
 
 PREFACE xi 
 
 it was thought better in every case to make an independent 
 translation of them, so as to secure uniformity of style 
 with the greater number, which are published now for the 
 first time. With regard to the Lives themselves, they are 
 written in the curious Latin of those days, containing 
 much mediaeval conceit and fanciful playing on words, 
 and abounding in Scriptural allusions. The endeavour 
 has been to keep these characteristics at least in some 
 degree, and hence the original has been rendered as 
 closely as possible, even though some harshness in the 
 English version occasionally results. 
 
 My thanks are also due to Mr Cyril Evans, (of St 
 Edmund's House, Cambridge), then in the class of 
 " Rhetoric " at St Edmund's College, who accompanied me 
 in the summer of 1899 to Pontigny and Soissy, in order to 
 take some special photographs, which are here reproduced ; 
 and also to Mr James Britten, who rendered great 
 assistance by reading the MS. through, and making some 
 valuable suggestions. Lastly, I have to thank Rev. Edward 
 Myers, M.A , one of the two students sent from here to 
 St Edmund's House, Cambridge, on its establishment in 
 1896, and who has since joined our staff here, for much 
 labour in the thankless work of reading proofs and verify- 
 ing references. 
 
 St Edmund's College, 
 
 Feast of St Edmund, 1902.
 
 SUMMARY OF CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Home at Abingdon and School Days at Oxford . i 
 
 Parents and Home of St Edmund— Another Account 
 —Birth of St Edmund— His Childhood -Mabel's 
 Solicitude for her Children— At School at Oxford— 
 His Life is saved by a remarkable Providence— The 
 Boy Jesus appears to him— He suffers from Head- 
 aches : His Remedy— He dedicates himself before 
 the Statue of the Blessed Virgin. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 Student at Paris ..•••• 
 Mabel sends her two Sons to Paris— His Manner of Life 
 as a Student— How he met one who tempted him— 
 St John the Evangelist appears to him— Death of 
 Mabel— He places his Sisters in the Monastery at 
 Catesby, and returns to Paris— His Progress in his 
 Studies after the Death of Mabel— He becomes 
 Lecturer in Arts. 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 Teacher at Oxford ...••• 
 He returns to Oxford— Regent in Arts at Oxford- 
 Miraculous Sign of a lost Soul— Mabel appears to 
 him — Student and Teacher of Theology— His 
 devout Exercises— His Charity to poor Scholars and 
 others— He loses his Bible on his Journey to Eng- 
 land—He stays at Merton Abbey— He receives Holy 
 Orders— His Success in Lecturing— St Edmund at 
 his Studies— Conflict with the Devil— He sees a 
 Vision— His good Repute— His Charity to his Sick 
 Pupils— How he Spent his Vacations— He is offered 
 Benefices : The Conditions on which he accepts 
 them — He Resigns his Professorial Chair. 
 
 16
 
 xiv S ( 'MM A RY OF CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Treasurer of Salisbury and Rector ok Calne . 49 
 
 He is elected Treasurer of Salisbury — The Duties of 
 Treasurer: St Osmund's Register — His Manner of 
 Life at Salisbury — Another Account — His Charity 
 to the Poor — He exceeds his Income — His Preaching : 
 The Clouds obey Him — His Appearance when 
 Preaching — He is Commissioned by the Pope to 
 preach the Crusade — His Bible is saved from 
 burning — His Friendship with Ella, Countess of 
 Salisbury : He converts her Husband — She is her- 
 self miraculously cured of a Sickness — Incident at 
 Calne : Apparition of the Dead — Consecration of 
 Part of the new Cathedral — Vacancy of the See 
 of Canterbury — Election of St Edmund as Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury — Messengers sent to Salisbury 
 — They proceed to Calne — They go to the Bishop of 
 Salisbury — He consents to accept the Archbishopric. 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 Archbishop of Canterbury ..... 74 
 
 The Archbishop-elect begins by representing to the King 
 the Grievances of his Subjects — Consecration of St 
 Edmund — The Bishops warn the King a second 
 Time : He promises Amendment — The Archbishop 
 is sent to Wales to make Peace with Llewellyn— The 
 King hears of the Death of the Earl Marshal — St 
 Edmund as Peacemaker — He intercedes for the 
 Brother of the Earl Marshal — Peter des Roches 
 and his Accomplices fall into Disgrace — Mediation 
 of St Edmund — St Edmund's private Life as Arch- 
 bishop : His Austerities — His great Charity — His 
 Humility — His Hatred of Idleness — His Love of 
 Peace — His Charity to poor Widows — He refuses 
 all Gifts — He appoints St Richard as his Chancellor — 
 Marriage of the King to Eleanor of Provence — The 
 Festivities in London — The Statutes of Merton — 
 The King demands Money and renews the Liberties 
 of Magna Charta — Solemn Ratification of the King's 
 Promise in Westminster Abbey — Arrival of the Papal 
 Legate — Prudent Behaviour of the Legate — The 
 Legate summons a Council — The Council of London.
 
 SUMMARY OF CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 Archbishop of Canterbury [continued) . . .117 
 
 The Dispute with the Canterbury Monks — The Legate 
 attempts Mediation — The Archbishop offers a Com- 
 promise — He leaves England against the Wishes of 
 the Legate — He arrives in Rome — The Monks make 
 Accusations against him — Archdeacon Simon Langton 
 accuses the Monks — Further Opposition to St 
 Edmund — Incidents in Rome — St Edmund returns 
 to England : Visitation of Christchurch Monastery 
 by the Legate — The Monks appear before the 
 Legate — Election of a Prior — St Edmund Excommuni- 
 cates the Electors — The Archbishop takes Counsel 
 of the Legate and Suffragans — The Rogation Proces- 
 sions — The Citizens of Canterbury complain of the 
 Scandal — The King and the Legate oppose the Arch- 
 bishop — He is calumniated and oppressed — His 
 Patience towards his Enemies — He takes further 
 Counsel of his Suffragans — The Legate demands 
 Subsidies for the Pope — The Legate over-rides the 
 Archbishop's Decisions — The Archbishop appeals 
 to the Pope — His Visions — He is comforted — He 
 determines to leave England — During his Last Days 
 in England, he works Miracles — His Prophecies — He 
 determines to go to Pontigny — Departure from 
 England. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 Ex ilk at Pontigny— Death at Soissy . . .150 
 
 He lands in France : The Queen of the French comes 
 to meet him — Arrival at Pontigny : Fulfilment of 
 St Thomas's Prophecy — His Manner of Life at 
 Pontigny — His Austerities — He is weary of Life — 
 His Sermon to the Monks : He is received as one 
 of the Community — "Speculum Ecclesiae" — His 
 Illness increases: He retires to Soissy — His Charity 
 during his last Illness — He receives Holy Viaticum — 
 Anxiety of his Attendants : He writes a Letter on 
 their Behalf— The Last Day of his Life — His Hair- 
 shirt is miraculously Preserved — His Final Bequests 
 — His Death.
 
 SUMMARY OF CON TENTS 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 e vgk 
 
 Funeral ok St Edmund— Miracles worked at his 
 
 Tomb— His Canonisation .... 167 
 
 The Archbishop's Seal is broken— The Body is taken 
 back to Pontigny — The Story of his Ring — The 
 Funeral — Vision of the Monk Herman — The Arch- 
 bishop of Sens visits Pontigny : The Tomb of St 
 Edmund is opened — The Body is removed to a 
 new Tomb — St Richard — Election of St Edmund's 
 Successor at Canterbury — Miracles at Pontigny and 
 elsewhere — Petition for his Canonisation — The First 
 Inquiry — The Second Inquiry — Opposition to the 
 Canonisation — The Promoters of the Cause are dis- 
 couraged — Cardinal John encourages Bertrand to 
 further Endeavours — Final Inquiry — Canonisation of 
 St Edmund — King Henry rejoices at the News of the 
 Canonisation. 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 Cultus of St Edmund — First and Second Transla- 
 tion of the Relics ..... 195 
 
 Opening of the Tomb : Letter of St Richard— Solemn 
 Translation of the Relics— Dispute about the Shrine 
 —Second Translation of the Relics— Separation of 
 the Right Arm from the Body— The Gift of Earl 
 Richard— Cultus of St Edmund— Indulgences granted 
 to Pilgrims to Pontigny : Letter of Archbishop Boni- 
 face — Leave granted to English Women to enter 
 the Church at Pontigny — King Henry III. visits 
 Pontigny : His Gifts to St Edmund's Shrine — 
 Endowment of Pontigny by the King of England- 
 Death of St Richard— Death of Former Pupils of St 
 Edmund — Death of St Edmund's Sisters. 
 
 EPILOGUE 
 
 Later History of the Abbey and Shrine at Pon- 
 tigny . . • • • • .217
 
 S UMMA R 1 ' OF CONTENTS xvii 
 
 APPENDICES 
 
 PACK 
 
 A.— Manuscript and other Authorities for the Life 
 
 of St Edmund ...... 235 
 
 B.— The Family of St Edmund . . . .246 
 
 (1) St Edmund's Father— (2) St Edmund's Brothers and 
 Sisters— (3) The Tomb of St Edmund's Mother. 
 
 C— Chronology of St Edmund's Life . . .251 
 
 D.— The Chapel of St Thomas at Pontigny . . 253 
 
 E.— The Present State of the Relics of St Edmund 255 
 
 F.— The Arms of St Edmund . . . .257 
 
 G.— Expulsion of the Fathers of St Edmund from 
 
 Pontigny ....... 260 
 
 Notes on the Illustrations . . . .261 
 
 Index ........ 285
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 {For Notes on the Illustrations, see pp. 261-284) 
 
 St Edmund of Canterbury (from a fresco in the Church at 
 
 Frindsbury, near Rochester) . . . Frontispiece 
 
 ABINGDON 
 
 General View of Abingdon . 
 
 Abingdon Cross and Church of St Nicholas (Seventeenth 
 
 Century) ..... 
 
 Church of St Nicholas and Abbey Gateway (Modern) 
 Ruins of the Abbey — Exterior of Prior's Rooms 
 Ruins of the Abbey — Dormitory. 
 St Edmund's Lane .... 
 
 The Lonesome Tree .... 
 
 PAGE 
 I 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 13 
 
 Cathedral of Notre Dame 
 Church of St Merri 
 
 PARIS 
 
 16 
 
 18 
 
 St Frideswide . 
 
 OXFORD 
 
 Map of Oxford ....... 
 
 Carving on the Exterior of the Ancient Chapel of the Blessed 
 
 Virgin 
 Great St Mary's . 
 Christchurch Cathedral 
 Remains of the Shrine of 
 Iffley Church 
 Ancient Hospital of St John (from a drawing by Matthew 
 
 Paris) ......... 
 
 Tower of St Michael's Church 
 
 SALISBURY 
 Salisbury Cathedral (Exterior) 
 Salisbury Cathedral (Interior — Lady Chapel) 
 Tomb of William Longsword 
 Calne Church (Exterior) . 
 Calne Church (Interior) . 
 
 37 
 38 
 40 
 
 43 
 45 
 
 49 
 
 5i 
 60 
 
 7o 
 
 7i
 
 LIST C )F IL L US TRA T10NS 
 
 CANTERBURY 
 
 of St Edmund (from 
 Peacemaker (from 
 
 drawing by Matthew 
 
 Consecration 
 
 Paris) ...... 
 
 St Edmund as Peacemaker (from a drawing by Matthew 
 
 Paris) .... 
 Remains of City Walls 
 Westgate .... 
 Mercery Lane 
 
 Canterbury Cathedral (Exterior) . 
 Canterbury Cathedral (The Choii 
 The Patriarchal Chair 
 Marriage of King Henry to Eleanor of Provence (from 
 
 drawing by Matthew Paris) 
 Council of London (from a drawing by Matthew Paris) 
 Plan of Christchurch Cathedral and Monastery, Canterburj 
 
 (from Eadwine's Psalter) 
 Ruins of Christchurch Monastery 
 Treasury of the Church . 
 Norman Staircase 
 St Augustine's Abbey — Gateway . 
 St Martin's Church 
 Shrine of St Thomas (from an old MS. 
 
 77 
 
 §3 
 92 
 
 94 
 95 
 97 
 99 
 101 
 
 103 
 1 12 
 
 "7 
 11S 
 u8 
 119 
 
 121 
 133 
 
 ■45 
 
 PONTIGNY 
 
 Bird's-eye View of the Ancient Abbey 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny (Exterior) 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny (Interior) 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny (North Aisle) . 
 Monks' Washing-place .... 
 
 Soissy ...... 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny — Front, showing Porch 
 
 Stone of St Edmund's Ring 
 
 Chapel in which St Edmund was buried 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny — Back Mew . 
 
 St Edmund's Mitre .... 
 
 Shrine of St Edmund (Modern) . 
 Tomb of Hugh de Macon 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny — Monks' Choir 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny, Exterior, North Side, 
 Remains of Cloister .... 
 
 House of the Fathers of St Edmund, Pontigny . 
 
 Facsimile Page of Addit. MS., British Museum 
 
 howin 
 
 150 
 '52 
 
 '54 
 '54 
 156 
 
 159 
 167 
 
 171 
 
 175 
 '95 
 205 
 217 
 
 22 I 
 
 224 
 
 22 9 
 233 
 
 241
 
 ST EDMUND OF CANTERBURY 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 HOME AT ABINGDON AND SCHOOL DAYS AT OXFORD 
 
 Parents and Home of St Edmund. 
 
 St John's College MS. (Wallace, p. 590).* 
 
 This child is the glory of Abingdon, an admirable place 
 upon the river Thames, that is well stocked with fish, 
 dedicated to the service of holy Mary, famed for the 
 hospitality of its monks, maintained at the royal cost, 
 nigh to the university of scholars, with dewy meadows, leafy 
 woods, well-watered gardens, fertile fields, green herbage, 
 and fair flowers, and of mild climate. Here was the boy 
 begotten, of parents holy and devout. Reginald namely, 
 and Mabel, and from the example of both of them he 
 gained the first beginnings of illustrious sanctity. For 
 his father, being good and wise, pondering over the 
 uncertain end of man, and the deceitful pleasures of 
 the world, in the desire of a happy issue beyond all 
 change, and setting the hope of salvation before the 
 enjoyment of sense, after with prudent discretion both 
 seeking and obtaining his wife's consent, and after the 
 vows of a solemn profession, passed from the fruitfulness 
 * For explanation of the references, see p. 245.
 
 2 ST EDMUND 
 
 of marriage to the purity of continence. Then after 
 assuming the religious habit, and renouncing his wonted 
 pleasant manner of life, so suddenly was he taken away 
 from human things that Edmund, still a child, and depen- 
 dent hereafter with his only brother Robert, and his two 
 sisters, upon their mother's loving care, could scarcely 
 remember to have seen him.* O truly blessed children, 
 for whom Divine mercy provided the guardianship of 
 a nurse thus pious, prudent, and devout, not only to rear 
 them for this transitory life, but also to lead them to 
 the mansions of the everlasting King on high : whose 
 devotion kept her mind always in heaven, God ever before 
 her eyes, and all the saints in reverence. It kept her 
 tongue in prayer, chastity in her desire, the flesh beneath 
 her feet, the world behind her back ; and she held plea- 
 sure in disdain. Moreover, lest she should give occasion 
 for scandal, by going abroad in a dress either too wanton 
 or too mean, before men who judge by outward appear- 
 ance, she wore a robe under her cloak, and under her 
 robe a tunic, neither poor nor costly, but suitable for the 
 decent apparel of her middle station of life. And that 
 she might please God who judges in secret, she wore 
 as it were a heavy and chill breast - plate beneath 
 her tunic, and again beneath this a rough and painful 
 hair-shirt. O woman, rightly called stronger than he 
 who storms camps and cities, who, seeking with her 
 whole strength after the Kingdom of Heaven, was so 
 impatient of all earthly things which stood in the way 
 of her journey thither, that persecuting her lower nature, 
 so hurtful and dangerous to herself, by a mutual warfare 
 in which she was both conqueror and conquered, she 
 herself strove to entirely subdue herself; and in order 
 * Sec note on St Edmund's family, in Appendix I'..
 
 Abingdon Cross and Church of St Nicholas. (Seventeenth Century). 
 
 [Face pagt 3.
 
 HOME AT ABINGDON 3 
 
 that she might be elevated above herself, in her spiritual 
 conflict against spiritual enemies, she used material 
 arms ; which, though seemingly beside the mark, was in 
 truth not so. 
 
 Another Account. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1775). 
 His parents were in wealth and repute in the world 
 of modest estate, but abounded not moderately in riches 
 of virtue and works of piety. His father was called 
 Reginald, with the surname Rich, who, with the consent 
 of his wife, taking leave of this world, finished the course 
 of his life wearing the monastic habit in the monastery 
 of Eynsham.* His mother, not inferior to her husband 
 in virtue, added to a woman's thought the courage of 
 a man, and living in the world, but not according to the 
 world, cut wholly away from herself all the enticements 
 of the flesh along with softness of spirit. For she 
 had learnt by unction from above, that a widow given 
 to pleasures is dead even while she lives ; whence she 
 abstained from many things lawful, that she might 
 ever be a total stranger to what is unlawful, and she 
 girt her loins with strength, even with the strong girdle 
 of continence, and gathering her cloak about her, she 
 disdained all those garments which she deemed unbecom- 
 ing to her holy purpose. And as she longed to acquire 
 purity of heart, which is usually gained chiefly by sobriety 
 and fasting, she used to watchfully share the vigils almost 
 
 * A Benedictine Abbey in Oxfordshire. Here it was that in 
 1 186 St Hugh was elected Bishop of Lincoln. He had afterwards a 
 considerable connection with the Abbey, and often stayed there, so that 
 he must have seen St Edmund's father. Several manuscripts give the 
 name EvesJtam ; but this is probably an error of copying, for Evesham 
 Abbey was much larger and better known.
 
 4 ST EDMUND 
 
 every night of the monks of Abingdon. And that she 
 might the more steadfastly keep her purpose, in the 
 chastity of the body, she began ceaselessly, with the 
 stern law of discipline, to subdue the rebellious move- 
 ments of the flesh. And so for this conflict, she clad 
 herself in armour that befits the continent in their war- 
 fare, namely, in a rough hair-shirt, wherewith she was 
 wont to clothe her bare body even to the feet. Then 
 over this she set a corselet of iron, which ever after she 
 wore upon her, so that beneath the pressure of the iron 
 the covering of hair might the more vex the flesh. And 
 set in the corselet were two plates of iron for her greater 
 torment, and of these at her death the mother made 
 her two sons heirs, namely, Edmund, of whom we are 
 speaking, and Robert. O woman, stronger than he 
 who storms cities, who that she might punish her own 
 faults waged war against herself, and having engaged 
 in the strife of a greater than civil warfare, drew up 
 both for herself and against herself the battle array of 
 the most austere penance. She used material arms in 
 this spiritual combat, by which she was at the same 
 time conqueror and conquered, keeping herself always 
 under arms, in order that she might find the Lord 
 unarmed. In the education of her children she had 
 the prudence of Sara, in presence of men she had the 
 modesty of Rebecca, before God she had the sweetness 
 of Rachel ; but in the presence of her neighbour she 
 was attributed happiness in her offspring, even as Lia. 
 
 Birth of St Edmund. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 From a father thus devout and a mother thus happy 
 
 did the blessed Edmund draw his origin in the afore-
 
 Church of St Nicholas and Abbey Gateway, Abingdon. (Modern). 
 
 [Face page i.
 
 HOME AT ABINGDON 5 
 
 named town of Abingdon, a spot fair enough in its situa- 
 tion. PI is birth brought joy to his parents, shed lustre 
 upon his country, and increased both the glory and 
 the honour of all greater Britain. By the very bright- 
 ness of his body, God showed that the flower of virginity 
 should ever endure unstained in him whom beyond 
 the common lot of infants, by happy auguries, he set 
 apart even from his mother's womb. So clean from 
 all stain of human corruption did he come forth from 
 the chamber of his nativity, that had he been wrapped 
 forthwith in the fairest linen, it would have received 
 no stain from what it covered. O truly happy one ! 
 O child thrice and four times blessed, to whom it was 
 granted with prosperity to receive the light, and with 
 tranquillity to shed it abroad. For from the morning 
 of the day of St Edmund the Martyr* whereon he was 
 brought to birth, up to eventide, he lay as though dead, 
 so that the handmaids would have committed him to 
 burial had not his mother with more prudent thought 
 withstood their purpose. At length, by his mother's 
 command, or more truly by the providence of God, 
 by whom is ordered the life of mortal men, he was 
 baptised, and by a play upon the name, he was called 
 Edmund (the clean), from his cleanness. For by such 
 name would his mother have him called, because it was 
 when praying at the shrine of the aforesaid martyr,j- 
 laden with her holy burden, that she first marked the 
 signs of life. But clearly, rather by heaven's will than 
 by his mother's was he so called. For if the meaning 
 
 * November 20. 
 
 t i.e., at Bury St Edmunds, whither she no doubt went in pil- 
 grimage. The coincidence that our saint was afterwards born on 
 the feast of St Edmund the Kiny was remarkable.
 
 ST KDMIWD 
 
 of the name be considered, which is made of two whole 
 words, the one English, the other Latin, he is called 
 Jiappy and pure. And God willed to allot his name 
 not from any chance cleanness, but from a purity ' d that 
 
 Ruins of Alingdon Abbe, — Exterior of Prior's Rooms. 
 
 was blessed ; setting him apart from the foolish virgins 
 who, pure though they were, are shown by their final 
 reprobation to have been unblessed. 
 
 His Childhood. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1 777)- 
 
 Even from the earliest days of his childhood, with such 
 
 religious care did his mother rear him, that by her training 
 
 he learned in the days of his youth to observe fasting and 
 
 prayer. She promised and offered little presents, so that
 
 HOME AT ABINGDON 7 
 
 of his own accord he should upon Fridays fast upon bread 
 and water, that thus by holy craft she might implant in 
 his soul the observance of life-giving austerity. And that 
 she might be able in his childish heart to prepare a dwell- 
 ing place for the Holy Spirit, in the intimate recesses of 
 that soul which had issued but lately fresh and clean from 
 
 Ruins of Abingdon Abbey — Dormitory. 
 
 the hands of the Creator, she set honour upon self-restraint, 
 and as it were upon empty tablets, she was careful to mould 
 that habit of personal holiness which he had gained from 
 repeated good actions into shapes of character. Thus upon 
 the foundation of innocence did she raise the lofty palace 
 of virtue, that the building early begun by the Spirit might 
 grow to be a holy temple in the Lord.
 
 ST UDMUND 
 
 Mabel's Solicitude for her Children. 
 
 St Joints College MS. (Wallace, p. 591). 
 
 But inasmuch as the loving-kindness of the charity that 
 seeks a wide range for its exercise is ever regardful of our 
 neighbour's desire for salvation, no less than its own, so 
 it was not enough for her [Mabel] to crush the serpent's 
 head beneath her own feet. Those children whom we have 
 named above, whom she had brought forth for this world, 
 she longed to bring forth also for heaven, and she taught 
 them the art and manner of repelling the wiles of that 
 same serpent. For as she grieved to mark by what 
 errors the world is led, she dreaded with anxious heart 
 lest, after they reached years of discretion, freewill should 
 fail before the storm of temptation ; and lest in the pursuit 
 of pleasure they should fall headlong down the slippery 
 steep of vice, and lose their salvation. Thereupon, being 
 careful, according to the word of Ecclesiasticus, "Bow 
 down his neck while he is young," * in order to escape 
 the danger of everlasting death, she set openly before them 
 the example of her own sanctity, and with the subtle 
 wish of training them to the same course, of their own 
 accord, sometimes by little gifts she sought and secured 
 their goodwill, beguiling with pious craft their simple 
 souls, so that she might guard them from evil wiles. For 
 marking that children are by nature willing to believe, 
 strong in desire, and eager to excel, she would promise 
 to their credulous minds whatever they eagerly wished for, 
 as to fly, or to swim, or to crush all that vexed them, if 
 only they would do this thing or that, and so she led 
 them to whatever she would. . . . And thus craftily and 
 * Ecclus. xxx. 12.
 
 HOME AT ABINGPOX 
 
 indirectly assailing their wills to bend them by their own 
 
 consent, by sensible things she taught them spiritual 
 
 doctrines, and how this blessedness exceeds all other. 
 
 And observing how to earn these changes, they could do 
 
 without dainty or frequent repasts, by promises of this 
 
 kind she led them to 
 
 be content with a 
 
 simple refection of 
 
 bread and water once 
 
 upon Saturdays, to 
 
 tame the flesh by 
 
 fasting, and to antici- 
 pate the years of dis- 
 cretion by the works 
 thereof. O blessed 
 indeed are they who 
 follow Christ from 
 infancy, observe absti- 
 nence, and rejoice to 
 bear the suffering of 
 the body through the 
 patience of the spirit ! 
 For when the malig- 
 nant tempter comes 
 
 hereafter, and that opportunity for temptation that re- 
 sides particularly in the frequent delight of taste, has 
 been removed, he finds nothing whereby to present 
 temptation. Meanwhile their mother was thrilled with 
 a joy unspeakable when she beheld that the tiny seed 
 of virtue which she had implanted in them had taken 
 such firm root. And after she had thus aimed at things 
 sublime, lest she might by the torpor of sloth be turned 
 from completing her task, she constantly visited the fresh 
 
 St Edmund's Lane, Abingdon.
 
 io ST EDMUND 
 
 young plants of holiness, watering them with the refreshing 
 clew of holy consolation. Then mercifully deigning to be 
 present with a ray of His divine clemency, the Holy Spirit, 
 without Whom neither he that planteth nor he that 
 watereth is anything, granted His increase. Further, since 
 the lack of knowledge oftentimes hurries the mind of man 
 into error, in order that knowledge might correspond to 
 the devout will of those who longed to offer themselves 
 wholly to the Lord, she determined to train in the study 
 of letters those whom she had inflamed with the desire 
 of heavenly life. 
 
 At School at Oxford. 
 
 Lanercost Chron. (p. 38). 
 
 While he was still youthful in age, and directing his 
 mind to the study of logic, an incident happened to him 
 worthy to be told. For one day, as is common during the 
 period of youth, while assisting at Mass, he paid more 
 heed to the voices of the singers than to his prayers, 
 and thought more of the music than of the hidden 
 meaning of the sacred rites, and for this reason, as soon 
 as the elevation of the Mass was over, with many others 
 he hastened out to play. And as soon as he passed out 
 by the northern door of the church of the Mother of God, 
 a hand was sent by the Divine Spirit, which struck him 
 on the cheek, and added a word of heavenly admonition, 
 saying, " Return to the office which is in progress, for now 
 is in truth the very beginning of Mass." Which the 
 youth, who was clever, seeing to be true, he began to be 
 inflamed with a more devout love towards the life- 
 giving sacrament, and ever afterwards never failed when 
 assisting at the Holy Sacrifice, to remain till the finish.
 
 SCHOOL DA YS A T OXFORD 1 1 
 
 His Life is saved by a remarkable Providence. 
 
 Ibid. 
 And thus it happened on a certain day, that after he 
 had heard Mass, he repaired to the schools situate in the 
 churchyard of the afore-named church, at the western 
 door, in order to hear his lesson. And as he sat on a 
 bench, along with a large number of his companions, he 
 presently arose and went out ; and forthwith, as soon as 
 he had left his bench, a stone falling from the building 
 came down on the spot where he had been sitting. And 
 all those present saw that had he remained he would have 
 been killed, and that he had been preserved by the protec- 
 tion of God. And this, I believe, is to be attributed to the 
 grace of the sacrament of the altar. 
 
 The Boy Jesus appears to him. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1778). 
 He was an earnest lover of the Lord, for that he strove 
 with his whole soul to love the Author of Life, and to 
 him while still a boy the same Author of Life deigned 
 to show Himself in the form of a boy. For one day 
 when, at the invitation of companions of his own age, he 
 entered a certain meadow for the purpose of recreation, 
 he nevertheless quickly separated himself from their 
 company, lest the purity of his soul should undergo any 
 stain by boyish trifles or by vain words. As he pro- 
 ceeded alone, occupying himself with holy meditation, 
 " He that feedeth among the lilies * and is compassed with 
 flowering roses" appeared to him, white with snowy 
 whiteness, and ruddy with the freshness of the rose, 
 who, as though falling from the heights of heaven, pour- 
 ing forth words of nectar from His honeyed mouth, thus 
 * Cant. ii. 16.
 
 I2 ST EDMUND 
 
 addressed him with the gracious salutation, " Hail, my 
 well beloved ! " Who, when he heard, was troubled like 
 a boy at the words of a boy, and began to wonder at 
 the nature of the salutation, as well as at the untold 
 beauty of Him who addressed him. Whom when that 
 Boy of surpassing beauty saw astonished and bewildered, 
 speaking again, He asked whether He was in any wax- 
 known to him. But he, with the simplicity of a dove, 
 giving a simple answer, said, " I have no knowledge of 
 thee, nor am I, in my belief, known to thee." And 
 then the aforesaid Boy proceeded to speak to him a 
 third time in these words : " I wonder (He said J that I 
 am so unknown to thee, especially as I sit at thy side 
 within the schools, and am thy inseparable companion 
 whithersoever thou goest." And He added : " Look in 
 my face, and what is written on my forehead do thou 
 note diligently with all thy heart." Which when he 
 had done, he read there in heavenly letters the name 
 of our Redeemer, namely, Jesus of Nazareth. He re- 
 peated what he saw, and straightway he heard this from 
 Him : " I am Jesus of Nazareth, and this is my name, 
 which shall be for a memorial to thee in the desire of 
 thy heart. Trace this carefully and distinctly on tin- 
 forehead every night ; by this shalt thou be able to be 
 fortified against sudden death, and whosoever shall im- 
 press the same letters on his forehead in like manner 
 also." And when He had said this, then the Boy, on 
 whom the angels desire to look, disappeared ; but in the 
 breast of that boy whom He had deigned to visit, He 
 left no small sweetness. And as he progressed in 
 wisdom and age and grace before God and man, he 
 committed to memory the words of the Lord, sweeter to 
 him than honey and the honeycomb, and that blessed
 
 SCHOOL DAYS AT OXFORD 
 
 13 
 
 Name in which he who is to be blessed on the earth 
 shall be blessed in the Lord, he carefully traced on his 
 forehead every night. For he knows this who saw and 
 hath written these things, and beareth witness about them; 
 nor is his testimony to be even lightly questioned by any 
 one ; for when on a certain night, according to the custom 
 of a chamberlain, he 
 was standing with him 
 in his room, when he 
 saw him carefully trace 
 that glorious name upon 
 his forehead, as he had 
 often before seen him, 
 being a man of deep 
 
 humility, turning he 
 
 suddenly spoke thus : 
 
 " See that every night 
 
 before thou sleepest thou 
 
 dost net omit to trace 
 
 on thy forehead with thy 
 
 finger this name, Jesus of 
 
 Nazareth." Which when 
 
 he heard, he willingly 
 
 followed so salutary a counsel, and his heart rejoiced, 
 
 being confirmed by a triple testimony about this matter. 
 
 For what he had learnt from trustworthy men, and had 
 
 seen by the evidence of his eyes, he now knew even more 
 
 certainly from the words of the saint himself. 
 
 The Lonesome Tree, Abingdon. 
 
 He suffers from Headaches. His Remedy. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Before taking food upon Sundays and holidays he 
 was wont to recite the whole psalter, in this matter also
 
 14 ST EDMUND 
 
 willingly yielding to the bidding of his mother. But 
 when as ;i youth he was devoting himself to liberal 
 study, he was attacked by such severe and prolonged 
 headache that he despaired of being able even to make 
 further progress in what he had begun. His mother in 
 pity sorrowed with his sorrow. Then, like a woman of 
 insight, thinking out the reason of his suffering, she 
 thus addressed him: — " My son, thy clerk's tonsure is 
 not well defined, and this, it seems, is the reason of all 
 the pain thou sufferest. Take care, therefore, that thou 
 be duly shorn, and lay aside thy superfluous hair, and 
 then I trust that the Lord, being less severe towards 
 thee, will render the pain less severe." Then, welcoming 
 her words, he put away all the hair that seemed too 
 abundant, and the headache, as though it were wholly 
 cut away by the shears, presently disappeared, and that 
 so entirely that it left no trace, and never afterwards 
 returned, even as he declared in secret to one who was 
 his familiar friend. 
 
 He dedicates himself before the Statue of the 
 Blessed Virgin. 
 
 Cot/on MS. (Wallace, p. 544). 
 Blessed Edmund, while still a boy of only twelve years, 
 frequenting the schools under the guidance of a tutor, 
 was under the care of a certain hoi)' priest to whom he 
 frequently confessed. When, therefore, in the presence 
 of his confessor, he had promised to give his unsullied 
 virginity by vow to Mar}-, Mother of God, and had 
 spoken this promise before the image of the Blessed 
 Virgin in the church, rising quickly, he placed and 
 fitted a certain rintr which he had obtained for the
 
 SCHOOL DA YS AT OXFORD 15 
 
 purpose, on the finger of the statue, with these words :— 
 " To thee, O Virgin of virgins, most pure Mother of 
 my Lord Jesus Christ, I vow, offer, and devote the 
 promise of my virginity. And with this ring in pledge, 
 I choose thee and gratefully adopt thee as my Lady and 
 Spouse, that in the future I may as a virgin merit to 
 serve thee, a Virgin, more gratefully and more 
 devoutly." And kneeling before the image, as though 
 before the Mother of God herself, he prayed with great 
 devotion, pouring forth abundant tears, so that his eyes 
 brought forth floods of water, saying : " O my Lady, 
 now most sweet Spouse of my heart, do thou pray to 
 thy Son, my Lord, most efficaciously, so that by per- 
 severance in thy service I may merit to follow the foot- 
 steps of Blessed John the Evangelist." And when after 
 his prayer, in order to avoid causing astonishment to 
 the people, he wished to remove the ring which he had 
 placed on the finger of the statue, though he tried by 
 all the means in his power, he was not able to do so. 
 Wherefore, with joy he conceived the hope that the 
 Blessed Virgin had favourably accepted his vow, so that 
 as the most pure boy promised himself in all chastity 
 to the Mother of God, and ever Virgin, so the Blessed 
 Virgin herself freely promised to be united to Blessed 
 Edmund.* 
 
 * The Lanercost Chronicler adds that he had himself, "together 
 with the whole University," often seen the ring still on the statue ; 
 and that many others had also seen it.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 STUDENT AT PARIS 
 
 Mabel sends her two Sons to Paris. 
 
 St Jolufs College MS. (Wallace, p. 593). 
 When the labours of learning the sciences by Divine 
 grace continued without ceasing, so that already they 
 [Kdmund and his brother Robert] seemed even to excel 
 their masters in the art of grammar, when they were now 
 about to be sent to Paris, where the sciences were said to 
 flourish even more, their mother set aside so little money 
 for them that it seemed as though it could not suffice for 
 their decent sustenance. Seeing, therefore, how they 
 looked at each other with silent tongue, anxious heart, 
 and dejected countenance, showing signs of sadness that 
 a journey to a foreign land was in store for them, while 
 means were not given them for their support, she began to 
 comfort them with these words of motherly assurance : — 
 
 " What has been the use of all my anxious care for 
 you, my sons? your faint-heartedness grieves me, for you 
 do not put the trust you ought in God. Your souls are 
 as of those who fear where there is no fear. Look at me, 
 a poor woman, as you know. Power is not granted me 
 to give you splendour of living, but rather cast your 
 thoughts on the Lord, and He will support you. Keep 
 Him always before your eyes, and He will guide vour 
 
 L6
 
 o
 
 STUDENT AT PARIS 17 
 
 steps. In true manly fashion, you should seek after the 
 benefits of God, lest the attractions of softness and the 
 touch of tenderness render you effeminate, exciting the 
 lust of the flesh which warreth against the spirit. For 
 which end I have made ready for you two hair-shirts with 
 which, if you please, you can overcome your sense of 
 touch, even as by fasting you have already overcome 
 your taste. I especially enjoin on each of you to wear 
 it next your flesh twice a week, and promise with confi- 
 dence that if you do this, God will never let you want 
 for food." 
 
 As soon, therefore, as their mother's sincere love had 
 exhorted them with these precepts, when they had set 
 out for Paris, she sent them two pairs of under garments 
 and two hair-shirts, begging them, for the sake of the love 
 they bore their mother, to wear them. This injunction 
 the)' faithfully carried out, and according to her promise, 
 the Lord provided for them abundantly in all things, 
 opening their understanding so that they might grasp 
 the subtleties of the lectures on loq;ic. 
 
 His Manner of Life as a Student. 
 
 Testimony of Eustace, C.C.C. MS., p. 381. 
 When he was now advancing to the years of manhood, 
 and already devoted to the study of the liberal arts, he 
 pressed forward upon the road along which he had 
 previously been led ; and of his own accord, to match the 
 meaning of his name, he became happy and pure. For 
 from this time forward, he began beyond his wont to 
 give up things for God ; the portals of the church he 
 frequented more and more eagerly ; the vain frivolities 
 with which that time of life is commonly entangled he 
 
 B
 
 1 8 ST EDMUND 
 
 shunned altogether ; and to learning he devoted earnest 
 care. Not only did he flee altogether from the delights 
 of the flesh, but he ever bore on his own body the mortifi- 
 cation of the cross, and with all the earnestness of his 
 mind he sought for the Author of Life. It seemed as 
 though he already understood the proverb which he had 
 not yet met with in his studies, "Train up a child in the 
 
 Church of St Merri, Paris. 
 
 way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart 
 from it."* This in him was truly fulfilled. For watching, 
 fasting, and other difficult penitential exercises he so made 
 his custom, that afterwards, in his more advanced age, they 
 became, as he himself bore witness, not only easy, but 
 even sweet. And being thus a follower of Blessed John 
 
 * Prov. xxii. 6.
 
 STUDENT AT PARIS 19 
 
 the Evangelist, he never soiled his purity by any stain, as 
 they positively assert who have heard his confessions, and 
 who have known him by familiar intercourse from the 
 years of boyhood. And thus he is believed to have lived 
 in the flesh as one out of the flesh. 
 
 How he met one who tempted him. 
 
 Cambridge MS., fol. 39/;, col. 2. 
 
 A certain maiden, the daughter of his host,* cast her 
 
 eyes upon him, making known her evil intent by signals, 
 
 nodding, and sighs. But when she prevailed nothing in 
 
 this manner, she addressed herself to him openly in words, 
 
 and in many ways essayed to tempt him to unlawful 
 
 embraces. He, however, avoiding her as a pestilence, 
 
 often rebuked her, but was not able even so to rescue 
 
 himself from her importunity. Whence, being wearied 
 
 by her aggressiveness, he thought of a way to save both 
 
 himself and her, and appointed a time for her to come 
 
 to the place where he was wont to give himself to study. 
 
 Hoping, therefore, to fulfil the object of her longing, at 
 
 the time appointed she boldly entered his room, and 
 
 having shut the door, at the bidding of St Edmund 
 
 she put off her upper garments. As soon as she was 
 
 bare, therefore, in the upper part of the body, he 
 
 whipped her in the back with a flexible scourge which 
 
 he had prepared for the purpose, and when she was 
 
 sprinkled with blood on the surface of the skin, he left 
 
 her and said, " Go, woman, and learn to avoid over- 
 
 * The Pontigny MS. says the daughter of his hostess. The ex- 
 pression used seems to indicate that St Edmund was still compara- 
 tively young, and living under the care of some one older. It is for 
 this reason that it is usually believed to have taken place at Paris, and 
 soon after he went there.
 
 2 o ST EDMUND 
 
 mastering lust by the scourge of discipline." She fled, 
 therefore, who had so long persecuted him, and this ill- 
 treatment gave her understanding and brought her grace, 
 so that the maiden herself afterwards asserted that she 
 had never again experienced temptation of this kind. 
 Behold how the man of God resisted the devil, who 
 being vanquished by him and by the maiden who was 
 disciplined, fled to a distance. 
 
 St John the Evangelist appears to him. 
 
 Si Joint's College MS. (Wallace, p. 599). 
 
 But knowing that for the successful and constant 
 observance of a vow so difficult, no effort of human 
 frailty would avail, save only through a special grace, 
 he called evermore upon her in whom the grace of 
 virginity dwells pre-eminently, the Virgin of virgins, and 
 the steward of her household, the evangelist St John, and 
 used daily to offer a prayer to them in common.* And 
 
 * The prayer to our Lady and St John, known from its first words 
 as O Intemerizta, was written by St Edmund himself, and afterwards 
 became known throughout Europe. It appears in very many medieval 
 manuals of devotion, usually following the sequential of the Gospels. 
 The following is a translation of it : — 
 
 "O Holy and spotless Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed for 
 evermore, sole and beyond compare, thou the most pleasing temple of 
 God, sanctuary of the Holy Ghost and gate of the kingdom of heaven, 
 through whom, under God, the whole earth doth live, bow down thy 
 pitiful ear to my unworthy prayer, and be to me, a sinner, my com- 
 passionate help in all things. 
 
 "O most blessed St John, familiar friend of Christ, chosen because 
 of thy virgin purity by our Lord himself, more deeply loved than 
 all thy brethren, made learned with heavenly doctrine, and chosen 
 to be His glorious Apostle and Evangelist, upon thee also along 
 with Mary the mother of the same, our Saviour, do I call, that along" 
 with her thou mayest deign to bestow upon me thine aid. Twin 
 gems of heavenly brightness, Mary and John, lights that shine with
 
 .V TUP EXT A T PA RIS 2 1 
 
 since the devil strove always to hinder this healthful 
 
 purpose, it befell him once, but too late, to repent that 
 
 since he had been bus)- upon; preparing his work and 
 
 similar cares, he had gone through the entire day wholly 
 
 forgetful of his prayer. And though it might seem a 
 
 fault but slight and pardonable, for the omission was due 
 
 to mere human defect of memory, yet he did not go 
 
 altogether without punishment, though it was in his sleep. 
 
 For on the following night he beheld St John, as one 
 
 angered and terrible, with uplifted arm holding a ferrule, 
 
 and threatening a very grievous stroke upon the hand, 
 
 which at the saint's bidding he held forth, trembling with 
 
 fear. But the saint, then with milder demeanour, and not 
 
 executing the sentence of his wrath, turned his dread 
 
 threat to loving exhortation, laying the command and 
 
 His glory in the presence of God, scatter with your bright beams the 
 mist of my sins. For ye are they in whom, by His only begotten Son, 
 the Father hath most chiefly established His home, and to whom, in 
 reward of your purity unstained, the same only begotten of the Father 
 made steadfast the pledge [privilege] of His love, saying, as He hung 
 upon the cross to the one, ' Mother, behold thy son ! ' and then to 
 the other, 'Behold thy mother!' Wherefore, in the sweetness of 
 that holy love, whereby ye were then by the word of the Lord joined 
 each to other as mother and son, I a sinner, this day entrust to both 
 my body, my soul, and my life, so that ye may at every hour and every 
 moment vouchsafe to be my sure defence both within and without, and 
 my loving intercessors with God. For I unwaveringly believe and 
 undoubtingly confess that your will accordeth, yea and nay, with the 
 will of God, and thus whatsoever ye ask is straightway granted. 
 Wherefore, by your powerful might of dignity entreat for me salvation 
 of body and of soul. Grant, yea grant by your glorious prayers, that 
 my heart may be the sojourn and dwelling-place of that gracious Spirit 
 who may cleanse me from all defilement of vice, adorn me with all 
 virtue, and make me to persevere safely to the end in the love of God 
 and my neighbour ; and when this life is done, may that most merciful 
 Comforter lead me to the joys of his elect, even the bounteous bestower 
 of all grace, who, with the Father and the Son, consubstantial, co- 
 eternal, in them and with them, liveth and reigneth God Almighty in 
 His Saints. Amen/'
 
 AT EDMUND 
 
 injunction upon him that ever hereafter he should post- 
 pone all care and business of whatever kind, and carefully 
 recite that prayer every day. 
 
 Death of Mabel. 
 
 St John's College MS. (Wallace, p. 594). 
 Now by chance it fell out that when on their return to 
 their own country, bringing with them the noble gift of 
 knowledge, in the absence of Robert. Edmund alone with 
 his sisters stood by the bedside of his mother who was 
 grievously ill. Being weak in body, but with her mind 
 free from all care, although she now already felt that the 
 axe was laid to the root of the tree, she said : " My 
 dearest son, come nearer to me, and though my words 
 appear poor to thy hearing, let my counsel seem not slight 
 to thy judgment. For inasmuch as when I am gone thou 
 wilt be left quite an orphan, whilst I still live, prepare to 
 receive thy mother's blessing of mercy." With grateful 
 spirit he followed the counsel of his mother, and in all 
 simplicity and humility, bent his knee and received her 
 blessing. Then his loving kindness made intercession on 
 behalf of his brother and of his sisters, and with earnest 
 prayer he entreated that they might receive the like 
 blessing with himself. His mother understanding hereby 
 that with true fraternal spirit he cherished his brother 
 and sisters, though even now her breath laboured at the 
 near approach of death, unable to conceal her joy of soul, 
 said: "My dearest son, the Most High has made thee 
 chief over him and them ; and as it was granted to me to 
 reflect thereon, I have blessed thee first, and thereby I 
 have blessed them in thee. At my departure, I leave thee 
 their careful guardian, and as it were the father of the
 
 STUDENT AT PARIS 23 
 
 household ; and the Lord has heard my prayers on thy 
 behalf, that thou mayest call upon His name, and be 
 delivered in every necessity. As for thy brother Robert, 
 his good behaviour and his skill in letters will make it 
 easy for thee to provide for him. But there is one matter 
 that will demand thy utmost solicitude. Since thy sisters, 
 even though they have vowed perpetual virginity, keep 
 their comeliness, suffer not that it may ever become the 
 sport of lewdness. Thus make it thy care to guard both 
 thy brother and thy sisters ; but with even greater 
 diligence guard thyself, and subdue thy flesh to the lord- 
 ship of the spirit, and let not the enemy have rule therein. 
 And lest he should come upon thee and take thee 
 unawares, I will leave to thee the armour whereby, keeping 
 my own flesh in subjection, I have so often foiled his crafty 
 suggestions, even the breast-plate and the hair-shirt. 
 That thou mayest more easily win admittance for thy 
 sisters into a monastery, to this end I have provided a 
 certain sum of money, which thou wilt find in yonder 
 casket." And with these words, with her finger she 
 pointed out the casket. After having said these and other 
 like things, his mother was silent, and putting aside all 
 thoughts of earthly affairs, she fixed her mind upon God. 
 Nor did she further recognise son or daughter, but with 
 the eyes of her soul fixed upon heaven, even as were the 
 eyes of her body, she expired. 
 
 And when it was noised abroad that she was dead, the 
 clergy and people came together to pray for her, who, 
 however, as is believed, stood in no need of the suffrages of 
 their prayers. When, therefore, at last, the whole of her 
 praise was chanted, as they marvelled to the utmost at her 
 virtue, whereby she had laid hold of the kingdom of 
 heaven, then the daughters of Sion behold her and pro-
 
 24 ST EDMUND 
 
 claim her most blessed. Wishing therefore to perpetuate 
 her memory, they adorned the grave with this epitaph : — 
 
 HERE LYETH BURIED MABEL, THE FLOWER OF WIDOW'S, 
 
 WHOSE LIFE WAS THE PATTERN OF ALL 
 
 VIRTUOUS LIVING.* 
 
 Rightly indeed did they denote her sanctity by the 
 flower ; for of all that grows upon the earth we deem 
 the flower the most excellent. The flower is the harmoni- 
 ous mingling of elementary qualities ; the life of the seeds 
 that conserve their kind ; the hope of the fruit by which 
 we support life ; the charm and ornament of tree and 
 shrub. Truly was Mabel the flower of widows, fragrant, 
 fruitful, and fresh ; fragrant with the odour of good esteem ; 
 fruitful in holy work ; fresh with her singular purity. For 
 although she lies withering in the grave, nevertheless she 
 stands forth manifestly as the flower of widows, who is 
 known to have been of powerful assistance in the time of 
 affliction, not only to the neighbours, but also to pilgrims 
 from afar, to whom the perfection of her sanctity was 
 known, either by the evidence of their own senses, or by 
 the relation of others. 
 
 He places his Sisters in the Monastery at Catesby, 
 and returns to Paris. 
 
 Ibid. 
 On the death of his parents, Edmund as the eldest 
 son undertook the care of his brother and sisters, and be- 
 came at once a pupil and a tutor. His simplicity, indeed, 
 demanded that he should be taken care of himself rather 
 than have the care of others, and so he became like one 
 
 * Hie tumulata jacet Mabilia, flos viduarum, cuius vita fuit 
 
 virtutum norma niorum.
 
 5 TUDENT A T PA RIS 2 5 
 
 taking charge of public interests, though he knew not how 
 to take charge of his own, providing for others when he 
 had not learnt how to provide for himself. Then, for the 
 first time, he understood by actual experience the watch- 
 fulness, the anxiety, and the cares of those who have charge 
 of a family. With labour and with a distracted soul he 
 attended to some of the business. But it was fitting that 
 more strict care should be taken in the matter which con- 
 cerned his sisters, who were of marriageable age and of 
 beautiful appearance ; whose virginity like to a tender 
 flower, and whose delicate virtue easily perishable, he felt 
 as a double danger hanging over him. . . . But whereas he 
 well knew that his mother's care had taught them, as the 
 offspring of her own sanctity, to repress the motions of 
 the flesh, and to refuse the advances of young men, he 
 was joyfully refreshed by this most sweet remedy for his 
 cares that he knew how his sisters far excelled other 
 maidens. And when different reasons drew him hither 
 and thither, finally, after much deliberation, he determined 
 that he would place them, in accordance with the last wish 
 of his dead mother, somewhere with religious, dedicated 
 to God in a monastery. And, moreover, lest they should 
 suffer harm by the stain of worldly life, he himself wished 
 for this with his whole soul. When, therefore, Edmund 
 heard by report that the poor priory of Catesby flourished 
 with the holy riches of strict observance, he longed for 
 such a place for his sisters. But when he went there in 
 person, and wished to explain all these things to the 
 prioress, she forthwith anticipated him with courteous 
 words, and addressing him, though a stranger, by his own 
 name, she said: "Trouble not, Edmund, to explain to 
 me thy wishes with regard to thy sisters, for I already 
 understand by revelation of the Lord the things that thou
 
 26 ST EDMUND 
 
 wiliest. Let them come, therefore, and if they desire to 
 stay, they will not be rejected."* And, conjecturing from 
 the favourable answer of the prioress that the business 
 entrusted to him by his dead mother was proceeding 
 according to the will of- Divine Providence, he rejoiced 
 above measure, and secretly returned thanks to God, and 
 placing all his solicitude for his sisters as a most heavy 
 burden in the hands of the prioress, he cast away all other 
 occupations for the only truly useful one, and being wholly 
 freed from domestic cares, he returned to Paris, to follow 
 out his happy course by continuing his study in the liberal 
 arts. 
 
 His Progress in his Studies after the Death of Mabel — 
 He becomes Lecturer in Arts. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 As he directed the attention of his mind, as yet scarcely 
 brought back from his worldly cares, to the study of the 
 liberal arts, he gained from them such delight that he 
 spent his whole day in study, and at night, when wearied 
 
 * It is stated in some of the manuscripts that St Edmund went to 
 several convents before he came to Catesby, but that in each case 
 the superioress wished first to inquire as to the amount of the dowry 
 that was forthcoming before consenting to accept his sisters. It must 
 be remembered that in those days all such institutions were endowed, 
 and most of them were well off. Although, therefore, it is lawful to 
 require a certain sum to provide for the maintenance of a new subject 
 — as is now regularly done — St Edmund seems to have looked on this 
 solicitude about the amount to be paid as evidence of a worldly spirit, 
 to which he would be no party. There was in those days no fixed 
 sum as at present, and he looked for a community where the first care 
 should be to ascertain whether a new subject would be likely to make 
 a good religious, and where temporal considerations should occupy a 
 secondary place. This at least seems the easiest explanation of what 
 at first sight appears almost an unreasonable solicitude. The com- 
 munity at Catesby was notoriously a small and poor one.
 
 STUDENT AT PARIS 27 
 
 out, he used to fall asleep hard by his lecture room. But 
 his desire to learn well was not so great but that he 
 wished even more to live well, and he kept the strictest 
 religious observance of life. He strove to learn and to 
 live as though he had set his mind in opposite ways : 
 namely, he tried to learn as though he were to live for 
 ever, but to live as though he were to die to-morrow. 
 Upon these tasks above all were his fervour and industry 
 employed. Earnestly, therefore, and with ceaseless dili- 
 gence devoting his mind to the closest examination of 
 things and their causes, he made such rapid progress that 
 to scholars and masters alike he seemed like a miracle, 
 not merely as a torrent of rich eloquence, but as a broad 
 stream of wondrous science suddenly overflowing its 
 banks. For which cause, as all showed themselves favour- 
 able and kindly to him, before it was his purpose, and as 
 it were under compulsion, he began to occupy the master's 
 chair. Wherefore the heavenly grace that perfects in 
 might all that it begins in mercy, in order that no vice of 
 ingratitude which brought low even the hosts of heaven 
 might prove a hindrance, failed not his teaching even as it 
 had attended his learning. Furthermore, not only to his 
 own scholars, but to all masters and clerks generally he 
 offered himself as a conspicuous example that they should 
 despise the world and taste the sweetness of religion, and 
 never by any excess quit the safe valley of humility. All 
 that fosters or awakens or leads to pleasure of the world, 
 and more especially pleasure of the flesh, he cast from him, 
 and contrary to the usual custom, although not bound 
 by any ecclesiastical benefice, but by the devout move- 
 ment of his own will, wearing the clerical dress and the 
 shaven crown, by his habit and his tonsure, he displayed 
 himself a master more evidently of Divine wisdom than
 
 28 ST EDMUND 
 
 of worldly. . . . The rich ones among his scholars he 
 taught by the example of his own life, which was con- 
 tinually before their eyes, to despise the world, to serve 
 God, to shun wantonness of life, and by transitory suffer- 
 ing to earn eternal happiness. But he was not less zealous 
 to bestow his care upon the poor and needy, and sympa- 
 thised with all the afflicted in their troubles, which not 
 the voluntary love of virtue, but the imperative demands 
 of poverty imposed upon them. ... He loved the earnest, 
 praised the industrious, and rebuked the careless ; he 
 moved the unskilled to study, the quarrelsome to peace, 
 the indolent to fruitful labour, the wealthy to alms-giving, 
 and the needy to patience ; and thus prodigal of the 
 riches of wisdom, he communicated freely to all what he 
 had himself acquired with such care.
 
 St/mfbrcLs GesKfEsinJ^Loruijjr^
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 TEACHER AT OXFO R D 
 He returns to Oxford. 
 
 St John's College MS. (Wallace, p. 603). 
 AND when he had been lecturing in Paris now a long 
 time, being worn out by work and study, the sweet- 
 ness of his fatherland called him back. Having 
 returned across the seas, he changed indeed the heavens 
 under which he lived, but his soul he changed not, and 
 he retained his wonted manner of life. Indeed he 
 endured nothing of comfort, for when lecturing at 
 Oxford, he likened himself to the ox threshing, which 
 has its mouth in the meantime bound up. He worked 
 hard every day, ate sparingly, was harmful to no one, 
 and helpful to all. 
 
 Regent in Arts at Oxford. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1786). 
 
 Having become, therefore, Master of Arts, he 
 
 thought he ought to add something to the measure of 
 
 his devout practices. Hence going beyond the custom 
 
 of other lecturers, he was wont to hear Mass and 
 
 recite the canonical hours ever)' day, notwithstanding 
 
 that he was not yet raised to holy orders, nor had he 
 •_>y
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 undertaken to keep to this observance by reason of 
 any ecclesiastical benefice, but by the inspiration of 
 God alone, and the desire of His love with which he 
 was on fire. And this religious custom was of profit 
 not only to himself, but also to his pupils, whom he 
 usually induced to hear Mass with him. But in order 
 that he might follow 
 
 out this devout worship 
 
 more freely, he had a 
 
 chapel built in the 
 
 parish in which he lived, 
 
 in honour of the Blessed 
 
 Virgin, whom he ever 
 
 honoured with a special 
 
 love, and to the glory of 
 
 God, from Whom such 
 
 continual streams of 
 
 grace flow to His holy 
 
 one ; where even still 
 
 Masses do not cease to 
 
 be celebrated. But he 
 
 showed how he held in 
 
 disdain all temporal 
 
 goods, for he would place the fees which he received 
 
 from his pupils in his window, and covering them 
 
 with dust as though to bury them, he celebrated 
 
 their obsequies with these words : " Earth to earth, 
 
 ashes to ashes, dust to dust, thus should they rightly 
 
 be consigned." And the)- would be taken away secretly, 
 
 either in jest by his companions, or by thieves with 
 
 evil intent. 
 
 Carving on ihe Exterior of ihe Ancient 
 Chapel of the Blessed Virgin, Oxford.
 
 TEACHER AT OXFORD 31 
 
 Miraculous Sign of a lost Soul. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1780). 
 Upon a certain day, when on his way with one 
 other, the companion of his journey, to his birthplace, 
 that is Abingdon, he beheld a field as it were entirely 
 covered by certain birds of very dusky hue. Then each 
 of them marvelled at the vast number of the birds ; 
 but his companion was overcome by a strong amaze- 
 ment and trembling, which he could not disguise by 
 silence. " I am affrighted," said he, " and in fear 
 beyond measure." Then said the Blessed Edmund, 
 " Stand a little retired from the path, and fortify 
 thyself with the sign of the cross, and fear not ; for 
 we shall see what is the meaning of this portent of 
 the multitude of birds." And after a little while, as 
 they looked, those birds lifted up into the air a body 
 quite black, not distinctly in shape either that of a 
 man or of an animal, and then at last suddenly the 
 multitude of birds passed from sight even as a cloud. 
 Upon this the saint, turning to his companion, said, 
 " Wouldst thou know the meaning of this portent ? " 
 " Yes," said he. Then answered the saint, " Under- 
 stand those dread birds which thou hast seen to be 
 devils carrying away to hell the soul of one that hath 
 lately died in yonder town. The dead body which 
 they lifted in air signifies the soul itself, which appeared 
 without shape, because that while living in the body, 
 it shamefully disfigured the image of its Maker after 
 which it was made." And when they came right into 
 the town * that they might learn of the marvel which 
 
 *From the Cambridge MS. we learn that the town or village 
 was Chalyrove.
 
 32 ST EDMUND 
 
 they had beheld, then they learnt that at the very 
 hour at which the saint had spoken, a certain man 
 had passed away from this world. 
 
 Mabel appears to him. 
 
 St John's College MS. (Wallace, p. 600). 
 While Edmund was lecturing on logic, but also on 
 the sciences of the Ouadrivium * which he insisted on 
 because of their intrinsic beauty and of the infallible 
 certainty of their deductions, as his scholars were especi- 
 ally occupied on demonstrating the proof of certain 
 problems, he was drawing some geometrical figures on 
 the ground. But blessed Mabel, then lately dead, 
 taking pity on his great labours on behalf of earthly 
 science, which leads to little or no increase of true virtue, 
 appeared to him in sleep, saying, " My son, upon what 
 art thou lecturing? What figures are these which thou art 
 studying with such care ? " And he answered, " I am lectur- 
 ing to my companions on such and such things," showing 
 the drawings which are commonly made in that subject. 
 Forthwith, she took his right hand, and drew thereon 
 three circles, on which she inscribed the three names 
 in order, Father, Son, Holy Ghost. And when she 
 had done this, she said, " My dearest son, such figures 
 study in future, and no others. For although thou hast 
 given great care to other matters, yet their consideration 
 has not moved thee greatly to the happy knowledge 
 of those things better than all treasures, for the gaining 
 of which thou wast born. Calling to mind, therefore, 
 
 *The Liberal Arts were divided into two classes, called respectively 
 the Triviiun (Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric), and the Quadrivium 
 (Music, Geometry, Arithmetic, and Astronomy). It is interesting to 
 note that the most characteristic feature of Oxford study, viz., Aris- 
 totle, was introduced by St Edmund at this time.
 
 TEACHER AT OXFORD 33 
 
 that I have never deceived thee, trust me now, and 
 putting these aside as useless, give thy care to those 
 things from which the fruit is beyond measure more 
 savoury, and whereof thy own savour should be attended 
 with fruit." Having said these few words, she vanished 
 from his sight ; but he, rising up, understood the vision, 
 and whereas he had for six years lectured in Arts with 
 wondrous success, he now betook himself to the study 
 of Holy Scripture ; and as God opened to him the know- 
 ledge thereof, all that he had learnt previously to theology 
 he accounted mere mud and bricks. 
 
 Student and Teacher of Theology. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1788). 
 
 With such eagerness and diligence did he give himself 
 to his sacred studies, that in the pursuit of them he 
 would pass his very nights almost without sleep. For 
 it seemed to him that his days were few and short, in 
 comparison with the greatness of his love with which 
 he sighed for the chaste embraces of the fair Rachel, 
 with whom he longed to enjoy the delights of union, 
 such being his holy purpose. 
 
 Nor was he defrauded of his desire, but in wondrous 
 manner did he progress in knowledge in a short time. 
 According to his own estimation, he laboured little at 
 his work, and quickly partook of the fruit which it 
 brought forth. For with the attentive ear of his heart 
 receiving the seeds of God's word, he produced rich 
 harvests of knowledge as though from good ground 
 saturated with heavenly waters. 
 
 Thus so marvellously did he progress in a short 
 time that after a few years, at the instant request of 
 many, he ascended the magisterial chair, though unwill- 
 
 C
 
 34 ST EDMUND 
 
 ingly. For although he was urged by the love of truth 
 and justice, he nevertheless believed himself unequal 
 to the burden and unworthy of the honour. Being 
 made therefore Doctor of Scripture, and placed as a 
 light on a candlestick, he endeavoured to assist all as 
 though he had been born for all men. 
 
 His devout Exercises. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 And when he was Regent in Arts, he used to hear 
 Mass in the earl)' morning, but now for the increase of 
 piety he would hear Matins at midnight, as well as the 
 canonical hours. For when the bell rang for Matins in 
 the Church of the Canons of St Merri in Paris,* he bent 
 his way thither to heaf the office. And after Matins it 
 was his custom to remain in prayer with tears and 
 groans before the altar of the Blessed Virgin until day- 
 break. Then without allowing any interval of repose for 
 the body, he would accompany others to the schools. 
 And just as he frequented the church at midnight for 
 the sake of prayer, so for the like reason was he careful 
 to go there at vesper- time. In the church, too, he 
 demeaned himself with the greatest reverence and devo- 
 tion, and never, or only upon the rarest occasions, did 
 he seat himself. 
 
 His Charity to poor Scholars and Others. 
 
 Cambridge MS., fol. 44a, col. 1. 
 
 It can never be fully expressed how he overflowed 
 
 * From this and the following extract, it seems clear that St 
 Edmund had returned to Paris to study theology before teaching it 
 at Oxford, though such is nowhere definitely stated. See Appendix C.
 
 TEACHER AT OXFORD 35 
 
 with pity towards the poor and afflicted. For when he 
 was studying Scripture, he sold a beautiful psalter 
 with glosses, the five books of Moses, a book of the 
 twelve prophets with glosses, and the Decretal Letters, 
 and gave the money to the poor scholars of Paris. And 
 when his comrades marvelled why he did as no other 
 students were wont to do, to one who asked him he said, 
 " O foolish ones, all things ought to be sold for the love 
 of Christ, and given to the poor." And again when 
 he noticed the hand of a certain scholar at Paris to be 
 paralysed, being moved with pity, he offered 100 
 marks to a certain physician if he would cure it. For 
 he was at that time well off. He gave assistance to 
 many poor clerics in the schools. In the exercise of 
 hospitality or other pious works, so prodigal a dispenser 
 was he, that whatever was under his control, might be 
 considered common to all. No one ever left his door 
 empty-handed, but to every one who came from all 
 sides he gave either bread or vegetables, or other gift, 
 especially during the time of famine. 
 
 He loses his Bible on his Journey to England. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1796). 
 
 When he was on his journey returning from Paris to 
 England, he gave his Bible to one of his companions to 
 take care of for him. But he, being negligent in his care, 
 finally knew not what had become of the Bible. On 
 learning this the • holy man was greatly incensed. But 
 soon recognising that it was irreparably lost, he calmed 
 himself. That once, as he used to say, he was angry ; 
 but on no other occasion throughout his life.
 
 36 ST EDMUND 
 
 He stays at Merton Abbey. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 549).* 
 
 It appears that before he publicly lectured on theology 
 he stayed for a year and more in the house and monastery 
 of Merton, f and for a long time afterwards he often went 
 in and out of the cloister as though one of the children of 
 the same church. For some of the brethren took much 
 delight in his conversation, and were inflamed by his 
 counsels, having an unspeakable admiration for his life. 
 For while living in the world, he trod the world under 
 foot, and though young in years he excelled his elders 
 in faith, doctrine, learning, and prudence ; and what is 
 wonderful to relate, though taking rank with seculars, he 
 appeared to them not only as a religious, but as the 
 very soul of all religion. For in his lectures and medita- 
 tions he was earnest, in his prayers most devout, always 
 persevering in fasting and vigils, never omitting an)' of the 
 morning offices through sleep, but coming to all as though 
 he had been bound by their duty. Nor did he perform 
 the outward acts only of religion, but he aspired to even 
 the most secret ones, which he had learnt from the Holy 
 Spirit. Indeed he possessed the key of all religion, for 
 he had made a compact with his eyes so strictly that he 
 hardly knew by sight a brother who had waited on him 
 at table for more than a year. . . . 
 
 And so had the Divine wisdom conferred on him all 
 the comeliness of virtue that, in the words of the Apostle, 
 "his speech was always in grace, seasoned with salt."] 
 
 * The original testimony of the Abbot of Merton, from which the 
 author of the Life in the Cotton MS. appears to have taken what 
 follows, is given by Martene (iii., c. 1899). 
 
 t An Augustinian Abbey in Surrey. 
 
 t Col. iv. 6.
 
 «7 v »•»/■ 
 
 o 
 
 o
 
 TEACHER AT OXFORD 37 
 
 For from out of his mouth never came aught but peace, 
 and chastity, and compassion, and charity ; nor did any 
 one abide in his heart but the fountain of all these, even 
 Christ Himself; who through him administered to others 
 much fruit of charity, joy, peace, modesty, and continency. 
 And when during his reading at Merton he had heaped 
 together a rich harvest in the chamber of his heart, as 
 in a storehouse at the time of reaping, at the request 
 and earnest entreaty of many, he went to Oxford to 
 lecture. And there for many years he brought forth 
 fruit by his lectures and sermons, admired by all, 
 increasing more abundantly the talent committed to his 
 charge. 
 
 He receives Holy Orders. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1793). 
 But after he had been raised to the priesthood,* to 
 which he consented as it were unwillingly, as he had in the 
 case of the other sacred orders, from thenceforward the 
 harsh laws which he had drawn up against his flesh he 
 tried to strengthen and to render more severe. For the 
 day before he celebrated Mass, no less than on the day 
 itself, he made it a rule never to eat meat, whence at 
 times a whole month would go by during which he was 
 a stranger to the use of meat, from which he had cut 
 himself oft" in this way. Very rarely did he eat twice in 
 a day, and when he did so, it was at the instigation of 
 guests who were with him. To perfumes, spices, and 
 other drugs of this kind he was a total stranger. Why 
 need more be said ? Such strict abstinence did he 
 
 * There is no record as to precisely when he was ordained, nor is 
 it known for certain whether his ordination took place in France or 
 in England : see Wallace, p. 91.
 
 3 8 ST EDMUND 
 
 impose upon himself, that it can hardly be expressed by 
 the pen. Hence some of his friends thought that he 
 would incur wandering of the brain, or, what is worse, 
 death itself. And not without reason. For he so 
 afflicted his body by abstinence from food, by the labour 
 of vigils, by continual meditations and prayers, by the 
 effusion of tears, and in many other ways, that one 
 would scarcely believe that the strength of the human 
 body would suffice for so many labours and pains. . . . 
 He had a bed, indeed, sufficiently well provided ; but he 
 
 Remains of the Shrine of St Frideswide, Oxford. 
 
 did not lie on it, but on a foot-stool, or sometimes on 
 the ground itself. At times he would lean his head 
 against the bed. At times, again, he did not rest the 
 whole of his body, but the half of it, when he would 
 sleep in a sitting posture. And this he is believed t<> 
 have observed for thirty years or more. He had no
 
 TEACHER AT OXFORD 39 
 
 coverlet or quilt or linen sheets, but covered himself with 
 his gown or cloak and a rug. 
 
 His Success in Lecturing. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1789). 
 How devout and moving he was in his lectures is 
 proved by the grace of devotion so frequently shed abroad 
 on his hearers. For oftentimes many noted men, who 
 were wont to flock together to hear him, with one accord 
 closed their books during the lecture, for they could not 
 refrain themselves from tears. He had, as it were, honey 
 and milk beneath his tongue, and so drop by drop he shed 
 no small sweetness into the minds of his hearers. Hence 
 it came to pass that many renowned doctors came forth 
 from his schools, who followed in the steps of his holi- 
 ness according to their measure. Some, too, who were 
 honoured, or rather burdened, with ecclesiastical benefices, 
 having freed themselves therefrom, entered religion, being 
 inflamed with the fire of his speech. For there was in- 
 fused into him a heavenly grace which spread itself from 
 his lips to others, and the flame which burnt on the altar 
 of his own heart showed to others, more clearly than any 
 light, the road in which to walk. But in order that it 
 may appear what fervour spread from his words, we will 
 here record the vision of fire which he saw in sleep. One 
 night he saw in his schools a large fire, out of which seven 
 burning torches were brought forth, which contained the 
 mystery of what was to follow. The next day, as he was 
 lecturing, a certain Abbot of the Cistercian order * entered, 
 who, when the lecture was finished, took away with him 
 seven of his pupils whom the sevenfold fire had inflamed. 
 * The Abbot of Quarr, a monastery in the Isle of Wight.
 
 40 
 
 .ST EDMl \l> 
 
 For the fire of the Word of God, which the Holy Ghost 
 spread amongst his pupils through his mouth, had in- 
 flamed their hearts more ardently to a contempt for the 
 world and a love of poverty. Whence, having put away 
 all temporal affairs, and taken leave of the world, giving 
 themselves to the monastic profession in the monastery of 
 the said Abbot, they thus happily chose the road of life. 
 The venerable Father Stephen,* now Abbot of Clairvaux, 
 
 Iffley Church. 
 
 was one of those whom the aforesaid Abbot, as though by 
 
 a miracle, led away with him. 
 
 But in disputations, as he was learned in grammar and 
 
 skilled in logic, and also adorned with the eloquence of 
 
 rhetoric, his speech was as a fair face without spot or 
 
 wrinkle. His features, such was the Divine goodness, 
 
 * Stephen of Lexington, afterwards Abbot of Stanley in Wiltshire, 
 and later on Abbot of Clairvaux.
 
 TEACHER AT OXFORD 41 
 
 were well proportioned, and possessed of a subtle and 
 joyful graciousness, and his complexion was fresh beyond 
 that of the other disputants. . . . The garments which he 
 usually wore were grey, neither too mean nor too costly ; 
 for, knowing the middle course in all things to be golden, 
 he wished to have them moderate in quality, as is de- 
 manded by the dignity of the clerical state, which should 
 be encircled by virtues. These garments reached down 
 to his ankles and were closed in the lower part, like those 
 which a religious is directed by the rules of his order to 
 wear. And after he had ceased to use them, he would 
 give them to devout maidens or pious widows. He 
 wore no covering for the head, nor gloves for the hands, 
 and he refused everything which savoured of levity or 
 wantonness.* 
 
 St Edmund at his Studies. 
 
 Cambridge JlfS., fol. 42/'., col. 1. 
 His books were placed before him on the students' 
 table, and in front, at the head of the table, he had an 
 image of Blessed Mary the Virgin, of the purest ivory, and 
 of singular beauty, and all round about her throne were 
 shown, in wonderful carving, the mysteries of our redemp- 
 tion. . . . From his book he took his lecture ; to the image 
 he addressed his prayer ; from both came forth the sweet- 
 ness of contemplation and the contemplation of sweetness. 
 . . . Thus lecture gave place to prayer, prayer to contem- 
 plative devotion, contemplation to earnest lecture, in peace- 
 ful interchange ; or rather they followed each other with 
 marvellous rapture. From early morning till dinner-time 
 he used to shut himself in his study, lest any one should 
 
 * From an examination of the body at Pontigny in 1853, it appears 
 that his height was 5 feet 1 ih inches.
 
 42 ST EDMUND 
 
 come and hinder him. Three periods he considered as 
 lost — that spent in eating, or in sleeping, or in travelling 
 on horseback; for at these times he was unable to give 
 himself to study. 
 
 Conflict -with the Devil. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1 791 ). 
 
 It was his custom each day or night to recall in medi- 
 tation the chief mysteries of our Lord's passion, cleaving 
 to the very marrow of them with sweetest delight. 
 Wherefore among such wonders, this also, which seems 
 worth)- of marked remembrance, happened to him. Upon a 
 certain festival day, worn out with much business and care, 
 since he could not prepare his lecture for the morrow, he 
 had to remain without sleep almost the whole of the following 
 night. Then about dawn, when the longing for sleep over- 
 powered him, he remembered that at no hour of the day had 
 he, according to his practice, made his meditation upon the 
 Passion of the Lord. Yet, as he knew that the dawn was 
 approaching, when he must, according to custom, make his 
 way to the church to hear Mass, and thence to the schools 
 to lecture, fearing lest he should suffer severe headache if 
 he did not yield to his pressing need for sleep, he chose to 
 rest awhile, and in reliance upon the grace of God, to omit 
 on that occasion his usual act of contemplation. When, 
 however, according to his accustomed manner, he had 
 leant against his bed in order to sleep, the ancient enemy 
 appeared before him, with foul and awful countenance. 
 Being terrified thereat, he lifted his right hand to make 
 the sign of the cross ; but the devil caught and held it in 
 order to prevent him doing so. Behold how since he had 
 neglected to set the seal upon his heart so that he might
 
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 TEACHER AT OXFORD 43 
 
 take the impression from Him that sealed it, the adversary 
 hindered the very shaping of the seal. Nevertheless, 
 trusting confidently in the Lord, as though he had 
 another right hand, he raised his left hand to make the 
 same sign ; but the devil, after seizing it in the same 
 manner, fell like a heavy load upon him. Then, as the 
 strength of his body failed, he prayed in spirit to the Lord 
 to crush with his power that dreadful enemy. Then the 
 devil was suddenly torn from him, and cast headlong 
 between the bed and the neighbouring wall. The saint 
 therefore arose quickly, and beholding the fiend thus 
 prostrate, strengthened in faith, he began to attack him 
 as an enemy, and seizing him fiercely by his throat and 
 throttling him with force, he spoke thus: "By the 
 sprinkling of the blood of Christ I adjure thee that thou 
 fail not to tell by what power it is that I can avail to do 
 thee greater injur)', and restrain thee from molesting me." 
 Then the devil said : " Even by that which thou hast 
 named." And thus overcome, he vanished, grieving that 
 he was overpowered by one who he deemed would be 
 crushed by his might. Nor was this the sole occasion 
 that he beheld the demon ; he beheld him frequently and 
 at divers times. 
 
 He sees a Vision. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1790). 
 On a certain day he took his seat in order to lecture, 
 intending to treat of the Trinity — not an easy question in 
 truth, but a profound one — and, as he sat, he was ponder- 
 ing the matter in his mind while waiting for the scholars, 
 who had not yet arrived. Meanwhile, he fell into a light 
 slumber, and had the grace of beholding this marvellous
 
 44 ST EDMUND 
 
 vision. He saw the Holy Spirit come to him in the shape 
 wherein It descended from Heaven when the Lord was 
 baptised in the Jordan. A dove, that is, came towards 
 him from above, in unbroken flight, bearing in its mouth 
 the wonder-working bod)' of Christ, which, as though 
 vouchsafing Holy Communion, it placed within his lips, 
 and so flew swiftly aloft into heaven. After he awoke 
 he treated with the utmost clearness of the Blessed Trinity ; 
 and as though exceeding human skill, with words more than 
 mortal, he disputed so well, stating the difficulties and then 
 solving them, and reduced this question to such simplicity, 
 that almost nothing was left undiscussed, no objection un- 
 solved, especially in those matters which are known only 
 through a glass and in figure, and in this present life are 
 understood only according to the measure of man's capacity. 
 Wherefore his hearers, men of high attainments, were 
 astonished at his deep thoughts and his eloquent exposi- 
 tion, because in his words he seemed to speak with the 
 tongue of an angel, and in thought to surpass the reason 
 of man. And no marvel, for he had drawn from the 
 torrent of delight that which he poured forth into the 
 devout breasts of his hearers. 
 
 His good Repute. 
 
 Testimony of Robert the Cistercian (C.C. Col. MS., p. 37S, col. 2). 
 In Holy Scripture he was a renowned Doctor; in preach- 
 ing he was marvellously fervent and devout; in hearing 
 confessions he was assiduous, and a guide most holy and 
 prudent therein. Even as I found in my own case, he 
 was a lover of poverty, and a friend of the poor; zealous 
 in his love of souls; with a hatred of degradation and of 
 vice, which he strove everywhere and at all times to
 
 TEACHER AT OX EC RE 
 
 45 
 
 uproot. He was* a staff for the sick, the refuge of the 
 weak and destitute, and most munificent in training needy 
 scholars. In the use of his own goods, he was sober ; in 
 adversity, he was bold ; to all men he was gracious ; and in 
 eloquence delightful. His joy had a fitting gravity; and 
 he showed mirth and gladness, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 
 
 His Charity to his Sick Pupils. 
 
 Cambridge MS., fol. 44^, col. 1. 
 
 The more he progressed in virtue, so much the more 
 did he in marvellous manner humble himself in all things. 
 
 Tower of St Michael's Church, Oxford. 
 
 Whence, while he was still Regent in Arts, when a certain 
 poor pupil of his was ill, he had him carried to his own 
 house, and ever)- night for nearly five weeks he stayed up 
 with him ; and nevertheless the next day he went on with 
 his lectures and disputations as usual. Often the vessel
 
 46 ST EDMUND 
 
 fell from the hands of the sick man, through his weakness 
 of the head, and it was never broken, which was perchance 
 due to the prayers of Blessed Edmund. 
 
 Veriloquium of Robert Bacon, Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 562). 
 It happened that one of his scholars had an ulcer on 
 his arm, and he went to Master Edmund and showed it to 
 him, who spoke some such words as Sanet tc Dominus: 
 " May the Lord heal thee." The next day his pupil came 
 back and said he was well ; and as Master Edmund told 
 me, he himself had that ulcer on his own arm for a con- 
 siderable time. . . . 
 
 One day Master Edmund visited a certain sick 
 scholar, a noble youth, and when he was about to depart 
 the sick man pressed him to stay. Afterwards I asked 
 him his reason for so doing. He answered and said : 
 " While the Master was with me, it seemed as though the 
 whole house was full of perfume while he was exhorting 
 me." For he rarely spoke to any sick man without a few- 
 words of exhortation. 
 
 How he Spent his Vacations. 
 Letter of the Abbot of Reading (Mart&ne, iii., c. 1909). 
 When sometimes he was invited to our monastery 
 from Oxford, where he was teaching theology, he would 
 stay with us in the time of vacation, namely, at the feast 
 of Christmas. And whereas at such a time men are wont 
 to allow themselves some relaxation, he omitted nothing 
 of his accustomed strict manner of life, continuing his 
 abstinence from food, his laborious vigils, his frequent 
 holy meditations, his assiduity in prayer, his continual 
 flow of tears, his numerous genuflections, his unwearied 
 use of the doctrines of salvation, and the austerity of a
 
 TEACHER AT OXFORD 47 
 
 hair-shirt, which he nevertheless kept concealed as far 
 as he was able. Hence it came to pass that from so great 
 edification, both in the gravity of his words and in the 
 good example that he showed, that many of our brethren 
 whose hearts God had touched, considering what and how 
 great signs of sanctity he possessed, looking on themselves 
 as slothful and lukewarm in comparison with him, although 
 he wore the secular dress, while they were vested as reli- 
 gious, according to those words of Isaias, " Be ashamed, O 
 Sidon, saith the sea," began to blush for their own want 
 of fervour, and in imitation of such and so great a man, 
 to lead a life more mortified than had been their wont. 
 
 He is offered Benefices. — The Conditions on which 
 he accepts them. 
 
 Veriloquium of Robert Bacon, Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 564). 
 When such great things were spoken of this holy 
 man by the report of others, those most famous and 
 chosen prelates of the English Church, Stephen* Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury, and Walter,f Archbishop of York, 
 as well as other great men, hastened to emulate each 
 other in enriching him with greater honours and larger 
 revenues. We have thought well to relate how these 
 offers were received, and one example will do for many. 
 When therefore the Archbishop had sent his messengers 
 to him, offering him the government of a certain church, 
 which usually brought in for its rector a yearly sum 
 of 200 marks, after some time for deliberation, 
 Master Edmund answered and said to the messenger 
 who had come : " Friend, knowest thou in what state 
 this church is, which His Grace thy master is about to 
 * Stephen Langton. t Walter de Grey.
 
 4 8 ST EDMUND 
 
 confer upon me — as to the condition of its chancel, its 
 vestments, books, and other things which are provided 
 at the expense of the rector ? " The answer was, " Un- 
 doubtedly, it is in a very poor state." And when he 
 had been informed about this, he made answer to 
 the messenger, " To-morrow thou shalt relate to thy 
 lord that the post which is offered me I receive 
 and accept, lest perchance the Romans, or others like 
 them, who care nothing for the sheep of Christ but 
 for their milk and wool, should seek to lay covetous 
 hands upon it." Having been appointed therefore over 
 this church, as a faithful and diligent steward, he spent 
 all the income of the church in enlarging the chancel, 
 in re-roofing and decorating it, and in purchasing 
 ornaments and whatever else was necessary ; keep- 
 ing nothing whatever for himself. And he continued 
 to keep this office for several years, till all the wants 
 of that church were amply provided for. But after- 
 wards, lest he should be obliged to render an account 
 of souls, or lest he should be forced to mix himself up 
 in worldly litigation, which would prevent his attending 
 to the studies of the scholars, he resigned even-thing. 
 
 He Resigns his Professorial Chair. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 553). 
 And when for man)- years he had taught the law of 
 the Lord, in which work his whole soul was poured 
 out day and night, and it seemed to him that the subtle- 
 ties of disputation could not be pursued without a 
 certain vainglory, for this reason he gave it up, and 
 resigned his professorial chair.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 TREASURER OF SALISBURY AND RECTOR OF CALNE 
 
 He is elected Treasurer of Salisbury. 
 
 Cambridge MS. (Wallace, p. 604). 
 And Richard,* Bishop of Salisbury, a venerable and 
 wise man, eminent for having transferred the cityf in 
 order to remove the clergy from the vexatious annoy- 
 ances of the soldiers, seeing and admiring Edmund's 
 many excellencies . . . and the height of virtue to which 
 he had attained, called him to the office of treasurer of 
 his church. But he, preferring the restfulness of his 
 wonted poverty, had scarce the will to change thither. 
 At length, however, suffering himself to be prevailed 
 upon, he so behaved himself that to this day he is held 
 in sweet remembrance by the clergy there. They hope 
 for no treasurer so good, nor can they remember any 
 that was better. 
 
 The Duties of Treasurer. — St Osmund's Register. 
 
 [The work known as St Osmund's Register is a revision of St 
 Osmund's original work, made at the time of the foundation of the 
 
 * Richard Poor, Bishop of Salisbury 12 17- 1229, when he was 
 translated to Durham. St Edmund became treasurer about the 
 year 1222. 
 
 t The See was removed from the fortified town of Old Sarum to 
 its present site by Bishop Richard Poor in 12 19. See Notes on the 
 Illustrations. 
 
 D
 
 5 o ST EDMUND 
 
 new See. St Edmund seems to have had a large share in it. The 
 first part consists of the "Consuetudinary," giving all the duties of the 
 various officials and the arrangements for the public worship in the 
 Cathedral. We learn from it that the treasurer's stall was the first one 
 on the Gospel side, and that it was his duty "to take care of the vest- 
 ments and treasures, and to provide lights/' The number and position 
 of the lights are stated in full, and vary according to the festival. To 
 meet the expenses, the prebend of Calne was henceforth attached to 
 the treasurer's office, and he was to reside there for one-fourth of the 
 year. St Edmund was the first treasurer of Salisbury who was also 
 rector of Calne. The date at which he became so is uncertain. His 
 predecessor there was the famous Robert Grosseteste, who was Arch- 
 deacon of Wilts, and still at Calne in 1221. Since the deed perma- 
 nently annexing Calne to the treasurer's office is dated 1226, it would 
 appear that St Edmund had then been there some little time. During 
 all the time that he was Treasurer of Salisbury, together with all the 
 Canons, he subscribed one-quarter of his income for the building fund 
 of the new Cathedral.] 
 
 His Manner of Life at Salisbury. 
 
 Testimony of Robert the Cistercian (C.C. Col. MS., p. 379, col. 2). 
 When he was living at Salisbury, where he. filled the 
 office of treasurer, he never failed at night-time to make 
 his way to the church at the hour of Matins, and after 
 Matins he watched through the night alone in the church 
 even until daylight, intent upon prayer and contemplation. 
 From drinking he refrained himself marvellously before 
 the time of dinner ; but in summer, when the extreme heat 
 and burning thirst oppressed him, he took in a cup of 
 boiling water what they call a diet-drink. Whence it 
 came to pass that once as the hair fell away from his head 
 and beard, on account of the want of moisture, he seemed 
 for a time wholly bald. And inasmuch as neither can the 
 mind recall nor the tongue avail to relate all the separate 
 marvels of his austere life, in order to be brief I mention 
 this only, that by scantiness of food, by shortness of sleep, 
 by rough hair-shirts, by incessant study and meditation,
 
 TREASURER OF SALISBURY 
 
 51 
 
 and by other labours beyond number, he so mortified his 
 flesh that it became astonishing in the eyes of his house- 
 hold how his strength could endure for labours so many 
 and great, since they seemed beyond the measure of 
 human power. 
 
 Another Account. 
 
 Testimony of Stephen the Subdeacon (C.C. Col. MS., p. 378, col. 1). 
 
 About midnight he was wont to rise, and thence- 
 forward to remain in prayer and contemplation. Then 
 
 straightway he went to 
 Matins in the Cathedral 
 Church of Salisbury, and 
 after Matins remained 
 watching until the first 
 Mass. During his prayer 
 he very frequently bent 
 his knees and dashed 
 them upon the ground, 
 and made frequent acts 
 of adoration with his head 
 or his whole body ; and 
 from his repeated kneel- 
 ing, his knees became 
 tense and hardened. In 
 reading he was constant, 
 deeming all time lost 
 that he had not spent in 
 the Divine service. At 
 the hearing of pleas and 
 law suits he was never present, except only at those 
 in which the peril of his parishioners was involved. 
 
 Salisbury Cathedral — Lady Chapel.
 
 52 ST EDMUND 
 
 He rarely took part in the discussions of his own 
 
 Chapter, and then in a manner unwillingly, and so 
 entirely did he contemn worldly things, that he disdained 
 to listen to the- reckonings of his goods, or to enter his 
 own cellars or other store-rooms. He refused hospitality 
 to none. To the poor and the sick he was bountiful and 
 compassionate, for which cause he was always burdened 
 with debt. He never willingly accepted presents. Never 
 at all would he suffer his head or body to be washed. 
 He shunned with the greatest care all boastfulness, or the 
 praise of men, and taught others to avoid them. So ready 
 was he in the love of his enemies, that he seemed to 
 prefer their wrong-doings to the loving services of his 
 friends. He was constant in the hearing of confessions, 
 and a prudent guide therein. He devoted himself willingly 
 to the great, but to the humble he was ever kind and 
 sweet, and to all, more especially to the poor, mild, pitiful, 
 and easy of access. He was fervent in charity, constant 
 and devoted to preaching, and endowed moreover with the 
 gift of tears, wherewith both in praying and in preaching 
 he was copiously bedewed. To be brief, he lived soberly, 
 justly, and piously in this world, and never, as I truly 
 believe, did he stain with mortal sin the innocence which 
 he received in his baptism. And this too was the constant 
 assertion of those who had known him from his early years 
 even to the day of his death. 
 
 His Charity to the Poor. 
 
 Testimony of Robert the Cistercian (C.C. Col. MS., p. 379, col. 2). 
 
 Of his works of mercy, I will now add what I 
 
 previously omitted. The shelter of his roof was open 
 
 to even- wayfarer, and no one ever publicly asked for 
 
 alms and went away from his door empty-handed, unless
 
 TREA S URER OF S A LI SB URY 53 
 
 this happened through the carelessness of his servants ; 
 and when it did happen, and by chance came to his 
 knowledge, he was very displeased, and rebuked them 
 severely for their negligence. In time of famine, he 
 caused to be bestowed on all, with generous compassion, 
 sometimes bread, sometimes pulse, sometimes herbs. 
 And moreover, whatever was put before him for his own 
 dinner, he always set aside a portion of it on a large dish 
 placed in front of him, which he ordered to be sent to the 
 sick. And whenever there were poor pilgrims, he used to 
 distribute food to them with his own hands, at the same 
 time eivincf them sufficient beverage. 
 
 He exceeds his Income. 
 
 Pontigny JITS. (Martene, iii., c. 1795). 
 He distributed his income so lavishly among the 
 poor and needy, that it could scarcely be made to 
 suffice for necessary expenses for more than half the 
 year ; for which reason, being compelled by want of 
 private means, he often spent the other half of the 
 year in the Monastery of Stanley,* where Stephen of 
 Lexington, a man worthy of veneration, was Abbot. 
 Whence this same x^bbot, at times with familiar bold- 
 ness, rebuked him, saying that he was extravagant, for 
 that he spent more than he knew that he had means 
 to afford ; and that he ought to moderate his expenses 
 (said the same Abbot) according to the amount of his 
 income, so that it might last for himself and his house- 
 
 * Stanley Abbey, or " Empress Stanley," as it was called in memory 
 of Empress Maud, its foundress, was an offshoot of Quarr Abbey, 
 some three miles from Calne. There is nothing left of it, but its 
 site is known, and is occupied by some farm buildings, which are 
 visible from the railway between Calne and Chippenham.
 
 54 ST EDMUND 
 
 hold the whole year. To this he answered : " I wish to 
 be lavish rather than economical in my expenditure, 
 lest I should furnish the wicked with matter for scandal 
 or detraction. For, with serpent-like tongues the)* are 
 wont to say that dignitaries of the Church are covetous. 
 And I freely entertain at my table courtiers and men 
 of the world, so that then at least I may draw them to 
 the love of God." He did not attend the arguing of 
 law suits and pleas, from which he obtained exemption 
 by Letters Apostolic, and he was present at the dis- 
 cussions of his own Chapter about temporal affairs only 
 unwillingly and against his own inclination. And since 
 he used before to regard temporal affairs as dirt, now 
 being further advanced in perfection, as though tramp- 
 ling them under foot, he looked upon them as absolutely 
 nothing. He did not deign, I will not say to touch, 
 but even to look at money, save that which with his 
 own hands he distributed to the poor. 
 
 His Preaching. The Clouds obey him. 
 
 Cambridge MS., fol. 42c?, col. 1. 
 
 He was most zealous in preaching ; whence a large 
 number of clergy and laymen and women in response 
 to his words put off the old man and put on the new, 
 and many renounced the goods of this world. When 
 he was about to preach, he would not speak to anyone 
 unnecessarily before his sermon. On one occasion a 
 woman, who was a notorious sinner, came to him to 
 mock at him, saying, " Let us go and sec this hypocrite." 
 But when he had addressed some salutary words of 
 advice to her, entering into herself, she entirely aban- 
 doned her former way of life.
 
 TREA S URER OF SA USE UR V 55 
 
 St John's College MS. (Wallace, p. 605). 
 
 When he was Treasurer of Salisbury, he deemed 
 that he ought to exercise the office of preacher more 
 often than formerly. And once when he came through 
 Oxford,* in order to preach there, and by common con- 
 sent both students and townsmen came together from 
 all sides as though it were to a solemn banquet, a 
 violent storm of wind arising drove clouds of dust 
 around them, and a black cloud came over and envel- 
 oped the whole sky with darkness, threatening a heavy 
 downpour of rain or hail. Edmund, however, seeing 
 that on this account those who had come together were 
 on the point of going, strong in faith and secure in 
 hope, commanded the spirit of tempests lest it should 
 dare to hinder those wishing to listen to the Word of 
 God, but that it should prevent, or at least remove 
 to another place, the threatened flood. He had hardly 
 finished when the wind subsided, the clouds dispersed, 
 and the splendour of the golden sun, calming the move- 
 ment of the air, brought back over the land the bright- 
 ness of noonday. 
 
 On another occasion when he was about to preach 
 at Worcester, a similar approach of a threatened storm 
 was in like manner seen, by those who came to the 
 sermon, to be averted. 
 
 But a miracle greater and more wonderful than both 
 of these was seen near the borders of Wales, brought 
 about by a like chance. As the people were sitting 
 assembled in a crowd, a whirlwind having arisen, a 
 cloud threatening a storm hung overhead, which darken- 
 ing the whole air, turned day into night. But once 
 
 * From another MS. we learn that the sermon on this occasion 
 took place in the churchyard of All Saints', Oxford.
 
 56 ST EDMUND 
 
 more Edmund, with confidence that after the darkness 
 should come light, adjured the spirit of storms, in the 
 name of the supreme Lord, that it might not be allowed 
 by a heavy downpour to compel the people to desist 
 from listening to the saving precepts of Christ. O 
 wonderful mercy of God ! those sitting round about the 
 saint were wholly untouched by the fury of the rain ; 
 but the ground adjoining where they were was flooded 
 on all sides. 
 
 His Appearance when Preaching. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1791). 
 When he was preaching before the people, he was 
 wont ever to hold the Lord's Cross in his hand, where- 
 on he looked constantly, at one time to weep tears of 
 love, at another to smile with reverence. He wept, as 
 he was accustomed to say, because though there were 
 many hearers of the Word, there were few doers thereof, 
 although they had the Passion of Christ before their 
 eyes, and were not without countless examples of the 
 saints. But he would smile when his loving eye looked 
 upon the Cross, remembering the blessing that it had 
 brought into the whole world. 
 
 He is Commissioned by the Pope to preach the 
 Crusade.* 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1 799)- 
 
 His good repute spread beyond the Alps, and 
 
 reaching Rome, came to the ears of the Pope. And 
 
 * This refers to the Crusade proclaimed at the Fourth Council of 
 Lateran in 1215 by Innocent III., which was renewed on the acces- 
 sion of Gregory IX. in 1227.
 
 TREASURER OF SALISBURY 57 
 
 inasmuch as he stood forth as a lover of the Cross, 
 the Apostolic Father imparted to him the mission of 
 the Cross, giving him faculties to receive the usual fees 
 from the churches and their rectors, that he might be 
 supported by the temporal goods of those whose spiritual 
 good he was nourishing. He never used these faculties, 
 however, but preaching the Gospel freely, he urged on 
 the warfare at his own expense. For this reason, during 
 his missionary journey, God was pleased to honour 
 him with numerous miracles. When, on a certain day, 
 he was propounding the Word of God before the people 
 at the town called Leominster, a young man, weary of 
 the pleasures of youth, came up, begging that the holy 
 man would give the Cross into his hands ; and a 
 certain woman, wishing to dissuade him from his purpose, 
 drew him back by the cloak. But she did not escape 
 punishment ; for she quickly paid the penalty of such 
 presumption. Her arm was straightway paralysed, 
 which gave her to understand the unlawfulness of 
 calling back a soldier of Christ from so hoi)- a purpose. 
 And as she felt this vengeance coming upon her, with 
 tears and groans she cried aloud. The hoi)- man, the 
 bearer of the Divine message, enquired from the by- 
 standers what this might be. But she who was con- 
 cerned in the matter told him the cause of her cries : 
 how her hand had suddenly become paralysed, and how 
 she called aloud. Who, having learnt more fully of 
 the circumstances, asked the woman whether she was 
 ready herself to receive the Cross of Christ. Who 
 said, " I am." And while the man of God made the 
 sign of the cross on her shoulders, as his hands touched 
 her, the woman felt restored to perfect health. 
 
 Again, on another day, when he was to preach at
 
 58 ST EDMUND 
 
 Buckland,* where there is a convent of nuns of the 
 Cistercian order, before he came to preach, a certain 
 deceased nun prophesied to another who was still alive, 
 in these words : " Master Edmund is coming (she said) 
 to preach to the people ; see that thou givest him yarn, 
 which thou wilt find in such a place, that he may make 
 crosses thereof." The living woman, believing the words 
 of her who was dead, took the yarn from its place and 
 brought it to the man of God that he might make crosses 
 thereof; and very many were signed with the crosses made 
 of this yarn, and yet the yarn itself appeared to diminish 
 but little, to the great astonishment of the beholders. 
 
 Another time, he preached the Word at a town 
 called Stradeyvy,-f- to the people, whom he invited with 
 salutary exhortations to take up the figure of the Cross 
 of Christ. And when a certain youth had stood up to 
 take the Cross, a woman, his mistress, held him back, 
 to restrain him from his purpose, and forthwith the just 
 vengeance of the Lord seized suddenly hold of the pre- 
 sumptuous woman, and she lost the sight of her eyes, 
 in punishment for her crime. Who, standing, called out 
 till the air re-echoed with her cries. Whence all the 
 people, together with the blessed man himself, pitied her. 
 But the man of God prayed for her, and she received back 
 her sight ; and thus she returned home with joy, praising 
 God for the grace He had conferred upon her. 
 
 His Bible is saved from burning. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1801). 
 And while he was exercising the same office of 
 preaching the crusade, on a certain night he was study- 
 
 * There are many villages of this name in England ; the one here 
 alluded to seems to be Buckland in Somerset : see Wallace, p. 128. 
 t The situation of this place has not been identified.
 
 TREA S URER OF SA USB UR V 59 
 
 ing his Bible by aid of a candle, and being wearied by 
 his vigils, when attacked by sleep he was unable to 
 resist. And it chanced that, whilst he slept, the candle 
 fell upon the pages of the book, and in that position 
 it burnt for a long time. And when he awoke, he was 
 astonished, and sighed to think of the fate of his Bible, 
 which was most dear to him. And lifting the candle, 
 he blew off the ashes which had remained over the 
 book ; and he found that the Bible had sustained no 
 injury by fire. 
 
 His Friendship -with Ella, Countess of Salisbury. — He 
 converts her Husband. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1791). 
 
 The noble Ella, formerly Countess of Salisbury, and 
 
 now the venerable Abbess of the convent which she 
 
 has at her own cost founded upon her own lands,* 
 
 was admitted to the favour of close friendship, which she 
 
 had merited by her holiness of life. Her husband was 
 
 William, surnamed Longsword, a truly distinguished 
 
 man, inasmuch as he was an carl, and sprung from the 
 
 royal stock. But the lustre of his descent was less 
 
 bright than it should have been, for want of fitting lustre 
 
 of character ; for during a long time past he had not 
 
 been to Confession, nor paid an)- heed to receiving the 
 
 Bod) r of Christ according to the rule of the universal 
 
 Church. His noble wife induced him to follow the 
 
 counsel of the saint, and thereby to begin to amend 
 
 his state of life. And when he first beheld Edmund 
 
 face to face, at the sight of the saint his mind, fierce 
 
 like that of the brutes, soon grew more human ; and 
 
 * Laycock Abbey, in Wiltshire, founded in 1232. The nuns were 
 Ausrustinians,
 
 6o 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 turning to his wife, "I believe (said he) that that man 
 is truly a saint." Thenceforth he heard him gladly, 
 and the seed of the Word of God gained such strength 
 in his heart that, laying aside his former fierceness of 
 character, he changed his life for the better ; for at the 
 saint's bidding, and in his presence, with lowliness of 
 heart, he confessed his sins to a certain hermit, and 
 then with due reverence received the Body of Christ. 
 
 Tomb of William Longsword, Salisbury Cathedral. 
 
 The Abbess, who was then his wife, was ever persuaded 
 that had it not been for the saint's warnings, prayers, 
 and merits, the soul of the earl would in the end, after 
 death, have passed to everlasting torment. 
 
 She is herself miraculously cured of a Sickness. 
 Pontigny .VS. (Marine, iii., c. 1798). 
 
 When the venerable Abbess of Laycock, of whom we 
 have above made mention, was once sick with a fever, the 
 blessed man promised that he would send her a physician
 
 TREASURER OF SALISBURY 61 
 
 who would cure her more quickly than was possible by any 
 art. Afterwards he sent her some relics, namely, of the 
 blood of St Thomas : forthwith the woman was cured, and 
 the fever departed. Some will say that this is not to be 
 attributed to his merits, but to those of the blessed martyr. 
 Be it so ; for we prefer to yield to the opinion of another 
 rather than to give rise to contention. This much, how- 
 ever, no one of sound mind will deny to belong to his own 
 merits, that he foretold as a prophet that health would 
 quickly be restored to the said woman by the relics of 
 the aforesaid martyr. But the above-mentioned Abbess, 
 at that time a noble countess, offered him beautiful and 
 costly jewels ; which, however, he would scarce even look 
 at, and would by no means consent to accept. 
 
 Incident at Calne.*— Apparition of the Dead. 
 
 Lanercost Cfiron. (p. 38). 
 
 He had given his secretary a rule that he should keep 
 
 a light always in readiness for whatever time he might 
 
 want to rise. Now it happened once, in the depth of 
 
 winter, that he arose during a stormy night, and went 
 
 to the doors of the church. His chamberlain hearing 
 
 him, went all over the kitchen and other household 
 
 offices in quest of a light, and in order not to be 
 
 discovered, he traversed the village from house to 
 
 house. And seeing at the far end of the village a 
 
 house with a light shining, and the door open, he 
 
 hastened to the spot, lit his lamp, and repaired quickly 
 
 to the church. In the meantime the prudent pastor had 
 
 gone to the churchyard, to apply the benefit of his 
 
 prayers on behalf of the dead, and lo ! he saw all the 
 
 * It is not distinctly stated where the following incident took place, 
 but it seems most probable that it was at Calne.
 
 62 ST EDMUND 
 
 tombs open, and the bodies of the dead rise up above 
 the -round as far as their waists; among whom he saw 
 one, whom the sign of the tonsure showed to be a priest, 
 speaking to the others thus: "My brethren, let us make 
 a recompense to him who while he lived was wont to 
 induce people to pray for the dead." And beginning the 
 psalm De Profundis, he recited it in alternate verses with 
 the others who had returned to life. And when they had 
 finished the Lord's Prayer, and the priest had said the 
 collect, he ended with the words " May we rest in peace ! " 
 And as they answered " Amen," all forthwith returned 
 to the depth of their graves. And whilst these things 
 were seen, the servant hastened up with a candle. He 
 was asked where he had found the light. He answered 
 at the end of the village, where lay the body of a poor 
 man who had been wont to go round with a bell, 
 begging prayers for the souls of the dead. At this the 
 prudent man, being consoled and edified with the vision, 
 returned thanks to God. 
 
 Consecration of Part of the new Cathedral. 
 
 St OsmuncPs Register (ii., p. 57). 
 In the year of the Incarnation, 1225, Richard, Bishop 
 of Salisbury, seeing that the building of the new Church 
 of Salisbury had been by the will of God so far advanced 
 that Mass could be fittingly celebrated therein, rejoiced 
 with great joy, for he had spent both much effort and 
 much money in its construction. He gave his command 
 to William, Dean of Salisbury, therefore, to summon all 
 the Canons of the Church of Salisbury, that they might 
 come on the Feast of St Michael next following and 
 assist at the joyful solemnity of their mother church,
 
 TREASURER OF SALISBURY 
 
 63 
 
 when for the first time Mass should be celebrated 
 therein ; and that on the clay following the feast, there 
 should be held an ordinary conference on the affairs 
 of the Church of Salisbury. 
 
 At the summons of the Dean and Chapter, there- 
 fore, there came together on that day the under-mentioned 
 canons, numbering thirty-seven : — * 
 
 The Lord Bishop (who is also a 
 Canon). 
 
 W[illiam], Dean. 
 
 G[alfridus], Precentor. 
 
 Robert, Chancellor. 
 
 Edmund, Treasurer (who after- 
 wards became Archbishop of 
 Canterbury). 
 
 Humphrey, Archdeacon of Wilts. 
 
 William, Archdeacon of Berks. 
 
 Herbert, Archdeacon of Dorset. 
 
 Martin de Patteshull. 
 
 Luke, Dean of St Martin's, 
 London. 
 
 Hugh de Wells, Archdeacon of 
 Bath. 
 
 Gilbert de Lacy. 
 
 The Abbot of Sherborne. 
 
 Anastasius, the Succentor. 
 
 Master Rfobert] de Bingeham.t 
 
 Master Royer de Sarum. 
 
 Daniel de Longo Campo. 
 Elias of Dereham. 
 Master Henry de Teisse. 
 Master Henry de Bishopston. 
 Master Luke de Winton. 
 Master Martin de Summa. 
 Master Richard de Bremble. 
 Master Thomas de Ebelesbourn. 
 Master Henry de Sancto Ed- 
 
 mundo. 
 Master Geoffrey of Devon. 
 Master Roger de Worthe. 
 Hugh de Templo. 
 William de Len. 
 Robert Coterel. 
 Peter Picot. 
 Elias Ridel. 
 Richard de Maupodre. 
 Bartholomew de Kernes. 
 Valentine. 
 Stephen de Tyssebury. 
 
 On September 28, therefore, being the vigil of St 
 Michael, which happened to fall on a Sunday, the 
 Bishop of Salisbury came in the morning and dedicated 
 three altars in the new cathedral. The first, at the 
 east end, he dedicated in honour of the Holy and Un- 
 divided Trinity and all the saints, on which Mass of 
 the Blessed Virgin should be said daily for the future. 
 
 * So in the MS., but in fact there are only thirty-six names. 
 t Afterwards Bishop of Salisbury.
 
 64 ST EDMUND 
 
 The same Bishop dedicated on that day, for the service 
 of the same altar, and for a daily homage to the Blessed 
 Virgin, two silver lavers of . . . weight, and two silver 
 candelabra of . . . weight ; and these were provided by 
 the testamentary disposition of a certain noble woman who 
 had left them by her last will to the Church of Salisbury. 
 Moreover, the same Bishop gave from his own resources, 
 to the clerks who should assist at the said Mass, enough 
 to provide a fixed income of 30 silver marks every year, 
 and in like manner 10 marks every year for the provision 
 of the lights to surround the same altar. He also dedi- 
 cated the altar on the northern side in honour of Blessed 
 Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and of the other Apostles. 
 The third altar, which is on the southern side, he dedi- 
 cated in honour of St Stephen, the first martyr, and of 
 all the other martyrs. 
 
 And while these things were taking place, there 
 arrived first, Henry, Archbishop of Dublin, and immedi- 
 ately afterwards Stephen,* Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 And after time had been given to prayer in the new 
 cathedral, they went down together with many of the 
 magnates of the realm, to the house of the Lord Bishop, 
 who indeed entertained the whole company of assembled 
 magnates at his own expense, honourably and sumptu- 
 ously, during the whole week. 
 
 On the day following, being that of St Michael, the 
 Lord Archbishop of Canterbury preached a sermon to 
 the people, who were present in great numbers. At 
 the conclusion he entered the new cathedral, and therein 
 celebrated solemnly the Divine Sacrifice. And the afore- 
 said festival, so happily begun, was by the favour of 
 God equally well carried through to its conclusion, so 
 * Stephen Langton.
 
 TREASURER OF SALISBURY 65 
 
 that it was not in any way interrupted or dis- 
 turbed. 
 
 The following are those who, in addition to the knights 
 and barons, were present at this festival : — 
 
 S[tephen Langton], Archbishop [of Canterbury]. 
 
 Henry, Archbishop of Dublin. 
 
 Richard, Bishop of Durham. 
 
 Jocelin, Bishop of Bath. 
 
 Ralph de Neville, Bishop of Chichester. 
 
 Benedict, Bishop of Rochester. 
 
 The Bishop of Evreux, in Normandy, who was formerly 
 
 Abbot of Bee. 
 Richard, Bishop of Salisbury. 
 
 There was present likewise among them a certain 
 cleric of the Lord Pope, named Otho, who had then 
 recently come to England on account of some difficult 
 negotiation which he had not yet disclosed. And a 
 day had been appointed for him by the Lord King, 
 namely, the day following the Feast of St Michael, at 
 Clarendon, for him to propound to the Lord King the 
 purpose of his visit ; who, on the day appointed, strove 
 to restore peace between the King of England and 
 Falcasius, a certain evil-doer, who, during the year 
 last past, had disturbed the whole land, for he had 
 strengthened and defended with his own men the 
 castle of Bedford against the king. But as to this, he 
 asked nothing more than that a relation of these events 
 should be given to the Lord Pope by letters royal, and 
 by those of certain of the great men of the land. The 
 same Otho, moreover, the envoy of the Pope to the Lord 
 King, brought about the reconciliation of Peter des Roches, 
 Bishop of Winchester. 
 
 E
 
 66 ST EDMUND 
 
 Vacancy of the See of Canterbury. 
 
 [Stephen Langton died in 1228. His successor, Richard Grant, 
 was appointed the following year, and soon afterwards went to Rome 
 on business connected with his See. He died on his journey home- 
 wards, on August 3, 1 23 1. 
 
 The election of the new Archbishop rested, by special privilege, 
 entirely with the Benedictine Chapter of Christchurch, Canterbury ; 
 but their election had to be approved by the king and finally confirmed 
 by the Pope.] 
 
 Hist. Ang. (ii., p. yj). 
 When Richard, Archbishop of Canterbury, died, the 
 monks of Canterbury decided to petition for the elec- 
 tion as their Archbishop of Ralph de Neville, Bishop of 
 Chichester, who was the king's most faithful chancellor, 
 having been appointed to that office with the consent 
 of all the barons. The election, or rather the petition 
 for election, having been rightly made, the Convent pre- 
 sented him to the king on September 24. And the king 
 joyfully accepted him, so far as he was concerned, and 
 forthwith invested him with the manors and other things 
 attaching to the Archbishopric. And the monks set out 
 for Rome to beg for the confirmation of their petition. 
 But the Lord Pope,* having made a careful inquiry 
 through Master Simon Langton,-f- about the one peti- 
 tioned for, received answer saying that he was a courtier 
 and a frequenter of the king's palace, and quick and 
 hasty in speech, and of a haughty disposition ; and what 
 is more serious, if he were promoted to this dignity, he 
 would be willing to endeavour to free England from 
 the tribute of the Roman Church. And the Pope 
 
 * Gregory IX., who reigned from 1227 to 1241. 
 t Archdeacon of Canterbury, and brother of Cardinal Stephen 
 Laneton.
 
 TREA S URER OF S A LI SB UR V 67 
 
 having heard this, annulled the election, and gave leave 
 to the Convent to choose another as their pastor. 
 
 Hist. Ang. (ii., p. 340). 
 
 And the Convent of Canterbury chose John,* their 
 own Prior, as Archbishop ; who, having been presented 
 to the king and accepted by him, set out for Rome 
 to request that his election, rightly made, might be 
 confirmed by the Holy See. . . . 
 
 And when he had shown the letters of his election, 
 it seemed to the Pope that, although a holy man, he 
 was too old and simple, and therefore unequal to so 
 great a dignity. He was a worthy man indeed, but 
 not fit for this post. And when the Pope had persuaded 
 him to give way, the elect with humility renounced the 
 election that had been made, and begged for leave to 
 return home forthwith. Leave having been granted, 
 the Pope commanded the monks that they should 
 with great care elect another one, such that he could 
 place on him this burden and the pastoral charge with 
 safety. 
 
 Hist. Aug. (ii., p. 345). 
 
 The same year [1232], during the autumn season, 
 Master John, surnamed Blunt, a clerk eminent for his 
 learning, a lecturer on theology at Oxford, was elected 
 to the Archbishopric of Canterbury. Who, being accepted 
 by the king, and favourably received by him, set out for 
 Rome with certain monks of Canterbury, that the Pope 
 might confirm his election. . . . 
 
 But the election of John Blunt as Archbishop of 
 Canterbury was annulled. For it was reported at Rome 
 * John of Sittingbourne.
 
 68 ST EDMUND 
 
 that after his election he had accepted as a gift from 
 Peter, Bishop of Winchester,* iooo marks of silver, 
 besides another IOOO marks which he had lent to the 
 same John for the promotion of his interests. They 
 were thus of one heart and one mind, and the same 
 John was simple and pliant. And the same Bishop 
 also wrote to the Emperor, asking him to use his influence 
 with the Pope to secure the election of the aforesaid 
 John ; whence the Pope was displeased at his ambition. 
 Moreover, he confessed when at Rome, that he had two 
 benefices to which was annexed the cure of souls, in 
 opposition to the statutes of the General Council ; f 
 wherefore since he had no dispensation, he was blamed, 
 although it was alleged that he had possessed them 
 before the General Council. 
 
 Election of St Edmund as Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 
 Hist. Ang. (ii., p. 355). 
 But since three elections to the See of Canterbury 
 had now been annulled, and the aforesaid church had 
 been for a long time deprived of a pastor, [the Pope] 
 gave the monks % the right to elect a pastor for them- 
 selves, and they elected Master Edmund of Abingdon, 
 
 * Peter des Roches. 
 
 + The Fourth Council of Lateran, in 12 15, promulgated a decree 
 against pluralists. 
 
 % i.e., the monks who had come to Rome. In the Chronica 
 Majora it is stated that the Pope directed them to elect St Edmund : 
 and the words about their unwillingness to accept him without the 
 concurrence of the Convent indicate plainly enough that the Pope's 
 action was autocratic ; and this is confirmed by the author of the 
 St John's College MS., who says that he had sent special messengers 
 to England to make full inquiries as to whom it would be best to 
 elect. ^The formal election took place at Canterbury, on October 10, 
 1233. and it was confirmed by the Pope on December 20.
 
 TREA S URER OF SA /. IS B I 'R 1 ' 69 
 
 a man of eminent learning and sanctity, and a lecturer 
 in theology. And with promptitude the Pope also sent 
 the pallium to him, so that the Metropolitan See should 
 not any longer be troubled by being deprived of her 
 pastor; and thus he showed himself favourable beyond 
 all expectation to him, unknown though he was, with 
 happy omen for the future. But the monks said that 
 they would receive neither him nor any one else with- 
 out the consent of the Convent. They therefore went 
 with haste to Canterbury, where they promptly obtained 
 the thanks and applause of the whole Convent. From 
 thenceforward the most blessed Edmund rising from 
 virtue to virtue, having gained the favour of God and 
 man, received a happy increase in all his distinguished 
 gifts ; and the Lord taking pity on him, directed all his 
 works, as the following pages will clearly show. 
 
 Messengers sent to Salisbury. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1802). 
 And the election having been made in the usual 
 way, canonically and unanimously, special messengers 
 forthwith joyfully set out to go to him. And coming 
 to the Church of Salisbury, in which the holy man held 
 the office of treasurer, they sought for him, but he was 
 not to be found there. But the Dean having learnt the 
 object of their visit, after saluting them, said, "You are 
 at the same time welcome and unwelcome ; welcome 
 indeed, because you do our church an honour by elect- 
 ing your Archbishop therefrom ; unwelcome because you 
 wish to take one who is not so much the treasurer as 
 the treasure of our church, to be Bishop of your own 
 church,"
 
 70 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 They proceed to Calne. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 And not finding him in that city, the messengers 
 proceeded to the town of Calne, where they found the 
 man of God giving himself to Divine contemplation and 
 the government of his flock. On hearing the happy 
 news, his household forthwith clapped their hands. And 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 f 
 
 lm> 
 
 
 
 
 
 ; > ± It* '4 
 
 ■St * 
 
 
 
 
 
 a 1 "J- " - 
 
 sHHhH 
 
 -**"•' ' -~ v '"- *r-A -'"'-'' '' 
 
 ^22^S 1 
 
 Calne Church (Exterior). 
 
 one of his more familiar servants, unable to conceal his 
 heartfelt joy, with gladness went in to him while he 
 was at study in his room, speaking thus : " Behold my 
 lord (said he), the monks of Canterbury are come to 
 bring you news of your election, made unanimously and 
 by common consent, as Archbishop of Canterbury." For 
 he hoped to receive something for announcing the good 
 news, as is customary on such occasions. But not only
 
 TREASURER OF SALISBURY 
 
 7i 
 
 was he disappointed of his hope, but he was sharply 
 rebuked and told to be silent, and he retired crestfallen 
 from the room. For the holy man took nc notice of 
 what he said, as though it was of no importance. And 
 when this servant retired, ashamed and looking foolish, 
 no one else dared to go to him to talk about this matter. 
 Seeing this, the messengers marvelled not a little that 
 he did not rush out more quickly to meet them. It 
 
 Calne Church (Interior). 
 
 may easily be believed how agitated and perplexed the)' 
 were that so cold a hearing, or rather no hearing at all, 
 was given them on a matter so favourable. Where then 
 are the ambitious ones — those coveting the honours of the 
 world, and of their own accord thrusting themselves, by 
 fair means or by foul, into the vineyard of the Lord of 
 Sabaoth ; struggling to intrude themselves by lawsuits 
 and strifes, by promises and bribes, by intrigues and
 
 72 ST EDMUND 
 
 pretences ; endeavouring to enter the sheepTold by the 
 crooked ways of the serpent rather than by the door? 
 Edmund is sought for and scarce deigns to come. But 
 in his accustomed manner, at his usual time, neither 
 earlier nor later, he came out to them. And when he 
 had saluted the new-comers, they expounded to him 
 the cause of their journey and for what purpose they 
 had come. Which when they had explained, shedding 
 profuse tears, and heaving deep sighs, he protested that 
 he was unfit, humbling himself in these words : " I am 
 a worm, and no man. I have not the merit nor the learn- 
 ing which you suppose. All the world is deceived in 
 this respect. You also are deceived and in error." And 
 they prayed earnestly in order to induce him to change 
 his mind, but were unable to bring him to accept such a 
 burden. 
 
 They go to the Bishop of Salisbury. 
 
 Ibid. 
 But as they persisted in their purpose with their 
 entreaties, the following day he went with them to the 
 Bishop of Salisbury,* to whom they told and explained 
 the facts of the case. The Bishop decided that he ought 
 to consent to the election, and commanded him to do 
 so in virtue of holy obedience. And his fellow Canons 
 and many other friends urged him no less strongly to 
 do so. But he remained firm and immovable in his 
 resolution, nor would he as yet by any means consent. 
 The third day, therefore, they returned to the afore- 
 mentioned town, and the messengers strove with all 
 their might by many arguments to extort his consent. 
 
 * Robert de Bingham, who was elected in 1228, in which year 
 Bishop Richard Poor was translated to the See of Durham.
 
 TREASURER OF SALISBURY 73 
 
 For they said that he would sin mortally if he refused, 
 and they besought him not to displease and offend God ; 
 for they said some one else might be elected in his 
 stead, through whom the Church of Canterbury might 
 suffer no small harm. 
 
 He consents to accept the Archbishopric. 
 
 Ibid. 
 At length, overcome by their entreaties, or rather 
 convinced by their reasoning, he gave his consent, which, 
 however, he did not express in so many words. But 
 he said, " He from whom nothing is hidden, knows that 
 unless I thought I should otherwise sin mortally, I would 
 never consent to my election." Being satisfied with this 
 imperfect answer, they took the words out of his mouth 
 and conducting him before the high altar, prostrated 
 themselves with him on the ground, and intoning the 
 hymn Te Deum laudamus, they rang the bells ; and 
 all rejoiced and exulted in the praise of the Creator. And 
 there were mixed sounds there of sorrow and joy, of 
 exultation and weeping, of which the discordant concord 
 and concordant discord rang joyfully in the ears of the 
 bystanders.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 
 
 The Archbishop-elect begins by representing to the 
 King the Grievances of his Subjects. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iii., p. 268). 
 AND the King of England came to a Parliament at 
 Westminster, on the Purification of Blessed Mary, 
 [February 2, 1234] . . . Now there were present at this 
 Parliament Master Edmund, Archbishop-elect of Canter- 
 bury, with many of the suffragans ; and they all, grieving 
 at the desolation of the king and his realm, came to the 
 king, and said, as with one heart and soul and voice : " O 
 Lord King, as thy faithful subjects we declare to thee 
 in the Lord that the council which thou now hast and 
 employest, namely, Peter,* the Bishop of Winchester, 
 Peter de Rievaulx, and their abettors, is cruel and,perilous 
 to thyself and to the realm of England : first of all because 
 they hold the English name in hatred and scorn, styling 
 them traitors, and making all to be so styled, turning thy 
 own mind from the love of thy nation, as well as from our 
 hearts and those of thy nation from thee ; whereof an 
 instance is seen in the Marshal, who is the best man in 
 thy land, whom by the lies the)- have sown they have 
 estranged far from thee. And it was through this same 
 
 * Peter des Roches. 
 
 71
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 75 
 
 council, that King John thy father lost first the hearts of 
 his nation, and then Normandy, afterwards other lands, 
 and at last spent all his treasure and well-nigh the 
 sovereignty of England, and never had peace thereafter. 
 Through the same council in our time the realm has been 
 disordered and under interdict, and then the land was 
 made tributary, and the sovereign over subject lands 
 (alas, the shame !) was made inglorious under tribute.* 
 Then after the war began and continued for a long time, 
 thy father died like an exile, in peace neither with his 
 kingdom nor w ith his own soul, and so through these men 
 fell into the peril of death. By the same council the 
 Castle of Bedford was held against thyself, where thou 
 didst lose brave men and a store of treasure ; for the 
 which cause meanwhile thou didst lose Rochelle, to the 
 shame of the whole realm. And so too the disorder now 
 impending, dangerous to the whole land, has come to pass 
 through their unrighteous design. Yet if thy subjects had 
 been treated with justice, according to the true law of the 
 land, that disorder would not have happened, and thou 
 wouldst have had thy realm intact, and thy treasure 
 unexhausted. And in the fealty wherein we are bound to 
 thee, we declare that thy council is not for the peace, but 
 for the perturbation of the land : for thus do they who 
 profit not by peace desire increase, namely, by the disorder 
 of the kingdom, and the disinheriting of other men. 
 Furthermore, they have in their hands thy castles and thy 
 power, as though thou oughtest to distrust thy own people. 
 And again, since they have thy exchequer and all ward- 
 ships and thy greatest escheats in their control, they arc 
 willing to wait, and according as they shall at last answer 
 so we believe wilt thou always approve. And since except 
 
 * Lam. i. I,
 
 76 ST EDMUND 
 
 by thy seal, or the mere bidding of Peter de Rievaulx, 
 scarce anything of weight is done in the kingdom, they 
 hold thee as no king at all. Likewise by the same 
 council the native subjects of the realm are banished from 
 thy court, whence there is reason to fear for thyself as 
 much as for the kingdom, since thou seemest to be more 
 in their power than they in thine, whereof there are many 
 instances. Next, they have in their control the maid of 
 Brittany * and thy own sister,-f- as well as many other noble 
 maidens and other marriageable ladies in wardship and right 
 of marriage, whom they bestow upon their own followers, 
 and despoil. And the sworn and confirmed law of the land, 
 strengthened under pain of excommunication, as well as 
 justice itself, they confound and pervert, whence it is to be 
 feared that they are excommunicated, and thou also for 
 communicating with them. They regard neither promise, 
 pledge, oath, nor written bond, nor do they dread excom- 
 munication. Whence those that have departed from 
 truth are desperate ; even as they that abide in fear lack 
 confidence. Thus faithfully do we speak to thee ; and 
 before God and man we advise, entreat, and warn thee 
 to remove such a council far from thee, and as the custom 
 is in other lands, to administer the kingdom by thy own 
 faithful and sworn subjects of thy own realm. For we 
 threaten thee in truth, that unless in a brief space these 
 things be corrected, we will take proceedings against thee 
 and against all other gainsayers by ecclesiastical censure, 
 waiting only for the consecration of our venerable father, 
 the elect of Canterbury." 
 
 After this was said, the king humbly craved a brief 
 respite, declaring that he could not so suddenly remove 
 
 * Eleanor, daughter of Geoffrey, Count of Brittany. 
 
 t Eleanor, afterwards married to Simon de Montfort ; see p. 135.
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 
 
 77 
 
 his council until he had taken reckoning of the treasure 
 committed to them. So ended the Parliament, and all 
 withdrew with the confidence that concord would shortly 
 be secured. 
 
 Consecration of St Edmund. 
 
 St Paul's MS. 
 
 In the year of the Incarnation 1234, on Mid-Lent 
 Sunday, namely April 2, there came together to 
 
 J)iVnt/\ mtfli'al* Tnagrt*ari% crertuigttcf tiu * 
 ql\c[ en t paccn fmdtfic.Aflb'tTjaricd'q, ciiif 
 
 */ fplufVnSuTp&mt. 0Dactjtt&utei£ir J 
 
 T Scf c^nmjy c -*is&bi : 6?f S^"f ^ t?fc' 
 
 Winfcofccattc 
 
 Consecration of St Edmund. (From a drawing by Matthew Paris). 
 
 Canterbury for the consecration of Master Edmund of 
 Abingdon, the Archbishop-elect, King Henry (son of 
 King John), together with the Earls of Lincoln, Albemarle,
 
 78 ST EDMUND 
 
 and Hereford ; Stephen de Segrave (the Justiciar of Eng- 
 land), Brian de 1' Isle (Justiciar of the Forest), the Advocate 
 of Bethune, Peter de Malolacu, William de Stuteville, 
 William of St John, Walter de Dunstanville, Ph. de 
 Abiniacus, Henry de Capella, Ralph (son of Nicholas), 
 Godwin of Dowe, Ralph Gernun, Hugh Despenser, 
 Geoffrey (his brother), William Talbot, Bartholomew 
 Pecche, Reginald of Cornhull, Bertrand de Crioil (the 
 constable of Dover), William Brito, Earl Richard (the 
 king's brother), and others. There came together also — 
 Luke (Archbishop of Dublin), Roger (Bishop of London), 
 H. of Rochester, P. of Winchester, J. of Bath, R. of 
 Salisbury, W. of Exeter, W. of Worcester, R. of Chichester 
 (the Chancellor), H. of Ely, J. of Ferns ; all the others 
 being excused, of whom the Bishops of Lincoln and 
 Hereford sent their letters of excuse to the Bishop of 
 London and his fellow Bishops, but the others to the 
 elect and his fellow Bishops, which P. Cantor of London * 
 read publicly to all, and having read them, handed 
 them to Master R. de Gloucester, the official of the 
 Archdeacon of Canterbury. And the Bishops sat on 
 their thrones before the high altar in this order. In 
 the middle was the Bishop of London, on whose left 
 was the Lord King, and after him the Bishops of Win- 
 chester and then of Exeter. On the other side, on the 
 right of the Bishop of London, was the Archbishop of 
 Dublin, and the Bishops of Bath, Ely, Worcester, and 
 Ferns. And the Bishop of Rochester rose, as though 
 beginning a speech : " Among my predecessors, the 
 Bishops of Rochester and the Bishops of London, there 
 has hitherto been commonly a contention as to which 
 should have the preference in consecrating the Archbishop 
 * /.(., 1'., the Precentor (see towards end of document).
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 79 
 
 of Canterbury, and which of them should perform the 
 ceremony of consecration. But considering how dis- 
 tinguished is the man to be consecrated, and what great 
 and powerful men have come together for the consecration, 
 as the Lord King himself has, I am unwilling at this 
 moment to contend ; but I am well pleased that the 
 Bishop of London should perform this function, but 
 without prejudice to the right, if any, of my church." The 
 Bishop of Bath also rose, and said that although by 
 reason of seniority, since he was consecrated before any 
 of them, he ought to consecrate the Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, he also was unwilling to contend, and was 
 well pleased that the Bishop of London should perform 
 the consecration. And thus with full leave and permission, 
 the Bishop of London consecrated the Archbishop of 
 Canterbury on that da)-, while the Bishops of Rochester 
 and Chichester were present at the examination. There 
 were present on behalf of the Chapter of London — Master 
 Robert (Archdeacon of Middlesex), Hugh (Archdeacon 
 of Colchester), Henry the Chancellor, Alexander the 
 Treasurer, P. the Precentor, W. of the Church of St 
 Mary, William, son of Robert, Master W. de Purl (Canons) ; 
 Elias de Paterna, and other well-known clerks ; Master 
 Reginald (Archdeacon of Lewes), William (Treasurer of 
 Chichester), Ernest the Precentor, Master Gentil, Master 
 Robert the Precentor (of Hereford) ; Nicholas de Neville, 
 Richard de la Lada, Simon of Norwich, Silvester St Geoffrey 
 de Woleward, Ralph of Leicester (clerks) ; the Chancellor 
 of the Lord King, Ph. de Ardern, Master R. (Archdeacon 
 of Suffolk), John de Wanton, David (Archdeacon of St 
 Asaph), P. Abinor (Abbot of Vaudey), Robert (a monk of 
 Durham), Master Alexander (a secular priest), Robert of 
 Stafford, John de Offington, Geoffrey de Fering, and Gilbert
 
 So ST EDMUND 
 
 Perdris ; John de Colerne, Ralph Brito, John de Purl, 
 Alan de Archis, Oregon' of Polstud, and man}- others. 
 
 The Bishops warn the King a second Time. He 
 promises Amendment. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iii., p. 272). 
 
 And there assembled at a Parliament at Westminster 
 on the first Sunday of Passiontide* which was the 9th 
 day of April [1234], the king with the earls and barons, 
 and the Archbishop lately consecrated, along with his 
 suffragans, that they might take wholesome measures 
 against the disorders of the realm. The Archbishop, 
 together with the Bishops and other prelates then 
 present, coming to the king, disclosed to him the 
 counsel of himself and the Bishops concerning the 
 desolation of the kingdom, and the peril that was 
 impending, dwelling again upon the grievances above 
 named and declared in the conference previously held 
 with him. He warned him openly that unless he should 
 quickly abandon his error and make peace with the loyal 
 subjects of the realm, he would himself, with all the Pre- 
 lates then present, straightway pronounce sentence of 
 excommunication upon the king, and upon all those 
 who were gainsayers of this peace and hinderers of 
 concord. But the pious king, hearing the counsels of 
 the Prelates, made humble answer that he would in all 
 things follow their advice. Wherefore, a few days later, 
 understanding his own fault, and moved by repentance, 
 he bade Peter, the Bishop of Winchester, to depart to 
 his own bishopric and give himself to the cure of souls, 
 and henceforth in no way meddle with the business of 
 
 * i.e., the Fifth of Lent, just one week after St Edmund's 
 consecration.
 
 A RCHBISH( U> OF CANT ERE UR Y 8 1 
 
 the kingdom. And to Peter de Rievaulx, to whose will 
 all England lay subject, he gave a peremptory order to 
 restore the castles, to render straightway an account of 
 the treasury, and to depart from the court ; declaring 
 with an oath, that if he had not held a benefice, and 
 had not been enrolled among the clergy, he would him- 
 self cause both his eyes to be put out. All the Poitevins, 
 moreover, he expelled both from his court and the castles 
 and sent back to their own land, with the charge that they 
 should not again look upon his face. 
 
 The Archbishop is sent to Wales to make Peace 
 with Llewellyn. 
 
 Ibid. 
 Then the king, who in every way longed for peace, 
 sent Edmund, the Archbishop of Canterbury, with the 
 Bishops of Chester and Rochester, into Wales, to 
 Llewellyn and Richard the Earl Marshal, to treat with 
 them of peace. And so the king, by banishing his evil 
 counsellors, recalled to their obedience the natural 
 subjects of his realm, submitting himself to the guidance 
 of the Archbishop and Bishops, through whom he hoped 
 to bring back his distressed kingdom to a state of pros- 
 perity. 
 
 The King hears of the Death of the Earl Marshal.* 
 
 C/iron. Maj. (Hi., p. 289). 
 About the same time, after the Festival of Easter, whilst 
 
 * Richard, Earl Marshal, son of the Earl of Pembroke, died of the 
 effects of wounds received in a quarrel in Ireland, on April 16, 1234. 
 He had previously borne arms against the king, in company with 
 Hubert de Burgh, in Wales ; and his death was brought about 
 apparently by a plot of Peter des Roches, who obtained the 
 signature of King Henry by fraud. 
 
 F
 
 82 ST EDMUND 
 
 the King of England was on his way to Gloucester, desiring 
 
 to meet the Archbishop and Bishops, whom, as we have 
 said above, he had sent into Wales, he came to his manor 
 at Woodstock to pass the night there. Thither came to 
 him messengers from Ireland, telling him the ill news 
 of the Earl Marshal's death. Then the king, to the 
 wonder of all present, breaking forth into weeping and 
 lamentation, bewailed grievously the death of so great a 
 knight, declaring constantly that his death had left none 
 equal to him in the realm. Then summoning together the 
 priests of his chapel, he caused the Office of the Dead to be 
 solemnly chanted for his soul ; and on the morrow, when 
 the solemn Mass was ended, he bestowed large alms upon 
 the poor, being like in this to David mourning the loss of 
 Saul and Jonathan. Happy, therefore, the king who knew 
 how to love those that offended him, and at last to pray 
 with tears for his faithful subjects, whom upon false 
 suggestion he had held in hatred. 
 
 St Edmund as Peacemaker. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 And when the king, after proceeding thence, had 
 reached Gloucester, there came thither Edmund, Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury, with the Bishops that had been sent 
 with him to Llewellyn, reporting that the}- had conferred 
 with the latter upon terms of peace. And it was a 
 condition, that before all, the nobles of the realm that 
 were confederate with Llewellyn, who through evil 
 counsel had been exiled from England, should be 
 reconciled with the king. When this had been done, 
 the concord would be more surely strengthened. The 
 Archbishop said to those sitting around, perchance in 
 the hearing of the king, that they reached this result
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 83 
 
 after many arguments, and that menaces were occasion- 
 
 ■81 
 
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 £* qui^aaftcamr We t tr vo* olafttn aimo&n! 
 
 td^1»ifdi**firf te ^Jf«w(« 
 
 ^ctf anjthtVQ) ^ nuttmiUyve&tbtr.; 
 
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 Jt motif cftr.crftmrtfmt; 
 
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 St Edmund as Peacemaker. (From a drawing by Matthew Paris.) 
 
 ally interjected on the part of the king and all the clergy. 
 To these menaces Llewellyn is said to have replied " I
 
 84 ST EDMUND 
 
 dread the bounty of the king more than all his knights 
 and clergy." Then the king, who longed in every way 
 that peace should be made, issued by letter a summons 
 that all those proscribed should come to Gloucester on 
 the Sunday next before the Lord's Ascension, that is 
 upon the 28th day of Ma)-, for a conference, and to 
 receive his full favour together with their fiefs. And 
 that they might do so without any suspicion, they were 
 to be brought under the safe conduct of the Archbishop 
 and Bishops. There came, therefore, to the king's 
 presence, with the Archbishop and Bishops for their 
 intercessors, Hubert de Burgh,* once Justiciar of 
 England, whom the king received with serene counten- 
 ance, taking him to his embrace and to the kiss of peace, 
 restoring him to his former favour, and with him the other 
 exiles. Then Hubert, Earl of Kent, with grateful recollec- 
 tion, joining his hands and looking up to heaven, said, 
 with heart and lips : " O Jesus crucified, my Saviour, whom 
 once in my sleep I beheld covered with blood and wounded 
 on the Cross, and on the morrow at Thy bidding spared Thy 
 emblem and worshipped it, now by Thy grace at fit season 
 hast Thou repaid me a blessed requital." And in order to 
 make this his reference more clear to his hearers, we will 
 make a short digression from our subject. It happened, 
 when the war waxed fierce in the clays of King John, 
 that the soldiers along with the king's bodyguard were, 
 as is common in war, intent upon fire and rapine. At 
 the head of them was the aforesaid Hubert. Now, upon 
 a certain night, as he lay deep in sleep upon his 
 bed, there appeared to him the Lord hanging upon 
 
 * Hubert de Burgh, afterwards Earl of Kent, had succeeded the 
 great Earl of Pembroke on his death in 12 19 as chief administrator 
 of affairs during the king's minority. His downfall was brought 
 about in 1232 by the intrigues of Peter des Roches, his rival.
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 85 
 
 the Cross (even as He is oftentimes represented in 
 carving by the hands of the artificer), Who said : 
 "When thou shalt again behold My effigy, spare Me 
 thereon ; bear it away and worship it." Then, when 
 journeying upon the morrow, he met a single priest, 
 greatly distracted and running, clad as he was in alb 
 and stole and maniple, and bearing upon his shoulder a 
 great cross with the image of the Crucified. And the 
 priest spoke aloud, crying with tearful voice : " O Lord, 
 deliver the church where I minister from the robbers 
 who have ravaged this land, and plundered all its 
 goods." And Hubert, looking up, beheld the figure 
 hanging upon the Cross, like in all things to that which 
 he had seen the previous night, and coming from off his 
 horse, he worshipped it ; and straightway, with the priest 
 to euide him, he delivered the land, and restored 
 all the goods to the church which had been despoiled. 
 Therefore, Hubert, Earl of Kent, calling this vision to 
 mind, gave praise and glory to God, for that he was 
 reconciled to the king, and to the king's faithful friends, 
 and set free from many afflictions and tribulations. And 
 all this the aforesaid worshipful Earl Hubert ascribed to 
 God alone and not to man. 
 
 He intercedes for the Brother of the Earl Marshal. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 556). 
 When Richard, the Earl Marshal, was killed in 
 Ireland, the king made some difficulty in appointing 
 Gilbert to the inheritance, though he was his brother and 
 next of kin, moved by this reason, that the Earl Richard 
 was killed while fighting for the king's enemies, against 
 the king himself. The Archbishop, therefore, loving 
 Gilbert, for he was truly lovable, condoled with him in
 
 86 ST EDMUND 
 
 his trouble, even as he ever poured out his soul in pity 
 for the afflicted. With haste, therefore, he approached 
 the king, who was then at the royal manor of Woodstock. 
 And the king, with all reverence and urbanity, rose to 
 receive him with an embrace, saying to him : " Welcome, 
 father ; and what is the cause of thy coming with so much 
 trouble ? " But he said : " A great cause, my lord ; even 
 the salvation of thine own soul, and the prosperity and 
 safety of thy kingdom." And as a preface to what he 
 was going to say, he set forth and explained with 
 eloquence and rhetoric, the virtue of charity ; and then 
 he besought him most earnestly, with hands clasped, and 
 tears in his eyes, on behalf of the aforesaid Gilbert, en- 
 treating that one brother should not be made to bear the 
 guilt of another, nor should the fault of the guilty one in 
 aily way react on him who was innocent. And having 
 brought forward theological reasons, in which he was well 
 versed, he effectually besought and entreated him that he 
 should put away all bitterness of mind, and grant even an 
 increase of his favour by giving him the whole of his 
 inheritance, together with its official dignity. And the 
 king, being moved with pity, looking upon him with joy 
 of countenance, answered thus : " O good Archbishop, thy 
 prayers have much weight and great force ; for whereas 
 I was steadfast in the anger I had conceived, now thou 
 hast moved me to mercy and to unlooked-for grace." 
 And I will recount the courteous, amiable words of the 
 king, which he spoke in the vulgar tongue ; for he said 
 simply, and with a sweet smile : " O how well thou 
 knowest how to pray! Pray in this manner to God for 
 me, and I doubt not that as God is more merciful than 
 I am, He will generously hear thee. But I also will 
 hear thee ; be it done as thou hast requested."
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 87 
 
 Hist. Ang. (ii., p. 371). 
 Then the king restored to the same Gilbert his whole 
 inheritance, both in England and in Ireland, and received 
 his homage. And he received Gilbert Basset and Richard 
 Seward into full favour, all this being brought about by 
 Archbishop Edmund, the son of peace. Afterwards, on 
 the day of Pentecost, at Worcester, he presented to the 
 same Gilbert, who was a learned and distinguished man, 
 a knight's belt, handing him also the wand of his office 
 of marshal of his court, as is customary, and as his pre- 
 decessors had held it, though they obtained it with better 
 grace. And he received Hubert de Burgh, Gilbert Basset, 
 and Richard Seward amongst his friends and intimate 
 advisers, then at length understanding how he had been 
 led astray by the craftiness of his former counsellors. 
 
 Peter des Roches and his Accomplices fall into 
 Disgrace. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (Hi., p. 292). 
 
 In the same Parliament, Edmund, Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, caused to be read before the king and all 
 the assembly of Bishops and Earls and Barons who were 
 present, a copy of the letters which had been sent by the 
 counsellors of the king to the nobles of Ireland about the 
 plot prepared against Earl Richard. Wherefore the king 
 and all the others hearing it were struck with sadness, and 
 moved even to tears. But the king confessed that in 
 truth, being compelled by the Bishop of Winchester and 
 Peter de Rievaulx and others of his advisers, he had 
 ordered his seal to be affixed to certain letters which 
 were brought to him ; but he affirmed with an oath that 
 he never heard their contents. In reply to this, the 
 i\rchbishop said : " Examine thy conscience, O king,
 
 88 ST EDMUND 
 
 for all the} - who caused these letters to be sent, and 
 were conscious of the plot, are guilt)- of the death of the 
 Marshal as though they had killed him with their own 
 hands." Then the king, having held a council, 
 summoned by letter the Bishop of Winchester, Peter de 
 Rievaulx, Stephen de Segrave, and Robert Passelew, to 
 come on the Feast of St John to give an account of the 
 treasures they had received and expended. But he also 
 commanded that they should come to answer about his 
 seal, of which they had made evil use without any know- 
 ledge of his, and to submit themselves to justice. But 
 they, being in their own hearts suspicious in every direc- 
 tion, were afraid on the one hand of the king, and on 
 the other of their brethren and the friends of the Marshal, 
 whose death they appeared to have caused. Wherefore, 
 taking refuge in the peace of the Church, the Bishop and 
 Peter de Rievaulx la)- concealed in the Cathedral Church 
 at Winchester, withdrawing themselves utterly from the 
 sight of man. But Stephen de Segrave lay hid in the 
 Church of St Man-, in the Abbe)- of the Canons, near 
 Leicester ; * and he who had first through arrogance 
 quitted the clerical state for the army, now became a 
 clerk once more, and wore again the shaven crown, which 
 he had discontinued without consulting his Bishop. And 
 Robert Passelew retired to an unknown hiding-place, so 
 that they who sought him failed in their search. But 
 many thought that he had gone to Rome, as he had often 
 repaired to the court there when agent of his lord, Fulke. 
 But in truth he lay hid, feigning illness, in a certain secret 
 chamber at the New Temple, hiding after the fashion of a 
 hare ; neither when his hiding-place was known did he 
 dare, even at the command of the king, to come out for 
 * The Monastery of St Mary des Pres.
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 89 
 
 long ; nor indeed did the others, as their consciences re- 
 proached them, finding ground for their suspicions in the 
 thought that their enemies, who had burnt their houses 
 and buildings, with their store-houses filled with produce, 
 would not spare their own persons should they find an 
 opportunity to do them injury. 
 
 Mediation of St Edmund. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (Hi., p. 294). 
 At length Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, who 
 was the mediator in this quarrel, begged of the king 
 that under the safe conduct of himself and the Bishops, 
 they might come before him on a certain day, to answer 
 to the aforesaid accusations, so that all source of dis- 
 sension in the kingdom might be laid to rest. The 
 king accordingly appointed for them July 14, at West- 
 minster, where they were brought into the royal presence 
 under the protection of the Archbishop and Bishops. 
 And Peter des Roches, being called first, appeared 
 before the king in the habit of a clerk, with his crown 
 shaven, but with a dagger hanging from his waist ; and 
 he reverently saluted the king, who sat on the bench 
 with his justiciars. And the king, gazing at him with 
 an evil eye, said : " O traitor, by thy iniquitous design 
 I unknowingly affixed my seal to the letters about the 
 betrayal of the Earl Marshal. By thy evil counsel I 
 banished him and other natural subjects of my kingdom, 
 and I have turned away their minds and hearts from 
 myself. By thy evil counsel and that of thy accom- 
 plices I have waged war against them, to my irreparable 
 damage, to the reproach of the kingdom, through which 
 war I have lamentably forfeited my treasures and the 
 lives of many distinguished men, and my own honour."
 
 90 ST EDMUND 
 
 The king, moreover, demanded of him an account of his 
 treasure, and of the guardianship of the children of the 
 nobles, and of the escheats, with such other rents as 
 belong to the crown. And when the king accused him 
 of these and man}- other things under the name of 
 treason, he did not deny the crimes imputed to him, 
 but falling on the ground before the king, he begged 
 for mercy in these words : " Lord King (said he), I was 
 nurtured by thee, and made rich in temporal goods ; 
 degrade not the man whom thou hast made. Give me 
 time for deliberation, that I may be able to render thee 
 an exact account of the things demanded." To whom 
 the king said : " I will send thee to the Tower of London 
 that thou mayest deliberate there until thou canst first 
 satisfy me with an account." To this Peter said : " Sire, 
 I am a clerk, and must not be imprisoned and kept 
 under guard by laymen." The king answered : " Thou 
 hast heretofore acted as a layman ; from thee therefore 
 I demand an account as from a layman to whom I have 
 entrusted my treasures. But behold, the Archbishop is 
 here, and if he is willing to become surety for thee, I 
 will deliver thee to him, that he may satisfy me about 
 the aforesaid demands." And when the xArchbishop 
 made no answer, the king sent the aforesaid Peter to 
 the said Tower; taking with his own hands all his lay 
 equipment, for underneath his clerk's habit he was clad 
 in a breastplate, and he carried a dagger from his waist, 
 which was not seemly for a clerk ; indeed, many put a 
 more sinister interpretation than may be either spoken 
 or written. And then Peter began to weep bitterly as 
 he entered the boat, which was to conduct him to the 
 aforesaid Tower. And he was there on the Thursday 
 and the following Friday ; and then, being liberated by
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 9 1 
 
 the Archbishop, he was taken to Winchester and set 
 free in the Cathedral. 
 
 And the same clay Stephen de Segrave came into 
 the king's presence, under the protection of the Arch- 
 bishop and Bishops, to answer for those things whereof 
 he was accused. And when he stood in the court to 
 submit himself to justice, the king reproached him, call- 
 ing him a most wicked traitor for all the counts about 
 which he had reproached Peter des Roches, adding also 
 that he had counselled him to remove Hubert de Bureh 
 from the office of Justiciar, to put him in prison, and to 
 hang him from a gibbet, and to send into exile the 
 nobles of the realm. And when he had accused him of 
 these and many other crimes, he demanded of him an 
 account of his office of Justiciar, which he had administered 
 under him after Hubert de Burgh, and of his receipts 
 and expenditure. About this the Archbishop and Bishops 
 begged for a truce from the king till the Feast of St 
 Michael,* to allow time for deliberation. But with re- 
 spect to the evil counsels imputed to him, he accused 
 others in higher station than himself, that is, between 
 himself and the king, and from these he ought to force 
 an immediate reply, " Namely, Walter, Bishop of Carlisle 
 and Peter de Rievaulx, not me." And thus making 
 others serve as a shield of defence, he answered by re- 
 torting the crime on them. And thus Robert Passelew, 
 who had filled the office of treasurer after Walter, Bishop 
 of Carlisle, once more hid himself, and the place where 
 he lay concealed from those seeking his life has hardly 
 even yet been made manifest, though diligent inquiries 
 have been made. 
 
 And the king, relying on a more prudent counsel, in 
 * September 29.
 
 92 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 place of the above-named, appointed, though against his 
 will, Hugh de Patteshull, a clerk, son of Simon cle 
 Patteshull, who at one time held the reins of Justiciar 
 of the whole kingdom, a trustworthy and honourable 
 man. 
 
 St Edmund's private Life as Archbishop. — His 
 Austerities. 
 
 Politicly MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1S05). 
 
 He diminished nothing of his austerity of life ; he 
 even increased its rigour in almost every respect, from 
 
 Remains of City Walls, Canterbury. 
 
 day to day, as a growing son.* He was ever hard and 
 severe towards himself, patient and kind to others. For 
 he was as an olive tree, fruitful in the house of the Lord, 
 which, as he was wont to say, would retain the bitterness 
 
 ( Jen. xlix. 22.
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 93 
 
 of its own root in itself, displaying bounty to others ; as 
 one giving food to the hungry, light to those in dark- 
 ness, and unction to the sick. He would frequently 
 pass almost the entire night without sleep, striking his 
 breast, and kneeling with his bare knees on the ground, 
 so that his clerks, resting in the rooms underneath, 
 were scarce able to slumber or sleep. Some indeed, 
 wearied by this and his other austerities, retired from 
 his service, inventing a pretext, and seeking to give 
 up his friendship. For they abhorred the severity 
 of such strict self-restraint, and the odour of life became 
 to them an odour of death. In the service of the altar, 
 he was ever dissolved in tears, so comporting himself 
 as though he had put off his humanity, and was witnessing 
 the Lord's passion take place in the flesh. He adminis- 
 tered all the sacraments of the Church with the greatest 
 reverence, so that his very administration of them moved 
 the hearts of the beholders to devotion. 
 
 His great Charity. 
 
 St John's College MS. (Wallace, p. 609). 
 He was most devout in helping and most cheerful 
 in giving, and whatever riches were handed to him to 
 administer, he poured out with devotion, generosity, and 
 affection among the weak members of Christ, so that 
 the income of this very rich diocese was not sufficient 
 for such generous gifts. He distributed all that he had 
 to the multitude of the needy, and when he had no 
 more to bestow, being unable to repress his compassionate 
 feeling to those who besought him, he was forced to 
 borrow money from the merchants in order to give to 
 them. Thus he incurred many debts lest the poor 
 should incur many, and he suffered want of the neces-
 
 94 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 saries of life that he might not sec the poor in need, 
 whom he was wont to feed though he were hungry 
 himself. But for the rest, it would take long to tell in 
 detail of all the care which this great Bishop took of 
 the churches under his jurisdiction ; how he would visit 
 them in person, not through the medium of any of 
 
 Westgate, Canterbury. 
 
 his officials ; how he would strive to correct and reform 
 them ; how inflexible he was towards the great, how 
 benign to the poor, and how just to all in the hearing 
 of their suits ; how swift to refute falsehood, how clear 
 in pronouncing sentence, how careless in acquiring
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 
 
 95 
 
 temporal goods, how fervent in divine things ; how silent 
 in the hazards of fortune, how joyful in adversity, how 
 modest in prosperity. 
 
 His Humility. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1804). 
 As humility held the first place in his heart, so it 
 appeared at the head of all his works. For he was not 
 
 Mercery Lane, Canterbury. 
 
 ashamed sometimes to take off his own shoes, which 
 in the Primate of all England was an evident and dis- 
 tinguished mark of humility. And when his clerks had 
 not heard Mass, through being impeded by some pressing 
 business, he would celebrate for them in person later in the
 
 96 ST EDMUND 
 
 day. While he was on a journey, if any one, however 
 poor, wished to confess his sins to him, he would at 
 once dismount and hear the confession, and would be 
 very affable and kind to the penitent afterwards. Nor 
 would he put him off on account of some inclemency 
 of the weather, or even because he was approaching an 
 inn which might be not very far distant. He would act 
 in similar manner when young people asked to be con- 
 firmed by him. In the abundance of his extreme humility, 
 he would sometimes carry his cross with his own hands 
 from the chapel to his room or study. Nor was he 
 clothed in purple and fine linen, or with costly robes, 
 as was customary with many Bishops, but he wore a 
 white or grey tunic of a cheap material. Nevertheless, 
 in order that his exterior might be as that of others, 
 he had becoming outer garments, but not for the sake 
 of vanity. 
 
 His Hatred of Idleness. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 557). 
 The blessed Edmund used to detest idleness and 
 sloth, and was himself always occupied either in pray- 
 ing or meditating, or in the correcting of books, or in 
 hearing confessions, or in solving questions put to him by 
 his brethren, or in deciding suits which had arisen, lest 
 the enemy of mankind should ever find him unbusied 
 with good works and idle. And if an)' one reproved 
 him for his unmeasured work, he would repeat with a 
 smile the words of a certain wise man, " Now read, now 
 pray, or toil in some sacred art ; let the Bishop's hour 
 be short, and his very labour light." But especially with 
 a view to lengthening his prayers, he spent his nights, 
 even in winter, after a very short interval of sleep, in
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 97 
 
 vigil on his knees, and in tears and meditations, until 
 long past cock-crow. And then he began his regular 
 daily exercises, which he styled his ordinary routine, as 
 though it were but just becoming daylight and were now 
 the dawn. We, on the other hand, drowsy and sleepy 
 as we were, could hardly drag ourselves to join in even 
 the end of his prayer when the time came for beginning 
 Matins. And when he was interrupted by the occupation 
 of the daily business which the episcopal office brought, 
 it impeded indeed his wonted hour of devotion, but 
 did not change his desire of prayer. For the time which 
 was given him he never spent in idleness. 
 
 His Love of Peace. 
 Provincial Constitutions * (Wallace, p. 478). 
 
 A great necessity, beloved children, is placed upon 
 us of keeping peace, inasmuch as God Himself is the 
 Author and Lover of peace, who came to bring into peace 
 one with another not only heavenly things, but also 
 earthly ; and as we cannot reach the everlasting peace 
 without peace in things transitory, and peace of heart, we 
 warn you, and strictly enjoin you, that so far as in 
 you lies, having peace with all men, you should warn 
 your parishioners, that in the unity of faith and bond of 
 peace, they should be one body in Christ. Be diligent 
 to reconcile enmities, should they arise in your parish ; 
 cement friendship, recall the quarrelsome from their 
 strife, and so far as in you lies, suffer not the sun to go 
 down upon the anger of your parishioners. 
 
 * These " Provincial Constitutions " were written and promulgated 
 by St Edmund in the year 1236. 
 
 G
 
 9 8 ST EDMUND 
 
 His Charity to poor Widows. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1806). 
 What shall I say of his charity towards the poor and 
 the afflicted ? For he who was wont to bear such tender 
 feelings towards them, now more than ever gave himself 
 wholly to their service by works of charity. . . . Now there 
 exists a custom in the land that at the death of the father 
 of a family, his lord shall take the best animal he had, of 
 whatever kind it may be, as a token of his dominion. 
 And the widows of them that were deceased, knowing his 
 compassionate mind, used to come to him to beg that in 
 his mercv he would order the animal to be restored to 
 them. To such he was wont to answer after this fashion : 
 " My good woman, this is the law of the land, and 
 custom demands that thy lord should receive the best 
 animal which thy husband had when alive." Then turn- 
 ing to the others, he would say in Latin or French: "Truly, 
 this law was invented by the devil, not by God. After 
 the poor woman has lost her husband, that is taken away 
 from her which is the best thing that her dying husband had 
 to leave her." Then turning to the widow-, who was crav- 
 ing for pity, he would address her in his mother tongue : 
 " Woman, if I lend thee the animal, wilt thou care well 
 for it on my behalf? " And when she answered, " My lord, 
 it shall be cared for as though it were my own," he bade 
 his bailiff forthwith to give back the animal to the widow. 
 
 He refuses all Gifts. 
 
 Cambridge MS., fol. 47^, col. 2. 
 He refrained himself from touching all gifts, and had 
 a great hatred against any one who accepted them, 
 especially those in authority, who had to administer
 
 The Choir, Canterbury Cathedral. 
 
 / ' ■ page 99.
 
 A RCHBISHi )P OF CANT ERE URY 99 
 
 justice. To such he used to say that between pendre 
 and prendre, there was only the difference of one letter, 
 so that he who takes is not far from being hanged. And 
 when gold and silver were offered him, he would say that 
 the enemy was trying to tempt him now when rich, as 
 he had failed to deceive him with gifts when poor, and 
 by God's grace he would never be deceived by him after 
 this manner, for it was by presents which were neither 
 given nor accepted for God's sake that Christianity had 
 been corrupted ; and but for the mercy of God, it would 
 have come to nought sooner than Christians were aware. 
 And when a certain nobleman sent him a precious stone 
 worth ten marks sterling, or more, and other jewellery of 
 gold and silver, by the hand of a certain clerk, begging 
 him to receive them as a gift, the holy man making 
 answer, said, " I will not accept them." Then the clerk, 
 in order to persuade him to accept them, said, " My lord, 
 this stone is very valuable and precious." And the saint, 
 repeating these words, added : " But to me, it is not more 
 valuable than the stone which my horse treads under its 
 foot." And in the same manner he refused the other 
 jewellery. And the same nobleman, trying in another way 
 to gain his favour, sent him two rich quilts to cover his 
 bed, believing that as they were less costly, he would 
 receive them. And he gave one of them to the brother 
 of the said saint,* hoping in this way to induce the saint 
 to accept the other. But when the other quilt was offered 
 to him, and his brother asked him to accept it, he rebuked 
 his brother, and made answer : " Thou mayest be per- 
 suaded, but I will not. For I have greater trust in my 
 
 * Robert Rich, or, as he was more commonly called, Robert of 
 Abingdon, was probably by his brother's side throughout his life. 
 During St Edmund's Archiepiscopate, his name occurs several times.
 
 ioo ST EDMUND 
 
 book than in thee." lie forbade all his attendants to 
 accept any gifts, especially those who undertook the 
 office of visitation. An)- who accepted them he treated 
 as excommunicated, and made them give back what they 
 had received. 
 
 He appoints St Richard as his Chancellor* 
 
 LifeofStRicha?'d(Y<>o\\a.r\<l\s\.s, April, i., p. 287). 
 Now Richard, being in all respects planted in the 
 garden of virtue, as in a place filled with perfume, as 
 though the south wind was ever blowing, and the north 
 wind had fled afar, his sweet fame began to be spread 
 abroad on every side, till it came to the knowledge of 
 Edmund, of holy memory, then Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 Wishing, therefore, to honour his church by the bodily 
 presence of so great and illustrious a man, and to adorn 
 his house by so virtuous a life, he had him summoned, 
 and appointing him as his secretary, committed to him 
 the post of Chancellor of his court. Richard, therefore, 
 began to increase daily in virtue, and without ostentation 
 to exercise the office entrusted to him, striving in all 
 things to give rest to his lord the /\rchbishop, who he 
 knew had, like Mary, chosen and preferred the best part ; 
 and to consult in all things the convenience of the neigh- 
 bours who came to the Archbishop's court for their 
 different suits ; while in every cause or business he re- 
 strained his hand from the acceptance of gifts, which are 
 wont to produce blindness even in the wise. The Arch- 
 bishop rejoiced that by his Chancellor's careful discretion 
 
 * St Richard was born in 1197, and was educated at Oxford and 
 Paris, and afterwards studied and taught at Bologna. Whether he 
 knew St Edmund first at < >xford or Paris is uncertain. He was at one 
 time Chancellor of Oxford.
 
 ARCHBISm >/' ( >/■' < ' INTERBl r R ) ' 101 
 
 and discreet care he was delivered from the turmoil of 
 external affairs ; the Chancellor rejoiced to be trained by 
 the holiness and heavenly conversation of his lord. Each 
 leant upon the other : the saint upon the saint ; the master 
 upon his disciple ; the disciple upon his master ; the father 
 on his son ; the son on his father ; so that to the spiritual 
 
 The Patriarchal Chair, Canterbury. 
 
 onlooker it was given to behold them as two cherubims 
 of glory, guarding the ark of the Lord, that is, the Church 
 of Canterbury, each gazing at the other with the eye of 
 holy intention, and supporting each other with the two 
 wings of mutual charity, the aspects of their wills being 
 ever directed towards the seat of mercy, to Him, indeed, 
 who is the propitiation for our sins. Nevertheless, the
 
 io2 ST EDMUND 
 
 two aforesaid cherubims were of pliable workmanship, 
 being wrought and fashioned by the stroke of the hammer ; 
 for either saint, Edmund namely, and Richard, one, the 
 Archbishop, by his passion, the other, the disciple, by his 
 compassion, and his like labour for the liberty of the 
 Church and for justice, underwent numberless tribulations 
 and troubles, suffered loss of property and obloquy, bodily 
 exertions and fatigues, reproachful words and contumely ; 
 and finally they became outlaws and exiles from their 
 country, receiving the hard and fast blows of the hammer 
 on the anvil of patience, even as the most precious sub- 
 stance of the £old, without sound or murmur. 
 
 Marriage of the King to Eleanor of Provence. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iii., p. 334;. 
 In the year of the Lord 1236, which is the twentieth 
 year of King Henry III., the said king held his court 
 during Christmas time at Winchester, where he kept 
 with joy the Christmas festivities : but he was waiting 
 with an ardent longing for the arrival of his messengers. 
 For he had sent chosen messengers, men of dis- 
 cretion, to Provence, to Richard, Count of the said 
 Provence, with letters containing the design of his 
 heart, about contracting matrimony with his [the Count's] 
 daughter Eleanor . . . Who, on coming to him in 
 Provence, were received with the highest honour and 
 reverence : and they received from his hands his daughter 
 Eleanor, to be taken to the king of the English, to be 
 joined in matrimony to him, under the escort, however, 
 of Lord William, Bishop-elect of Valence, uncle of the 
 said maiden, a celebrated and distinguished man, Count 
 also of Champagne, and related by blood to the king
 
 A RCHBISHt IP OF CA NTERB UR Y 103 
 
 of England . . . Taking ship, therefore, at the port of 
 Wissant, unfurling their sails, after a rapid passage, they 
 arrived at the port of Dover before they were expected ; 
 and after a favourable landing, as they hastened towards 
 Canterbury, the Lord King, coming up, ran into the very 
 
 CbttJS 
 
 rrtftvct 
 din fibt 
 
 tuon.Yf 
 
 VCiXtlAV 
 
 — .7- 1 
 
 Marriage of King Henry to Eleanor of Provence. 
 (From a drawing by Matthew Paris.) 
 
 arms of the messengers on their arrival. And having 
 seen the maiden and accepted her, he was espoused at 
 Canterbury, the solemn rite of espousal being performed 
 by Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, together with the
 
 io4 ST EDMUND 
 
 bishops who had come over with the maiden, and other 
 great men and nobles and prelates, on January 14. On 
 the 19th of the same month, the Lord King" came to 
 Westminster, and on the morrow, that is the Sunday, with 
 incomparable and unheard of solemnity, she received the 
 crown and was proclaimed as Queen Eleanor. Thus she 
 was espoused to Henry III. at Canterbury, but the 
 nuptials were celebrated in London, at Westminster, 
 on the Feast of Saints Fabian and Sebastian.* 
 
 The Festivities in London. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Now there came together at the nuptial banquet 
 so great a multitude of nobles of both sexes, such a 
 number of religious, such a concourse of people, such a 
 variety of actors as the city of London was scarce able to 
 contain within its capacious bosom. The whole city was 
 adorned with flags and banners, with wreaths and 
 hangings, with candles and lamps, and with other wonders 
 and marvels, the streets having been cleaned of dirt, 
 mud and weeds, and purified from all that was offen- 
 sive. . . . 
 
 And the Archbishop of Canterbury, according to the 
 right which specially belonged to him, happily completed 
 the office of the Coronation, assisted by the Bishop of 
 London as Dean, and the other Bishops placed according 
 to their rank, and in like manner also all the Abbots, 
 in the fore-front being rightly placed the Abbot of St 
 Albans. . . . 
 
 The entire solemnity was resplendent, arranged in 
 praiseworthy fashion by the clergy and knights. The 
 Abbot of Westminster sprinkled the holy water; the 
 * January 20.
 
 ARCHBISm >P < >/■' < 'ANTERBl 7? ) ' 105 
 
 Treasurer, taking the part of Sub-deacon, carried the paten. 
 Why should I enumerate the list of those who fittingly 
 ministered ?. Why describe the superabundant dishes and 
 divers drinks at table, the abundance of venison, the 
 different kinds of fish, the sport of the jesters, the come- 
 liness of the waiters ? Whatever the world can provide 
 of enjoyment and splendour was eminently displayed 
 there. 
 
 The Statutes of Merton. 
 
 Hist. Ang. (ii., p. 386). 
 W'hen the nuptial rejoicings were over, the king left 
 London and came to Merton, in order to discuss the 
 affairs of the realm with the nobles, whom he recalled 
 thither . . . And in those same days, Henry III., being 
 led by the spirit of justice and piety, enacted certain new 
 laws for the sake of the salvation of his soul and the 
 reform of his kingdom, and in order that the Lord might 
 grant him a happy offspring ; and he ordered them to be 
 strictly kept throughout his kingdom. 
 
 The King demands Money and renews the Liberties of 
 Magna Charta. 
 
 Hist. Ang. (ii., p. 393). 
 In the year 1237, which is the twenty-first of the reign 
 of King Henry III., the said king held his court during 
 Christmastide at Winchester. And he sent forthwith 
 throughout the whole country of England letters royal 
 commanding all those who belonged to the kingdom of 
 England, that is, the Archbishop, Bishops, Abbots, and 
 Priors, and the Earls and Barons, that all without 
 exception should *ssemble in London on the octave of 
 the Epiphany, in order to discuss the affairs and diffi-
 
 106 ST EDMUND 
 
 culties of the king. There came, therefore, to London, 
 on the Feast of St Hilary* an immense multitude of 
 nobles — in fact, all those in the kingdom. Then William 
 de Raleigh, the king's clerk and special counsellor, declared 
 to them the king's commands in these words : " The Lord 
 King announces to you that whatever he has hitherto done, 
 from henceforth he will be ruled by the counsel of all of 
 you. However, owing to the marriage of his sister the 
 Empress, and his own marriage, carried out with lavish 
 expenditure, he is now entirely without money. He 
 demands, therefore, pecuniary aid from you, in such 
 manner that this money collected according to your 
 pleasure, shall be kept for expenditure on purposes 
 necessary for the kingdom, as shall be arranged by some 
 of you chosen for this purpose." And when they received 
 this unwelcome message, most of them began to murmur. 
 Which when the king understood, wishing to quiet the 
 murmuring, he promised on oath that he would never 
 again trouble the nobles of the realm with such a demand, 
 if only on this present occasion a thirtieth part of 
 the chattels of England should be paid to him by a 
 willing grant. And as there was much discussion among 
 the nobles, the parliament was protracted by a delay 
 of four days. The king, therefore, being anxious to gain 
 the favour of his nobles, with a cheerful countenance, 
 spontaneously promised henceforth to strictly observe the 
 liberties of Magna Charta. And whereas he appeared 
 to be not wholly exempt from the censure which Arch- 
 bishop Stephen [Langton], with all the Bishops of 
 England, had inflicted against every one who should 
 
 * The feast of St Hilary was kept on January 13. In the Roman 
 calendar the octave of the Epiphany takes precedence, and St Hilary 
 is transferred to the next day.
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 107 
 
 violate the aforesaid Charter, which the king, trusting to 
 evil counsel, had in part broken, he had the former 
 sentence publicly renewed against all who should violate 
 or go against the Charter, so that if perchance, through 
 any bitterness of spirit, he should fail to observe it, he 
 would fall under the sentence of excommunication ipso 
 facto. Hence it came to pass that by these words he 
 won the hearts of all towards what he willed. 
 
 Solemn Ratification of the King's Promise in West- 
 minster Abbey. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (v., p. 360). 
 And the said king, with his right hand upon the 
 holy Gospels, and in his left holding a lighted taper, 
 swore an oath dictated by Archbishop [Edmund], that 
 without any cavil he would henceforth observe inviolably 
 the whole of the Charter which he had granted to his 
 faithful subjects, and would not allow himself to be 
 hampered by the wonted sophistry of murmurers. In 
 like manner, many Bishops who were also present, hold- 
 ing tapers in their hands, together with the said Arch- 
 bishop, excommunicated all who should violate or put 
 an evil interpretation on the said Charter. And at the 
 end, when he had promulgated the sentence, according 
 to custom, all, including the king himself, repeated the 
 words, " So be it, so be it ! " And when the candles, 
 being extinguished and cast down, were smouldering 
 and giving forth an evil stench to the nostrils of those 
 standing around, and were loathsome to their sight, the 
 Archbishop said, " Even so may their reprobate souls 
 all perish, and give forth smoke and stench, who shall 
 either violate this Charter, or put an evil interpretation 
 thereon." And all shouted assent, but the king most
 
 10S ST EDMUND 
 
 frequently and eagerly, in the words, " Amen, Amen." 
 And these things took place in the Chapel of St 
 Catharine, at Westminster. 
 
 Arrival of the Papal Legate. 
 
 [The next step which the king took was apparently due to the 
 victory which had been won by St Edmund and the nobles. After 
 his marriage King Henry had once more fallen into the hands of 
 foreign advisers, who came over in the train of the new queen ; and 
 in order to cope with the Archbishop, he determined to get some one 
 on his side with equal or greater powers ; so he petitioned the Pope 
 to send a Legate to England. And as the Pope depended on the 
 pecuniary and other aid he received from England in the difficulties 
 in which he was then placed, he was anxious to do all he could to 
 meet the wishes of the king.] 
 
 Chron. Maj. (Hi., p. 395). 
 
 In the same year [1237], about the Feast of Sts. 
 Peter and Paul, the Lord Otho, Cardinal Deacon of St 
 Nicholas, in the Tullian Prison, came at the summons 
 of the king, as Legate to England, without the know- 
 ledge of the great men of the realm. Whence many 
 felt great indignation against the king, saying: "The king 
 breaks everything, the laws, his good faith, all his 
 promises. For at one time he unites himself in marriage 
 without the advice of his friends and natural subjects ; 
 at another, he secretly calls over a Legate, to disturb 
 the whole kingdom. First he gives away what is his, 
 then he wants to recall what was given." And thus 
 from day to day, according to the words of the Gospel, 
 the kingdom becoming divided against itself, and 
 squandered away, was rendered desolate. It is said in- 
 deed that Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, rebuked 
 the king for acting in this manner, especially with respect 
 to the summoning of the Legate ; for he knew that a 
 great misfortune threatened the realm, to the prejudice
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 109 
 
 of his own dignity. But the king, rejecting his advice, 
 and that of the others, his own subjects, would by no 
 means revoke the purpose which he had formed in his 
 own mind. The said Legate came accordingly, with 
 great state and great power. And the Bishops and 
 leading clergy came to meet him on landing ; and some 
 went out in boats, welcoming him, and offering him 
 priceless gifts. . . . And when he arrived, he would not 
 receive all the gifts, but only some ; those, however, 
 which he did not receive, he ordered to be kept for 
 him. All the benefices which were vacant he distri- 
 buted among those whom he had brought with him, 
 worthy or unworthy. The king came to the seashore, 
 and bowing his head as low as his knee, conducted him 
 in state to the interior of the realm. And the Bishops 
 with the Abbots and other superiors of the churches, 
 coming up, received him with all honour and reverence, 
 with processions and pealing of bells, and with precious 
 gifts, up to and beyond what was fitting. 
 
 Prudent Behaviour of the Legate. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (Hi., p. 403). 
 The Lord Otho, the Legate, of whom mention has 
 been made above, comporting himself with prudence 
 and modesty, refused in great part the most costly of 
 the gifts offered to him, contrary to the custom of the 
 Romans. Thus by his bearing, against the expectation 
 of many, he moderated the indignation conceived 
 throughout the kingdom, both by the clergy and 
 knights. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iii., p. 412). 
 In the meantime, valuable gifts were offered to the 
 Legate ; both splendid horses, and costly vessels, and
 
 no ST EDMUND 
 
 soft and flowing garments, and different skins of wild 
 animals, and coins, and eatables and drinkables. Thus 
 one Bishop alone, namely Peter of Winchester, as 
 soon as it was known that the Legate would spend the 
 winter in London, sent for his sustenance fifty grazing 
 bullocks, and one hundred measures of choice wheat, 
 and eight jars of the purest wine. Others gave him 
 similar presents according to their power and means. 
 But the Legate, moderating his Roman ambition, 
 accepted not indeed all of these, but some of them, 
 gratefully and with a benign countenance, calling to 
 mind the philosophical saying of Seneca : " To accept 
 whatever is offered, would be avarice ; to accept nothing, 
 would be rudeness ; to accept some, is kindness. 
 
 The Legate summons a Council. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iii., p. 404). 
 And the Lord Legate wrote to all the Prelates of 
 England that they should come together to London, to 
 the Church of St Paul, on the octave of St Martin,* 
 to hear in public the credentials given him by the Lord 
 Pope, conferring on him the plenary legatine power, and 
 to discuss together matters concerning the reformation 
 of the English Church, and to hold a council in his 
 presence. . . . As the time for the council approached, 
 the Legate ordered to be prepared for him, at the western 
 end of St Paul's Church at London, a very high and 
 stately throne, raised on beams and rows of seats. He 
 then sent his letters to all the Prelates of England, 
 namely the Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots.. Priors, those 
 bearing procuratorial letters, whether in their own names 
 
 * November 18.
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTER1WR Y 1 1 1 
 
 or in those of their convent or chapter, that whatever 
 the Legate should decree in the council should be held 
 everywhere as valid. They all came, therefore, accord- 
 ing to the command of the Lord Legate, though much 
 harassed and fatigued, both themselves and their horses, 
 by their journey, owing to the approach of winter and 
 the storminess of the season. 
 
 The Council of London. 
 
 C/iroft. Maj. (iii., p. 416). 
 When therefore the Bishops of England had come 
 to London, to the Church of St Paul, on the first day 
 appointed for the council, namely the day after the 
 octave of St Martin, the Legate did not appear, as the 
 Bishops had asked him that they might have an oppor- 
 tunity of examining the proposed statutes, and of dis- 
 cussing them among themselves, lest he should attempt 
 to enact anything to their own prejudice. The next 
 day, about two hundred armed soldiers and servants, 
 whom, at his request, the king had lent him, were posted 
 in secret and retired places ; for he feared much for his 
 own safety, since it was said that he wished to press 
 harsh measures against pluralists, and still more against 
 those who being illegitimate were holding benefices. And 
 he arrived in the aforesaid church very early in the morn- 
 ing, even at dawn; but there were already assembled there 
 such a closely-packed multitude of men awaiting him 
 that it was with great difficulty that he entered. And 
 arriving inside the church, he put on his pontificals in 
 front of the high altar, namely, his surplice, and over 
 it his choir cappa, with fur covering of variegated skins, 
 and his mitre. And the Archbishops of Canterbury and 
 York walking in front, a solemn procession was formed,
 
 ii2 ST EDMUND 
 
 with cross and lighted tapers, while the litanies were 
 sung; and in this manner he ascended his throne, which 
 had been made ready as has been described, and which 
 was now even more splendid, being covered with tapestry 
 and hangings. The x^Vrchbishop of Canterbury placed 
 himself on his right, and he of York on his left. On 
 
 "h - \x$rcfiavC. ur$S? Tcgnrz* gcvzt regit 
 *z vegem £mtr i«3n#c«r. r\e Ibxjfvegilcm. j 
 
 cm\M:/£ vcmxn&v tin uxi \ otfuarcr S*r 
 ^M'btn£lc. 4)ml2i a5 e[ t ocfoccc'aiio 
 
 
 £ 
 
 
 Council of London. (From a drawing by Matthew Paris.) 
 
 this matter a dispute arose between them, namely, about 
 the order in which they should sit. The Archbishop of 
 York appealed on behalf of the right which he claimed. 
 When, therefore, according to the custom, the Gospel 
 had been read, and the proper collects had been said 
 by the Legate himself, and the Vent Creator Spirit 'its 
 had been sung, after the appeal of the Archbishop of
 
 A RCHBISHOP OF CA NTERB UR V 113 
 
 York had been made, as stated, the two Archbishops sat 
 on either side of the Legate, Canterbury on the right, and 
 York on the left. And the Legate, wishing to settle 
 the controversy without abstracting from the dignity of 
 either, said to them : "In the Bull of the Lord Pope, the 
 figure of Paul stands on the right, that of the Cross in 
 the middle, and that of Peter on the left. But no strife 
 ever arose between such great saints, for both are equal 
 in glory. Nevertheless, on account of Peter's power of 
 the keys, and because he was prince of the apostles, and 
 also because of the dignity of his see, together with the 
 priority of his vocation, it would have seemed fitting that 
 his figure should be placed on the right of the Cross. But 
 as Paul believed in Christ when he saw not, he is placed 
 on the right, for ' Blessed are they that see not and 
 believe.' Thus the Lord of Canterbury, Primate of all 
 England, who is set over the most ancient and most noble 
 Church of Canterbury, and also over that of London, which 
 is St Paul's, is not without reason to be placed on the 
 right." And from thenceforward, on the following days, 
 the Archbishop of Canterbury sat on the right hand and 
 the Archbishop of York on the left. 
 
 And on the second day after the council had begun, 
 there were sent on behalf of the Lord King, John, Earl 
 of Lincoln ; John, son of Geoffrey ; and William de 
 Raleigh, a Canon of St Paul's, to inhibit the said Legate, 
 on behalf of the king and his realm, from venturing to 
 enact anything against the royal crown and dignity. 
 And William de Raleigh stayed there, vested in his 
 Canon's cappa and surplice, to see that this was observed ; 
 but the others departed. The same day, also, Simon 
 [Langton], Lord Archdeacon of Canterbury, in the hear- 
 ing of all, begged of the Lord Legate that they might 
 
 11
 
 ii 4 ST EDMUND 
 
 hear the credentials of his office which had been delivered 
 to him by the Pope ; and this was done. 
 
 And the same day, at the request of the Lord King, a 
 charter was read about observing the Feast of St Edward 
 throughout all England ; and by command of the Lord 
 Pope, one about the canonisation of St Francis and St 
 Dominic. And as the Legate heard while still in his 
 house that many pluralists, some of them of noble blood 
 and great possessions, and some illegitimate, of whom he 
 had made mention in a certain statute of the council, had 
 spoken against him and had even made ready snares for 
 his person, he took with him, both going to and returning 
 from the council, some of the great men of the realm, 
 namely, Gilbert, Earl Marshal ; John, Earl of Lincoln ; and 
 Earl Simun de Montfort, and some of the household of 
 the king, armed with swords and clubs, in order to protect 
 himself and his men. 
 
 But in the council, when the statute was brought 
 forward, against those who, in opposition to the Lateran 
 Council, held several benefices, the Bishop of Worcester, 
 Walter de Cantelupe, rising in the midst and putting off 
 his mitre, addressed the Legate thus : — 
 
 " Holy Father, since many nobles related to us by 
 blood have obtained several benefices, for which no 
 dispensation has yet been obtained, of whom some are 
 of advanced age, and up to the present time have lived 
 honourably, and by giving hospitality to the utmost of 
 their power have distributed alms with open doors, it is 
 very hard that such men should be deprived of their 
 benefices and thrown into ignominious poverty. Some 
 of them, however, are young, and would strenuously face 
 the greatest dangers rather than allow themselves to be 
 despoiled of their benefices and retain one only. For I
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 115 
 
 judge by my own case. Before I was called to my present 
 dignity, I had made up my mind that were I to lose a 
 single benefice under the pretext of this law, I would part 
 with them all. Whence it is to be feared that many still 
 retain this frame of mind. 
 
 " Since, therefore, there are man)' such involved in this 
 case, we beg of your fatherly care, that for the sake of 
 your own safety and ours, you should consult the Lord 
 Pope about a statute of this kind. Moreover, since your 
 statute would equally extend to all in the Order of St 
 Benedict, and would be hard for many of these to observe 
 this statute, on account of the poverty of the localities, 
 and especially for nuns, as they are weak and frail, it is 
 necessary to moderate this rigour with discretion. About 
 which also we beg that you will be willing to consult the 
 Lord Pope." To whom the Lord Legate answered, that if 
 all the Bishops, that is, the Archbishops and Bishops then 
 present, would write together with him to the Pope, he 
 would willingly agree. 
 
 Nor should we omit to mention that on the first day 
 of the council, while the Archbishop of Canterbury was 
 placed on his right, and the Archbishop of York on his 
 left, as already described, after the Gospel Ego sum pastor 
 bonus had been read, and the collects belonging thereto 
 had been said, the Lord Legate, calling for silence, while 
 the crowd pressing forward was held in check, seated him- 
 self, and raising his voice like a trumpet, began his speech 
 by introducing his subject : In medio scdis et i)i circuitu 
 ejus quatuor animalia plena oculis ante et retro* As he 
 proceeded with his speech, he intimated that the Bishops, 
 like those animals which had eyes in front and behind, 
 
 * " In the midst of the throne and round about them were four 
 living creatures full of eyes, before and behind" (Apoc. iv. 6).
 
 n6 ST EDMUND 
 
 should look in advance in the arrangement of worldly 
 matters, and be circumspect in spiritual matters, proceed- 
 ing with caution from the beginning to what follows. 
 And after his speech, he caused to be read distinctly, and 
 in a loud voice, the statutes, which he said should be 
 strictly observed.
 
 fXTLE.SIAEGuliedraliJuPRIfmXTVS HencfflclonrmC/OTMaKIAE belts liawtla »,EAIM1J(OMDni*o»nr«na«aaWMCI»IvdM»»- 
 
 
 Plan of Christchurch Cathedral and Monastery, Canterbury. 
 
 Foo page 117.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY {continued) 
 
 The Dispute with the Canterbury Monks. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 565). 
 BUT the avowed enemy of the human race, seeing of 
 what great service so great a man would be to the Church 
 of God, was filled with envy, and lest St Edmund should 
 continue to enjoy peace with the king, as he had been 
 accustomed, he chose out great men who should incite to 
 discord, through whom he sowed the detestable seed of 
 hatred in the hearts of the king and courtiers. More- 
 over, the monks of Canterbury,* over whom, as being of 
 the bosom of his church, he was more especially placed, 
 while zealous for justice, though not according to know- 
 ledge, were continually crying out for certain of their liber- 
 ties, which, as they said, specially belonged to the Convent, 
 and which the Archbishop's agents had invaded. And 
 when the Archbishop, being their head and their father,! 
 
 * i.e., the Cathedral Monastery of Christchurch. There was also 
 another Benedictine Abbey, St Augustine's, at Canterbury. See 
 Notes on the Illustrations. 
 
 t The Archbishop of Canterbury was ex officio Abbot of the Christ- 
 church Monastery, although in many cases, as in the present one, he 
 was not himself a Benedictine. In such communities, however, the 
 Cathedral Prior stands in many ways practically in the same relation 
 to the other monks as an ordinary Abbot.
 
 i iS 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 contended that they belonged to him, and that tins should 
 rightly be established by an investigation of his own 
 rights, the monks withstood him to the face, making 
 constant appeals, lest he should endeavour to do aught 
 that was new, to their prejudice, and in opposition 
 to the approved customs of that ancient church. For 
 manv of them believed confidently and undoubtingly that 
 
 The Treasury) Canterbury Cathedral. 
 
 these liberties specially belonged to them, about which 
 the}- were able to show charters and written privileges. 
 And one of these had been obtained, they said, by the 
 diligence of Blessed Thomas the Martyr ; but it had been 
 suspected, and it seemed with truth, that it had', been in 
 an unseemly manner tampered with, and therefore by the 
 advice of some of the brethren, it had been burnt. Hence 
 no small dissension arose in the convent.
 
 o
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 
 
 "9 
 
 The Legate attempts Mediation. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 But about that time, Cardinal Otho, who was then in 
 England as Legate to the Roman See, came to Canter- 
 bury, in order to calm the harmful and infamous com- 
 motion and discord which led to such disorder ; for the 
 scandal which had arisen over this matter was becoming 
 talked of throughout the 
 whole land, and had gone 
 forth as an evil odour. 
 Andenteringthe chapter 
 of the monks, after mak- 
 ing a careful inquiry, he 
 said : " Brethren, fathers, 
 venerable monks of this 
 most noble metropolitan 
 church, than which there 
 is none greater in Eng- 
 land, nor even so great, 
 your case is weak, nor 
 are you all of one mind. 
 Humble yourselves 
 under the strong hand ; 
 let the members obey 
 
 their head. Obey your pastor and father, the most 
 holy Archbishop, and before further scandal arise, which 
 might brand your name with an indelible mark, let 
 this pestilence be buried away." When he spoke thus, 
 part of the convent yielded a willing assent, and when the 
 Archbishop returned after not many days, he understood 
 straightway that a dissension had arisen, and that they 
 did not all think alike. Some wished to humble them- 
 
 Norman Staircase, Canterbury Cathedral.
 
 i2o ST EDMUND 
 
 selves and submit, others believing that in addition to 
 this a great injurs- was threatened, loudly cried out 
 against him. On account of which disagreement, the 
 Lord's flock was scattered, and many, in order to spend 
 the rest of their days in peace, choosing the Carthusian 
 or some ottyer order, left Canterbury never to return. 
 
 The Archbishop offers a Compromise. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Some of the leaders of the monks, on the other hand, 
 rose up, and together with their friends in the world, re- 
 proached the Archbishop, not only for being a disturber 
 of the peace of his own church and convent, but also for 
 making an open attack thereon, and for seeming most 
 ungrateful to those who, against the wish of the king and 
 many others, had set aside those most nobly born, 
 and raised him from his lowly place to the height 
 of such dignity. The Archbishop, being in no small 
 measure grieved at the dispute with his church and con- 
 vent, heaving deep sighs, felt bitterness of spirit. One 
 day, therefore, in order that he might avert the scandal 
 which was threatening, he entered the chapter in all 
 humility, in order to check the commotion with a barrier 
 of reasoning and moderation, lest he should appear un- 
 grateful for the benefits conferred on him by the monks ; 
 for he feared greatly lest any sign of ingratitude could be 
 even plausibly urged against him. He therefore gave way 
 so far to their wishes that it might be possible to avoid 
 any lawsuit, and that peace might be both honourably 
 and joyfully restored, which each and all of the monks 
 gladly agreed to, returning thanks to God and to the 
 Archbishop. And in order that he might confirm with 
 apostolic authority the conditions of the said peace, and
 
 St Augustine's Abbey Gateway, Canterbury. 
 
 [Face page 121.
 
 A RC HE I SHOP OF CA NTERB URY 121 
 
 also that he might settle a certain other controversy 
 between his church and the Cathedral Church of London, 
 set on foot in the time of Roger * of pious memory ; and 
 that he might obtain decisions about other difficult 
 matters relating to his church and his office, the Arch- 
 bishop f announced that he was going to Rome. 
 
 He leaves England against the Wishes of the Legate. 
 
 Hist. Ang. (ii., p. 402). 
 When the Legate heard of his intention, before he 
 embarked on board the ship, he strictly forbade him to 
 cross the sea, fearing lest he should vehemently accuse 
 him before the Pope and his brethren % of great extrava- 
 gance, and should say that he was anxious to serve the 
 king alone rather than God. But the Archbishop, hear- 
 ing and being informed that he had been recalled by the 
 Lord Pope, and that the messengers of the king, who had 
 been sent to demand an extension of his stay, had not 
 yet returned, answered that he was not willing to remain 
 at his bidding, for it was on account of him and his 
 tyranny that he was going away ; and that the Legate 
 could no longer claim obedience, as his faculties had 
 expired. 
 
 He arrives in Rome. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 567). 
 And having arranged all necessary matters, he crossed 
 the Alps as quickly as possible. And lo ! on arriving in 
 Rome, on the very first day, he found that some of the 
 
 * Roger le Noir outlived St Edmund, but was dead when the 
 Cotton MS. was written. He died September 29, 1241. 
 
 t One of these related to a long-standing dispute with St 
 Augustine's Abbey, which was finally settled at this time. 
 
 % i.e., the Cardinals.
 
 122 ST EDMUND 
 
 monks of Canterbury, relying on the deceitful promises 
 of their own lawyers, had hurriedly, and with unseemly 
 haste, anticipated him there, and most unexpectedly, and 
 to the great astonishment of the Archbishop himself and 
 his friends, they steadfastly appealed against the above- 
 mentioned terms of peace, which the Archbishop had 
 intended happily to confirm. And when in utter bewilder- 
 ment the Archbishop asserted that this would result in 
 an affront to himself, an injustice to his church, and a 
 scandal, the lawyers, who were only thinking of their gains 
 and their fees, urged the monks to withstand the Arch- 
 bishop to his face. To whom the Archbishop, denounc- 
 ing the folly of the monks, replied : " There is no peace 
 for the wicked, saith the Lord." What more need be 
 said ? At length, as the monks continued obstinate, and 
 were not willing to go back at all from the advice of their 
 hired lawyers, the Archbishop pronounced sentence of 
 excommunication against all disturbers of the peace. 
 And ever after this, the enmity which had been estab- 
 lished between the Archbishop and his adversaries 
 increased daily. 
 
 The Monks make Accusations against him. 
 
 Fell. MS. (Wallace, p. 622). 
 And in the presence of the Sovereign Pontiff, some of 
 his own monks, sent on behalf of the chapter, whom he 
 believed to have come as had been agreed, to make peace, 
 without any warning lodged grievous accusations against 
 himself. Rut they were in no wise listened to, but being 
 expelled with disgrace, and utterly rejected by God and 
 Mis Vicar, with the advice of his brethren, they retired 
 with great confusion.
 
 A RCHBISHOP OF CANTERB I r R Y 123 
 
 Archdeacon Simon Langton accuses the Monks. 
 
 Gervase Citron.* (ii., p. 132). 
 
 And when man)- things had been argued on both 
 sides before the Pope, the Archdeacon Achitophel,-f* whom 
 we have before named, in presence of the Pope gave vent 
 to the venom which he had conceived secretly in his heart, 
 breaking forth into words of this kind : " Holy Father 
 (said he), there is no forgery which is not committed in 
 the Church of Canterbury. They have forged in gold, in 
 lead, in wax, and in every metal." Hearing this, the 
 Proctors of the Convent produced in the midst a letter 
 of the Lord Legate, excusing them. Now the contentions 
 of the Archbishop against the Convent were these : first, 
 that he might set up a prebendal church ; then, that he 
 might consecrate Bishops elsewhere than at Canterbury 
 whenever there was grave reason for so doing ; \ and, lastly, 
 that he might dismiss the monks and institute Canons. § He 
 
 * In reading the extracts from the Gervase Chronicle, it must be 
 borne in mind that it is written by the Archbishop's avowed enemies, 
 and throughout in a bitter partisan spirit. 
 
 t Simon Langton. 
 
 \ From the first this seems to have been one of the chief bones of 
 contention between St Edmund and the monks. They claimed the 
 right that all consecrations should take place in their church, and as 
 a general principle, St Edmund seems to have admitted this. Yet he 
 steadfastly refused to consecrate Bishop Grosseteste at Canterbury in 
 1235, and afterwards on other occasions, even before his dispute with 
 the monks had assumed its acute stage, he acted similarly. We have 
 no definite information as to his reasons for insisting so strongly. 
 And even Bishop Grosseteste appears from his letters not to have 
 fully understood them. 
 
 § The proposed prebendal church was sanctioned at Rome, and 
 actually begun on a site at Maidstone, now occupied by All Saints' 
 Church. There were to be forty Canons, and the Christchurch com- 
 munity felt apprehensive lest they were meant eventually to supplant
 
 124 - s "^ EDMUND 
 
 begged for a letter to the Legate, of which the sense was 
 as follows : — 
 
 " Gregory, Bishop, etc., to Otho, Cardinal Deacon, 
 Legate of the Holy See, Greeting. By this apostolical 
 letter, we command thy discretion that thou shouldst go 
 to Canterbury, and carefully inspect all the documents 
 of the monks ; and when there are duplicates, thou 
 shouldst give one to the Archbishop and the other to 
 the monks. If thou shalt find any to be forged, or sus- 
 pected of forgery, thou shalt send them to us under thy 
 seal, in order that we may determine and arrange about 
 them as by the help of God we shall see fit." 
 
 Further Opposition to St Edmund. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 567). 
 
 But besides these, who seemed to be the children of 
 his own church, there were arraigned against the Arch- 
 bishop, Roger, Bishop of London ; the Convent of 
 Rochester ; Hugh, Earl of Arundel ; Hubert, Justiciar of 
 England ; and Simon, Earl of Leicester, who all raised 
 grave and difficult questions. Their attacks, which they 
 seemed to support, indeed, with some reason, the Arch- 
 bishop withstood with trouble and with no small expense. 
 And as well as these, who may be called his greater 
 opponents, lesser ones also lifted their feet against him. 
 Finally, having had a private conference with the Lord 
 Pope on these matters, he was referred back to the 
 
 themselves as the diocesan chapter. They obtained a brief from 
 Rome to the effect that their rights should not suffer by the new 
 foundation, but even this was not enough for them ; and eventually, 
 in 1239, by appealing to the king, they had the work stopped. See 
 Wallace, chap. xxii.
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 125 
 
 judges in England, to report what the law prescribed 
 on these questions, as aforesaid. 
 
 Incidents in Rome. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1808). 
 During his stay in Rome, a memorable event 
 occurred which we have thought well not to pass over 
 in silence. On the Feast of St Gregory the Pope,* Pope 
 Gregory invited all the Prelates who were at the Apos- 
 tolic court to the feast of charity. And when all others 
 went, he alone, as though warned by the spirit, and 
 against the advice of some of his friends, did not go 
 to the place where the others assembled to feast. Now 
 it happened that the nephew of the Lord Cardinal 
 of Praeneste was killed by the hand of assassins 
 before the eyes of the Pope and all the others ; 
 on hearing which, St Edmund returned thanks to God 
 from the bottom of his heart that He had not permitted 
 him to be present at so dreadful a death. All mar- 
 velled that while all the other Prelates were present, 
 he alone was absent ; and it was the universal opinion 
 that it had so turned out by the providence of God 
 so that his gaze should not be profaned. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 558). 
 One evening, while he was at Rome, as he pro- 
 longed his prayer until late, he was summoned to the 
 presence of the Lord Pope after Compline, and, only 
 after having been reproached for his hesitation and 
 delay, he went to him. And as they conversed together, 
 quoting the verse of Samuel, when he was called from 
 the dead and was angered thereat, he said to the Lord 
 
 * March 12.
 
 126 ST EDMUND 
 
 Tope, " holy Father, why hast thou disturbed me at 
 such an hour?" And when he had explained in 
 detail to those who asked the meaning of what he 
 said, the Pope said in jest and with a smiling face, 
 "Thou wouldst make a good monk ! " But he answered, 
 " Would that I could be delivered from these snares 
 and become a good monk ! Oh how happy and peace- 
 ful is the state of a monk ! " 
 
 St Edmund returns to England. — Visitation of Christ- 
 church Monastery by the Legate. 
 
 Geruase Chron. (ii., p. 132). 
 And the Archbishop returning from the papal court, 
 came to Canterbury, and was received with honour by 
 the Convent. And after the lapse of a few days, the 
 Archbishop and the Legate came to Canterbury in 
 order to follow out the apostolic command. Having 
 inspected and carefully examined the written privileges, 
 he found no flaw therein. But the Archbishop com- 
 plained about the charter of Alexander, which 
 he said he had entrusted to the Prior, John of 
 Sittingbourne, of happy memory, which had not been 
 shown to the Legate. When the Convent hesitated 
 about this, Bartholomew of Sandwich said that he had 
 burnt it with his own hands, and he confessed this 
 before the Legate. Afterwards, the Legate came into 
 the chapter, and, in presence of the whole Convent, pro- 
 pounded many things, saying that he had come especially 
 to make peace again between the Archbishop and the 
 Convent, but that his purpose being frustrated, he wished 
 now to complete his own business. He accordingly 
 commanded the Prior, and Simon of Herlepe and
 
 A RCHBISHOP OF CANTERB UR V 127 
 
 Bartholomew of Sandwich, to appear before him in 
 London, in order to receive condign punishment for 
 their offences. 
 
 And as soon as the Legate and Archbishop had 
 retired, the Convent held a careful discussion on these 
 and other matters. But the Archbishop, learning that 
 the Sub-Prior, R. of Westgate, was about to start for 
 Rome, deposed him by his own letters. The Sub- 
 Prior, however, appealing according to his station, set 
 out fur Rome, together with R. Digun and William of 
 Dover. 
 
 The Monks appear before the Legate. 
 
 Ibid. ■ 
 And the Prior and Brothers Simon and Bartholomew, 
 having asked permission, attended on the day appointed 
 for them. And after they were brought into the presence 
 of the Legate, the Prior, without consulting any one, falling 
 at the feet of the Legate, broke into these words : " Holy 
 father (said he), I resign my priorship into thy hands." 
 And the Legate said, " We accept thy resignation." And 
 thus having received his blessing, he with great haste took 
 refuge under the Carthusian habit. But Simon came to 
 Canterbury, and in chapter asked permission to retire into 
 a more strict order ; and having obtained leave, he 
 departed. And Bartholomew, having been severely repri- 
 manded for the burning of the charter, received in the end 
 this sentence : " Brother, thou hast done wrong, and 
 almost incurred the crimeof high treason, for thou hast 
 burnt a Bull of our Lord the Pope ; whence thou shalt live 
 for a time in the Monastery of Westminster, until we can 
 determine, after due deliberation, what justice demands 
 to be done to thee ;" and thus in the aforesaid monastery
 
 128 ST EDMUND 
 
 he awaited for a long time the good pleasure of the 
 Legate. 
 
 In the meantime, the Legate sent his clerk to Canter- 
 bury, who made a careful inquiry about the burning of the 
 said charter. And the Archbishop having been fre- 
 quently asked by the Convent, both by letter and by word 
 of mouth, to come to Canterbury to preside over the 
 election of a new Prior in due order, on the Wednesday 
 next before the Feast of St Edmund he entered the chapter 
 with men of a different religious order, and many seculars. 
 And at first he spoke words of peace, and as it were an 
 exhortation. Then he quickly broke forth into these 
 words : " When (said he) we were staying with the Legate 
 in the city of London, a report came to our ears that your 
 Sub-Prior was about to set out for Rome. For this cause 
 by our letters we deposed him from the office of Sub-Prior ; 
 but as we hear that you were displeased at this, we now, 
 being installed in your chapter, confirm while present 
 what we did when absent ; and while releasing him, we 
 command you in virtue of holy obedience that you should 
 no longer consider him as your Sub-Prior." On hearing 
 this, the monks of Canterbury, being both alarmed and 
 enraged, each and all rose up, and protesting that this 
 was in opposition to their rights and privileges and the 
 dignities of their church, leaving the Archbishop with his 
 clerks in chapter, forthwith went out, and coming to the 
 church, solemnly celebrated the Mass of Blessed Mary. 
 And the Archbishop warned the Convent a third time 
 that they would have to make satisfaction for their dis- 
 obedience and irreverence and contempt towards himself 
 and his. And on the following Thursday, he had a letter 
 placed on the high altar, in which he suspended the Church 
 of Canterbury from ringing of bells, and ourselves from
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 129 
 
 celebrating Mass. But the Convent, holding the sus- 
 pension to be of no validity, neither ceased from ringing 
 their bells nor from saying Mass. For they felt safe under 
 the appeal already rightly instituted.* 
 
 Election of a Prior, f 
 
 Gervase Citron, (ii., p. 146). 
 On the day after the Epiphany, at the proper hour, 
 there assembled in the chapter-house those whose duty 
 it was, and who were able and willing to do so, every- 
 thing being observed which is prescribed for a canonical 
 election. The constitution of the General Council having 
 been read before them, and the grace of the Holy Spirit 
 having been invoked, by the common consent of the 
 brethren, five of their number were deputed to act for them 
 all in the election of a Prior, letters patent of the chapter 
 having been drawn up for this purpose, and delivered to 
 them. Who, having held a careful conference about these 
 things, and having invoked the grace of the Holy Spirit, 
 retiring to the chapter-room, gave their decision in this 
 form: . . . "By the authority of the commission and power 
 given to us, having implored the grace of the Holy Spirit, 
 in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghost, we choose for your Prior Brother Roger de 
 la Lee, a man of prudence and discretion." To this 
 election all, including the elect, gave their assent, and thus 
 all entered the church together with the elect, without 
 hymn or peal of bells, and declared the election publicly 
 among the people assembled there. 
 
 * i.e., their appeal to Rome. 
 
 + According to Canon Law, if the Convent failed to elect within 
 six months of the vacancy, their powers would lapse to the Archbishop. 
 This seems to have been the reason why they took the extreme step 
 of holding the election without the Archbishop. 
 
 I
 
 130 ST EDMUND 
 
 St Edmund Excommunicates the Electors. 
 
 Gervase Chron. (ii., p. 148). 
 When this election was presented to the Archbishop 
 of Canterbury by our beloved brethren Alexander and 
 Robert, the said Archbishop answered that this was a novel 
 kind of election, and that he must take careful advice ; 
 and he gave no other answer, nor could he fix any definite 
 day therefor ; and thus they retired from his palace.* 
 
 [A week later St Edmund had apparently decided on his course of 
 action, and the following letter was placed by his penitentiary on the 
 high altar of the cathedral] : — 
 
 Gcrvasc Chron. (ii., p. 151). 
 
 " Edmund, by the grace of God, Archbishop of Canter- 
 bury and Primate of all England, to the Convent, the 
 spirit of more prudent counsel. Since, in opposition to 
 the customs of the Church of Canterbury established from 
 ancient times, and to the grave prejudice of our own 
 dignity and that of our successors, by your own authority 
 you have de facto chosen Roger de la Lee for your Prior, 
 as is more fully contained in your letters patent addressed 
 to us ; and whereas, having been thrice warned by us, you 
 have not been willing to recall your error, nor to make 
 satisfaction to us for your offence, we now inflict on all 
 and each of the electors the sentence of excommunication. 
 But thee, Roger de la Lee, we command in virtue of 
 strict obedience, that before the Feast of Saints Fabian 
 and Sebastian,-|* by thyself or through another, thou shalt 
 declare to us whether thou hast consented and consentest 
 
 * The Archbishop was staying at his manor at Hadlow, near Tun- 
 bridge. There were in all some twenty-five archiepiscopal manors, 
 besides the palace at Canterbury. A list is given by Dom Wallace 
 
 P . 287). 
 
 t January 20.
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 131 
 
 to the aforesaid election. Given at Hadlow on 15th 
 January, in the fifth year of our episcopate." 
 
 On the Feast of St Vincent,* therefore, the priests 
 having been called together, by the authority of the 
 official of the Lord Archbishop, letters of the same official 
 were sent by his servant to J. and R., rectors of the 
 Churches of St Michael and St Mary Magdalen. In 
 these he ordered them with a strict command to notify 
 to all the priests subject to them, that every Sunday 
 and feast clay they should publicly, in their churches, 
 with ringing of bells and lighted candles, denounce 
 as excommunicated by the Lord Archbishop each and 
 every monk of Christchurch, Canterbury, who had taken 
 part in the election of Roger de la Lee as Prior, in 
 opposition to the most ancient custom of the church, 
 and to the special prejudice of the dignity of the Lord 
 Archbishop and his successors ; and that they should 
 see that they be strictly avoided by all. 
 
 But while these things were taking place, Brother 
 Simon of Leicester and Dunstan arrived, having been 
 sent, on behalf of the Convent, to prosecute the appeal, 
 who recounted the appeal solemnly made in their own 
 church by Brother Roger de la Lee on the Feast of the 
 Assumption of Blessed Mary, on behalf of the Convent 
 and their possessions, and for their liberties, and for 
 their church, and for the ancient customs of the church ; 
 now still returning to the same charges and others that 
 were connected with them, appealed against all their 
 injuries, past, present, and future, and also against the 
 promulgation of the denunciations. 
 
 [Much correspondence passed after this on both sides, in the 
 course of which St Edmund accused seventeen monks, whom he 
 
 * January 22.
 
 1 32 ST EDMUND 
 
 specified by name, as being the leaders of the rebellion, and summoned 
 them to appear before him ; but they refused to do so on various 
 grounds. St Edmund seems to have hesitated long before taking the 
 final step of denouncing the monks throughout England. See Wallace, 
 chap, xxi.] 
 
 The Archbishop takes Counsel of the Legate 
 and Suffragans. 
 
 Gervase Chron. (ii., p. 159). 
 On the Friday before the Sunday on which is sung 
 Laetare Jerusalem* the Suffragans being assembled at 
 London by order of the Lord Legate, the Lord Archbishop 
 had a conference with them about the dispute between 
 himself and us. For the most part they approved of 
 his measures ; and he forthwith enjoined on each and 
 all, by his letters patent, that they should denounce 
 those who were excommunicated in all the churches of 
 their respective dioceses, every Sunday and feast day, 
 with ringing of bells and lighted candles. At which the 
 Bishops of Chichester and Rochester being grieved, they 
 begged him, together with Albert, the Bishop-elect of 
 Armagh, to delay the sentence, on account of the scandal 
 which would follow. And when the aforesaid Bishop-elect 
 could not obtain his wish, he approached the Lord Legate, 
 who, he said, ought not to tolerate it, for it would be a 
 disgrace to him if in his presence the Church of Canterbury 
 should be trampled upon, and that he had not interposed 
 his services, that such a dispute between so great people 
 should be settled in peace. Whence the Legate per- 
 suaded the Archbishop and some of the Suffragans to 
 delay the sentence for a time, for that he was willing to 
 use his own endeavours for the restoration of peace if 
 possible ; and in order that the affair might be discussed 
 * The fourth Sunday of Lent.
 
 ARcmusrrop of canterbury 
 
 133 
 
 between the parties, he would send the aforesaid Bishop- 
 elect, as mediator, from him, as soon as opportunity 
 offered. 
 
 The Rogation Processions. 
 
 Gervase Chron. (ii., p. 170). 
 When the Ascension Day was at hand,* we went out 
 in procession, with banners and relics in our wonted 
 
 St Martin's Church, Canterbury. 
 
 fashion, through the town, a large crowd following us. 
 And as we passed the different churches, not one was 
 found to ring their bells, as they are accustomed to do 
 in reverence for the relics, except St Michael's in Rurgate 
 and St George's. Spies were posted on behalf of the 
 Ordinary to take the names of those who followed us ; 
 
 * A.D. I239.
 
 i 3 4 ST E DM C.XD 
 
 but owing to their number this proved impossible. On 
 the day of Pentecost, at the command of the Archdeacon, 
 by the authority of his lord, the two aforementioned 
 churches, namely, St George's and St Michael's, were 
 suspended both from the ringing of bells and from 
 celebrating Mass, because they had rung their bells in 
 response to our procession. 
 
 The Citizens of Canterbury complain of the Scandal. 
 
 Gcrvase Chron. (ii., p. 173). 
 The things which were done on St Augustine's and 
 the following days were not accomplished without much 
 murmuring on the part of the people. . . . The townsmen 
 complained that on account of the scandal which had 
 arisen both in England and in the neighbouring provinces, 
 merchants and pilgrims who had been wont to flock to 
 the city, had ceased to come ; from whose riches they 
 had been accustomed to support themselves and their 
 families ; nor is this to be wondered at, for this well- 
 peopled city is now sitting as though desolate, weeping 
 with us, and calling out, " O Lord, save the city of 
 Canterbury, and the monks thereof, lest we perish." 
 
 [The mediation of the Bishops having proved unsuccessful, after 
 some further delay, the sentence of excommunication was finally 
 promulgated throughout England on November 16, 1239.] 
 
 The King and the Legate oppose the Archbishop. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 567). 
 
 Afterwards, when the Suffragans came together, by the 
 
 royal mandate, to relieve the necessities of the church, 
 
 a contention arose between the king and the church, 
 
 which at the instigation of the devil, increased more and
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 135 
 
 more. Many days were occupied, indeed, in trying to 
 make peace, but, urged on by the author of all dissension, 
 after vain delays the) - separated, at variance with one 
 another. Then the Archbishop, standing up as a strong 
 opp merit, and placing himself as a wall before the house 
 of Israel, after renewed troubles and multiplied wrongs, 
 by advice of his Suffragans, passed sentence of anathema 
 on all disturbers of the peace ; repeating it, renewing it, 
 and increasing it. Moreover, the man of God, established 
 firmly on the Rock, which is Christ, could neither be 
 softened by flattery, nor terrified by threats, to deviate 
 from the pursuit of justice. But Otho, the Legate, 
 anxious to please the king, when he saw his heart now 
 wholly turned away from the Archbishop, whose enemies 
 were increasing on every side, endeavoured to please the 
 majority. By the authority, therefore, which he possessed, 
 he annulled the acts of the Archbishop, absolving those 
 whom he had specially excommunicated, and inflicting 
 censures of anathema or suspension on those whom the 
 Archbishop had from time to time absolved. . . . By the 
 same authority, decision was given against the Archbishop 
 in favour of the Convent of Rochester.* The Earl Simon 
 of Leicester was likewise permitted to retain his wife - } - 
 
 * This was a question as to the right to nominate to the See of 
 Rochester, which was then an appanage to the Archiepiscopal See of 
 Canterbury. St Edmund had the law clearly on his side ; but the 
 monks claimed a right by prescription of fifty-two years, and their 
 claim was allowed. 
 
 t Countess Eleanor, sister of King Henry, had previously been 
 married to William Marshal, son of the Earl of Pembroke. Shortly 
 after his death, she took a vow of chastity by advice of and in 
 presence of St Edmund. This fact was publicly known, and when 
 the marriage with Simon de Montfort was projected, therefore, St 
 Edmund protested that it was unlawful. Notwithstanding his 
 opposition, the marriage took place, the ceremony being performed
 
 136 ST EDMUND 
 
 in peace, although the Archbishop had fully informed the 
 Pope of the vow solemnly made in his presence. In other 
 cases, also, was he pitifully wearied and despoiled until 
 the treasure that he had gathered was exhausted, and 
 he was besides oppressed in many ways. 
 
 He is calumniated and oppressed. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 This change in the right hand of the Most High, the 
 malignant endeavoured to turn to his disparagement. 
 The)' began to attribute the higher life which he led to 
 superstition ; his zeal for justice they termed cruelty ; 
 his affability they certainly affirmed to be frivolity ; 
 when he provided for the interests of his church, they 
 attributed it to avarice ; his contempt of worldly favour, 
 they libellously called a seeking after vain-glory ; the 
 episcopal state he kept, they pretended was pride ;• and 
 when in many things he followed the will of God, they 
 gave him the note of arrogance. These are the chief 
 things they said. Naught could be spoken or done by 
 him but it was perverted by the malice of evil inter- 
 pretation. But though he had man}- wrongs which did 
 indeed rightly trouble and vex him, there was one about 
 which he felt especially grieved in his secret heart. When 
 the eldest son of our lord the King of England, the heir 
 of all things,* was baptised, Otho, the Legate, was chosen 
 to baptise him. He had forced himself into this position, 
 though only in Deacon's orders, of a foreign nationality, 
 inferior in character and wanting in theological know- 
 
 during his absence in Rome. Simon tie Montfort followed him there, 
 in order if possible to obtain a papal dispensation, in which object he 
 eventually succeeded. 
 
 The future King Edward I,
 
 A RCHBISHOP F CA NTERB CRY 137 
 
 ledge ; and he was given precedence over the Archbishop 
 of Canterbury, the Primate of all England, who was known 
 as a priest of the same nation, of the highest character, 
 of even distinguished sanctity, a doctor in many sciences, 
 and a most renowned teacher, although he was present. 
 But while the Legate performed the chief function, the 
 Bishop of Carlisle put the infant into the water. Never- 
 theless, after the baptism, the Archbishop was allowed to 
 perform the Confirmation.* Whence all believed him to 
 be as one unprofitable, and held up to the contempt of all. 
 What, then, remained to him but to leave everything? 
 
 His Patience towards his Enemies. 
 
 Poniigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1809). 
 
 But as he wished to overcome his enemies by patience, 
 he kept many things secret, and carefully passed over 
 much in silence : hence, by many he was looked on as not 
 sufficiently severe, and lukewarm, and remiss. One of 
 these men one day, with familiar boldness, reproached him 
 for enduring more injuries to his church than he ought to 
 suffer. For it was not proper, he said, to allow his church 
 to be so trampled upon, even though the other course 
 might involve surrendering the archiepiscopal dignity. 
 To this he answered : "If I thought more of the Archi- 
 episcopate than of the dirt I trample beneath my feet, I 
 would without doubt resign it before evening, and not 
 unwillingly." But he did nothing rashly or with haste. 
 Together with the Suffragans he implored the king, with 
 humility, with faithfulness, and with all meekness, and 
 frequently warned him to restore what he had taken 
 unjustly, and to preserve the rights of the church. But 
 
 * Confirmation used in those days to be administered immediately 
 after baptism.
 
 t 3 8 ST EDMUND 
 
 the more, under the guidance of God, the saint with 
 humility stood up against the trampling on his rights, so 
 
 much the more, at the instigation of the adversary, did the 
 crowd of his rivals become ready to defraud the innocent. 
 For they took their strength from the presence of the 
 Legate of the Sovereign Pontiff, trusting everything to the 
 power of his dignity. And unless their malice had by 
 miracle been kept in bounds, this malignant people would 
 have perchance been more cruel even than those who 
 crucified Christ. 
 
 He takes further Counsel of his Suffragans. 
 
 Cambridge MS., fol. 48^, col. 2. 
 At length, having called together a council of the 
 Suffragan Bishops, and other prudent men with them, he 
 discussed the course of action to be taken, how he might 
 resist those who were rising up against him, and how he 
 might deliver the church, depressed by so grave a servi- 
 tude, and bring it into the liberty of the glory of the sons 
 of God. His colleagues and fellow Bishops being con- 
 sulted on this matter, advised that the king and others 
 who were against him should be warned for the present, 
 and that then, if the warning had no effect, the severity of 
 ecclesiastical discipline should follow. The saint acted on 
 their advice, and he himself accompanied those who were 
 deputed to warn the king. The king, having heard from 
 him the resolutions, promised to consider them. The 
 man of patience waited long and patiently, being, 
 however, very grieved for the loss to his church. And 
 when no good came from waiting, and he saw that so 
 much time was consumed, and the affair was put off by 
 vain delays, he took the decision into his own hands, And
 
 A RCHBISm y OF CANTERBl "A' Y 139 
 
 having called together a meeting of the faithful, he 
 explained his cause with great care before them all, and 
 with due deference to the king as excelling, being com- 
 pelled by the obstinacy of those who were contumacious, 
 and after having endured almost unbearable wrongs, he 
 passed sentence of excommunication against those who 
 infringed and unjustly disturbed the rights and liberties of 
 the Church of Canterbury in general, and some whose 
 guilt was publicly known in particular, excepting, however, 
 the person of the king. For he hoped that they whom 
 neither charitable warning nor the fear of God could 
 withhold from evil, at least the force of so great severity 
 might restrain, and might call back their hearts smitten 
 by the hammer of the Word of God, to penance. But the 
 hearts of the sons of men are sometimes hardened by 
 the very means which ought to soften them, and they 
 become, as it were, steeled. 
 
 The Legate demands Subsidies for the Pope. 
 
 Hist. Ang. (ii., p. 431). 
 During the course of the same year, there came 
 together, at Reading, all the Bishops of England, and 
 some of the great men of the realm, to hear the Pope's 
 command set forth by the Legate. And when they had 
 come together, the Legate having made a long speech, in 
 order that he might win the hearts of his hearers, at length 
 explained to all the various hardships and expenses which 
 the Lord Pope suffered in withstanding the Emperor 
 Frederick. He made a most pressing demand, there- 
 fore, on behalf of the Pope himself, for a fifth part of 
 their goods, by the aid of which he might be able to 
 repel the encroachments of so strong an enemy. To
 
 i4o ST EDMUND 
 
 whom, at the beginning of the council, the Bishops 
 answered that they would by no means undertake so 
 insupportable a burden, which affected the whole Church, 
 without careful deliberation and full discussion. A place 
 and day were therefore fixed for their consideration of this 
 command. 
 
 And in the meantime, all the Bishops of England came 
 together before Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, to 
 consider the safest course to pursue in these great 
 difficulties. At length, after many and various dis- 
 cussions, heaving deep and doleful sighs, the Arch- 
 bishop said : " Brethren and friends, you must perceive 
 by experience that these latter days have fallen upon 
 critical times, nor is there an)' one who is not wearied 
 of this mortal life. We must make a virtue of necessity ; 
 for while the Pope drags us one way and the king the 
 other, I see not how we can resist." And when the 
 other Bishops of England heard this, they came to the 
 same wav of thinkiner. 
 
 The Legate over-rides the Archbishop's Decisions. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iv., p. 72). 
 But, in truth, St Edmund was an exile, dwelling in 
 bod}- alone in this pilgrimage, and languishing in 
 weariness at the disputes rising up on ever}' side. The 
 rebels, likewise, whom he had in judicial form excom- 
 municated, the Legate did not cease boldly and irrever- 
 ently to absolve, and with unwarranted and irregular 
 presumption, on the leave and consent of the king, he 
 exceeded his powers in doing many things to the 
 prejudice of the Archbishop and Primate of all 
 England. But this trouble pressed hardly on all the
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 141 
 
 Bishops of England. Wherefore, when the king and 
 Legate were talking together in jest, and promising to 
 help each other in all things against all men, a certain 
 jester rebuked them, saying : " Come, come ; now I 
 know well, that since the shepherd and wolf have made a 
 treaty of peace, a cruel slaughter is threatening the sheep." 
 
 The Archbishop appeals to the Pope. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iv., p. 14). 
 At the same time, Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, 
 believed, and with confidence t* isted, that he would find 
 in the Lord Pope a helper, at least in some measure ; such 
 as Blessed Thomas the Martyr, the predecessor of the said 
 Archbishop, had found in Pope Alexander of happy 
 memory. He began, therefore, to make urgent com- 
 plaints, in doleful letters and by special messengers, 
 whereby he believed he would convert the Pope's heart 
 of stone into one of flesh, so that he might put an end 
 to the hateful and unjust custom by which kings, who 
 were tyrants, and in all respect enemies to the Church 
 and at war with it, did not suffer cathedral and 
 monastic churches, when deprived of their pastors, even 
 to breathe, nor to be provided anew by free and 
 canonical election with fitting pastors ; and he urged 
 that the king should not at his will, without reason, 
 hinder the elections by his lawyers, whom he retained 
 for the express purpose of finding flaws. And that if 
 any such church should lose its pastor, when the post 
 should have been vacant for six months it should be 
 competent for the Archbishop of the said place to make 
 a fitting provision for it. And when, by the deceitful 
 promise of the Roman court, Edmund was hoping to 
 become another Thomas, by whose glorious combat the
 
 i 4 2 ST EDMUND 
 
 evil customs of the English Church were put an end to, 
 and that Pope Gregory would emulate the example of 
 Pope Alexander in the time of Blessed Thomas, his co- 
 exile and helper, Pope Gregory was suddenly found to 
 be timid as a man ; and at the bidding of the King of 
 England, who asserted this to be in opposition to his 
 royal dignity, he revoked and annulled all his devout 
 promises, about which the Archbishop had even 
 obtained papal letters, not without great expense. At 
 this, the king became more insolent and tyrannical than 
 ever, and he procured the election of Boniface,* in 
 opposition to the liberties of the Church of Winchester, 
 by effectually impeding all else, though done rightly 
 and with good intent. 
 
 His Visions. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 569). 
 The man of God, therefore, seeing that he would have 
 to yield and to retire, according to the words of the poet, 
 "When a madman is on his course, give place to his 
 raving," on a certain night prayed very earnestly that the 
 Angel of good Counsel would direct his steps and would 
 enlighten his heart as to what should be done that was 
 best, and most fitting, and most salutary for his soul in 
 this emergency. And behold in the midst of his prayer 
 while he was very much afraid to take flight altogether, 
 it was revealed to him from above what he was to do, 
 in the following words: ''Trust the inscription written 
 round thy small seal, and follow him whose martyrdom 
 is represented in the midst." Now the inscription on 
 his private seal was this : " Eadmundum doceat mors 
 
 Boniface of Savoy, uncle of Queen Eleanor, and afterwards 
 St Edmund's successor as Archbishop of Canterbury.
 
 "•■ 
 
 
 
 
 l 
 
 
 Shrine of St Thomas. 
 (From mi old MS ) 
 
 ( /•'<"• page 143.
 
 ARCHBISHOP (>/■' CANTERBUR\ 143 
 
 mea ne timeat." And in the middle was finely carved, 
 Blessed Thomas the Martyr, and the soldiers dashing 
 out his brains. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1812). 
 
 And Blessed Thomas the Martyr himself appeared to 
 him in vision, and strengthened him, with familiar exhorta- 
 tion, to act manfully. Seeing this, the blessed man strove 
 to take the foot of the martyr to kiss it, but Blessed 
 Thomas prevented him, withdrawing his foot. For which 
 cause he wept- and groaned. To whom St Thomas said, 
 " Why weepest thou ? " And he said, " Because my 
 unworthiness does not permit my mouth to kiss thy 
 most venerable feet." To whom the martyr said, " For 
 this refusal, I would not have thee weep nor groan, for 
 the time is at hand when thou shalt kiss me even on the 
 face." On another occasion it seemed to him that he 
 wished to enter the church at Canterbury, and pray 
 with veneration at the tomb of St Thomas. And when 
 he had prayed there, the blessed martyr appeared to 
 him, and with a joyful countenance said : " I know, 
 father, that thou seekest of me that I should show thee 
 the wounds of my head." And saying these words, he 
 took his hand in his own, and moved it along his head, 
 thus allowing him to feel it ; and in order that he might 
 the more easily handle the scars of his wounds, he humbly 
 bowed his head. And the Archbishop, thinking that he 
 ought to consult him on the condition of some of his 
 rivals, speaking more privately, made inquiries of him 
 thus : " What (said he) shall happen to these unhappy 
 people?" To whom the holy martyr answered, "Thou 
 shalt do with them as with cattle." And with these words 
 he disappeared.
 
 i 44 ST EDMUND 
 
 He is comforted. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 569). 
 Having learnt from above, therefore, what he was 
 to do, the Archbishop strove from henceforth to follow 
 the track of Blessed Thomas the Martyr step by step. 
 For it was granted to him to know in spirit that this 
 was the voice of counsel and comfort of Blessed Thomas 
 his predecessor. And although it was already his custom 
 in his difficulties frequently, solemnly, and devoutly 
 to invoke the martyr, from this time forward he 
 invoked him in prayer more frequently, more solemnly, 
 and more devoutly, in order that thus in the same 
 manner as by bearing with fortitude the troubles and 
 tribulations of this life he went gloriously forward 
 towards eternal rest, so he might also by manfully 
 supporting the oppression of the world and of worldly 
 men, in fine hasten towards the Lord of all consolation 
 and rest, who himself was leading him thither. The 
 Archbishop, therefore, was comforted in the Lord, and 
 concealed his inward cares under a bright countenar.ee. 
 O wondrous patience of this man of God, and worthy of 
 everlasting remembrance ! Whensoever the lawsuits, 
 or anything that the lawyers did against him were 
 brought to an adverse issue, joining his hands and 
 raising his eyes to heaven, he would pray earnestly, 
 saying, " Lord Jesus, who in Thy prayer didst say, 
 ' Not my will but Thine be done,' I pray after the same 
 fashion, not as I will, but as Thou wilt be it done. 
 And as Tin - will shall be in heaven, so let it be done 
 [on earth]. Would only that my Church could obtain 
 what according to law is hers: and for all else belong- 
 ing to the enemy, let him keep and possess in happiness
 
 A RCHBISHOP OF CANTERB UR J ' 145 
 
 what is his own." And when often he heard that his 
 many adversaries obtained what they desired — and what 
 wonder, for the Legate Otho, as another Pope, was 
 opposed to him with all his strength — the fortitude of 
 this hoi)' man was in no wise moved, not even that 
 his lips should fall into harsh words ; nor was his 
 countenance ever in any way changed, but after the 
 model of Holy Job he would say : " As it hath pleased 
 the Lord, so be it done, blessed be the name of the 
 Lord. Thus have they decided who are skilled in 
 the law ; it is not to be supposed that so man)' and 
 such learned men can go wrong, or be deceived." 
 
 He determines to leave England. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 181 1). 
 
 But the man of peace, being unwilling to contend 
 with them, thought it better to yield before their 
 wickedness rather than to be oppressed with lawsuits. 
 But since he was unable to exercise the due office of a 
 pastor, although his hands had been outstretched for 
 the freedom of the Church, being afflicted inwardly with 
 sorrow, as though exacting from himself the punish- 
 ment for the sins of others, he banished Himself from 
 the kingdom of England. 
 
 He was led, indeed, by this consideration, that if he 
 were to expend all the severity of the Church on the 
 rebels, perchance the Legate would annul what he did : 
 and nevertheless, he would be provoking the king and 
 others at enmity with himself in their anger to do even 
 worse and more serious things. And if he while present 
 did not strive to correct evils, it would appear as though 
 by practising such dissimulation, he was approving of 
 
 K
 
 140 ST EDMUND 
 
 them. On tin's account he chose to absent himself in 
 body, but not in heart, that by so doing he might show 
 his affliction of spirit, and by his very absence he might 
 bear witness against their malice and wron^-doing-. 
 
 During his last Days in England, he -works Miracles. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, Hi., c. 1811). 
 During the days which elapsed before he quitted his 
 native soil, God worked several miracles through his 
 instrumentality, some of which we have thought well 
 to record, for the edification of other men. A certain 
 man was afflicted with a severe fever, and earnestly 
 besought the blessed father to consecrate some water, 
 which, in order to recover his health, he would drink 
 in place of medicine. And so it came to pass. The 
 hoi}- Bishop blessed the water, and when it had touched 
 the vital parts of him who was sick, straightway the 
 sick one recovered his strength. Which when some of 
 his household reported to him, he forbade them to 
 mention it so long as he was alive. 
 
 His Prophecies. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 And to some persons he made known things which 
 the event afterwards showed him to have learnt by the 
 spirit of prophecy. For when Albert, a man worthy of 
 veneration, was called to govern the Church of Armagh* 
 and sought the holy father as an angel of great counsel ; 
 
 * Albert was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh at Westminster 
 Abbey shortly after St Edmund had left England. He was after- 
 wards translated to the Archiepiscopal See of Livonia in Prussia. He 
 took a prominent part in the negotiations for the Canonisation of 
 
 St Edmund.
 
 ARCHBISm )P OF CANTERB ( 7? Y 147 
 
 he, without waiting, answered that he should not hesi- 
 tate to accept this burden for God's sake. " Thou 
 shouldst know, however (said he), that thou shalt 
 encounter many trials, which thou must bear with a 
 willing heart and a joyful soul. For thou shalt bring 
 thy troubles to such a termination that thou shouldst 
 now glory in patience." Which termination, although 
 the servant of God had made it plain to him, he has 
 nevertheless thought well not to describe to any one, 
 or only to a few. For he still longs to bring it to this 
 termination, as the holy man predicted. 
 
 He likewise made known to Lord William, Bishop 
 of Norwich, and afterwards of Winchester* what things 
 
 o 
 
 should befall him, in this fashion : " Thou shalt be vexed 
 with man)- persecutions, but in the end thou shalt triumph 
 over them all." And that each of these prophecies rests 
 on certain truth is proved by the event which gives 
 testimony of the truth. For the first-named, who was 
 formerly Bishop of Armagh, now glories in his tribulations, 
 which he is still undergoing for justice' sake ; and the 
 latter, who is now Bishop of Winchester, after many 
 tribulations, today is happily triumphant. 
 
 He determines to go to Pontigny. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 And on the eve of his journey, when he was about to 
 depart from his fatherland, he secretly conferred with 
 certain devout men,f and told them the reason of his 
 departure from England. And one of them inquired of 
 
 * William de Raleigh. 
 
 t From the Cambridge MS. we learn that these were the Prior 
 and Sub-Prior of Lewes, the former of whom asked the question 
 which follows.
 
 148 ST EDMUND 
 
 him whither he would arrange to go, and whether he 
 thought to make a stay at Pontigny. To whom the 
 saint said : " We will go to Pontigny, and there, if it 
 be God's will, we will work all manner of good." . . . For 
 he knew that there a refuge had been found by all 
 Prelates who had been exiled from England for justice' 
 sake. . . . For he had before his eyes how Blessed 
 Thomas the Martyr, before the time of his martyrdom, 
 had awaited there for six years,* the reward of his life ; 
 and how that renowned man Stephen, called de Langton, 
 together with several of his Suffragans, had in like manner 
 awaited the palm of his labours and strife. And others, 
 also, who by faith have, after much suffering, subdued 
 kingdoms, likewise came to the mind of this invincible 
 champion of the Lord. 
 
 Departure from England. 
 
 Hist. Ang. (ii., p. 435)- 
 And when he was about to go, he bade farewell to 
 the king, and said with tears : " Never again wilt thou 
 behold my face." 
 
 Lanercost Chron. (p. 39). 
 And as he was taking leave of the land, making his 
 retreat from the country, standing on a hill near the 
 city of London, and casting his eyes over the land, he 
 stretched forth his consecrated hand, and conferred his 
 blessing on his fatherland ; and he added his malediction 
 on the woman.f and her future offspring. 
 
 * This is an error. St Thomas was at Pontigny only two years, 
 when Henry II. threatened to persecute the Cistercians in England 
 on his account ; and he accordingly retired to Sens, where lie spent 
 the remaining four years of his exile. 
 
 t Countess Eleanor. For the fulfilment of this prophecy, see 
 Wallace, p. 341.
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 149 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 570). 
 
 On the eastern side of England, therefore, where 
 stretches the island called Thanet, a ship was secretly 
 and swiftly made read) 7 , and having commended himself 
 and all his, and likewise the cause of his Church to God 
 and to the glorious Virgin, our Lady and Spouse, and 
 to Blessed Thomas, his predecessor and guide, in 
 company with his attendants, whose number he limited, 
 for that he was impoverished not a little with liabilities 
 to others, with a prosperous voyage he sailed to a port 
 across the seas. 
 
 Abbrcv. Chron. (iii., p. 280). 
 
 And when he was in the ship sailing, looking back 
 on England, he wept bitterly, knowing in spirit that he 
 should never see it again ; and that the kingdom would 
 suffer infinite evils, and the Church be oppressed with 
 Gfreat servitude.
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 EXILE AT PONTIGNY. — DEATH AT SOISSY 
 
 He lands in Prance. — The Queen of the French conies 
 to meet him. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 571). 
 On arriving in France, the Archbishop had a long 
 and private interview at Senlis * with the lady Blanche, 
 mother of the king of the French,f who is well known to 
 have great and more than womanly discretion. Having 
 brought her sons along with her into his presence, she 
 recommended herself and them to his prayers, and be- 
 sought him to bestow his blessing on them. And with 
 great persistence, with her hands clasped, she begged 
 him to join her in unceasing prayers for the state of 
 the French kingdom, and for the safety of the king. 
 This he agreed to with a promise, which without doubt 
 he fulfilled. Hence it is that we trust with, as I think, 
 a pious belief, that it was this his blessing which brought 
 health and strength to the king when afterwards gravely 
 ill, and when, according to what man)' say, he was 
 actually dead, it restored him to life and safety, and 
 afterwards also brought him honour and prosperity, as 
 later events truly proved. This, indeed, the aforesaid 
 
 * An old Cathedral town, some thirty miles north of Paris. 
 + St Louis IX.
 
 Han,'sJ.ahiiI.£atsim 
 
 Z.Clcmmic i'tcU 
 
 [Face page 150.
 
 VUEDtl'AEBAVE 
 
 = 
 
 ,1'H 
 
 1 1 1"i|"il"*^ ^VW l , " it 
 
 septet 
 
 R %% 
 
 -\\ 
 
 Bird's-eye V bey, Pontigny.
 
 EXILE AT PONTIGNY 151 
 
 queen earnestly begged of him, having heard how many 
 glorious deeds of sanctity had shone forth in his life, 
 and how he was following in the way trodden by St 
 Thomas the Martyr, step by step, without deviating there- 
 from. She therefore offered to his choice the whole French 
 kingdom, that he might find in it a peaceful and quiet 
 refuge for his own use, where the highest honour would 
 be paid him at the expense of the Lord King, her son. 
 This the king himself and his brethren earnestly besought 
 him to accept ; but the Archbishop, being unwilling to 
 prolong his stay, thanked them profusely, and having 
 obtained permission, he bade farewell and continued his 
 journey towards Pontigny. 
 
 Arrival at Pontigny. Fulfilment of St Thomas's 
 Prophecy. 
 
 St John's College MS. (Wallace, p. 610). 
 Being received at Pontigny with honour, he and his 
 attendants lay there in retirement in a guest-house, 
 in which the Abbot and monks of the same monastery 
 had once received St Thomas when in exile. The same 
 Thomas, having been kindly and considerately treated 
 for a long time, finally at his departure, as he had not 
 wherewith to recompense them with material goods, in 
 heartily thanking the Abbot and the whole community, 
 said : " My beloved, having experienced your unfeigned 
 charity in my exile, I confess myself a debtor to you 
 for the expenses to which you have been put on my 
 account; but since, my revenues having been confiscated, 
 I have no power to repay your loan, I have thought 
 well to beseech you to have patience for the present, 
 and I will pay you all. This, indeed, I faithfully pro-
 
 i 5 2 ST £DMUND 
 
 misc, that at a time not far distant, an Archbishop will 
 rule in Canterbury who will repay you for the benefits 
 you have conferred upon me." Having said this, he re- 
 turned to his own country, and fighting the battle for 
 the Church of Christ, fell in the bosom of his mother, 
 as a devout father killed by his [ungrateful] children. 
 But lest the words of so great a Pontiff should become 
 void, the fact that Edmund on his arrival, for the afore- 
 mentioned reason, was able [by his presence] to repay 
 the monks what they had spent on St Thomas, is 
 believed to have happened by the special will of the 
 Divine dispensation. 
 
 His Manner of Life at Pontigny. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1814). 
 
 The Archbishop, therefore, having arrived at Pontigny 
 with his distinguished companions* was received with all 
 reverence and honour, and there he gave himself to 
 diligent study and prayer, spending in this manner the 
 whole day and the greater part of the night. And 
 knowing that he who labours not ought not to eat, he 
 was wont to transcribe with his own hand those truths 
 which the guidance of the Holy Spirit enabled him to 
 find in the depths of Holy Scripture. 
 
 And when on a certain day he was preaching at the 
 village of Legny,f a certain woman approached him, 
 bringing her daughter, who was stricken down with a 
 quartan fever. She had been given up by the doctors 
 she had consulted, and had received no benefit from them, 
 and had completely lost her appetite. The mother, there- 
 
 * His suite included his brother Robert, his chancellor, St Richard, 
 Bertrand, his chamberlain, and others. 
 t About two miles from Pontigny.
 
 EXILE A T PONTIGN V 153 
 
 fore, entreated the man of God, on behalf of her daughter, 
 beseeching him to touch her and to bless her by making 
 the sign of the Cross. " For I believe (she said) that my 
 daughter would be cured of her fever by thy sacred touch." 
 To whom the saint said, with a smile, " Dost thou believe 
 without doubt or hesitation that by my touch thy daughter 
 would receive the gift of health which she longs for ? " 
 But she said, " I do believe, my lord." And he made the 
 sign of the Cross with his thumb on the forehead of the 
 sick person, and taking hold of her head with his hands, 
 and drawing them down her cheeks, he said to the girl, 
 in presence of her mother : " May the Lord restore to 
 thee thy health." And she who had been afflicted with 
 quartan fever experienced the power of his words, 
 and was never afterwards troubled by a return of the 
 malady. 
 
 His Austerities. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 571). 
 And dwelling [at Pontigny] in peace for some days, 
 so assiduously did he give himself to prayer, contem- 
 plation, hearing confessions, preaching, and other devout 
 works, that all those living there were strengthened in 
 their religious spirit, and were trained and happily incited 
 to a mutual emulation. They marvelled to see such 
 a truly religious life in one who was a secular. And 
 once, when he diminished his lenten fare more than usual, 
 notwithstanding the pious reproofs of his brethren, he 
 persevered in what he had undertaken. For they said : 
 " Holy Father, one of our doctors, Blessed Bernard of 
 Clairvaux, says : ' Keep thy body in check, but do not 
 destroy it ; repress it, but do not oppress it.' And the 
 usage of the Church teaches us to pray that we may ' give
 
 '54 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 a reasonable service.' And there is a maxim, 'For a 
 beast of burden (that is for your body), provide food, a 
 burden, and a rod.'" Yielding to their persuasions, the 
 Archbishop reduced the strictness of his abstinence in 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny (North Aisle). 
 
 main - ways, but he did not entirely accede to their wishes. 
 The monks, therefore, became themselves ashamed, con- 
 demning their own weakness and sloth, though they were 
 leading the severe life of Cistercians.
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny (Interior } 
 
 [Face page 154.
 
 EXILE A T PONTIC X J 155 
 
 He is -weary of Life. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iv., p. 72). 
 And he languished both in body and mind ; and 
 heaving deep sighs, would repeat : " Oh how far better 
 to die than to see the evils of my people, and of the saints 
 upon the earth. . . ." Longing, therefore, to be dissolved 
 and to be with Christ, he used to pray, saying : " Woe is' 
 me, that my sojourning is prolonged. It is enough and 
 more than enough for me to see everything falling head- 
 long into ruin. O Lord God, take away my life." And 
 the Archbishop dwelt some days at Pontigny, where 
 Blessed Thomas the Martyr, his predecessor, had once 
 lived as an exile, and where day and night, in tears and 
 fasting, he poured forth unceasing prayers to God and 
 Blessed Thomas for the state of the English Church and 
 its dangers. 
 
 His Sermon to the Monks.- -He is received as 
 one of the Community. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 572). 
 One day, at the request of the Abbot and Convent, 
 the Archbishop entered the chapter. And as he delivered 
 to them a sermon, he instilled into their hearts true 
 virtue, and in->tructed their minds in knowledge. His 
 speech was inflamed, imbued with much feeling, and 
 chastened with terseness and brevity. He spoke in Latin 
 as an orator ; in the vulgar tongue, that is, French, as a 
 Frenchman. After the sermon, he begged and obtained 
 leave to share the lot of a monk in spiritual matters, in 
 order to obtain a share in the common blessings of the 
 whole house. From thenceforward, he went among them 
 as one of their own community, so that he might profess
 
 1 5 6 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 himself to be one of the brethren, although he did not 
 wear the monk's habit. And he used to rejoice in giving 
 them refreshments, which we call pittances.* 
 
 " Speculum Ecclesiae." 
 
 [During his stay at Pontigny St Edmund finished his treatise, 
 which he called by the name of "Speculum Ecclesiae," or the 
 
 L ' 
 
 Monks' Washing Place, Pontigny. 
 
 " Minor of the Church." He must have written most of it before he 
 left England, very probably before he became Archbishop, either at 
 
 * These were small extra portions brought into the refectory in 
 honour of any special occasion.
 
 DEATH AT SOISSY 157 
 
 1 
 
 Salisbury or Oxford. But it is known to have been finished at Pon- 
 tigny, as it is addressed to the monks there. The scope of the work 
 is to set forth the chief articles of the Church's faith and practice 
 applied to the life of an ordinary Christian. It is specially interesting 
 as showing the high standard of living set before the average layman 
 of that day. For a full account of its contents, see Wallace, Chapter 
 xxv. and Appendix XXIII.] 
 
 His Illness increases. — He retires to Soissy. 
 
 St John's College MS. (Wallace, p. 611). 
 
 From the very beginning of his dispute with the 
 refractory monks he had already felt some secret 
 symptoms of his final dissolution, though as yet but 
 slight ones, and he was attacked by dysentery, which, 
 however, except in old age, is not usually a fatal disease. 
 But as the illness was increasing little by little in the 
 close air of Pontigny, he determined to seek another 
 climate. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, hi., c. 1814). 
 
 Leaving Pontigny, therefore, he came to a certain 
 priory called Soissy,* and there he remained till the last 
 day of his life. But as the Prior and monks of Pontigny 
 grieved that his presence was to be taken away from 
 them, being moved with pity, he consoled them with these 
 words : " I will return hither (said he), on the coming 
 Feast of St Edmund, king and martyiyj- for the sun by that 
 time having declined further from our hemisphere, will 
 bring to us the frosts of winter." And this he said not 
 without the spirit of prophecy, as after events proved. 
 
 * A small priory of Canons Regular, about seven miles from 
 Provins, and dependent on the Abbey of St James there. The 
 Cambridge MS. says that St Edmund's reason for going there was 
 "that he might find quiet and solitude away from the concourse 
 of men." 
 
 t November 20.
 
 , 5 8 ST EDMUND 
 
 For on that very day was his body brought to Pontigny, 
 
 and thus he fulfilled when dead what he had premised 
 when alive, so shortly before his death. Nor must we 
 omit to mention the works of compassion which he 
 performed on his way to the aforesaid prion-, how he 
 distributed money with his own hands to the poor whom 
 he met. 
 
 His Charity during his last Illness. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 When, therefore, he tarried at the aforesaid place, 
 he began little by little to grow weaker in body, while he 
 was more and more strengthened in spirit. And when 
 the Abbot of St James, at Provins, gave him some cooked 
 figs, he said, ' It is now a long time since any palatable 
 food has entered my mouth." And as his sickness grew 
 upon him, and he could no longer go forth to the gate to 
 bestow money upon the poor, he called unto him one of 
 his chaplains, and said : " I charge thee to go very frequently 
 to the gate to bestow money upon the wayfarers whenso- 
 ever thou seest them pass by ; and to one give two pieces 
 of silver, and to another three, and to another four, accord- 
 ing as thou seest them in greater or less need and lacking 
 aid. And that nothing may be wanting in this work of 
 charity, thou shalt according to my bidding take from my 
 chamber according to thy will." 
 
 He receives Holy Viaticum. 
 
 Testimony of Eustace (C.C. Col. MS.). 
 
 When, as his illness became worse, he saw that his 
 
 last day was approaching, he commanded that the Holy 
 
 Viaticum should be brought to him, making ready his 
 
 lamp in the meantime, so that when his Lord should come,
 
 DEA TH A T Si )/SS 5 
 
 159 
 
 he might go forth not unprepared to meet Him. And 
 how bright was that lamp, how precious the oil which 
 he had stored up within himself, those words testify which, 
 when the Viaticum was brought to him, he addressed 
 to his Lord, as though He was verily approaching him, 
 saying : " Thou art He, O Lord, in whom I have believed, 
 whom I have taught, whom I have preached ; and Thou 
 art my witness that so long as I have been in the world, I 
 
 Soissy. 
 
 have sought nothing but Thee ; into Thy guardianship 
 I commend my spirit." Those who were present, hearing 
 how conformable these words were with his life, for in them 
 was the consciousness that his sins had been cleansed 
 away, were lost in admiration at the clearness of his 
 speech, deeming that he had passed even into an ecstasy, 
 because he spoke in this manner ; for when he uttered the 
 words, as those present bore witness, on a sudden, as it 
 were, a light from heaven shone about him, and quickly
 
 160 ST EDMl WD 
 
 also a certain bright glow spread over him, and his face, 
 which before had been covered with an ashy pallor, 
 forthwith, as the fervour of his charity burst forth, put on 
 the comeliness of a ruddy hue. All were in amazement, 
 and marvelling that so sudden a change had come upon 
 him, approached near, to contemplate him as though 
 transfigured and glorified in the friendship of God, and 
 even made like to the body of His brightness. This friend 
 of God, therefore, received Him by whom he was to be 
 received, he embraced Him by whom he was to be 
 embraced, and as in the very act of receiving, desiring, 
 though not having the strength, to set forth his joy, at 
 length in his own native tongue he gave forth a common 
 proverb, " Men say that mirth goeth into the bell)-, but I 
 say it goeth into the heart ; " for he spoke indeed of that 
 spiritual nourishment by which his mind was thrilled with 
 untold joy, which joy is at once in the heart unspeakable, 
 and upon the face scarce to be expressed, so that if any 
 one should strive to declare it, he would perchance seem 
 to overpass the bounds of truth. 
 
 Anxiety of his Attendants. — He writes a Letter on 
 their Behalf. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 574). 
 And his attendants, who were all virtuous, well be- 
 haved, and trained with strict care, seeing that he was at 
 the very gate of death, began with tears in their eyes 
 to lament, saying: "O God, what will become of us? 
 When our most blessed father is dead, whither shall 
 we go? For we are detained in a far-off country as 
 exiles and in want, and even unprovided with food. 
 Those at court can enrich their clerics with manifold
 
 DEA Til A T SOISS V 1 6 1 
 
 revenues ; but our master leaves us wholly destitute. 
 Alas, alas ! to dig we are unable, to beg we are ashamed ; 
 we have never been inured to trade, nor would our 
 poverty now allow of it. If we return home, we shall be 
 hated by the king or those in power, on account of our 
 master, whom they detested. What remains for us but a 
 death of miser)-?" The Archbishop, on hearing these 
 things, was moved with unspeakable compassion ; and 
 calling to him one of them, who seemed more unhappy 
 than the rest, he said : " Friend, I will write to a certain 
 man, my faithful colleague, on thy behalf, and he will not 
 fail in his duty either to me who write it, or to thee in thy 
 distress." And demanding writing materials, [he wrote as 
 follows] : 
 
 E[DMUND], by the grace of God, Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, Primate of all England, to our Venerable 
 Brother in Christ, W[illiam],* by a like grace Bishop of 
 Norwich, health and sincere love in the Lord. 
 
 " Although it is commonly said that death cuts us off 
 
 from all things, nevertheless that love which is founded on 
 
 the root of charity, neither does adversity destroy, nor the 
 
 misfortune of death remove ; for charity never falleth 
 
 away. We, therefore, with the feeling of this enduring 
 
 affection, embrace with all our strength your brotherly 
 
 fidelity, and as we know by experience how your kindness 
 
 extends itself to our own person, being weighed down 
 
 by a very grievous sickness, and brought, as it were, to the 
 
 brink of the grave, we cease not to appeal to the unwearied 
 
 constancy of your love, humbly and devoutly entreating 
 
 in the name of piety, that imprinting on your heart the 
 
 memory of our soul, you will deign to pray for us and 
 
 to have prayers said throughout your diocese. Moreover, 
 
 * William de Raleigh. 
 
 L
 
 1 62 ST EDMUND 
 
 we also beg of you that in your bountiful goodness you 
 
 would be pleased to take into your service our most dear 
 friend, Robert of Essex, the bearer of these presents, whom 
 before God and man we believe and know to be worthy of 
 commendation in virtue, faithfulness and devotedness of 
 service, that by the presence of him, whom on account 
 of his merits we have long pressed to ourselves with the 
 love of our heart, your own devotion may be more 
 frequently aroused to the memory of us. But since the 
 dead are wont to find few and rare friends, especially in 
 the kingdom of England, we commend to your perfect 
 love the last testament given by us, and signed with 
 our seal, and our executors named therein. We request, 
 therefore, for the love of Him who is the generous 
 Recompenser of all good works, that you would give 
 your advice and assistance to the aforesaid executors. 
 Given at Soissy, November 14, in the eighth year of 
 our Pontificate." 
 
 The Last Day of his Life. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 1 8 1 5). 
 
 On the third day after [he had received Viaticum], he 
 begged to receive the sacrament of the dying, namely, 
 Extreme Unction, and his wish was carefully complied 
 with on the part of his assistants. Afterwards, he requested 
 that a crucifix, with the images of Blessed Mary and Blessed 
 John, should be placed before his eyes, in memory of the 
 Crucified One, and of His sacred Passion ; which, having 
 received with groans and sighs, and a copious flow of 
 tears, he kissed and pressed devoutly and sweetly to 
 his lips. Then, taking a little wine, which had been 
 brought to him shortly before, at his bidding, forthwith
 
 DBA TH A T SOISS Y 1 63 
 
 with his own hands he washed the places of the nails 
 on the same crucifix, and the lance wound in the side ; 
 and making the sign of the cross over the ablution with 
 great devotion, he drank it, after kissing the places of 
 the nails ; and he spoke these words : " Haurietis 
 [nunc] aquam in gaudio de fontibus salvatoris." * After 
 taking this ablution he never drank again. Those 
 present were amazed, and not without reason, to see 
 such a shower of loving tears flow, and to witness that 
 unwonted manner of devotion unalloyed, that brightness 
 of his clear conscience. They marvelled, indeed, when 
 they saw how the joy of his heart overspread his 
 countenance, and how mortified he showed himself in 
 his outward demeanour. And now the use of his 
 limbs began to fail him, but a fresh vigour of mind 
 was ever showing itself. Then one skilled in the art 
 of medicine approached close to him, to feel his pulse, 
 as a doctor is accustomed to do ; and when he had 
 carefully examined him, with some sadness of heart, he 
 said : " My Lord, your pulse is becoming very feeble, and 
 shows sufficiently plainly the weakness of your life." To 
 which the saint answered : " Be not anxious, for I am 
 prepared like a man girt for a journey. I have been 
 strengthened according to Catholic practice with all 
 the last rites of the Church, and I have ordered candles 
 and all else necessary for my funeral to be prepared, 
 without anything omitted, in a seemly and fitting manner." 
 And when he was near death, he showed no certain sign 
 thereof, giving forth neither sighs nor groans, nor any 
 noise of the throat ; nor did he lie on a bed, as dying 
 men are wont to do, but either sat, or leant his head on 
 
 * You shall draw waters with joy out of the Saviour's fountains 
 (Isa. xii. 3).
 
 [64 ST EDMUND 
 
 his hands, or when his limbs became too weak to support 
 him, he would lie fully dressed on the bed. 
 
 His Hair-shirt is miraculously Preserved. 
 
 Oseney Chronicle (p. 87). 
 And when he felt that his death was at hand he 
 bade his chamberlain burn the hair-shirt which he used ; 
 who, taking it, cast it into the fire, and placing a large 
 number of coals thereon, left it thus. When he after- 
 wards came, however, he found the hair-shirt entirely 
 whole and unharmed by the fire ; and he told his master 
 that it would not burn. And the Archbishop said, " I 
 will myself apply the fire." Which when he had done, 
 and had left the hair-shirt in the fire, still it did not 
 burn. After the expiration of an hour, withdrawing it 
 from the flames, he found it wholly uninjured by the 
 fire ; and he said, " Since it so pleases my Lord, let it 
 be taken to my brother Robert ; " and returning to his 
 bed, he la}- down. 
 
 His Final Bequests. 
 
 Cotto/i MS. (Wallace, p. 576). 
 And then, at the suggestion of those around him, 
 he put away all soreness of mind towards the monks of 
 Canterbury, and relaxed his sentence [of excommunication] 
 against them, on condition of their humbling themselves 
 and rendering satisfaction, and he begged pardon of all 
 that community for anything he had done : and he 
 bequeathed his body to Pontigny. Hardly had he 
 finished these words, when the Prior of the house, most 
 dear to the Archbishop, who was then present, said, 
 " Alas, alas, dost thou desert us entirely and depart away
 
 DEA TH A T SOISS V 165 
 
 from us ? " But he answered, " By no means ; my heart 
 and affection is with you for ever." And they did not 
 understand the word. But after his death, his body was 
 opened, and his heart and viscera were buried there ; and 
 then their eyes were opened and they understood the 
 word. This was done because his body was to be 
 taken to Pontigny, which is distant from Soissy, where 
 he died, about twenty leagues ; that is, at least, two days' 
 journey. 
 
 But neither was this dutiful brother unmindful of his 
 holy sisters, who were nuns at Catesby, although he was in 
 the last extremity of life, and he left them his cloak of 
 a grey colour, made of cloth called in the vulgar tongue 
 camlet, with a cape of lamb's wool ; and likewise a silver 
 tablet, on which was sculptured an image of Blessed 
 Mary nursing her Son in her lap, and the Passion of 
 Christ, and the martyrdom of Blessed Thomas, through 
 which, at Catesby, where they are reverently preserved, 
 the Lord works at the present day miracles worthy of 
 eternal remembrance. 
 
 And then, worn and wearied by these labours, he 
 was silent. 
 
 His Death. 
 
 Oseney Chronicle (p. 88). 
 
 And about midnight he said to those about him, 
 "What hour of the night is it?" They answered, "It 
 is about midnight." Then he lay down for a time. And 
 again he asked, " What hour of the night is it now ? " 
 They said, "Just before dawn." And after again lying 
 clown, he asked a third time, " What hour of the night 
 is it now?" They said, "It is the dawn." The 'Arch-
 
 1 66 .ST EDMUND 
 
 bishop said, " I commend you to God." Then tittering 
 the words, " Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my 
 spirit," the most holy Archbishop expired on Friday, 
 November 16, 1240. 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 15 16). 
 Thus in fine, on the week-day on which Christ, the 
 true life, tasted death for those who were dead in sin, 
 about the hour when the morning sun ascends the 
 heavens, brighter than the sun he ascended his heavenly 
 throne, as one falling asleep, without any agony such 
 as usually comes to the dying, passing from his cell to 
 heaven, from the body of death to the land of the 
 living, from the misery of mankind to the joy of the 
 angels. Nor did he die in purple and fine linen, nor 
 on the softness of a luxurious bed, but dressed in his 
 everyday clothes, reclining on his usual couch, that is 
 the hard, bare ground. Whose soul, upright and holy, 
 sublime and glorious, cut off from all the enticements 
 of this world, was received by the choirs of angels, to 
 be conducted into Abraham's bosom, where now he 
 rests after his labours, and rejoices after his exile ; where 
 he is gloriously crowned after his triumph ; where 
 he is bathed in the light of truth, and inebriated with 
 the fountain of charity ; where he loves more ardently, 
 and knows more fully Him in Whom he put his trust ; 
 Whom he worshipped in all piety, and Whom he served 
 in all faithfulness.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 FUNERAL OF ST EDMUND. — MIRACLES WORKED AT HIS 
 TOMB. — HIS CANONISATION 
 
 The Archbishop's Seal is broken. 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 577). 
 On the day after his death, he who exercised the office 
 of Chancellor,* having imprinted on the above-mentioned f 
 letters for the last time the Archbishop's seal, handed 
 them the following morning to those for whom they 
 had been written, to be taken to his friends; who, 
 having received them, forthwith with tears and many 
 groans took leave of the clerks who remained with the 
 body, and went their way. Then the seal was publicly 
 broken to pieces before all the assembled household, 
 according to the usual custom, on account of the danger 
 of fraud. On the seal, as has been mentioned, the 
 likeness of his predecessor, Blessed Thomas, was en- 
 graved, having his brains cut away ; in whose footsteps 
 Blessed Edmund having followed, he has now merited 
 to be his comrade in glory. 
 
 The Body is taken back to Pontigny. 
 
 Cambridge J/6'., fol. $ia, col. 2. 
 Then the body of the servant of God was made 
 * St Richard. t Sec p. 161.
 
 1 68 ST EDMUND 
 
 rcad\- to be taken to the monastery of Pontigny, where 
 he had said he was to be buried. The viscera were 
 removed, as is customary in such cases, and were 
 buried with honour and reverence at the monastery 
 of St James at Provins, in the middle of the choir. 
 The rest of the body having been washed in the usual 
 manner, and clad in pontifical vestments, was carried 
 with due reverence to the oratory at Soissy, where 
 vigil was devoutly kept all through the night.. And 
 when the next day this noble piece of clay was 
 carried from Soissy to Traisnel, it was surrounded by 
 an immense and unlooked-for demonstration of devotion 
 on the part of the faithful people, who, receiving the 
 body with untold reverence, rejoiced in its presence, 
 took delight in gazing at it, and believed themselves, 
 as well as everything that touched it, to be sanctified 
 by contact with it. And when the Abbot of Pontigny, 
 coming to meet it, saw the marvellous devotion of the 
 people, and their unrestrained veneration, forcing his 
 way through the strangers, he approached the sacred 
 body and said : " Good Father, since thou art a brother 
 of the Pontigny community, it is thy duty to obey me. 
 Therefore I request thee that thou dost no further 
 miracle till thou comest to thy place of rest." For he 
 was fearful lest the body should be taken from him, 
 or part of the pontifical vestments torn away. There- 
 fore, for greater safety, he sealed the bier with his own 
 seal, in the presence of him who wrote these things, 
 and man)- others. 
 
 On the following day, as the sacred bod)' passed 
 through Villeneuve l'Archeveque de Sens, a large 
 multitude of both sexes ran up towards it, calling out 
 with cries of joy in praise of the saint, and with marvel-
 
 FUNERAL AT PONT 10 NY 169 
 
 lous devotion kissing the bier, which was brought to 
 a standstill by the press of people ; nor could they be 
 restrained from forcibly taking the bier from the 
 shoulders of the Abbots and priests, and bringing it 
 into the church, where they laid it upon the altar as 
 an honourable burden. Then, indeed, every one of them 
 believed himself to be suffering no small loss if he did 
 not joyfully touch or at least look on the bier, and if 
 he did not, drawn on by love and veneration, kiss some 
 part of the body or bier. For contact therewith seemed 
 to bring health to every one. Some rushed into the 
 church, while others, on account of the crowd of people, 
 remained outside till the body should be brought forth. 
 After a long delay, some strong men, in response to 
 our entreaties, rushing in with clubs, forced the unwil- 
 ling people and the assembled crowds to go out. The 
 sacred body was then placed on a carriage, and taken, 
 accompanied by the people, to the house of the Templars 
 at Coulours. And as mention has been made of this 
 house, we will record a remarkable circumstance. When 
 the Blessed Father on his way from Pontigny passed 
 through the same town, casting his eyes on this same 
 house, he asked whose it was. Some one answered that 
 it was a house of the Templars ; to which the saint 
 replied, saying, " On my return I will spend a night 
 therein." And this was fulfilled when his body received 
 hospitality there for one night, as has been said. 
 
 On the third day, as the body was taken away and 
 carried thence, men and women came forth to meet it, 
 calling and shouting, " Where is the holy body ? " Here 
 might be seen lines of clerics chanting their psalms, 
 there a crowd of monks, pale with fasting. Here were 
 tillers of the soil, come out of fields and vineyards
 
 i;o S7 EDMUND 
 
 and roads ; there some people from the neighbouring 
 villages come joyfully to meet him. Then two of his 
 clerks, like the faithless Jews who asked for a sign 
 (not, indeed, like them in faith, but like them in mind;, 
 wondering at the concourse of people and their devotion, 
 spoke to each other thus: "What is it that every one 
 has come forth to meet with such reverence ? They 
 applaud him as a saint, though his life is unknown to 
 them, and his holiness is not proved." And they added 
 that the monks of Pontigny had arranged it all, sending 
 some of their number beforehand to announce the 
 death, and to proclaim his sanctity, so that the un- 
 learned people might be taught from their lips to 
 worship him and pray to him as a saint. And as the 
 people, nevertheless, came forward in a mass, the afore- 
 said clerics, impelled by the spirit of the Jews, leapt 
 with one accord from their horses, and placing them- 
 selves steadfastly in front of those who were accom- 
 panying the sacred bod}-, demanded of them for what 
 cause they were thus running, and what they were 
 seeking. But some of them, to whom flesh and blood 
 had not revealed the saint, but being instructed from 
 heaven by their devotion, said, " We go to meet the 
 saint." Others, however, asking when the saint was 
 coming, went madly forward without waiting for an 
 answer. Women also, forgetful of womanly bearing 
 and modest}-, ran along by the side of the road. Why 
 say more? Young men and maidens, old and young, 
 longed for his coming and ran to meet him, calling 
 him openly a saint. With a solemn and impos- 
 ing cqrtige^ therefore, on the Feast of St Edmund,* 
 king and martyr, his body arrived at the gates of 
 ;: " November 20.
 
 uN*lap tf & tn*ica&&&m'i?trti y t earn JFJ 
 yiourm cayitcffou? ^¥^tuit ftguvar. 
 
 ffl cr cot pfcif t'<mtifft'wirWmit? 
 
 f uncftmilu cotmct??leoni ^dvjif . 
 pnu^Saftjtrii <mcrttafc mterrfi 
 tart k$tr1)UU etc? Sr»rj rf^ 
 
 Stone of St Edmund's Ring. 
 a drawing by Matth w I 
 
 [Face page 171.
 
 FUNERAL A T PONTIGN V 171 
 
 Pontigny, and was received by the Abbot and Convent 
 with fitting reverence. Then it came back to their 
 memory how the Confessor of Christ had promised 
 that he would return on that day ; and they said one 
 to another : " Is not this prophecy of our father come 
 true? O father, we hoped to receive thee living, and 
 lo ! even in death thou keepest thy promise. Never- 
 theless, even so in sorrow we receive thee, that after- 
 wards thy presence may be our joy." The body, 
 therefore, was placed in the church, and they waited 
 without fear of its corrupting until the seventh day 
 after his decease, in order to prepare the tomb. But 
 through all that night the community kept vigil in 
 prayer, and the body lay in the midst, as though 
 covered with a ruddy hue, with its face exposed. 
 
 The Story of his Ring. 
 
 Cambridge MS., fol. 52/^, col. 1. 
 A certain monk, named Peter, who at that time 
 held the office of Sacristan in the monastery, was stand- 
 ing hard by, regulating as circumstances required the 
 approach of those who were crowding in. And when 
 he witnessed for a long time how many came anxious to 
 carry off anything they could, and others who brought 
 different ornaments in order to have them touched, he 
 said within himself, " How is it that thou art so little 
 incited by such devotion on the part of the faithful to 
 get some relic which will be of service for future con- 
 tingences, especially as thou holdest the office of Sacristan, 
 to whom belongs the disposal of these things ? I know 
 what I will do." Then coming closer, as if he had some 
 part of his work to do, he tried to remove the ring from
 
 i;2 ST EDMUND 
 
 the hand of the Archbishop, and to substitute another. 
 And when drawing it gently had no effect, he began 
 to pull with all his force ; but the ring resisted him and 
 remained immovable on the finger. When he had 
 waited a long time in vain, being afraid lest he should 
 be caught in the act, he departed ; and pondering over 
 what was to be done, although he was ashamed of the 
 way in which he had acted, he came back, and devoutly 
 stooping over the ears of the body, in a whisper and as 
 though talking to a living man, he spoke thus : " I have 
 sinned, holy father, by not asking thy leave before tak- 
 ing to myself what was thine. But since I was attempt- 
 ing to do it for thy honour and for the salvation of the 
 faithful, pardon me now that I confess it, and mercifully 
 grant what I ask." With these words he approached 
 the hand, and forthwith, as soon as he took hold of the 
 ring it came off with such ease, that it seemed rather to 
 fall off of its own accord than to be removed. Being 
 overjoyed, therefore, at such a sign, he confessed every- 
 thing to the Abbot, who, rejoicing with him, ordered 
 the ring to be placed among the other holy things. And 
 by contact with it, through the bounty of the Lord, 
 many benefits are conferred on the sick to the present 
 day. 
 
 Tho Funeral. 
 
 Cotton MS. Wallace, p. 581). 
 And after the lapse of four days, during which such 
 a multitude of men assembled as are wont to come 
 together for public market, on the Feast of St Clement, 
 that is November 23, the body of our blessed and 
 glorious father Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, and 
 Confessor, was buried in the Church of the Blessed
 
 MIRACLES AT THE TOMB 173 
 
 Virgin Mary, Mother of God, in the house of the 
 Cistercian Order at Pontigny, in the presence of a great 
 multitude of the aforesaid monks, clerks, and noble lay- 
 men who assisted. Great and distinguished men took 
 part in the obsequies, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Monks, and 
 Magnates, and there was a most devout celebration, with 
 music, lights, vestments, and other accessories of Divine 
 worship. In which place, as elsewhere wherever the 
 sweet memory of the saint is kept to the honour of 
 God, clear and manifest miracles are worked, to the 
 support and strengthening of the Christian faith, which 
 are worthy of everlasting remembrance, such as in our 
 time have been neither seen nor heard of. 
 
 Vision of the Monk Herman. 
 
 Cambridge MS. fol. 53*2, col. 1. 
 The next day, a council having been held, they 
 filled the grave with earth, and for nearly eight days 
 the miracles which had begun ceased to take place ; at 
 which the monks, seeing the sick come and leave with- 
 out obtaining their longed-for health, were much 
 saddened, and discussed together for what reason this 
 could have happened ; when lo ! one of them, named 
 Herman, coming up, said that he had seen a bright 
 vision, and he spoke thus : " I will set forth to you 
 clearly, if you wish, the cause of this matter." And 
 then he added, " I had a vision, and behold Blessed 
 Edmund appeared to me several times, and when I 
 asked him in all reverence why he did not finish a per- 
 fect work which he had well begun by his miracles, he 
 answered by showing me how he was lying buried 
 beneath the earth, and how, as he held his hands
 
 i 74 ST EDMUND 
 
 pressed upon his breast, he had not the power to lift 
 them. And he said, " What can I do with tin's weight 
 upon me? Lo ! I cannot rise nor even lift my hands." 
 All, therefore, being moved by this vision, gave glory to 
 God, and removed the earth laid upon him. Which 
 being done, the power of miracles suddenly returned. 
 Nor should this be omitted also, that when the body of 
 the saint came to Pontigny, a certain monk, being, as 
 it is believed, inspired thereto, said, " Never has so noble 
 a treasure entered into this house ; it remains, therefore, 
 that it should be well guarded there." 
 
 The Archbishop of Sens visits Pontigny. The Tomb 
 of St Edmund is opened. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Now the Lord Walter, at that time Archbishop of 
 Sens, absent in bod}-, but present in spirit, had loved 
 with great affection the man of God, and had a 
 longing desire to see him and to hold converse with 
 him. Having, therefore, sent great gifts, he wished to 
 see his face and receive his blessing ; but it was so 
 ordained from on high that he should not find him 
 alive whom he sought. Upon which, being filled 
 with sadness, he hastened to Pontigny, in the hope of 
 seeing him dead whom he had been unable to see 
 living. He succeeded in his wish, and coming to the 
 monaster}-, obtained leave from the Abbot that he 
 might see and touch with his hands him who had been 
 buried already nearly a month. He came and saw, and 
 when the tomb was opened after seven times four days,* 
 no sign of corruption was to be found. Returning 
 * This is no doubt a reference to the history of Lazarus.
 
 Af/RACLES AT THE TOM 73 
 
 '75 
 
 thanks to God, therefore, he went away, and a short 
 time afterwards he himself died. 
 
 The Body is Removed to a new Tomb. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Three months after the time of his burial, the Abbot 
 and Convent came together, that the body of the servant 
 of God, which in the 
 ordinary course of nature 
 should have been either 
 entirely corrupt, or at 
 least noisome in odour, 
 having been brought 
 once more above ground, 
 might be placed in a 
 more fitting torn b.* 
 Therefore they removed 
 all the earth which had 
 been cast in, when those 
 present saw the body 
 entire, and the face fresh 
 and not marked with 
 any sign of corruption. 
 They approached nearer, 
 glorifying God, and 
 touching with their own 
 hands the limbs which 
 in the dead are wont 
 
 to be rigid, they found them flexible. Why say more? 
 It was placed in a tomb, but the height of the chalice 
 presented an impediment which prevented it properly 
 
 * The new tomb was probably in the chapel at the east end of 
 the church : see Notes on Illustrations, p. 282. 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny : Chapel in 
 which St Edmund was buried.
 
 176 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 fitting. Seeing this, those who stood by cut away 
 the sacred vestments of the Archbishop. Nor was this 
 enough ; so they uncovered the body itself, to make 
 room for the chalice, when they found the flesh as 
 though of a living man, and so sweet, that, imprint- 
 ing a kiss on his breast, they perceived a wondrous 
 odour. Who will not be astonished and confess that 
 this is a great miracle, and one granted to few saints 
 indeed? He has his dwelling-place in peace, since his 
 heavenly habitation is in Sion. To this tomb, therefore, 
 the sick come and are cured, and many benefits are 
 granted to the faithful. Whence the devotion of them 
 that believe is fostered, the profession of faith is made 
 fervent, the confusion of unbelievers becomes manifest, 
 and the frequent and joyful exaltation of Holy Mother 
 Church is increased. And it is worthy of renown how 
 He who is zealous for holy souls has wonderfully glori- 
 fied His saint. 
 
 St Richard. 
 
 Life, by Ralph Bockling (Bollandists, April, i., p. 287). 
 With constancy and perseverance did St Richard stand 
 by St Edmund in his tribulations, both in his own country 
 and during his exile ; not unmindful that those who are 
 companions in suffering shall likewise be companions in 
 consolation, and that those who suffer together shall also 
 reio-n together. Nor do I think I should omit those 
 words of wondrous affection to which the same Edmund 
 gave expression in his last will : " We bequeath (he 
 said) our cup to our Chancellor, whom we have long 
 entwined in our affection." * These words of holy 
 memory, Otho, at that time Legate of the Holy See in 
 * Que in jam din nobis invisceravimus.
 
 ST RICHARD i 77 
 
 England, so admired, that he caused them to be recited 
 before him again and again. 
 
 And when the course of his life had been run, and the 
 holy spirit of Blessed Edmund had separated itself from 
 his body, and had exchanged its exile for its true father- 
 land, and had returned to God from whom he received it, 
 to be united to the joyful choirs of the angels, and the 
 sacred earth which composed his body, already glorious 
 by its incorruption, had been buried at Pontigny, not 
 without reason did the clergy and people of England 
 mourn at being deprived of so great a treasure. But it 
 was by God's providence so arranged with all justice, that 
 his body should be buried in peace, and the consolation of 
 so great a favour should be denied to his persecutors. 
 Blessed Richard, therefore, being bereft of such a father, 
 and deprived of so sweet a bodily presence, would 
 perchance have exceeded the due measure of grief, had 
 he not feared to go against the Divine will by murmur- 
 ing; and had he not confidently believed that his 
 venerable father himself had exchanged the misery of 
 this life for an immortality of bliss. Thus his father, 
 though dead, was as one still living, for he left to 
 come after him one who, if he was not in all things like 
 to him (which, indeed, must be left to the Divine Wisdom 
 to decide), nevertheless, I can confidently and boldly 
 assert, strenuously endeavoured to imitate him, so far 
 as human frailty would permit. O how frequently did 
 he pronounce the venerable name of Blessed Edmund ! 
 how it was ever on his lips and in his heart! For as 
 often as anything was spoken, or anything performed, or 
 anything preached resembling the virtues of Blessed 
 Edmund, he was wont to add, "Thus used my lord 
 Edmund to speak, thus to comport himself, thus to 
 
 M
 
 i;8 ST EDMUND 
 
 preach." For he was diligent in frequently recounting 
 
 his acts, his virtues, and his words; but still more 
 diligent in imitating them. Being freed, therefore, from 
 the care of the archiepiscopal business, wishing to carry 
 to its clue termination his literary work which had been 
 temporarily interrupted, he betook himself to the study 
 of theology ; and at Orleans, in the house of the Friars 
 Preachers, under the tuition of a certain brother of the 
 same order, renowned for his knowledge, he made such 
 progress that he soon was taught and learnt the greater 
 part of the whole text of the Bible. . . . He received the 
 priesthood from the Bishop * of the place, to whom the 
 virtues and learning of Blessed Richard were not 
 unknown, and from thenceforward he mortified his flesh 
 to such a degree that, had not the more prudent 
 counsel of his friends induced him to moderate his 
 austerities, his body would have given way. And with 
 leave of the Bishop of the diocese, he built an oratory 
 in honour of Blessed Edmund, where he used to offer 
 Mass and to pour forth prayers of supplication to God. 
 
 Election of St Edmund's Successor at Canterbury. 
 
 [On the death of St Edmund, it became the duty of the Canterbury 
 Chapter to elect a new Archbishop. They were left in a state of 
 practical difficulty, as with the sentence of excommunication still un- 
 removed, the election might be considered invalid. They held an 
 election, however, on February i, 1241, and chose Boniface of Savoy, 
 uncle of the Queen Eleanor. And in the meantime they sent a 
 deputation of their number to Rome, to work on their behalf. These 
 latter were successful in obtaining a rescript from the Pope, dated 
 February 21, 1241, exculpating them from the opprobrium of the late 
 forged charter, which was described as the work of three monks who 
 
 * William de Bussi.
 
 ST EDMUND'S SUCCESSOR 179 
 
 had been duly punished. The Pope, however, refused to accept the 
 nomination of the new Archbishop until the matter of the excommuni- 
 cation had been looked into.] 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iv., p. 103). 
 The monks of Canterbury who had been sent by the 
 Convent to Rome to obtain absolution from the dread 
 censures which the Archbishop had passed upon them, 
 returned from the Roman court in the month of April 
 [1241]. For they had begged to be absolved ad cautelam, 
 the Abbot and Archdeacon of St Albans and the Prior 
 of Dunstable being appointed judges of the cause. 
 
 [The Commission delivered judgment on May 4, 1241, and 
 absolved the monks. The latter were glad to give the requisite 
 promises for the future, to rescue themselves from their uncomfortable 
 position ; but they continued to maintain that the censures had been 
 in fact invalid, and that the present step was only taken "ad 
 cautelam?} 
 
 But their old persecutor, Master Simon Langton, 
 Archdeacon of Canterbury, opposed this, appealing at once 
 against it, asserting firmly that the letter of absolution 
 had been nefariously obtained by implying what was 
 false, and suppressing the truth. But they who had 
 faithfully promised the king to elect Boniface as their 
 Archbishop, as the king most earnestly entreated, laid a 
 grave complaint before the king about the injury done 
 them by Simon, and the evil he was plotting. And the 
 king, siding with the monks, and accepting their promise 
 to elect Boniface, severely threatened the same Arch- 
 deacon Simon, that unless he desisted at once from his 
 rash purpose, he would be made to feel the king's 
 indignation with effect. Which when the said Arch- 
 deacon Simon heard, knowing that the Pope would not 
 in anything offend the king, and feeling himself to be 
 now an old man, and not equal to a journey across the
 
 i8o ST EDMUND 
 
 .Alps, he desisted from the purpose he had formed. But 
 the Canterbury monks, finding that the Pope and the 
 king favoured them in turn, and that each granted the 
 other whatever was asked, having invoked the grace of 
 the Holy Ghost and the favour of the king, elected as 
 Pastor of their souls Boniface, Bishop-elect of Belley, a 
 man of graceful stature and noble bearing, the uncle of 
 Lady Eleanor, the illustrious Queen of the English, 
 though entirely unknown to the aforesaid monks 
 whether as to his learning or character or age, and (as 
 it was saidj by comparison with his predecessors the 
 Archbishops of Canterbury, unequal to so great a 
 dignity. But they were moved by this consideration, 
 that if they elected another, the king, who obtained a 
 favourable hearing of the Pope in all things, would find 
 some exception, and would reject and nullify the election. 
 
 [The above election took place on June 10, 1241 ; but Pope 
 Gregory died soon afterwards. His successor, Celestine IV., reigned 
 only a few days, and it was left to Innocent IV. to confirm the election, 
 which he did on September 16, 1243. Further difficulties arose as to 
 the consecration of the new Archbishop, and eventually the Pope him- 
 self consecrated him at Lyons on January 15, 1245. His episcopate 
 lasted twenty-five years, and there has been a constant cultus of his 
 memory in Savoy ever since. He was beatified by Gregory XVI. in 
 the first half of the nineteenth century.] 
 
 Miracles at Pontigny and elsewhere. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iv., p. 102). 
 About that time the great and distinguished memory 
 of Blessed Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the 
 miracles of his sanctity, filled all the lands on this side 
 of the Alps with glorious and happy tidings, so that by 
 thc unheard-of wonders which God deigned to work on 
 his behalf, the times of the Apostles seemed to have been 
 brought back. Whence, as though drawn by the odour of
 
 PROCEEDINGS EOR CANONISATION 1S1 
 
 his ointments * Archbishops, Bishops, and great men, with 
 an innumerable multitude of both sexes, hastened from the 
 most distant parts to his tomb at Pontigny, devoutly to 
 entreat the help of the same Edmund. 
 
 In England, also, at Catesby, in the house of nuns, 
 where the said Archbishop Edmund had left his two 
 sisters as religious, and by a charitable instinct gave to 
 one of them his cloak, God deigned to work miracles so 
 that the multitude of wonders which there shine forth 
 would fill a long and special treatise. 
 
 Faustina MS. (Wallace, p. 623). 
 
 So many and such great miracles took place [at 
 Pontigny] that it would take very long to tell them ; but 
 it would be wrong to pass over all of them in silence. 
 A few words must therefore be added, not to relate all 
 of each kind, but the different kinds of those which take 
 place at the invocation of Blessed Edmund in various 
 parts of the world. The blind see, the lame walk, the 
 dropsical are cured, lepers are cleansed, those born 
 deaf now hear, those dumb from their mother's womb 
 speak aright, paralytics grow strong, those possessed by 
 evil spirits are freed, prisons are thrown open and 
 chains loosened, those who suffer from quartan and other 
 fevers are liberated therefrom. Some stricken with 
 dangerous diseases, or afflicted with different and secret 
 ills, or deprived of the use of their limbs and rendered 
 motionless as logs of wood ; others who have become 
 suddenly mad ; others again who have been brought to 
 shame by fistula, or have been horribly disfigured by a 
 loathsome tumour — all these have by the intercession of 
 his merits been happily restored to health. Flux of 
 * Cant. iv. 10.
 
 182 ST EDMUND 
 
 blood is checked, and toothache is relieved, and marks of 
 the body depart without leaving any scar. Some crushed 
 for a time by the burden of adversity, or on the point 
 of falling into the depths of despair, rejoice at having 
 found a sweet and consoling remedy when the memory 
 of their holy father occurs to them. Thus some there 
 are who, being weighed down with disease or threatened 
 with clanger, have invoked with humility the name of 
 the servant of God — a name sweet to the angels, and 
 odious to the evil one — and have been freed of all their 
 evils, and have felt the powerful presence of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 Petition for his Canonisation. 
 
 Letter from the General Chapter of the Cistercian Order 
 (Martene, iii., c. 1898). 
 
 To our Most Holy Father and Lord [Gregory], by the 
 grace of God Sovereign Pontiff, Brother Bruno, Abbot 
 of La Ferte, and the whole assembly of Abbots of the 
 Chapter-General devoutly kiss thy sacred feet. 
 
 The merciful and gracious Lord, willing, according to 
 His promise, to increase the glory of the Church and to 
 make illustrious the name of Blessed Edmund, formerly 
 Archbishop of Canterbury, has deigned to renew his 
 former miraculous power in favour of those assembling 
 in crowds before his tomb, in order that signs should 
 be proved by other signs noised abroad far and wide, 
 and that miracles which have gone before should be 
 confirmed by other miracles of continual occurrence in 
 the Church of Bontigny, belonging to our Order, in 
 which he has chosen to be buried. This is now so 
 gloriously shown forth that it cannot be concealed even 
 in foreign countries by the darkness of ignorance, as we
 
 PROCEEDINGS FOR CANONISATION 183 
 
 have learnt in general chapter from the faithful narra- 
 tion of the venerable Abbot and Convent of the said 
 house. Now, therefore, lest such a light of the Church 
 should come to be hidden under a bushel, we have 
 thought well to recommend the bearers of these presents, 
 who are sent for this purpose to the feet of • thy holiness, 
 by the said venerable Abbot and Convent of Pontigny, 
 begging with all humility and devotion that thou mayest 
 deign to command some prudent men to make a diligent 
 inquiry about the life and miracles of the said aforesaid 
 venerable Father Edmund, that the)' may inform thy 
 Holiness, as it is meet they should, more fully and truly 
 about these things. 
 
 Given at the time of the General Chapter of the 
 Cistercians, in the year of our Lord 1241. 
 
 [Similar letters were sent during the next few years from the Arch- 
 bishop of York (Walter de Grey), the newly-elected Archbishop of Sens, 
 the Archbishop of Tours, the Bishops of Bath, Chichester, Lincoln, 
 London, Norwich, Rochester, Salisbury, Winchester and Worcester, 
 in England, and of Auxerre, Bourges, Meaux and Senlis in France ; 
 also from the University of Oxford, the Abbots of Merton, Abingdon, 
 Reading, Westminster, Provins, and many more. 
 
 Pope Innocent IV. accordingly appointed a Commission of Investi- 
 gation, consisting of the Archbishop of Armagh, the Bishop of Senlis, 
 and the Dean of Paris, instructing them to inquire into the evidence 
 as to the life and miracles of St Edmund, and to report to him.] 
 
 The First Inquiry. 
 
 Pontigny MS* (Martene, iii., c. 1843). 
 
 Having therefore received this command, the aforesaid 
 
 Archbishop of Armagh and the Dean of Paris (the Bishop 
 
 of Senlis being absent with a lawful excuse) proceeded 
 
 according to the directions given. Having called together 
 
 * The account which is quoted was written by Albeit, Archbishop 
 of Armagh, afterwards of Livonia ; see p. 146.
 
 [84 ST EDMUND 
 
 all those who were wanted in order to establish his virtue, 
 and to prove his miracles, the)- appointed a day for taking 
 at Pontigny the depositions of the witnesses of their truth, 
 which, being confirmed by oath, and reduced to writing, 
 the}- sent to the Apostolic See. An inquiry was also 
 held in England by the venerable Fathers the Bishops 
 of London * and Lincoln,f which was completed in the 
 same manner and sent to the Papal Court. Some persons, 
 also, in whom the miracles of bodily cures had been 
 wrought, were brought into the presence of the Lord Pope. 
 Having received, therefore, the report of the two inquiries, 
 in France and in England respectively, the Lord Pope 
 having diligently examined them, although unable, after a 
 careful search, to discover any omission, nevertheless con- 
 sidered that, as in a similar case at another time, there 
 had been too much haste for a matter of this kind, and it 
 had not proceeded with such care and deliberation as was 
 proper in such a case. Without rejecting the report thus 
 sent, he considered and decreed that a new and fresh 
 inquiry should be held, and for this reason, that in the 
 former case many miracles had been proved, but not each 
 one by many witnesses. In the second inquiry he 
 decreed that fewer miracles should be examined, but that 
 some witnesses, as well as those persons on whom the 
 miracles had been performed, should present themselves 
 in the apostolic presence. And these directions were 
 sent both to England and to France. 
 
 The Second Inquiry. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 These commands, therefore, the aforesaid Archbishop 
 
 " Fulk ISasset, elected in 1241. on the death of Roger le Xoir, 
 t Robert Grosseteste,
 
 PROCEEDINGS FOR CANONISATION 185 
 
 and his colleagues carried out with strict care. Although 
 only a few miracles were considered, more witnesses 
 than before were called about each, so that over one 
 miracle nine or more witnesses were called. And in 
 like fashion an inquiry was held in England by the 
 venerable Father Richard, Bishop of Chichester,* and 
 the Prior of Esseby, of the Order of St Augustine, and 
 Friar Robert Bacon, then regent in the faculty of 
 Theology at Oxford. And each inquiry was brought 
 to a termination in each kingdom, and with much 
 deliberation it was put together, and sent to the Apos- 
 tolic See at the time of the Council of Lyons. \ . . . 
 
 As soon as it was received, it was proposed before 
 
 the Sovereign Pontiff and his brethren,! and before the 
 
 Patriarchs of Constantinople and Antioch and Aquileia, 
 
 and before more than two hundred Primates, Archbishops, 
 
 and Bishops, and many Abbots and Prelates, that such 
 
 a work worthy of all encouragement ought not to be 
 
 further postponed, but rather that such a glorious light 
 
 of the Church should be placed on a candlestick, that 
 
 there might be a new patron in heaven to protect the 
 
 condition of the Church militant. And this was 
 
 demanded by reason. For an important affair was 
 
 being discussed in the council, and one which stood in 
 
 need of a great intercessor, namely, that the Emperor 
 
 Frederick, so wealthy and illustrious, and endued with 
 
 worldly wisdom beyond measure, who had laid by such 
 
 riches, and had so many friends and allies — he, I say, 
 
 great and powerful though he was, on account of crimes 
 
 which he had committed against the Church and against 
 
 God, should be deprived of his power, and of the kingdom 
 
 * St Richard was consecrated Bishop of Chichester on March 5, 1245. 
 t A,D. 1245. + i.e., the Cardinals,
 
 [86 ST EDMUND 
 
 of Sicily and Jerusalem, of which kingdoms he was 
 possessor at the same time, and therefore, perchance, 
 from such and so great honours, and more than seemly 
 wealth, had become inflated. In this cause, so difficult, 
 yet so hoi}', it was desired, and not without reason, that 
 the Blessed Father Edmund should be inscribed in the 
 catalogue of the saints, that he might become a new- 
 helper and intercessor in heaven for these and other 
 necessities of the Church. Many Bishops, therefore, 
 loudly proclaimed that so it should be done, and kings 
 and princes sent petitions by letter, or through their 
 messengers. 
 
 [The council being already in progress, the Pope, according to the 
 usual mode of procedure, appointed a Commission to examine into 
 the matter and report to him. The Commission included two 
 Cardinals, Bishop Grosseteste of Lincoln, the celebrated Franciscan, 
 Alexander de Hales, and two others. They reported favourably on 
 the cause.] 
 
 Opposition to the Canonisation. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 But alas ! such is the infamy of the human intellect, 
 that any good directed to the community, which people 
 dare not to speak against in public, they do not cease 
 to oppose in private. And this affair had most strenuous 
 opponents and determined enemies. . . . Behold that 
 great prince, the King of England, with his whole court, 
 and the Archbishop's own community of Canterbury 
 opposed it with all their might. The King of France* 
 however, put no obstacle in the way, but, with much 
 devotion, worked piously in favour of it, and perchance 
 on this account it made the more progress. 
 
 * St Louis.
 
 PROCEEDINGS FOR CANONISATION 187 
 
 But in the Roman court the beginning of the process 
 concerning Blessed Edmund met with such contradiction 
 and such manifest ill-will from the great officers of that 
 court, that whatever could be written or said about his 
 miracles seemed to those who did not believe like the 
 ravings of madmen ; whence the friends of the cause 
 were thrown into terror and dismay, while their rivals 
 seemed to prosper in their designs. I myself, who 
 describe these things, though in a poor and untrained 
 style, but truthfully, however, have heard a certain 
 Cardinal speak thus : " Why this effort ? why this 
 toil ? why waste time in vain ? We believe not in 
 your miracles, nor do we give them the authority of 
 the Apostolic See ; for signs have passed away, and 
 tongues have ceased, and nothing remains but to pay 
 regard to works, which must be examined at a future 
 time. And 1 say (said he) that had not the Universal 
 Church accepted the memory and story of Blessed Martin, 
 I, at any rate, should say that Blessed Martin had never 
 raised to life three dead persons. For the Lord Jesus 
 never granted a like privilege even to Himself, Who is 
 declared to have raised to life only three dead men 
 when He sojourned upon earth." I boldly answer that 
 this man had become a forgetful hearer of the Divine 
 words in the Gospel, in which the Truth said, " He who 
 believeth in me shall do the works that I do, and greater 
 than these shall he do." * Such presumption was well 
 punished in him. For being made Legate of the 
 Roman Church, coming to Pontigny, he was altogether 
 humbled, and prostrating himself on the earth, and even 
 at the gates of our holy Father Edmund, confessing his 
 error, he spoke publicly thus : " All that slandered thee 
 * John \iv. 12,
 
 188 ST EDMUND 
 
 shall worship the steps of thy feet."* And that he 
 might make fuller satisfaction for what he had done, 
 he consecrated three altars in the same monastery in 
 honour of the Blessed Father, in conjunction with certain 
 other saints, and in future abstained from all opposition, 
 and repented of what he had formerly done; which is 
 also worthy of record. 
 
 The Promoters of the Cause are discouraged. 
 
 Ibid. 
 Nevertheless, as this opposition increased, at any 
 rate from England and from the Apostolic See itself, 
 although the cause had been three or four times brought 
 to a completion, the Lord Pope withheld his approval from 
 it. And then all the friends and proctors in the cause 
 began almost to despair. And, indeed, not without 
 reason ; for the merits and miracles of our saint had 
 passed through fire and water, and were not able as yet 
 to be brought to a place of refreshment. And indeed 
 they were tried like gold in the furnace, and the furnace 
 of trial was heated sevenfold, and not even yet, as it 
 was said, was all the dross eliminated and the gold left 
 pure. There was apparently nothing left but to cancel 
 what had already been done, to abandon the care they 
 had employed, to cast away the money that had been 
 spent, and in confusion and indignation of soul, to 
 trample under foot all that had been written relating 
 thereto. For it was said that a fresh inquiry must be 
 made of those who were witnesses, and of the sick ; and 
 that there had not been produced at the same time 
 those who had received healing of their diseases, and 
 those who wished to prove a genuine cure : and it 
 * Isaias lx. 14.
 
 PROCEEDINGS FOR CANONISAT10 \ 189 
 
 appeared, therefore, that there was nothing left to be 
 done, but that the work that had been piously under- 
 taken should be entirely put aside and abandoned in 
 the weariness of despair. 
 
 Cardinal John encourages Bertrand to further 
 Endeavours. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 I, who was present myself, confess that I was among 
 those who despaired, and all his other friends were 
 dejected like myself, or perchance even more than I. 
 But what is left when human counsel fails, but to trust 
 to Divine counsel ? For the Lord, who is nigh unto 
 all who look upon Him, was with me, and steadfastly 
 refused to allow so holy a work to be endangered. He 
 raised up a voice of one crying in the wilderness. What 
 that voice was is manifest according to the testimony 
 of him who said, " I am the voice of one crying in the 
 wilderness." Here it was John, the Precursor of the 
 Lord, whose counterpart was John — the same in name, 
 but different in person. He not only prepared the way 
 for the Lord in His saint, but with a large heart repaired 
 anew all the paths which lead to this work, and which 
 search out the saint of the Lord, paths that were now 
 almost destroyed and removed. For that large-hearted 
 John, whose title was Cardinal Priest of St Lawrence 
 in Lucina, saw how all those who had been zealous 
 in the work had lost heart and had fallen into the depth 
 of dejection, and that even that great Abbot of Clair- 
 vaux,* formerly the companion, secretary, and pupil of 
 Blessed Father Edmund, the faithful witness of his 
 great virtues, and an unwearied helper in this work, even 
 * Stephen of Lexington.
 
 190 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 he had at that time given way, for he said, "There are with 
 us three saints' bodies, renowned with many miracles, who 
 have merited to be inscribed in the catalogue of saints ; 
 but seeing the difficult}- which surrounds a work so illus- 
 triously and so clearly proved, however favourable our 
 petition, we do not venture to put it forward, and we 
 advise others in similar situation to abstain." Being 
 led by the same considerations, the Abbot and Convent 
 of Longuepont were afraid to re-open the cause of the 
 canonisation of Brother John, though the proof of his 
 miracles moved them to do so. Having seen this, I 
 say, the aforesaid Cardinal John supported their failing 
 hands, strengthened their weakness, and having sum- 
 moned that single trust}' Achates, upon whom the whole 
 burden of the business had rested, that secretary of 
 Blessed Father Edmund, I say, of whom we have made 
 mention at the beginning,* spoke thus to him : " Fear 
 not ; be constant, and finish what thou hast begun. Go 
 whithersoever the Lord Pope wills, and the Lord will 
 be with thee wherever thou shalt go ; and I will furnish 
 thee with all things needful ; nor will we desist, thou 
 and I, till we bring to effect our holy purpose." From 
 being sad, therefore, he became more joyful, and having 
 heard these things, that most faithful prosecutor of the 
 cause regained his hope, started upon his journey, and 
 fortified once more by apostolic approbation, passing 
 through France, came again to England. Then, in 
 fulfilment of his vow, he took with him the witnesses 
 themselves and their testimonies, and those proofs in 
 which their testimony lay, as, for example, the persons 
 themselves who had been cured ; and being furnished 
 
 * Bertrand, who, after St Edmund's death, had become a 
 
 Cistercian monk at Pontigny.
 
 PROCEEDINGS FOR CANONISATION 191 
 
 with all that was necessary both from England and 
 France, with joy he once more went into the apostolic 
 presence. Then, indeed, every one was silent, and the 
 faces of all were eager. Who could say anything against 
 this? But all were dumb; they ceased their bark, and 
 forebore also the bite of envy, waiting to hear what the 
 Sovereign Pontiff would declare concerning these things. 
 
 Pinal Inquiry. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 But still the end was not yet. Listen therefore thou 
 whoever thou art, in doubt and unwilling to believe unless 
 thou mayest handle the matter itself. For thus it came to 
 pass. Those persons who had been brought to the court, 
 in whom the nature of the cure was more excellently 
 manifest, were called to the houses of certain Cardinals, 
 who carefully examined the places of the cures, and 
 inquired diligently of the nature of the maladies under 
 which they had suffered, and whether they could in any- 
 way have been restored to their former health by the 
 art of medicine, without assigning it to the miraculous, and 
 of the duration of time and the cognisance of other 
 persons. The whole process was prolonged with the 
 most searching scrutiny and inquiry, and finally they 
 were taken into the presence of the Sovereign Pontiff, 
 and there a most strict examination was performed. 
 Thus, in order that there might be full belief about a 
 certain person who had been a leper, it was commanded 
 that his garments should be rent in front of his breast, 
 so that it might be plainly proved whether the grace of 
 healing which appeared in his face corresponded with the 
 colour of his breast, lest he might have altered the colour 
 of his face by trickerv, in which case it would differ from
 
 192 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 that of the breast. But without any deceit, the colour was 
 found to be the same, that is, a healthy colour appeared 
 both here and there. And it was found in like manner in 
 the case of others. A trial was also made with his voice, 
 for a certain hoarseness is wont to exist in the case of lepers ; 
 but here the organ of a clear voice was proved before the 
 Lord Tope. He proved that his body as well as his face 
 was sound. 
 
 Canonisation of St Edmund. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iv\, p. 586). 
 And now the Lord Pope, fearing lest Blessed Edmund, 
 Archbishop of Canterbury, whose canonisation had been 
 so long delayed by the murmurings of his opponents, 
 should visit him with some manifest calamity in punish- 
 ment, enrolled him in the catalogue of the Saints by 
 solemn canonisation, on the last Sunday before the Feast of 
 Christmas, on which Sunday is sung Gaudete in Domino* 
 
 Pontigny MS. (Martene, iii., c. 185 1). 
 
 As the Sovereign Pontiff went in the middle, thronged 
 
 about by a large crowd of Cardinals, Archbishops, and 
 
 Bishops, and other faithful, they came to the Church 
 
 of St John Baptist, which is the primatial church of 
 
 France and the metropolitan one of Lyons, and there he 
 
 made his prayer ; and after a great quantity of candles had 
 
 been lit, the Sovereign Pontiff was set upon his high 
 
 throne, and the faithful being arranged on either side, 
 
 silence was proclaimed, which in such a large multitude 
 
 was difficult to enjoin, and still more difficult to enforce. 
 
 Then brother Hugh, Cardinal Priest of St Sabina, acting 
 
 as the notary or Archdeacon of the Roman Church, 
 
 This is a slight inaccuracy. The Sunday known as Gaudete is 
 the third of Advent, the second before Christmas.
 
 CANONISATION OF ST EDMUND 193 
 
 addressed the people, reciting in order from the very 
 beginning the great virtues and notable miraculous signs 
 with which Blessed Edmund, the Confessor of Christ, was 
 adorned in life and after death, and the proofs and 
 witnesses above all suspicion to his sanctity, and the 
 renown of his miracles, like gold tried in the furnace, 
 approved without any possibility of doubt by all the 
 Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops. For the previous 
 Saturday, the Lord Pope, having called the Archbishops 
 to the presence of the Cardinals, according to the rule 
 previously arranged, asked questions about the several 
 miracles ; and each one being questioned, could answer 
 nothing but what the genuine simplicity of truth 
 demanded, namely, that the miracles which had been 
 set before them and explained had been so well proved, 
 that if any one should be bold enough to call them in 
 question, he would without doubt be wanting in sense, and 
 stand in need of correction. For, indeed, had the merits 
 of the ancient holy fathers been so examined, or so tried 
 and proved, with difficulty would any one of them have 
 arrived at the point of canonisation. Therefore, on the 
 previous day, the Sabbath eve, having heard the will and 
 advice of each one who counselled that the affair should 
 be no longer delayed, lest through the delay some 
 prejudice should accrue to the Church, a general session 
 was held, in order that on the following day, that is, 
 on the day itself on which is sung Gaudete in Domino 
 semper, joy and exultation, rejoicing and thanksgiving, 
 might be poured out by the universal assembly of the 
 faithful collected together in that place, with all rever- 
 ence and worthy praise, to God the Father and His 
 only Son, with the Holy Spirit, for having established 
 such a patron of the Church in the heavenly court. 
 
 N
 
 i 94 ST EDMUND 
 
 These and other things having been arranged by the 
 aforesaid Cardinal Priest, the Lord Pope thereupon added 
 these words : " Since there has been found a servant so 
 faithful and prudent, placed over the family of the Lord, 
 we by the authority of Almighty God the Father, and 
 of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, have decreed 
 that this blessed father Edmund be enrolled in the 
 catalogue of saints." As soon as the sentence was by 
 God's will given forth and declared, what else remained, 
 save to chant praises to God, to intone the angelic 
 hymn Te Deum with voices loud and clear, and with 
 devout eagerness, with tears intermingling with the 
 strains of their joy, again and again to chant Te Deum 
 laudamus ? 
 
 King Henry rejoices at the News of the Canonisation. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (iv., p. 586). 
 Which when the Lord King heard, he rejoiced exceed- 
 ingly. And having been informed thereof, he commanded 
 that many candles should be lit, and that all the clergy of 
 the Chapel-royal should put on their festal vestments, 
 and with all solemnity celebrate the Mass whose introit is 
 GaudctDiius.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 CULTUS OF ST EDMUND. — FIRST AND SECOND TRANSLA- 
 TION OF THE RELICS 
 
 Opening of the Tomb. — Letter of St Richard. 
 
 [After Canonisation follows the Translation of the Relics of the new- 
 saint ; that is. their elevation to a permanent position of honour, in 
 which they are henceforth to be venerated. The opening of the tomb 
 here described by St Richard seems to have been a preliminary and 
 informal one, to ascertain the condition of the body. The formal 
 opening is described later on.] 
 
 Cotton MS. (Wallace, p. 583).* 
 R[ichard], by the grace of God, Bishop of Chichester, 
 to his venerable friend in the Lord, R., Abbot of 
 Begeham, greeting. In order that thou mayest be 
 informed of the translation and condition of the body of 
 Blessed Edmund, thou must know that on the day after 
 the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity last past, namely, 
 in the year 1247, on May 27, when the tomb of our 
 holy father Edmund was first opened, in the evening, 
 in the presence of only a few, we found the state of 
 the body whole and entire, giving forth a most sweet 
 
 *This letter is also given by Matthew Paris, in his Additamenta ; 
 and in one or two cases some obvious misreadings in the Cotton MS. 
 have been corrected here by comparison ; but otherwise, the form 
 in which it is given in the Cotton MS. has been adhered to. There 
 is considerable divergence between the two, especially about the 
 middle of the letter. 
 
 195
 
 i</> ST EDMUND 
 
 odour; the head with its hair, and the face fresh 
 coloured, and the body with its limbs complete, entire, 
 and giving forth a heavenly odour above any balm or 
 incense. The nose alone had suffered some injury, 
 being weighed down by a metal plate pressing upon 
 it. The whole body, and especially the face, was 
 found as though steeped in oil, and unharmed. And 
 this we rightly interpret as a sign of his virginal in- 
 tegrity, which he vowed when placing his ring on the 
 statue of the Blessed Virgin, and which he ever pre- 
 served. By the oil, or the appearance of oil, we can 
 understand as signified the grace of character and 
 doctrine and of pre-eminent knowledge with which he 
 shone. For grace was poured abroad from his lips, in his 
 lectures, his disputations, his sermons, and his teaching. 
 Therefore God hath anointed him with the oil of glad- 
 ness above the lecturers and doctors of his time. We 
 found also other notes of his virtues, which when oppor- 
 tunity arrives, we will recount to thee privately and 
 in full, which the number of events happening does not 
 now permit to be committed to writing. But let not 
 thy discretion doubt what has been said ; for we speak 
 what we know, and we bear witness to what we have 
 seen. With our own hands we have touched his holy 
 body; his head, with its hair lying thick and uninjured, 
 with a comb we have carefully and reverently, and 
 even joyfully, combed and arranged. On the Sunday 
 next before the Feast of Blessed Barnabas,* in the 
 presence of the Lord King of the French and his hoi)' 
 mother, and his brethren the Counts, and mam- other 
 great men, as well as the two Cardinals, that is, of 
 
 * The Feast of St Barnabas is on June 1 1. The previous Sunday, 
 the day of the Translation, was June 9, 1247.
 
 TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS 197 
 
 Albano and the Legate of France, with Archbishops, 
 Bishops, Abbots, and other venerable Prelates who 
 assisted, of whose number wc are ignorant, at Pontigny, 
 by the will of God, with joy and glory untold, and the 
 great praise of God, was celebrated the Translation of 
 our most blessed father Edmund, Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, and Confessor, to the no small increase of 
 honour to our nation. 
 
 Solemn Translation of the Relics. 
 
 Abridged History of the Translation. 
 And on that solemn and joyful day, there came 
 together many rich and poor, old and young, men and 
 women of every condition of life — indeed, a countless 
 multitude. Among them were present the Lord Cardinals, 
 Peter of Albano, formerly Bishop of Rouen,* and Odo, 
 Cardinal Bishop of Tusculum, and Legate of the Holy 
 See;-f- also the Archbishop of the Primatial See of 
 Bourges, the Archbishops of Sens and Bordeaux, and 
 he who was formerly Archbishop of Armagh, the Bishop 
 of Chichester, who in times past was Chancellor of the 
 saint ; the Bishops of Troyes, Auxerre, Orleans, and 
 Chaume, and other Bishops, and many Abbots, includ- 
 ing those of Pontigny and Clairvaux, with some of 
 their fellow Abbots and Prelates, and a larger number 
 of prelates, clerics, and religious, of whom some waited 
 in the church for the arrival of those who were coming, 
 while others hastened forward and informed the King 
 of France that the procession, now already reverently 
 forming, awaited his coming that it might meet him 
 
 Peter de Colmieu, Archbishop of Rouen, 1237; Cardinal Bishop 
 of Albano, 1 245-1 253. 
 
 t Odo de Chateauroux, a French Cistercian, Cardinal Bishop of 
 Tusculum (Frascati), 1244- 1273.
 
 i 9 S ST EDMUND 
 
 with joy. But the king, with his wonted kindness and 
 humility, replied that he who came as a pilgrim was 
 not worthy to be thus received with honour; but if 
 it were their good pleasure to pay this reverent homage 
 to his mother, it would be wholly to his satisfaction, and 
 would be considered as paid to his own person. And 
 as he wished, so it was done. There were, then, at 
 this great festival, in addition to the above-mentioned 
 Prelates, the holy King Louis of France, his venerable 
 mother Queen Blanche, the king's three brothers, Robert, 
 Lord of Artois, Alphonsus of Poitou, and Charles, soon after 
 Duke of Provence and Anjou ; and their sister Isabella, 
 who was both daughter and sister to a king, and in no wise 
 beneath a queen, for she was joined to Christ the King 
 in pure virginity. It would be difficult to tell how many 
 princes, barons, knights, king's councillors, and noble 
 women came together, and of the great crowd that 
 followed. When the procession was over, and the bless- 
 ing had been given, all quietly returned to their appointed 
 hostels. And after the evening meal they took counsel 
 after what manner and at what time the good under- 
 taking so well begun might be brought to completion. 
 
 Now that day was Saturday, and on the morrow the 
 first feeling of joy was greatly increased, for the memory 
 of the resurrection of our Lord, and of the passion of Saints 
 Prime and Felician * occurred to pious and faithful minds. 
 And so it was determined that the Translation of our holy 
 father should be carried out with honour that day. 
 Those persons to whose care were entrusted the arrange- 
 ments of the ceremony came together, and taking counsel, 
 decided that throughout the following night there should 
 be a solemn vigil. The watches were to be kept around 
 ' June 9 is the Feast of these Saints.
 
 TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS 199 
 
 the church, and all care was to be taken lest anything 
 untoward should happen to disturb the minds of the 
 people who continued in prayer. By a special privilege, 
 with the sanction of the Holy See, permission was 
 granted to persons of both sexes to go to and fro in 
 the chapels, though this is against the Constitution of 
 the Order. And although men and women took the 
 opportunity to walk where they would, throughout the 
 whole night nothing of a disorderly or unpleasant nature 
 occurred. Some watched with the greatest fervour, others 
 spent their time in prayer, others again wandered with 
 devotion from chapel to chapel, awaiting with great 
 longing the time and hour for the exposing of the holy 
 body. When all had fatigued themselves with this 
 holy work, it was announced that before daylight the 
 church would be shut up, and guardians put here and 
 there, as many as necessary, to keep guard lest any 
 onrush of the crowd should disturb the due order of 
 the exposition. Then it came to pass, as was necessary, 
 that when every one, tired out by devotion or curiosity, 
 was sleeping his first sleep, early in the morning all 
 those who had a right to be present were awakened, 
 that is, the Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops, the 
 Abbots, and the brethren of the monastery, upon whom, 
 indeed, the chief share of the matter rested. And for 
 the due carrying out of their purpose, they formed a 
 procession in the usual way, with sacred vestments, and 
 lights, and incense, which procession included those who 
 had waited with much eagerness to behold the sight, 
 for which purpose they had come. Then the brethren 
 of the monaster)-, who had been told and instructed 
 beforehand, raised the stone. And behold, there 
 appeared a sign wonderful before heaven and earth : a
 
 200 ST EDMUND 
 
 body pure and without decay ; a body in which our Lord 
 Jesus Christ made manifest the truth of His Gospel, 
 because not one hair of the head had perished, but 
 every hair, each single one, clung to him. And all 
 present, when they saw this, broke forth into the praises 
 of God, singing with joy and with many tears the Te 
 Deum. When the hymn of praise was over, and all 
 those near had seen the body, it was carried to the 
 high altar with much pomp and honour. On the follow- 
 ing night it was taken from the altar, and hidden in a 
 secret place, known as the upper sacristy, for it was 
 greatly feared lest in so vast a concourse some should 
 tamper with part of the sacred body, or that they should 
 stealthily take away the fringe of his garments, whence 
 the virtue of healing might come forth. For so numerous 
 were the pilgrims that there was no room for them 
 within the enclosure of the monastery, nor indeed in the 
 houses round about. And thus it became necessary to 
 make sheds, and cover them with foliage, within the 
 precincts of the monastery. Great care was taken to 
 prevent the breaking out of any unwonted trouble, in 
 consequence of the number of persons assembled together. 
 
 Dispute about the Shrine. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 But whilst the night went on its peaceful course, and 
 
 when all had retired, civil and internal strife broke out 
 
 among the community, though this was due to devotion 
 
 rather than to malice. The Abbot and the Prior for the 
 
 time being, with certain others, thought that the bod)- of 
 
 the saint should rest in a stone sarcophagus, with perhaps 
 
 a little sculpture or painting by way of decoration. On 
 
 the other hand, many of the brethren affirmed that a
 
 TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS 20 1 
 
 common tomb, one only a little higher than a burial 
 place for ordinary bishops, did not become the memory 
 of so great a father, for this could not be properly called 
 a burial, but rather a translation. For he, the noblest 
 stone in all Sion, placed in his position with the approval 
 of the Holy See, ought rather to be surrounded by gold 
 and precious stones. For such a one, without doubt, 
 a resting-place should be built which should be worked 
 with all skill, and in every precious material, whether 
 of the free gift of nature, or of the handicraft of man. 
 They asserted this still more, strongly when the Lord 
 Bishop of Albano, deputed by the Apostolic See for 
 the cause of St Edmund, for this very purpose, com- 
 manded by word of mouth and in his letters that some work 
 in gold and precious stones should be prepared to satisfy 
 the devotion of the faithful when they offered their gifts, 
 inasmuch as an offering would greatly further the devout 
 work, and would promise the fulfilment of their hope. 
 Hence, to go against this order or precept would be as 
 a refusal to obey the apostolic commands. 
 
 Others replied that the Cistercian Order had been 
 founded upon humility, and ought to extend this humility 
 to all its deeds, lest the scandal-mongers should find in 
 them material to show to the eyes of the onlookers. More- 
 over, some objected on the ground that our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, when dead for the salvation of all mankind, had 
 chosen a lowly burial-place, and that, after His example, 
 the holy bodies of our fathers Malachy, formerly Arch- 
 bishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland, and the 
 blessed Abbot Bernard, the great founder of the Cistercian 
 Order, had been buried, although with all reverence and 
 honour, nevertheless in mausoleums of plain marble, and 
 without gold or precious stones. Thus, indeed, that
 
 2 o2 ST EDMUND 
 
 moderation, which is worthy of all praise, avoids things 
 mean and debased ; but also, in like manner, things un- 
 necessarily magnificent are rejected, and the middle 
 course is approved by all. To this, again, it was answered 
 on the other side, that the above-mentioned fathers, men 
 of the greatest sanctity, were willing to receive in a place, 
 so renowned for its holiness, a burial becoming to 
 themselves and to their Order. But since we are to 
 be guided by actual examples, it will be no less good 
 to compare the tomb of our holy father Edmund to 
 that of his predecessor, Blessed Thomas the Martyr, 
 which is so rich and magnificent that I know not 
 whether its like can be found in all the world — a fact 
 or assertion which can be proved better by actually 
 seeing it than by any attempt at description. 
 
 These, together with many other reasons, were urged, 
 and so bitter did the dispute become, that some indeed 
 wished to leave in a body, had not Divine Providence 
 ordained it otherwise. For certain Bishops were called, 
 amongst whom was the disciple whom Edmund loved,* 
 for he knew his most intimate thoughts. Their opinion 
 about the question at issue was asked ; but amongst the 
 Bishops themselves divers opinions prevailed. The above- 
 mentioned disciple bore himself as a true arbitrator in 
 this part of the quarrel, for he concealed his opinion as 
 though he were but a novice, until the dissensions should 
 come to an end, when it might appear more clearly what 
 ought to be done. For the Abbot, Prior, and Cellarer, and 
 those in agreement with them, prevailed in their opinion, 
 because they had more authority, though perhaps less 
 cogency in their reasons. They took the body and placed 
 it in the said stone coffin. And thus the quarrel finished 
 * St Richard of Chichester.
 
 TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS 203 
 
 and in some way was lulled to quiet, though most fruitful 
 in future discord. There were some who said, " Let it 
 be so for the present, let the body lie there ; matters 
 will soon take a different turn, and there will be another 
 Translation most certainly." And so, indeed, by the 
 Providence of God, all disputes settled down peacefully 
 and entirely to the honour of His chosen one. 
 
 And when the Abbots of Citeaux, La Ferte, and 
 others whose duty it was, were summoned for a visitation, 
 the\- came to Pontigny and held an inquiry. They found 
 that the Prior had shown himself too bitter in the causes 
 of trouble related above, and for other legitimate reasons 
 they removed him from the office of Prior. After a little 
 time, the Abbot of Pontigny of his own accord resigned 
 his office. Before his resignation, he took counsel of the 
 chapter, and with the assent of the chapter, he made him 
 Prior who had been the disciple and fellow-exile of our 
 holy father St Edmund.* The Abbot seemed to be 
 moved by a good reason, that he who in life could not 
 be torn from his lord and father, was unwilling to be 
 separated from him in death until he should be taken to 
 heaven, like Eliseus, who felt such great love for Elias ; 
 and also, that he might find in his priorship a position of 
 permanence, and of standing, and likewise have a legiti- 
 mate and just excuse from withdrawing himself from the 
 tumult of business which at one time called him to the 
 Papal court, and at another time to England. He was, in- 
 deed, unwilling to undertake an office of such responsibility. 
 The following causes, however, overcame his reluctance : 
 in the first place, his presence was necessary for the 
 carrying out of many things yet unfinished — in particular, 
 the completion of the shrine. In the second place, no 
 
 * Bertrand.
 
 204 ST EDMUND 
 
 person of distinction vtfould be able henceforth to call him 
 to the court. Then there was a third reason which must 
 be mentioned. It is related how once in England, our 
 blessed father, Bertrand's own lord and master, spoke 
 to this disciple when he wished once to leave him, at 
 least in body if not in spirit, and said, "You cannot 
 possibly depart from me until you are made Abbot or 
 Prior." And he, mindful of his master's words — for he 
 knew that they carried weight— had hoped that the pre- 
 diction had been fulfilled when soon afterwards he was 
 elected Prior of Dover, and then a little later, and with 
 greater solemnity, Abbot of Tre Fontane. And when, 
 having no wish for these posts, he refused both, he had 
 hoped that what he had heard was fulfilled, and that by 
 his caution he had evaded what had been offered. But 
 when he saw that his calling to the first and second post 
 was not suitable for him, and that the prediction was to 
 be fulfilled by a third calling, he consented of necessity 
 to remain with his master, and to accept what was laid 
 upon him, with fear, indeed, but moved by the love of his 
 blessed father, who had foretold it to him. 
 
 It will be told in what follows what great good came 
 out of the events we have just narrated. For the new 
 Prior was forthwith installed, and at once hastened to 
 Rome. There he settled his accounts, and being freed 
 from all obligations, returned to the monaster)- of which he- 
 had been made Prior. And he brought with him gracious 
 letters of command from the Holy See, to the effect that 
 everything which the Bishop of Albano had done or 
 ordered concerning the sarcophagus of our holy father, 
 whether touching the ornamentation, or offerings, or 
 privileges, or any regulation which the said Bishop of 
 Albano might decree, should hold good and should have
 
 TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS 
 
 205 
 
 the approval of the Apostolic See. The said Prior on 
 his return had a shrine constructed of marvellous work- 
 manship, which is praised by all the faithful who come in 
 pilgrimage. 
 
 Second Translation of the Relics. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 It was wisely arranged that on the same day on which 
 the former Translation was so solemnly made, on that same 
 
 St Edmund's Mitre. 
 
 day two years later,* the second Translation should take 
 place, so that by the coincidence of the date, according 
 to the desire of those assisting at it, the earlier and later 
 ones might be as one. At this second Translation, which 
 in truth was one with the first, being simply a further act 
 of devotion towards the Confessor of the Lord, there were 
 present venerable men, renowned for their holiness ; the 
 * June 9, 1249.
 
 206 ST EDMUND 
 
 Bishop of the clioccsc, namely, Auxerre, and that of 
 Orleans, from France, and those of Norwich * and 
 Chichester f from England, so that it might be truly 
 said that by the consent of these two different kingdoms 
 the word of truth should stand and be an example of 
 true proof, although many other trustworthy witnesses, 
 who were above all suspicion, were present, who could 
 give a certain account of what thev saw and heard. 
 
 Separation of the Right Arm from the Body. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 And when the country people learnt that the body 
 of the blessed saint had been removed from its former 
 position, and had been exposed to sight, they all nocked 
 together, and on every side the rumour spread that 
 the Lord was showing to the faithful the time and 
 place in which those looking with the longing eyes of 
 faith should now see what they had so long desired. 
 And not only because of the numbers who actually came, 
 but also because of the weariness of awaiting new-comers, 
 the brethren of the monaster}- were weighed down with 
 very great fatigue ; and being unable to bear such an in- 
 rush of people, greater than there had ever been before, 
 the}- were compelled to try and find some remedy 
 against their importunity. Those, therefore, who had 
 given them occasion to come began to consider whether 
 it might not be prudent now to keep out the multitude. 
 
 They had given them the occasion thus. In order 
 that the truth of the incorruption of the body might be 
 made manifest, two monks held up the arm of the 
 
 * William tie Raleigh. t St Richard.
 
 TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS 207 
 
 blessed father, lifted it out of the shrine, and put it before 
 the faithful for them to kiss ; and when these two were 
 tired, others succeeded them, and then others a^ain as 
 these became tired, and allowed them to take their 
 place. And then, so great a multitude came together 
 (anxious to see what was put before their own eyes, 
 as above explained) that the brethren relieving each 
 other in succession were hardly able to support such 
 labour, and in a marvellous manner the hand of a dead 
 man was able to tire and weary out the hands of living 
 men. Thus it was perchance by the Divine will that it 
 so turned out that from its continual movement the arm 
 itself of our blessed father Edmund began to be loosened 
 from its joint, and thus, in sympathy with those who were 
 wearied, he himself also assumed the appearance of 
 weariness. Which some of the brethren seeing, and 
 being moved by the prudent consideration that the 
 devotion of the faithful might grow cold if they ceased — 
 for that holy thing had been shown with great blessing 
 to many, while others were still coming, some with greater 
 toil from afar, and would be grieved if it was withheld 
 from them — and fearing that continual movement of one 
 part might cause injury to the whole body, the}- carefully 
 separated the blessed arm of our holy father, so that 
 others who should come might receive its blessing, and 
 carefully replaced the rest of the body in the new shrine. 
 
 And now, behold an outcry was raised, and some of 
 the brethren began to blame themselves for the good 
 work, and what was done for a pious motive they turned 
 into evil. Nevertheless, as the outcry had no reasonable 
 foundation, it easily died down, and there ever remained 
 great rejoicing among the people that Blessed Edmund, 
 the Confessor of the Lord, had been translated into
 
 2o8 ST EDMUND 
 
 another place, where he might be honoured with greater 
 reverence, and that the place in which he lay might be 
 venerated with worthy devotions. For when it was 
 heard in England what had been done, the King and 
 Queen, the Earl Richard, and other earls and barons 
 and nobles of both sexes, sent precious gifts, so that that 
 noble tomb might be adorned with costly offerings; and 
 the Bishops in like manner offered large presents, namely, 
 statues representing Pontiffs of life-like workmanship, 
 which can be seen on the slabs surrounding the sarco- 
 phagus. 
 
 The Gift of Earl Richard. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (i\\, p. 632). 
 And when these things came to the ears of Earl 
 Richard, by the report of truthful and trustworthy men, 
 heaving heavy sighs, he said : " Alas that it was not 
 granted to us from above, that is to say, my brother the 
 king and myself, to assist at so joyful a Translation ! 
 For the saint was our own by birth, by education, and 
 by his high office ; although by a misfortune, for which 
 our sins are responsible, he was taken away from England. 
 Nevertheless, what I failed to do by my presence there, 
 I will do to him while absent." From thenceforward, 
 therefore, he began to love him more intimately, and to 
 honour him more devoutly. And when he was brought 
 to the point of death by a grave and secret illness, 
 having with faith invoked his aid, he was happily 
 delivered. Whence, in thanksgiving to God and to Blessed 
 Edmund, he undertook to have made at his own ex- 
 pense, and of most costly workmanship, a fourth part, 
 namely the front, of his shrine.
 
 CULTUS OF ST EDMUND 209 
 
 Cultus of St Edmund. 
 
 [The Feast of St Edmund was first kept at Oxford by the desire of 
 King Henry, who was holding a Parliament there in Low Week, 1247. 
 The ordinary Feast was fixed for November 16, the day of his death, 
 in all the dioceses of England, and some of those in France.* It was 
 likewise kept in all the monasteries of the Cistercian Order ; and at 
 Pontigny, in addition, the Feast of the Translation was observed on 
 June 9. 
 
 In the following places there are known to have been chapels 
 dedicated to St Edmund : The Cathedrals of Canterbury, Rochester, 
 Salisbury, and Chichester, Westminster Abbey, Calne Church, and the 
 Convent Chapel of Catesby. There were no doubt very many others 
 throughout the country. At Salisbury there was also a collegiate 
 church for secular canons dedicated to his honour, erected and en- 
 dowed by Walter de la Wyle (Bishop of Salisbury, 1263- 1270), and a 
 church was consecrated in his honour at Dover, with a burial-ground 
 for the poor. Finally, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, built a chapel in 
 honour of St Edmund, on the spot where his home had stood at 
 Abingdon, and where he first saw the light.] 
 
 Indulgences granted to Pilgrims to Pontigny. — Letter 
 of Archbishop Boniface. 
 
 Martene, iii., c. 19 17. 
 
 Boniface, by the grace of God, Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, to all the faithful of Christ who shall see 
 these presents : grace in this present time, and glory in 
 the future. 
 
 Whereas it is our wish to pour forth freely on the 
 faithful people the grace which we have freely received 
 from God, we mercifully grant to all who have with true 
 contrition confessed their sins, and who shall have come 
 with fitting devotion and for the sake of pilgrimage to 
 the Church of St Mary of Pontigny, in which the relics 
 of blessed father Edmund, our predecessor, repose, at 
 whose Canonisation at Lyons we assisted, or to any who 
 
 * In the Sarum Processional, an interesting little rite is given 
 for a procession to the altar of the Saint on his Feast-day : see the 
 Edmundian, December 1901, p. 14. 
 
 O
 
 210 ST EDMUND 
 
 shall have conferred their goods on the same church, 
 with pious devotion, and trust in the all-powerful 
 clemency of God, forty days of penance due to them, 
 provided that the Bishop of the Diocese shall see fit to 
 approve of this our indulgence. Given at Lyons, in the 
 year of the Lord 1246, in the month of December. 
 
 Leave granted to English Women to enter the Church 
 at Pontigny. 
 
 Martene, iii., c. 1924. 
 
 Brother John, by the mercy of God, Cardinal Priest 
 of the title of St Lawrence in Lucina, to our beloved in 
 Christ, the Abbot and Convent of the Monastery of 
 Pontigny, of the Cistercian Order, in the Diocese of 
 Auxerre, health in the Lord. 
 
 We deem it right that fitting honour should be paid 
 by the faithful to the saints of God, and that the devotion 
 should enjoy the attraction of certain spiritual privileges. 
 Since, therefore, some women from England, and even 
 from more distant parts of the earth, inflamed by the 
 zeal of faith and devotion, come in pilgrimage to visit 
 the place where the most precious body of Blessed 
 Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, reposes in your 
 church, in consideration of their devotion, the length 
 of journeys which they undertake, and the labours and 
 difficulties they undergo, in order that such may obtain 
 therefrom gladness of spirit, by the command of the Lord 
 Pope, given to us by word of mouth, we permit by the 
 authority of these presents, that all such women, when 
 accompanied by other women of good repute, may enter 
 the said place, and there, in humility of spirit, offer to 
 God the sacrifice of the prayer of their lips, any contrary 
 custom or statute of the Cistercian Order or of your
 
 CULT US OF ST EDMUND 21 1 
 
 monastery, whether confirmed by apostolic authority, or 
 in whatsoever way established, notwithstanding. ... It 
 is our will, however, that the said women, even though 
 they be of the nobility, should not appear in presence of 
 the Convent in the cloister, and should neither eat ;nor 
 sleep within the precincts of the monastery. It shall be 
 lawful, however, for them to enter the chapter room of 
 the said monastery for the sake of asking the suffrages 
 of your prayers. We have caused the foregoing to be 
 done for the increase of the glory of the Confessor, and 
 the devotion of the faithful, and we confirm it with the 
 authority of our seal. Given at Naples on the 9th day of 
 April [1255], in the first year of the pontificate of Pope 
 Alexander IV. 
 
 King Henry III. visits Pontigny. — His Gifts to St 
 Edmund's Shrine. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (v., p. 228). 
 
 And about that time, namely, during Lent [1251], the 
 Abbot of Westminster, at the wish and command of the 
 king, secretly crossed the seas. And there were those who 
 said that the Lord King had formed a purpose to go abroad 
 and to travel as a pilgrim to Pontigny, so that he might 
 there bring about a reconciliation with Blessed Edmund. 
 For he was well aware that he had injured him in 
 manifold ways ; when in company with the Legate Otho 
 he had wounded the Archbishop, his own Confessor, even to 
 bitterness of spirit, and had been the cause of his being 
 driven abroad into exile, for which reason he feared the 
 Divine vengeance. But Earl Richard would not consent 
 to his journey, of which he had such suspicions. 
 
 [Apparently, therefore, the king did not visit Pontigny at that time. 
 Three years later, however, being in France, he found means to carry 
 out his pilgrimage.]
 
 212 ST EDMUND 
 
 Chron. Maj (v., p. 475). 
 And [King Henry] coming to Pontigny, whereas he 
 was ill, and praying with devotion at the tomb and shrine 
 of St Edmund, received the grace of health. He made 
 an offering, therefore, of a pall to cover the tomb, and 
 other royal and costly gifts. 
 
 Endowment of Pontigny by the King of England. 
 
 Martene, iii., c. 1226. 
 
 Henry, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of 
 Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of 
 Anjou, to all to whom these presents may come, greeting. 
 
 Be it known to you that we have given and conceded, 
 
 and in this our writing confirmed, for ourselves and our 
 
 heirs, to our beloved in Christ, the Abbot and Convent of 
 
 Pontigny 20 marks sterling, to be received from the lands 
 
 of our city of Canterbury, every year in perpetuity, at the 
 
 time of Easter, by the hands of our bailiffs of the same 
 
 city, in order to provide four torches to be continually 
 
 alight in their church at Pontigny, in front of the shrine of 
 
 Blessed Edmund, the Confessor, there. And if, perchance, 
 
 it should happen that the said Abbot and Convent of 
 
 Pontigny should take away the said four torches, the 
 
 said 20 marks a year shall be taken away from them, 
 
 so indeed that they shall receive nothing of these 20 
 
 marks so long as the torches are not found continually 
 
 burning. . . . Given by our own hand at Bruey, on the 
 
 4th day of November, in the thirty-sixth year of our 
 
 reign. 
 
 Death of St Richard. 
 
 Life of St Richard (Bollandists, April, i., p. 281). 
 
 [In the year 125 1, St Richard] came to Dover, and was 
 
 received in the house called " the Lord's Guest House "
 
 CULT US OF ST EDMUND 213 
 
 as a guest. And at the request of the master of the said 
 truest house, he solemnly consecrated a certain church, 
 with a cemetery built for the burial of the poor, in honour 
 of his former master, Blessed Edmund, his own patron. 
 And he told them during the course of his sermon the 
 same day how, ever since he had been a Bishop, he had 
 ardently longed with all his might to consecrate at least 
 one church in honour of the said Blessed Edmund, before 
 his last day should close in upon him. And then he said : 
 " I give thanks to God, who has not refused me the desire 
 of my soul. And now I know (said he) that the time for 
 me to put off this tabernacle is at hand, and I beg for 
 the support of your prayers." The very next day which 
 followed that of the dedication of the church, although 
 weighed down by the aforesaid labours and by sickness, 
 being unaware at his usual hour for rising that his strength 
 was giving way, in the morning he entered the church and 
 began to recite his office. But when the time came for 
 him to hear Mass, owing to his increasing illness, his 
 limbs became too weak to support him, and he fell fainting 
 on the ground. He was at once lifted up by his attendants, 
 who carried him to his bed and laid him thereon. Then 
 he told a certain William, his chaplain, with whom he 
 was very intimate, that he should not recover from this 
 sickness, and commanded that even-thing necessary for 
 his funeral should be carefully prepared. And to Master 
 Simon de Terringes he indicated the exact day of his 
 death. . . . [And on that day], as he sighed devoutly, and 
 uttered words of prayer in presence of religious, priests, 
 clerics, and faithful laymen, who stood around, Blessed 
 Richard gave up his soul to his Creator, to be united to 
 the heavenly citizens above. He passed away from this 
 world in the fifty-sixth year of his age, the ninth of his
 
 214 XT EDMUND 
 
 episcopate, on April 3, about the hour of midnight, at 
 which hour the heavenly spouse is described as about to 
 come to the nuptials. And after his death, his holy body, 
 oppressed by vigils, broken down through the hard earth 
 on which he had so often lain, emaciated with fastings, 
 and weakened with many austerities, appeared bright 
 beyond the wont of humanity. And when his body, 
 having been fittingly placed and enclosed in a coffin, 
 arrayed in the pontifical vestments, was brought into the 
 aforesaid church, which he had just dedicated, from all 
 sides people flocked together to assist at the obsequies of 
 a man worth)- of such veneration. And each one thought 
 himself fortunate could he but touch the bier or handle 
 even the hem of his sacred vestments. Rings and other 
 ornaments which had touched the sacred body they con- 
 sidered as thereby sanctified, and kept them as relics. And 
 since he had bequeathed his body for burial to the Church 
 of Chichester, to Chichester it was carried, and in the 
 church itself, in front of the altar of Blessed Edmund, 
 which he had himself dedicated on the north side of the 
 church, in a lowly spot, it was interred ; where many 
 marvellous miracles to the glory of God continually take 
 place. 
 
 Death of Former Pupils of St Edmund. 
 St Thomas of Hertford. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (v., p. 383). 
 In the year [1253], on the Octave of St Lawrence,* 
 died at his archdeaconry Thomas of Hertford, Archdeacon 
 of Northumberland, brother of the Lord Abbot of St Albans. 
 His end was hoi)- and blessed, and he was fortified with all 
 that concerns the devout passing of a Christian soul. He 
 
 * August 17.
 
 CULT US OF ST EDMUND 215 
 
 was formerly a pupil in the school of Blessed Edmund, 
 Archbishop of Canterbury, and ever remained his intimate 
 friend. Hence he grew like unto him, even to his death, 
 and even as did Master Richard, afterwards Bishop of 
 Chichester, of whom we have spoken above, he strove to 
 follow in his footprints, step by step. . . . These three 
 saintly children of England, Edmund, Richard, and 
 Thomas, confessors of God, we believe to be now enjoy- 
 ing for evermore the glory of the Most Hoi)' Trinity. 
 
 Sewal, Archbishop of York. 
 
 Chron. Maj. (v., p. 691). 
 And about the Feast of the Ascension,* [1258], the 
 Archbishop of York, in order that together with the 
 Lord he might also ascend, and by his ascent might 
 speed from the prisonhouse of the body even to heaven, 
 whereas he had striven manfully according to his strength 
 against the tyranny of the Roman curia, worn out by 
 man}- tribulations, crowned by his merits, exchanged, 
 as is verily believed, the life of this world for the king- 
 dom of heaven. And this Archbishop Sewal, following 
 straitly in the path traced out for him by Blessed 
 Edmund, inasmuch as he had been his pupil in the 
 schools, his scholar and his fellow-student, strove to 
 gain a happy resemblance and likeness unto him in all 
 things. Nor do I think it should be passed over how 
 Blessed Edmund, when lecturer in theology at Oxford, 
 was wont to say to his devout pupil : " O Sewal, Sewal, 
 thou wilt depart from this world a martyr, assailed even 
 unto death either by the sword, or at least by heavy and 
 intolerable tribulations in this world. Nevertheless, let 
 Him be thy consolation who inspired His psalmist to say, 
 
 * May 2,
 
 216 ST EDMUND 
 
 " Man)- arc the afflictions of the just, but out of them all 
 the Lord will one day deliver them." For it is known 
 beyond a doubt that man)- have passed away from this 
 world as martyrs without the shedding of blood, even as St 
 John the Evangelist, and many more besides. 
 
 [St Edmund's two Dominican pupils and intimate friends, Robert 
 Bacon and Richard Fishacre, both died in 124S.] 
 
 Death of St Edmunds Sisters.* 
 
 Chron. Maj. (v., p. 621). 
 And about the same time [1257] died Margaret, 
 Prioress of Catesby, sister of Blessed Edmund, Archbishop 
 of Canterbury, a woman of great holiness, through whose 
 distinguished merits miracles have been made gloriously 
 manifest. 
 
 [The other sister, Alice, seems to have lived till the 
 year i2/0.]"f" 
 
 * See Appendix B. (2). t Wallace, p. 39.
 
 Shrine of Si Edmund (Modern). 
 
 [Face pnge 217.
 
 EPILOGUE 
 
 LATER HISTORY OF THE ABBEY AND SHRINE AT 
 PONTIGNY 
 
 THE devotion of the people of England to St Edmund 
 lasted long after his canonisation, and numbers of pil- 
 grims continued to come to Pontigny, which we are 
 told formed a convenient halting-place for those going 
 on pilgrimage either to Rome or to the shrine of St 
 James at Compostella, being four days' easy journey 
 from London* The influx of pilgrims was, however, 
 stopped by the long war with France, 1 340-1453. At 
 one period the English troops actually occupied Auxerre. 
 Even during the war, the kings of England continued 
 to send money to keep the four torches burning before 
 the shrine, and the endowment of the Archbishops of 
 Canterbury f was regularly paid ; but the pilgrims ceased 
 to come, and the connection between Pontigny and 
 England practically came to an end at this time. When 
 peace was restored, the tradition had died out, while on 
 the advent of the Reformation, the royal candles ceased 
 to burn, and the endowment from Canterbury was no 
 longer paid. 
 
 The French continued to come long afterwards. The 
 following document, granting an endowment from Louis 
 
 * Pontigny MS, (Martene, iii., c. 1825). + See p. 278. 
 
 317
 
 218 ST EDMUND 
 
 XL, King of France, gives interesting incidental evidence of 
 the devotion to the saint towards the end of the fifteenth 
 century : * 
 
 " Louis, by the grace of God, King of France. We 
 hereby make known for all time, present and future, 
 that we bear in mind the great benefits and preservation 
 which God, our Creator, has, so we firmly believe, con- 
 ferred on our person, and that of our children, and the 
 protection and defence of our kingdom, lands and manors, 
 at the intercession and prayer of the glorious saint and 
 Archbishop, St Edmund of Pontigny, in whom we have 
 a singular confidence, and for this reason we have several 
 times gone in pilgrimage to the spot where his sacred 
 body reposes, in order that our said Creator may pre- 
 serve us and keep us in health, at his intercession, more 
 and more for the time to come ; in thanksgiving for 
 these things, and moved by other grave reasons and 
 considerations, we have given, delivered, presented, 
 brought and left to the Abbot and Convent of the said 
 Archbishop, St Edmund of Pontigny ... all the vines 
 which we hold and possess as our own, on the land and 
 vineyard of Talen, for the said Abbot and Convent, and 
 their successors in the same Abbey, to have and to 
 hold, and to possess and to cultivate, and henceforward 
 to hold for themselves, and to take, gather, remove, and 
 collect for themselves, by their own hands or those of 
 their agents entrusted and deputed thereto, in perpetu- 
 ity and for ever, to arrange and dispose of at their 
 good pleasure and will, as their own domain and in- 
 heritance, for this year and for all future time, to what- 
 ever value or price they may rise, as a pledge of what 
 * Cartulary of Pontigny^ ii., p. 303.
 
 LA TER HIS T( )RY < )F PONTIGN Y 219 
 
 we owe to God and to the said Bishop St Edmund of 
 Pontigrty, and to the said Abbey, which we have dedi- 
 cated to the Abbot and Convent, and which of our own 
 more full favour we offer as a pledge; in return where- 
 for the Abbot and Convent of the same Abbe)- shall 
 be bound to pray to God, to our Lad)-,, and to my 
 lord, the said St Edmund of Pontigny, for our good 
 estate, for the prosperity and health of our most dear 
 and beloved son,, the Dauphin of Vienne, and for our 
 cherished and much loved consort, the Queen. . . . 
 Given at Artois, in Savoy, in the month of April, in 
 the year of salvation 1482, the twenty-first year of out- 
 reign, after Easter. (Signed) Louis." 
 
 The Abbey of Pontigny did not escape the troubles 
 of the religious wars of the sixteenth century, and it 
 was the less ready to meet them, inasmuch as it was 
 already decaying from within. The community had be- 
 come reduced in numbers and relaxed in discipline. In 
 1 5 16 the law was passed by which the King of France 
 asserted the right to elect Bishops and Abbots, and in 
 some cases Priors ; and Pontigny, from its rich estates 
 and endowments, became one of the chief objects of 
 ambition. There were, indeed, only four " Commendatory 
 Abbots" (as they were called) of Pontigny; but these 
 four ruled during a period of eight)- years, during which 
 events of the greatest importance to the monastery took 
 place. The Abbots included some distinguished men, of 
 noble family — notably Cardinal Belle)-, Dean of the 
 Sacred College, Bishop of Paris, and at one time special 
 ambassador at the court of Henry VIII— but the)- had 
 their own ambitions in view throughout, and were not 
 interested in the good of the monastery. When the time of
 
 220 ST EDMUND 
 
 trouble came upon the monks, the Abbot was elsewhere 
 — for he had commonly other monasteries under his 
 rule —and he cared little so long as his own property 
 and income were not affected. 
 
 The troubles alluded to were clue to the ravages 
 of the French Calvinists and Huguenots. Many out- 
 rages were committed by them, some in the immediate 
 vicinity of Pontigny. At La Rhode, one of its filiations, 
 the monks were one day nearly all massacred in the 
 early morning, on their way through the dark cloister 
 into the church. Only three survived, who happened to 
 be absent. Pontigny itself remained for a long time 
 unmolested. A slight attack was indeed made in 152.X 
 by the Calvinists, but it did not become serious ; and 
 nothing on a large scale happened till fort)' years 
 later. In 1568, however, a party of Huguenots came 
 over from Auxerre, and attacked the monaster)'. 
 Fortunately their coming had been anticipated, and the 
 body of St Edmund removed from its shrine, and 
 placed in a position of safety in one of the underground 
 cellars of the monastery. All the gold and precious 
 stones, moreover, had been taken off the shrine, and 
 confided to the care of the agent of the Viscountess of 
 St Florentin. When the Huguenots arrived, they did 
 all the mischief within their power. The only large 
 tomb the)- found, however, was that of Hugh de Macon, 
 the first Abbot of the monaster)-. He had been buried 
 in the full pontificals of an Abbot, and they appear to 
 have mistaken him for St Edmund. Acting with their 
 usual fanaticism, they dragged the body out and burnt 
 it ; and the stone tomb can be seen at the present day, 
 empty and defaced. Xot content with this, they did all 
 the mischief the)- could to the church. Whatever was
 
 LA TEN HISTOR I " OF PONTIGN Y 221 
 
 of an)- value — the brasses or copper plates over the 
 tombs, the candlesticks, and all the brass or metal work 
 in the church — they laid hands on. They even melted 
 down the four copper pillars which had supported 
 the shrine of St Edmund. The next object of their 
 avarice was the leaden roof ; and in order to secure this 
 the more easily, they set fire to the church. The walls 
 were indeed too massive to be injured ; but whatever 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny — Tomb of Hugh de Macon. 
 
 was combustible was destroyed, and when the flames 
 reached the tower, the great bells fell down to the 
 ground. Having laden themselves . with spoils, the 
 invaders dressed themselves up in the ecclesiastical vest- 
 ments, and set out on the return journey to Auxerre. 
 
 For a long time after this the church remained in a 
 state of neglect. The monks indeed returned the follow- 
 ing year ; but the Commendatory Abbot would only allow
 
 222 ST /■:/>.)/( ND 
 
 them enough money for the bare necessaries of life, and 
 refused to spend anything beyond what was required to 
 render the monastery habitable. The church he left to its 
 fate. In its place he fitted up the original chapel, then 
 known as the Chapel of St Thomas the Apostle. This 
 was sufficient for the needs of the moment, for the monks 
 numbered only twenty-two, and were easily accommodated 
 in the ancient choir. 
 
 This state of things lasted forty-six years. At the end 
 of that time, the monks reasserted their right to elect 
 their own Abbot, and many of the abuses then prevailing 
 were reformed. But the community seems never to have 
 returned to its ancient fervour ; and when the Trappists 
 were founded, and other reforms carried out in the Order, 
 Pontigny ever remained on the lax side — a fact which 
 had an important bearing on its ultimate destiny. 
 
 The restoration of the church was begun early in the 
 seventeenth century, by Abbot Charles de Boucherat. He 
 put on a new roof, which was finished in 1614, and built a 
 small bell-tower. The monks seem to have re-entered the 
 church about the year 1630 ; but the work of restoration was 
 not full}- completed till more than sixty years afterwards. 
 
 The details of the history of the Shrine during this 
 period are somewhat obscure. We do not even know 
 where the body of St Edmund was placed after the 
 Huguenot invasion, before the new shrine was put up, 
 towards the end of the seventeenth century. There cer- 
 tainly was a shrine at that time, however, as we have 
 records of pilgrimages and miracles during those very 
 years. The following account* may serve as an 
 example : — 
 
 * Masse', p. 430. The most common French picture of St Edmund 
 represents him as raising a child to life, and this is the type of miracle
 
 LATER f/I STORY OF PONTIGNY 223 
 
 "On the 26th day of November 1673, a still-born child 
 was brought to the shrine of St Edmund by Edmund 
 Chardon, father of the child, accompanied by Thuriau and 
 Margaret Janneau, of the parish of Rouverai, in the diocese 
 of Auxerre. They asserted that the said infant came into 
 the world at two o'clock in the afternoon, and that they 
 had a belief that God would work a miracle in the 
 person of this said infant, by the intercession of the 
 glorious St Edmund, and that for this reason they had 
 brought him hither under the shrine where his holy 
 relics rest. This infant was laid down in sight of 
 numbers of persons, on the stone which is below the 
 said shrine, and left there quite naked for the space of 
 two hours or more, being quite cold after the manner of 
 a dead body. And after the two hours were over, the said 
 body was found to possess a natural warmth, even to have 
 a beating of the heart, so that we assembled the com- 
 munity by sounding all the bells, and in their presence I 
 administered the sacrament of baptism to the said infant, 
 immed ; dtely after which the Te Deum was solemnly chanted. 
 In witness of which, we have signed the present 
 certificate, the same day and year as aforesaid. 
 
 (Signed) " F. PETIT, Prior of Pontigny (now 
 Abbot of La Ferte). 
 
 " F. Crenel, Prior of Vallence. 
 
 "F. N. Audry, Sub-Prior of 
 Pontigny (now Prior of Bouras). 
 
 " F. COLLOT, Sacristan ; F. Perisson, 
 F. N. Barre, F. Michel. 
 
 usually associated with his name in France. The fact that St 
 Edmund was himself thought at his birth to be still-born, as told in 
 his life, was no doubt the origin of his being prayed to after his death 
 for this class of grace. Many similar testimonies of miracles are extant.
 
 224 s '/' EDMUND 
 
 " And we have given permission for the said child to 
 be solemnly buried at the said Pontigny, the same day 
 and year as above. 
 
 (Signed) " F. MOREAU, Sacristan, monk of 
 Pontigny." 
 
 The ancient shrine of St Edmund was never restored, 
 and the treasures which had been entrusted to the Vis- 
 countess of St Florentin were never recovered, though 
 the monks long tried legal measures to regain possession 
 of them. Eventually, when the church was repaired, a 
 new shrine was constructed, of simple design, in gilt 
 wood, the simplicity of which must have contrasted 
 strongly with the splendour of its predecessor. It was 
 supported by four large angels of the Renaissance style 
 then in vogue. The new shrine was placed in the same 
 position as the former one, over the high altar. And 
 about the same time new stalls in carved oak were added, 
 which may still be seen. 
 
 The following account, written by Dom. Martene, the 
 learned Maurist monk,* in 1708, gives an interesting 
 description of Pontigny at the beginning of the eighteenth 
 century : — 
 
 " The Feast of St Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, 
 happily fell during my stay at Auxerre. The devotion 
 which I owe to the saint whose name I bear induced me 
 to go and celebrate it at Pontigny, where his holy relics 
 lie. Monsieur Carron, who had just been elected Abbot, 
 received me with great kindness, and kept me there for 
 two clays, during which I looked through two beautiful 
 cartularies, which gave me much information. On St 
 Edmund's Day I said Hoi)- Mass under the shrine of the 
 
 * Voyage Litteraire de Deux Religieux Benedictins, p. 57.
 
 o 
 
 o
 
 LATER HISTORY OF PONTIGNY 225 
 
 saint, with his own chasuble, which is quite round at the 
 bottom, as chasubles used to be. I had also the consola- 
 tion of seeing his sacred body, which God has preserved 
 without corruption to the present day. It is placed 
 above the high altar, in a shrine of wood gilt. The head 
 of the saint, which is uncovered, can be seen, through a 
 crystal glass. The rest of the body is covered by his 
 pontifical vestments. His arm was separated from his 
 body, in order to be exposed for the veneration of the 
 faithful, at the request of St Louis* who had it placed in 
 a gold reliquary, where it can be seen bare, but the flesh 
 on it is quite dark, while that on the body is very white. 
 Matthew Paris, an English writer of those times, explains 
 the reason, and says that when the separation of the arm 
 took place, the monks, fearing that being detached from 
 the body it might corrupt (as though the same Hand that 
 preserved it when attached to the body could not equally 
 preserve it when separated from the same body), in order 
 to prevent so great a misfortune, embalmed it, and that 
 in punishment for their want of faith it at once became 
 black. Nevertheless, we believe that the miracle is still 
 continuing ; for it is not natural that the embalming, 
 whatever virtue it may have had, could have preserved 
 the holy flesh for more than five hundred years. The 
 same author tells us also that in consideration of St 
 Edmund, leave was given for English women to enter 
 the Church of Pontigny, contrary to the customs of the 
 Order of Citeaux, which did not permit women to enter 
 the churches. At the present day, not only English 
 women, but in general all women, enter the Church of 
 
 * This statement has often been quoted on the authority of 
 Martene ; but it does not agree with the account given above : see 
 p. 206. 
 
 P
 
 226 ST EDMUND 
 
 Pontigny ; but they do not as yet enter those of Citeaux 
 and Clairvaux. In the treasury the episcopal ring of 
 St Edmund can also be seen, and the chalice and paten 
 with which he was buried, his drinking-cup, and the arm 
 of St Irenaeus the Martyr. It is unnecessary to add 
 here that it was to the Monaster}- of Pontigny that St 
 Thomas retired, to escape the persecution of Henry II. 
 His pontifical vestments can still be seen there, and the 
 chapel where he was accustomed to pray, in which it is 
 said that he received a vision of his future martyrdom. 
 The Church of Pontigny is very beautiful, and conveys 
 a sense of greatness, as befits the second daughter of 
 Citeaux. Behind this church can be seen the ruins of the 
 ancient one, that is, of the original Church of Pontigny. 
 It was small, but fairly beautiful for its date. The Abbot's 
 house was close by. It consisted of four small rooms, 
 resembling the monks' cells of to-day, and only one of 
 these had a fireplace. From this can be estimated the 
 difference between the Abbots' houses of those days, and 
 the palaces which they possess in our own. Near the 
 entrance of the monastery can be seen an ancient build- 
 ing, which was once fairly sumptuous. It is believed to 
 have been the former palace of the Counts of Champagne, 
 where they used to retire when they gave themselves to 
 hunting. To-day it serves as stables and kitchen for the 
 Abbot, who has a magnificent house hard by." 
 
 The "magnificent house" which the Abbot had at 
 the time of Dom Martene's visit was apparently not 
 magnificent enough, for it was re-built on a far grander 
 scale by Abbot Grillot (1742- 1764). He was a man of 
 large ideas, and apparently had hopes of the monastery 
 returning to its former splendour. Under his direction 
 the church was re-paved throughout, and a new high altar
 
 LA TER HIS TOR Y OF P0NT1GN V 127 
 
 of red marble, of Roman design, was put up. This neces- 
 sitated the removal of the shrine, which he placed between 
 the two hindermost pillars of the apse, where it still 
 remains. This, the third translation of the saint's relics, 
 took place on November 16, 1749, and was accompanied 
 with great pomp and solemnity, the Bishop of Auxerre 
 performing the ceremony. A large number of people 
 assisted ; but it was as it were a dying effort, and the last 
 great celebration ever held at the Abbey. After the death 
 of Abbot Grillot, the monastery once more began to 
 decline, both in numbers and in monastic spirit. Abbot 
 Chanlatte, who succeeded him, was known as the favourite 
 of French fashionable society, and the friend of Voltaire. 
 The new Abbot's house became the resort of the gay and 
 fashionable world, while the monastery was getting more 
 and more deeply into debt, and the community rapidly 
 approaching extinction. He died the year before the 
 outbreak of the Revolution, having effectually paved the 
 way for the fall of the monastery. 
 
 The decree for the suppression of all monasteries came 
 into effect on February 13, 1790. The monks of Pon- 
 tigny numbered at that time but fifteen, together with 
 two lay brothers, and they all left without resistance. The 
 last Abbot, Jean Depaquy, retired to St Florentin, where 
 he occupied himself with literary work till his death in 
 1 8 10. It is satisfactory to be able to add that all those 
 who dispersed kept the faith, and such of them as sur- 
 vived to see the restoration of religion, lived afterwards 
 as secular priests. 
 
 After the departure of the monks, for a time Pontigny 
 was deserted, and at the mercy of any chance comer. 
 Chiefly owing to its retired situation, it suffered less than 
 many other places, and the shrine of St Edmund, though
 
 228 ST EDMUND 
 
 entirely unguarded, passed through those years without 
 harm. At least one incursion was made on the church 
 bv revolutionists, and the marks of their work can still 
 be seen ; but, for some reason, they did not touch the 
 shrine. A local tradition describes their visit, and how 
 one of them, axe in hand, ascended the ladder behind 
 the shrine, when a sudden fear came over him, and he 
 descended in haste ; and after that, none of his comrades 
 ventured to go up* Whatever the truth of the explana- 
 tion, the fact remains certain, that the body of St 
 Edmund passed through the time of the Reign of Terror 
 unharmed. 
 
 In the year 1792 the monastery was sold, and im- 
 mediately afterwards the buildings were pulled down. 
 Here we meet with one of the most remarkable events 
 in its history. In other cases the decree was enforced 
 absolutely ; in the case of Pontigny, the church itself 
 was excepted from its enforcement. And the reason is 
 remarkable ; for, owing to the custom having estab- 
 lished itself, as we have seen, for women to enter the 
 church, it had become to all intents and purposes a 
 parish church for the inhabitants of the village which 
 had grown up around the Abbey. On this plea they 
 claimed that it belonged to them, and that it was 
 exempt from the law ordering the sale of all purely 
 monastic churches. Their claim was allowed, and the 
 church was spared, as well as the adjacent cloister. 
 
 The following is the official list of the parts exempted 
 from the decree of destruction : — 
 
 * The present writer learnt the details of this tradition about the 
 year 1885 from a very old man at Pontigny, whose father had been 
 there at the time of the Reign of Terror, and used afterwards, he said, 
 frequently to describe what occurred.
 
 LA TER HISTOR 1 ' OF PONTIGNY 229 
 
 " The church, and all the roadway leading thereto ; 
 the bell tower ; the clock ; the cemetery ; the house and 
 garden situate on the right, and used as lodging for 
 the apothecary of the ancient Abbey ; the line of the 
 road, and the rights of water issuing from the spring 
 through channels to the pond which is in the Abbot's 
 court ; and also the right wing of the cloister adjacent 
 to the church throughout all its length." 
 
 A complaint was soon made that the purchaser did 
 not respect the above reservations, and a further decree 
 the following year gave the building over to the newly- 
 constituted " Commune " of Pontigny. This arrangement 
 held good till the signing of Napoleon's Concordat, and 
 the restoration of public worship.* 
 
 The following documents are of interest as illustrating 
 
 the temper of mind in which the authorities acted at 
 
 that time, and the actual work of destruction carried 
 
 out at Pontigny : — 
 
 "St Florentin, 18 Brumaire, of the second 
 year of the Republic, one and in- 
 divisible^ 
 
 "Citizens and Administrators, — We have learnt 
 by one of our brethren that the choir of the former 
 Abbey of Pontigny is still surrounded with iron railings, 
 and that the altar is decorated with large candlesticks of 
 copper. We consider it unfitting to surround the temple 
 of the Almighty, which should be open to all the faith- 
 ful, as though it was a den of brigands. To destroy 
 these pompous and useless barriers, and to devote them 
 to the defence of the Republic, would be fulfilling the 
 Divine will. 
 
 * For further details, see UAbbaye de Pontigny, par le Baron 
 Chaillon des Barres, Auxerre, 1844, p. 212 seq. 
 t November 8, 1793.
 
 230 ST EDMUND 
 
 " A sanctuary can exist without railings, but an 
 invaded country cannot continue without bayonets. 
 Citizens ! the Association of the People of St Florentin 
 beg you to remove from all the churches of your district 
 all works of iron or copper or brass which are not specially 
 necessary for the conduct of worship, and to convert 
 them into guns, bayonets, and cannons ! Citizens ! only 
 give the word, and all those under your command will 
 hasten with eagerness to the execution of these measures 
 of the Revolution ! 
 
 "THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF 
 THE PEOPLE OF ST FLORENTIN." 
 
 The following was the reply of the Directory of St 
 Florentin : — 
 
 " The Directory, in consideration of the fact that 
 the railings which surround the choir of the church of 
 the former Abbey of Pontigny, and the candlesticks 
 which adorn the altar, can be of great service to the 
 Republic, having heard the agent of the Procurator, 
 are of opinion that the railings should be converted into 
 bayonets, and the candlesticks into guns. 
 
 " St Florentin, 20 Brumaire, of the second 
 year of the Republic, one and in- 
 divisible." * 
 
 In accordance with the above, the copper candlesticks 
 appear to have been taken from the high altar, and 
 other candelabra removed from the church ; but the iron 
 railings were spared, and remain there to the present day. 
 
 It does not appear that any of the so-called "Consti- 
 
 * November 10, 1793.
 
 LATER HISTORY OF PONTIGNY 231 
 
 tutional " or schismatic priests ever took charge of the 
 parish ; but on the signing of Napoleon's Concordat 
 in the year 1802, one of the former monks, M. Robert, 
 took up his residence there as parish priest. To his 
 firmness we owe it that the church has never been 
 despoiled. Man)- applications were made by those 
 struggling for the restoration of their own churches 
 for the ornaments which it was considered were no longer 
 needed at Pontigny. For example, the Bishop of Troyes 
 applied for the stalls, to place in his cathedral ; but Abbe 
 Robert firmly refused to part with them, and the Bishop 
 had to fall back on the less elaborate ones from Clair- 
 vaux, which may still be seen in the Cathedral at 
 Troyes. 
 
 Abbe Robert died in 1S21, and with him the ancient 
 Pontigny community came to an end. His successor, 
 Abbe Cabias, seems to have been a man of more zeal 
 than discretion. Knowing little about the relics in the 
 church beyond that they were of an English saint, he 
 took the body clown and exposed it in the middle of 
 the choir, which he made for the occasion into a kind of 
 Cliapelle Ardente^ with lights and hangings, in the usual 
 French fashion. This was in the year 1825. People 
 came from far and near to see it, moved no doubt in 
 many cases more by curiosity than devotion. It is said 
 that on Whitsunday, on which day the Feast of the 
 Translation has in later times been kept, there were more 
 than ten thousand pilgrims present. The indiscreet Abbe 
 allowed every one to freely touch the body, and to take 
 away fragments of the vestments as relics. When this 
 exhibition had continued about six months, he had a new 
 shrine made, with large squares of glass in the back, so 
 that the body should be always visible, and placing it
 
 232 ST EDMUND 
 
 above the four carved angels, put back the body into 
 its former position. 
 
 In the meantime, the church was fast falling into a 
 state of dilapidation. The small sum applicable to its 
 annual repairs was wholly insufficient, and it was quickly 
 becoming a vast ruin. The following description was 
 written in 1838, by Mgr. Henry, in his Histoire de 
 V A bbaye de Pontigny : — * 
 
 "The traveller who passes this spot, once so flourishing, 
 and animated by the presence of so many Christians, 
 feels his soul divided between respect and sadness and 
 apprehension. If he directs his steps around the outside 
 of the church, he sees nothing but ruins. If he enters, 
 he sees, amidst the silence of the vast edifice, the floor of 
 the chapels and the lower part of the walls covered with 
 dirt and moss. He sees altars, which are memorials of 
 the sublime sacrifice of our Saviour, overturned and 
 half destroyed, pictures fallen down, walls damaged, the 
 glass out of the windows ; and in the midst of these 
 dilapidations, he remarks the magnificence of what 
 remains to bear witness of the faith and greatness of 
 soul of the sons of St Stephen. The bod)- of St Edmund 
 still occupies its ancient position ; but no lamp is to be 
 seen burning before the shrine of the holy Archbishop, nor 
 any taper to shed beneath the vaults a holy and subdued 
 light. This land of blessings, this asylum of the devotion 
 of our fathers, now scarcely possesses even a single priest 
 to say Mass over the tombs of those who have deserved so 
 well of all the world." 
 
 When things seemed at their worst, however, better 
 times were at hand. In the year 1842 Pere Muard, a 
 
 * p. 262.
 
 LATER HISTORY OF PONTIGNY 233 
 
 priest of the Archdiocese of Sens,* of holy memory, 
 conceived the idea of founding a congregation of 
 priests, to help the Bishop by giving missions, or 
 by other work, and he selected Pontigny for his first 
 house, partly on account of the neglected state of the 
 shrine there, thinking that his priests might well unite 
 the care of the sacred relics with their more active work. 
 After a few years, however, he felt called to a stricter 
 order, and founded a Benedictine house of strict observ- 
 ance, at Pierre-qui-vire.f His successor at Pontigny 
 was Pere Boyer, by whose exertions the church was 
 gradually repaired and restored. This required no little 
 energy and perseverance, and took nearly twenty years 
 to accomplish. The community at the same time grew 
 rapidly, and was placed on a permanent footing ; and 
 branch houses were established at Laval (where the 
 Fathers have charge of a large school), Mount St Michel, 
 off the coast of Normandy, and elsewhere. 
 
 During the repairs, the body of St Edmund was 
 sealed up, and it remained so by order of the Arch- 
 bishop of Sens till the renovation of the church and 
 shrine were complete. In 1872, the year after the con- 
 clusion of the war with Germany, the new shrine being 
 ready, the body was once more taken out. The remains 
 of the old vestments, in which it had lain for more than 
 six centuries, were removed to the museum, and new ones 
 of similar shape placed upon the body, which was then 
 put in the position it has occupied ever since. 
 
 * A re-arrangement of dioceses took place at the time of 
 Napoleon's Concordat, and for a time Pontigny was under the 
 Bishop of Troyes ; but from 182 1 it became part of the newly-formed 
 Archdiocese of Sens and Auxerre. 
 
 t This congregation has now a branch in England, at Buckfast, 
 Devon.
 
 APPENDIX A 
 
 MANUSCRIPT AND OTHER AUTHORITIES FOR 
 THE LIFE OF ST EDMUND 
 
 The life of St Edmund is unusually plentiful in records. 
 For a full account of these, the reader is referred to the Life 
 of St Edmund of Canterbury, by Dom Wilfrid Wallace, pp. 
 1-18, and the Life of St Edmund of Abingdon, by the 
 Baroness de Paravicini, pp. xiii.-xlii. A short summary of 
 the various authors who have been quoted in this work 
 must here suffice. 
 
 The seven years during which St Edmund was before the 
 public as Archbishop of Canterbury happened to fall within 
 the lifetime of one of the most famous of the mediaeval monastic 
 chroniclers, Matthew Paris, the Benedictine of St Albans. 
 He was a younger man than St Edmund. He entered the 
 monastery in 12 17, and was the official chronicler from 1236 
 till his death in 1259. His two chief works were the Chronica 
 Majora and the Historia Anglorum, sometimes called the 
 Historia Major and Minor respectively, the latter being a 
 compendium of the former, but often containing additional 
 information. But the Chronica Majora was not in its 
 entirety due to Matthew Paris at all. He engrafted his 
 work on to an existing one, which he transcribed, though 
 with numerous interpolations and corrections. The first 
 part was the work of John de Cella, afterwards Abbot of St 
 Albans, and ends with the year 1189. It was taken up from 
 there by Roger Wendover, a monk of the same Abbe}', who 
 continued it till his death in 1236 — a little more than two 
 years after St Edmund had become Archbishop. Matthew 
 Paris succeeded Wendover, and continued as chronicler for 
 the rest of his life. The Historia Anghrum covers the 
 period from J067 to 1253, and is entirely written by him. 
 
 235
 
 236 ST EDMUND 
 
 Besides the text, it includes a number of illustrations drawn 
 by him in the quaint style of the day, some of which concern 
 St Edmund, and have been reproduced here. Matthew Paris's 
 work has throughout a vigorous and characteristic style of its 
 own, essentially different from the colourless tone of the 
 chronicles before his time ; but he was by no means free 
 from bias, and his continual cynical remarks colour the 
 whole narrative. St Edmund's name occurs frequently 
 during the time of his archiepiscopate, and Matthew Paris 
 is alternately in sympathy with him or the reverse, accord- 
 ing to the particular opponent of the moment ; for though 
 he sided with him against the king, he was not afraid on 
 occasion to sneer at the Pope ; and in all the differences 
 between the Archbishop and the monks, he took the part 
 of his brethren. 
 
 Besides Matthew Paris, several other monastic chroniclers 
 give us information about St Edmund, as, for example, the 
 Oseney chronicler, and the chronicler of Lanercost, an 
 Augustinian monastery in Cumberland. And the whole 
 history of St Edmund's dispute with the monks of Christ- 
 church, Canterbury, can be found in the so-called Gcn<ase 
 Chronicle. Gervase himself was a monk of Christchurch 
 during the latter half of the twelfth century. He was dead 
 long before St Edmund's time, but his chronicle was continued 
 by others of the same monastery, whose names are unknown, 
 and in this continuation is to be found the correspondence 
 and other details connected with these disputes. A few 
 particulars concerning St Edmund's life at Salisbury can 
 also be found in documents published in the Rolls Series. 
 
 Turning now to the actual biographies of St Edmund, we 
 find the authorship of them shrouded in some obscurity. No 
 name is ever found on the manuscripts themselves, and any 
 attempt to decide the question by internal evidence is 
 rendered difficult by the common habit prevalent in those 
 days of copying long extracts from one manuscript into 
 another, without any acknowledgment of their origin, so 
 that it is often impossible to ascertain where they came 
 from in the first instance. The most we can aim at is 
 to attribute any given life with a greater or less degree of
 
 APPENDIX A 237 
 
 probability to one of those who are known to have written 
 a biography of the saint. Of these, two stand out 
 prominently, namely, Matthew Paris, the monastic 
 chronicler alluded to above, who himself tells us* that 
 he wrote a life ; and Robert Rich, St Edmund's brother and 
 lifelong companion, who is believed to have done so, on the 
 strength of an ancient and very general tradition. No two 
 persons could be mentioned whose work would better 
 represent the two phases of St Edmund's life, his public 
 career and his inner life respectively ; and if the works ot 
 these two could be identified with certainty, we should 
 undoubtedly have a very complete account of the saint. t 
 But although the names of the authors were apparently known 
 by tradition for several centuries after the various lives were 
 written, they cannot be decided with certainty at the present 
 time. 
 
 Among the other biographers of St Edmund, the chief one 
 we know of is Bertrand, afterwards Prior of Pontigny. He 
 had been "chamberlain" and secretary to the saint, though 
 we do not know for how long, and he accompanied him in 
 his exile, and was present at his death ; after which he took 
 the Cistercian habit at Pontigny, so as not to be separated 
 from his master's remains. He wrote his life at the request 
 of the Abbot, shortly before the Translation of the saint's 
 relics, as we know on the express testimony of Albert, Arch- 
 bishop of Armagh (and afterwards of Livonia in Prussia), who 
 preached the sermon on that occasion. 
 
 Lastly, there is a tradition that a Life was written by 
 Robert Bacon, one of St Edmund's pupils at Oxford, and 
 afterwards a Dominican. Having been his close friend for 
 perhaps thirty years, he would have been well qualified to 
 write, especially about his Oxford life, and, subsequently, about 
 his difficulties with King Henry, with which Robert Bacon 
 was himself in some way connected. This Robert Bacon 
 must not be confused with his more famous namesake, Friar 
 
 * Chron. Maj., v., p. 369. 
 
 t If the conclusions which the Baroness de Paravicini came to after 
 studying the matter are well founded — and she certainly adduces strong 
 reasons in support of her contention — these are both extant, and there is a 
 copy of each in the British Museum.
 
 238 ST EDMUND 
 
 Roger Bacon, the Franciscan, who is thought to have been 
 his nephew. It has sometimes been stated that he too was 
 a pupil of St Edmund ; but his date — he was born in 12 14 
 — renders this impossible. 
 
 It is of course probable that there were other biographers 
 besides these four, and, on the other hand, although we have 
 more than four different contemporary Lives extant, it does not 
 follow that they include all the four biographies enumerated 
 above. A list of the chief manuscript Lives is given below. 
 Besides these there are numerous smaller Lives, which are, for 
 the most part, abridgements of the larger ones. In addition 
 to the manuscript Lives, there are also a large number of docu- 
 ments written shortly after the saint's death, for the purpose 
 of advancing the process of his canonisation. These neces- 
 sarily have the names of the authors attached to them. 
 Copies of many of them, as, for example, the Petition of 
 the General Chapter of the Cistercian Order, or that of the 
 University of Oxford, were kept at Pontigny, and were 
 printed by Marten e and Durand in the Thesaurus Novus 
 Anecdotorum ; others, such as the Petition of the Bishop 
 and Chapter of Salisbury, are to be found in the Appendix 
 to Dom Wallace's Life of St Edmund ; but some are still 
 unpublished, as, for example, the four testimonies preserved 
 in the library of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. 
 
 Of the Lives of St Edmund written during the two 
 centuries which followed his death, the most important are 
 those by Guy of St Denis and John of Tynemouth, and they 
 are almost identically the same. Whether Guy of St Denis 
 copied from John of Tynemouth, or vice versa, cannot be 
 determined until more is known of the latter of these two. 
 Dr Horstmann, in the preface to his edition of Capgrave's Nova 
 Legcnda Anglicv* gives good reason for supposing that John 
 of Tynemouth was a monk of St Albans, and possibly chronicler 
 
 * Capgnive (1 393-1464) was an Augustinian friar of King's Lynn, in 
 Norfolk. His Nova Legenda Anglicv is a re-arrangement of John of Tyne- 
 mouth's Lives of the English Saints, which are given there in alphabetical 
 order instead of in the order of the calendar. The Life of St Kdmund can be 
 found in Dr Horstmann's edition, i., p. 316 seq. 
 
 It is worth noticing that the very curious miracle of the leper (Wallace, p. 
 424) is given by John of Tynemouth, but not by Guy of St Denis.
 
 APPENDIX A 239 
 
 there — a successor of Matthew Paris— from about the year 1325. 
 In that case he would have been an exact contemporary of Guy 
 of St Denis, who became Abbot in that year. The Life is 
 evidently based on that in the Pontigny MS. Later still, we 
 have the Life by the well-known Dominican Surius, in his Vitce 
 Sanctorum, published in 1570, and one by Nicholas Harpsfield, 
 the Douay writer, published in his Historic!, Anglicana Ecclesi- 
 astica in 1612. Both of these are clearly abbreviations of the 
 Life in the Pontigny MS., and as both profess to be based 
 chiefly on the Life by Robert Rich, we have definite evidence 
 that he was at that time traditionally considered to be the 
 author of that Life, as the Baroness de Paravicini contends.* 
 
 In later times, several small Lives have been written in 
 France, for the use of pilgrims to Pontigny; and in 1853, a 
 larger one was published by Pere Masse, one of the founders of 
 the Congregation of Fathers of St Edmund, who now occupy 
 the remains of the ancient Abbey. This has run into several 
 editions, both as originally published, and in an abbreviated 
 form. It is compiled from original sources, chiefly from the 
 Pontigny MS. ; but the author also consulted other manu- 
 scripts in France and England. 
 
 In England, since the Reformation, there have been several 
 short non-Catholic Lives written of St Edmund, as one of the 
 Archbishops of Canterbury, the most widely known being that 
 of Dean Hook, published in the latter half of the nineteenth 
 century. During the Oxford Movement, a short Life 
 was also written in the well-known series edited by the 
 Tractarians. No name appears on the title-page ; but the 
 author is understood to have been Mark Pattison. Of 
 the Catholic Lives written since the Reformation, those 
 by Bishop Challoner, in his Britannia Sancta, and by 
 Alban Butler, among his Lives of the Saints, stand promi- 
 nently forward ; and by a curious coincidence, these were 
 both published in 1745. No other Catholic Life seems 
 to have been written for more than a century. In 
 1874, Mr George White, a former student of St Edmund's 
 
 * Surius says that he writes on the authority of Robert Rich and Robert 
 Bacon. Harpsfield also gives as his authority Robert Rich, except for one 
 passage, which he attributes to "Auctor Innominatus." From the contents of 
 this passage, it appears that the unnamed author is the Lanercost Chronicler.
 
 24 o ST EDMUND 
 
 College, wrote a short Life for the use of the pilgrims who 
 visited the shrine at Pontigny in that year. It was based 
 chiefly on that of Pere Masse. No work of importance, 
 however, appeared till 1893, when Dom Wallace's Life of St 
 Edmund of Canterbury was published. Dom Wallace had 
 been for many years a student and Professor at St Edmund's 
 College, and had since been a Benedictine in the monastery 
 dedicated to St Edmund and St Thomas at Erdington, in 
 Warwickshire. He was already in failing health when the 
 command of his superiors laid on him the duty of writing a 
 life of their patron, and his work became one against time, 
 for it seemed very doubtful whether he would live to com- 
 plete it. In the event he saw his work done, the last proofs 
 having been corrected as he lay on what was believed to be 
 his death-bed ; and though he lingered on for three years 
 afterwards, he never really recovered his health, and he died 
 in 1896. His work bears unmistakable traces of the pressure 
 under which it was written, and this forms a sufficient explana- 
 tion of whatever little defects may be sometimes criticised. 
 It is indeed wonderful how one in such an enfeebled state of 
 health ever found it possible to give himself to the work 
 with such industry and perseverance.* 
 
 Since the appearance of Dom Wallace's book, there has 
 been yet another Life published, by the Baroness de Para- 
 vicini. It had been begun, indeed, before Dom Wallace's, 
 but its completion had been unavoidably delayed, and in the 
 end we believe that it was considerably modified in form, in 
 consequence of the appearance of that work. It was pub- 
 lished in the autumn of 1898. It is curious to note how 
 both Dom Wallace and the Baroness de Paravicini, although 
 working independently, brought together almost identically 
 the same manuscript sources. Here, however, the resem- 
 blance ceases, for both in their conclusions as to the authorship 
 of the various manuscript Lives, and as to the order of events 
 and other circumstances of St Edmund's life, they come to 
 fundamentally different conclusions. 
 
 The following is a list of the chief manuscript Lives ; the 
 
 * An excellent little compendium of this Life, by Rev. William Le Grave, 
 has been issued by the Catholic Truth Society.
 
 APPENDIX A 241 
 
 authorship is in each case appended according to the estimate 
 of Dom Wallace, and likewise according to the Baroness de 
 
 (Katies auoe attrntoCfuwc^wri^ 
 
 J'fcnrOw atoctrgfom #*moittn. 
 fcco cp vKcmutt ucfttgue tuTjemt 
 
 tuotatnmtie.'^nC^ti cutfcscamt/ 
 vctecniioawfontn memoaa tog- 
 tttC&mum Mtrft^t&mr citf 
 etpamuces ccttftt qui^cwuT^o 
 tioie- ft&rt mc&ioccee r fyxxmxm 
 ' fcuutus %p tcranC opettfo ft tner 
 
 eitis e&ttttmtfus ttfoe- c5gt&f$r 
 diues * mtgkcmto ttoc&barwi 
 
 Facsimile page of Life of St Edmund. (Addit. MS., Xo. 15,264, 
 British Museum). 
 
 Paravicini ; and it will be seen how widely different are their 
 conclusions from each other. 
 
 Q
 
 242 ST EDMUND 
 
 I. Pontigny MS. — Formerly at Pontigny Abbey, but now 
 in the Public Library at Auxerre (MS. No. 148). Writing 
 of late thirteenth century. It was printed by Martene and 
 Durand in 1717 in the Thesaurus Novus Anccdotorum, and has 
 usually been taken as the standard authority on the Life 
 of St Edmund. Martene attributes it to Bertrand, relying 
 chiefly on a certain passage in which the writer seems 
 to speak as an eye-witness* Writers since his time, including 
 Dom Wallace, appear to have accepted this on his authority 
 without further question. The Baroness de Paravicini, how- 
 ever, maintains that it is by St Edmund's brother, Robert 
 Rich, and in this she is apparently returning to a tradition 
 which seems to have been general up to three hundred years 
 ago. The reader is referred to her Life of Saint Edmund of 
 Abingdon (pp. xx. seq.) for her reasons, which are undoubtedly 
 strong. Additional reasons have been given above, for believ- 
 ing that this was the tradition in past times : see p. 237. 
 
 II. Addit. MS — British Museum, Additional MS. No. 
 15,264, f. 87. Writing of the middle of the thirteenth 
 century. This is the same Life as that mentioned in I. It 
 is mentioned by Pere Masse, but was apparently overlooked 
 by Dom Wallace. 
 
 III. Cotton MS.— British Museum, Cotton MS., Julius D., 
 vi., f. 123. Writing of the early fourteenth century. It is 
 printed in the Appendix of the Life by Dom Wallace, who 
 attributes it to Eustace, the monk of Christchurch, Canter- 
 bury. The Baroness de Paravicini, however, considers it to 
 be certainly the Life by Matthew Paris, hitherto supposed 
 to be missing.! 
 
 * He was, no doubt, influenced by the fact that it was the only MS. Life he 
 found at Pontigny, where Bertrand's Life was originally written. As an answer 
 to this, however, it must be remembered that Pontigny Abbey had been more than 
 once sacked by Huguenots, and when it was burnt by them, nearly everything 
 perished. There were probably copies of several Lives there, and this happens 
 10 be the only one which escaped destruction. 
 
 t The reasons given by the Baroness de Paravicini {Life 0/ St Edmund, 
 pp. xxix. stq.~) are worth careful study. They may be added to by a close 
 comparison with the Chronica Majora and Historia Angtorum, for many little 
 phrases occur in one or other of these which occur in the Cotton MS. The 
 reasons, also, which Dom Wallace gives for attributing it to Eustace would,
 
 APPENDIX A 243 
 
 IV. Cambridge MS. — Cambridge University Library MS. 
 MM. 4-6. This was discovered quite recently by Rev. 
 Edmond Nolan. The handwriting is of the thirteenth 
 century. It is the same Life as that referred to in V. and 
 VI. Dom Wallace never saw this or the Balliol MS., and 
 hence he considered the Lambeth MS. to be an abridgment 
 of I. The Baroness de Paravicini knew the Balliol MS. and 
 the Lambeth one, but not the Cambridge one. She came 
 to the conclusion that it was a separate Life,* and attributed 
 it to Bertrand. 
 
 V. Lambeth MS.— Lambeth MS. 135, f. 118. Writing of 
 the thirteenth century. The same Life as IV. 
 
 VI. Balliol MS.— Balliol College MS., 226, f. 48. Writing 
 of the middle of the thirteenth century. Also the same Life 
 as IV. 
 
 VII. St John's MS.— St John's College, Cambridge ; MS. C. 
 12, 9. Writing of late thirteenth century. This is one of the 
 most interesting of all the Lives ; and, strange to say, it has 
 been entirely ignored by all writers with the single exception 
 
 with one exception, equally hold for attributing it to Matthew Paris, for the 
 latter also never knew St Edmund till after his consecration, and being also a 
 Benedictine, would be willing to shield the monks as far as possible in recount- 
 ing their disputes with the Saint. The only definite argument given by Dom 
 Wallace (p. 9) is the reference from Wood, who quotes a passage from this 
 Life and attributes it to Eustace. But Dom Wallace himself answers his own 
 argument in a later paragraph on the same page, evidently written subse- 
 quently, when he had found out that Wood's quotation was from the deposition 
 of Eustace preserved in the Corpus Christi Library, and that this same deposi- 
 tion had been merely copied in by the writer of the Cotton MS., according to 
 the fashion of those days. 
 
 Nevertheless, there are some difficulties to overcome before we can 
 accept the Matthew Paris theory with certainty. Besides the instance given 
 by Baroness de Paravicini in which the author describing the saint's funeral 
 speaks as an eye witness — which she freely dismisses as a quotation — there is 
 one more instance when describing St Edmund at Rome (Wallace, p. 558) 
 he assumes the first person plural : " Nos autem torpentes et somnolenti vix 
 potuimus, etc." These words could not have been originally written by 
 Matthew Paris, though they might have been by Eustace. The only way out 
 of the difficulty would be to suppose these also to be a quotation. 
 
 * If it is carefully examined, it will be found that though the facts are for 
 the most part the same as in the Pontigny Life, the order is entirely different, 
 which points strongly to its being a separate composition.
 
 244 ST EDMUND 
 
 of Dora Wallace, who used it largely throughout his work, 
 and printed it in full in his Appendix. He considers the 
 author to have been Robert Bacon. The Baroness de 
 Paravicini alludes to it in her Introduction, though she 
 makes no use of it in her Life. She evidently is slow to 
 believe that it can be by Robert Bacon, though unable to 
 assign any other definite author.* 
 
 VIII. Faustina MS. — British Museum, Cotton MS., 
 Faustina, B. I.,ff. 180-183. Writing of the fourteenth century. 
 Dom Wallace attributes it to Robert Rich. The Baroness de 
 Paravicini thinks it may possibly be by the monk Eustace. 
 
 IX. Fell. MS. — Bodleian Library, Fell. I., 4. The same 
 Life as VIII. Writing of middle thirteenth century. At the 
 end is a long list of miracles worked at the shrine of St 
 Edmund, at Pontiguy. A similar list was at Pontigny itself, 
 and a selection of these was printed by Martene in the 
 Thesaurus. 
 
 The following unpublished MSS. have also been quoted in 
 the text : — 
 
 C. C. Col. MS.— Corpus Christi College MS., 154. 
 Writing of the middle of the thirteenth century. It con- 
 sists of four depositions of those who had known St Edmund, 
 written for the purpose of forwarding his canonisation. The 
 names of the writers are Richard of Dunstable, Stephen the 
 Subdeacon, Robert the Cistercian, and Eustace, the monk of 
 Christchurch, Canterbury. 
 
 St Paul's MS. — Register A, sive 1 Liber Pilosus, f. 18. 
 This is an account of St Edmund's episcopal consecration 
 hitherto unpublished. It was brought under my notice by 
 the Baroness de Paravicini. The writing is of late thirteenth 
 
 * The present writer fully agrees with Dom Wallace's estimate of 
 the importance and interest of this Life, but is unable to follow him in 
 attributing it to Robert Bacon. It is written in a curious and characteristic 
 style. The Latin is exceedingly obscure, and very difficult to construe; and 
 whereas we have a short account of St Edmund written certainly by Robert 
 Bacon, and quoted in the Cotton MS., the style there is absolutely unlike that 
 in the St John's MS. Compare also the miracle to the scholar with a bad arm, 
 which is told in both manuscripts. See Wallace, pp. 562 and 597. Robert 
 Bacon tells us that he learnt it from St Edmund himself; it is difficult to 
 imagine him telling it in the language used in the St John's MS.
 
 APPENDIX A 245 
 
 or early fourteenth century, so that it is not the original, but 
 a transcript. It is quoted in extcnso in its proper place 
 in this book. 
 
 In quoting the above manuscripts, the reference has some- 
 times been given to the original ; but when any particular one 
 has been at any time published, the reference to the printed 
 edition has been substituted in brackets. The same remark 
 applies to works such as the monastic chronicles, and in cases 
 such as those of the Chronica Majora or Hisloria Anglorum, 
 and others, in which they have been published more than once, 
 the reference has been given to the work in the Rolls Series. 
 The heading "Martene" refers to the Thesaurus Novus 
 Anecdotorum ; the heading "Wallace" refers to the Latin 
 Lives at the end of his Life of St Edmund of Canterbury. 
 The Life of St Richard of Chichester, by Ralph Bockling, the 
 Dominican, has also been quoted, and the reference given is 
 to the Saints' Lives, edited by the Bollandists.
 
 APPENDIX B 
 THE FAMILY OF ST EDMUND 
 
 (1) His Father. 
 
 It is curious that the manuscripts are not all in agreement 
 as to the name of St Edmund's father. The majority give 
 Reinald, or Reginald, but some of the best give Edward. 
 The Pontigny MS., indeed, gives the former ; but the Addi- 
 tional MS., which contains the same Life, but copied about 
 fifty years earlier, gives the latter ; and while it is easy to 
 see a reason for a scribe to have changed Edward into the 
 more commonly known Reinald, it is not so easy to account 
 for the opposite substitution, so that it is perhaps safe to con- 
 clude that Edward is the true reading. If this Life is by 
 Robert Rich, as the Baroness de Paravicini thinks, this 
 would be decisive, for it is impossible to suppose that he 
 could have been ignorant of his own father's name ; and 
 this would, moreover, account for the fact that Surius gives 
 Edward as his name. The Lambeth, Cambridge, and Balliol 
 manuscripts, all three likewise give Edward.* In all the 
 others, the name is given as Reinald. 
 
 The question is certainly perplexing, for it was not usual in 
 
 * Since the above was written some fresh light has been brought to bear 
 on the subject by the discovery of a manuscript in Sir T. Phillipps's 
 Library at Cheltenham (MS. 336). It consists of a sermon preached at 
 St Mary'?, Oxford, on the Feast of the Translation of St Edmund, by Friar 
 Herbert, a Franciscan, early in the fourteenth century. Throughout this 
 sermon the name of St Edmund's father is given as Edward, and a large 
 portion of it consists in tracing a hidden meaning in the connection between 
 the names Edward and Edmund. It thus appears that at that date, the saint's 
 father was commonly known as Edward. The sermon was brought to my 
 notice by Rev. Edmond Nolan, and was kindly copied by Mr J. H. Jeayes, 
 
 of the British Museum. 
 246
 
 APPENDIX B 247 
 
 those days, as it is now, to have more than one Christian 
 name. It is difficult to see any really satisfactory solution. 
 We may perhaps take refuge in a possible conjecture that 
 Edward may have been the name which he took on entering 
 religion, at the monastery at Eynsham. It is not impossible 
 that Robert Rich and Bertrand might call him by his name 
 in religion, while the public at large might know him by his 
 name in the world. 
 
 (2) His Brothers and Sisters. 
 
 All are agreed that St Edmund had two sisters, Margaret 
 and Alice, who both became nuns at Catesby. The 
 elder one, Margaret, became Prioress. Matthew Paris 
 chronicles her death in 1257, and states that she died in the 
 odour of sanctity, and that miracles were worked at her tomb. 
 In the autumn of the same year, he describes in almost 
 identical words the death of Alice, whom he likewise styles 
 Prioress. Many have inferred from this that she became 
 Prioress after her sister's death, and herself died a few months 
 later. Others, however, think that the two paragraphs refer 
 to the same event, and point to the fact that Matthew Paris 
 was then an old man, and not infrequently recorded the same 
 event twice during his latter years. Luard, in editing the 
 Chronica Majorat for the Rolls Series, points out several notable 
 instances in which he does so.* This hypothesis is accepted 
 by Dom Wallace, who even states definitely f that Alice 
 Rich lived till 1270. It is to be regretted that he omits to 
 give his authority for this statement. 
 
 About St Edmund's brothers, there is a definite conflict of 
 evidence. All his biographers speak of his brother Robert, who 
 was by his side throughout his life, and at his death. The 
 author of the Life in the Cotton MS. asserts that there were 
 two other brothers, who entered the monasteries of Eynsham 
 and Boxley respectively ; and that the name of the latter was 
 Nicholas. None of the other manuscripts mention any brother 
 but Robert by name ; but both the Pontigny and the Cam- 
 bridge Lives contain the word fratrcs in alluding to those 
 
 * Chron. Afaj., v., p. xv. t p. 39.
 
 248 $f EDMUND 
 
 who were absent from Edmund's last interview with his dying 
 mother. Apart from this one word, however, it must be 
 admitted that the natural inference from the Pontigny Life as 
 a whole is that there was only one brother.* 
 
 In the St John's College MS., however, it is definitely 
 stated that Robert was St Edmund's ojily brother, and this is 
 corroborated by the further statement that when his father 
 left his home at Abingdon, St Edmund was still so young 
 that in after life he was not able to recall his-father's features. 
 Had he been six years old at the time, this could hardly 
 have been the case. Recently, further corroboration of this 
 view has been found in a fragment of a life at Lambeth,! 
 in thirteenth century handwriting. In this it is stated that 
 Mabel had four children (pucros), and they are enumerated 
 as two sons, Edmund and Robert, and two daughters. J 
 
 It would seem strange if there had been two other brothers, 
 that nothing whatever should be heard about them. The 
 allusions to St Edmund's two sisters at Catesby are numerous, 
 as are those to his brother Robert. Yet not a word occurs 
 about any other brothers except in this solitary passage in 
 the Cotton MS. And this becomes the more remarkable 
 when we remember that Boxley, where one of them is 
 supposed to have been, is in the diocese of Canterbury. Dom 
 Wallace surmises that the author of the Life in the Cotton MS. 
 has mistaken St Edmund's father for a supposed brother, 
 especially as he does not mention the fact of the father retir- 
 ing to Eynsham, and calls the person alluded to " homo 
 discretus." This seems a not improbable solution with 
 respect to this one ; but we are left to conjecture for an 
 explanation as to the other. 
 
 (3) The Tomb of St Edmund's Mother. 
 According to the Oxford historian, Anthony Wood,§ 
 
 * In the Life by Surius we find the same word fratres used, and in this case 
 it certainly refers to one brother and two sisters ; and it may have been used 
 in the same sense by the author of the Pontigny Life. 
 
 t MS. 135, f. 138. 
 
 % St Edmund was the eldest of the four, but in which order in age the others 
 follow is uncertain. 
 
 § Hist, et Anlij. Univ. Oxon., ii., p. 9.
 
 APPENDIX D 240 
 
 Mabel was buried in a chapel adjacent to the Abbey church at 
 Abingdon, which chapel, he says, was built by Abbot John 
 about the middle of the reign of Henry III. He further 
 says that it was dedicated to the Holy Cross, St Edmund and 
 St Guthlac ; * but was commonly known as the " Chapel of St 
 Edmund's Mother." This seems definite enough ; but it is in 
 absolute conflict with a metrical life of St Edmund, written 
 within a hundred years of his death,! which describes the 
 tomb as in the Church of St Nicholas, which was a short 
 way outside the Abbey gateway. It is definitely stated 
 that she had a stone tomb in front of the rood, on the 
 south side, and that on it was written the well known 
 inscription referring to her as the " Flower of Widows." 
 
 In order to make these two statements agree, it has been 
 suggested that the Chapel of St Edmund's Mother might 
 have been adjacent to the Church of St Nicholas, and been 
 ultimately regarded as part of the same building. This is, 
 however, not a possible solution in any way, for the Abbey 
 church was at some little distance from St Nicholas's. And 
 even if it had been otherwise possible, it would be difficult 
 to reconcile it with the surroundings of the spot. No vestige 
 can be seen of any such chapel, nor any apparent place where 
 it could have abutted on to the church. And, moreover, had 
 it existed on the south side, it would have been immediately 
 in front of the Abbey gateway. J 
 
 The question therefore resolves itself into deciding which 
 is the more trustworthy authority — the author of the metrical 
 
 * We have here an interesting insight into Mabel's devotional life. 
 Devotion to the True Cross was traditional at Abingdon. St Guthlac was a 
 hermit who lived in the seventh century, and is connected with the same 
 devotion ; for at the time of his birth, a miraculous cross was seen over his 
 mother's house. 
 
 f See Wallace, p. 34, note. 
 
 % The supposed difficulty as to date is not a serious one. It is quite true 
 that the Church of St Nicholas in its present form dates from the time of 
 Abbot Nicholas (1289-1307) ; but part of it is much older. The front 
 arches, for example, are unmistakably Norman in character. Moreover, 
 there is a definite record of a " Chapel of St Nicholas " belonging to the 
 Abbey much earlier : see Chron. Abing. ii., p. 327. Abbot Nicholas may 
 have restored, or partially rebuilt the church, possibly because it bore his 
 name, but it must have been in existence long before his time.
 
 250 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 Life, or Wood. In deciding this, we must not lose sight of the 
 fact that at the time when the metrical Life was written, 
 the tomb was still in existence, and was a frequent place of 
 pilgrimage, as the writer attests. It is hardly possible that he 
 should have made a complete mistake as to where it stood. 
 When Wood wrote, on the other hand, both Mabel's tomb 
 and the Abbey church were things of the past. The 
 traditions as to their details were already more than a 
 century old, and he himself had no more than a general 
 interest in them.* Moreover, we have a detailed description of 
 Abingdon Abbey church by William of Worcester, of about 
 the date 1470, and there is not a word about any chantry to 
 Mabel. It is hardly conceivable that if there had been a 
 centre of pilgrimage inside the church, it could have passed 
 altogether without notice. 
 
 On the other hand, Wood's account is so circumstantial 
 that it would appear that it must rest on some foundation. 
 Nothing beyond a conjecture can be offered to account for it. 
 There may have been a memorial chapel or chantry in the 
 Abbey grounds, or adjacent to the church, with the dedication 
 described, but not containing the tomb. Such little chapels 
 were common enough in those days, and are still to be seen in 
 Catholic countries. This supposition gains ground from the 
 fact that Abbot John, who is said to have built it, did not 
 begin his term of office till more than half a century after the 
 death of Mabel ; and the suggestion that she was buried 
 elsewhere and that afterwards the body was removed into 
 the chantry is most unlikely. But it is dangerous to deal in 
 pure conjecture ; and it may perhaps be hoped that in these 
 days, when so many original sources are available, some 
 document may yet be found to throw fresh light on the 
 matter. 
 
 * He does indeed cite an authority— Rot. Ckron. Ccenohii Abendon MS. 
 I cannot verify this reference ; the Abingdon Chronicle, published in the Rolls 
 Series, has apparently nothing of the kind. At any rate, it seems easier to 
 imagine Wood mistaking the meaning of a passage (for he does not quote it 
 verbatim) than for the metrical Life to contain so grave a mistake.
 
 APPENDIX C 
 
 CHRONOLOGY OF ST EDMUND'S LIFE 
 
 The following table is based on the chronology adopted by 
 Dora Wallace* It is not intended, at least in the earlier 
 part, to be more than hypothetical. None of the saint's 
 biographers give any dates, and the details available are 
 wholly insufficient to enable us to form more than a rough 
 guess. It is not till the time when he went to Salisbury 
 that we can be at all certain of any date. After that, we can 
 tell a good deal from the Salisbury documents published in the 
 Rolls Series ; and from the time when he became Archbishop, 
 his life is bound up with the history of the country, and the 
 dates of the chief events are known. 
 
 Events of St Edmund's Life. Public Events of the same Period. 
 (about) ilSo. Birth of St Edmund. 
 1 189. 
 
 (about) 1 192. At School at Oxford, 
 (about) 1 195. He goes to Paris, 
 (about) 1 198. Death of Mabel. 
 
 rigg. Death of Richard I. John 
 
 succeeds. 
 
 Henry II. reigning. 
 
 Death of Henry II. Richard I. 
 
 succeeds. 
 
 1202. 
 1208. 
 
 Regent in Arts at Oxford. 
 
 Interdict begins. 
 
 1209. 
 1213. 
 
 He returns to Paris. 
 
 Interdict ends. 
 
 (about) 1 2 14. 
 
 12 15. 
 1216. 
 
 Teacher of Theology at Ox- 
 ford. 
 
 Magna Charta signed. 
 Death of John. Henry III. 
 succeeds. 
 
 * Page 43.
 
 25- 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 1227. 
 1233. 
 
 1234- 
 1236. 
 
 1237- 
 1237. 
 1238. 
 1240. 
 1240. 
 1245. 
 
 Events of St Edmund's Life. Public Events of the same Period 
 . Treasurer at Salisbury, and 
 Rector of Calne. 
 He preaches the Crusade. 
 He is elected Archbishop of 
 
 Canterbury. 
 Consecration at Canterbury. 
 
 Departure for Rome. 
 
 Return from Rome. 
 
 He leaves England for Pontigny 
 
 Death at Soissy. 
 
 1246. Canonisation at Lyons. 
 
 Marriage of King Henry to 
 
 Eleanor of Provence. 
 Arrival of the Fapal Legate. 
 
 Council of Lyons opened by 
 Innocent IV.
 
 APPENDIX D 
 
 THE CHAPEL OF ST THOMAS AT PONTIGXY 
 
 There has been considerable confusion as to the Chapel of 
 St Thomas at Pontigny * There were three chapels, each of 
 which has sometimes been called by that name. 
 
 1. The chapel where St Thomas had a vision of his future 
 martyrdom. This is the one commonly shown at the present 
 day as the Chapel of St Thomas. It is one of the small chapels 
 on the Epistle side, and behind the altar is a picture of his 
 martyrdom. But as it existed in St Thomas's time, it is clear 
 that it could not have been dedicated in his honour. In fact, 
 it was dedicated to St Stephen. 
 
 2. The chapel really dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury 
 was erected very soon after his martyrdom, and abutted on 
 the south transept. It was not an integral part of the church, 
 and after the Revolution it was allowed to fall into ruins. Of 
 late years part of it has been repaired, and converted into a 
 burial place for the Fathers of St Edmund. 
 
 3. The Chapel of St Thomas was also the name used to 
 describe the original Abbey church after the present one was 
 opened ; but the dedication was to St Thomas the Apostle. 
 Nevertheless, it is not impossible that it was really in memory 
 of our St Thomas. For if the supposition is correct that he 
 lodged in the ancient Abbot's house, it is quite probable that 
 he would have commonly said Mass in that chapel, which 
 adjoined it. The present church was at that time in course 
 of construction, and some of the side chapels were apparently 
 already in use. When the monks finally migrated into it, it 
 would have been a not unnatural thing to dedicate the old 
 
 * See Notes on Illustration?, p. 276 seq.
 
 254 
 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 one to St Thomas, on whose feast day St Thomas of Canter- 
 bury was born, after whom he received his name, and to 
 whom he ever had a great devotion. And before his own 
 canonisation, that would have appeared the natural way to 
 honour his memory. 
 
 This is, of course, only a conjecture ; but there is some likeli- 
 hood in it simply because it is difficult otherwise to account for 
 the dedication to St Thomas at all. Mgr. Henry, in his 
 Histoire de VAbbaye de Pontigny, indeed, accounts for it by 
 supposing that the Abbey was originally dedicated to, with 
 the double title, " The Assumption of Our Lady, and St 
 Thomas the Apostle,'' and Pere Masse has copied this in his 
 Vie de S. Edmc. If, however, a double dedication had existed, 
 the monks would certainly have taken the whole title with 
 them to the new church. Mgr. Henry seems to have realised 
 this, and in his second edition he has withdrawn the second 
 dedication, and leaves the title ''Chapel of St Thomas" un- 
 explained. The conjecture here suggested is at least not an 
 impossible one. If founded on fact, would be an additional 
 instance of the bond of union between Pontigny and England. 
 The chapel was pulled down in 1 7 1 5.
 
 APPENDIX E 
 
 THE PRESENT STATE OF THE RELICS OF 
 ST EDMUND 
 
 The following account, written at the time of the English 
 pilgrimage to Pontigny in 1874, conveys an accurate idea of 
 the present state of the body of St Edmund : — 
 
 " The body, as seen through the glass in front of the shrine, 
 shows that the saint was not a tall man. The head is covered 
 with dark and rather shrivelled flesh. The forehead is narrow, 
 high, and somewhat retreating, but the head grows unusually 
 broad from the ears upwards. The ears, though shrivelled, 
 must have been unusually small. The eyes are gone ; the 
 cheek bones high. The nose, now much decayed, was in the 
 form of what is called Roman. The mouth is wide open, and 
 three white teeth are seen. The chin is small, delicate, and 
 beautifully formed. The neck, like the head, is covered with 
 flesh of very dark colour. The shoulders are not broad. The 
 right arm is gone, removed, we found, to another part of the 
 church. The left hand is very small, and the three fingers left 
 on it are long, straight, and gracefully posed. The nails are 
 filbert-shaped. The saint must have had very beautiful hands. 
 The hand, like the rest of the body, is covered with dark, some- 
 what shrivelled flesh. The feet are small. The figure is robed 
 in the vestments of an archbishop." 
 
 The following is a list of the chief relics elsewhere than at 
 Pontigny : — 
 
 A large relic in St Peter's, Rome. 
 
 The tibia of the right leg in the new Westminster Cathedral.
 
 256 .ST EDMUND 
 
 The fibula of the left leg, at St Edmund's College, Old Hall. 
 One of the ribs in the Cathedral at Portsmouth. 
 A phalange of the right great toe, in the Church of St 
 Thomas and St Edmund, Erdington. 
 
 The heart and viscera, which were buried under the choir 
 in the Abbey Church of St James at Provins, perished during 
 the French Revolution, and all search for them has proved 
 fruitless. There is a chasuble at the Church of St Ouiriace, 
 Provins, known as St Edmund's, as well as a stole and maniple ; 
 but the chasuble has some embroidery of later date, which must 
 have been added subsequently. 
 
 The vestments in which St Edmund was clad at the time 
 of the translation of the relics in 1247 are kept at Pontigny, 
 and have already been alluded to.
 
 APPENDIX F 
 
 THE ARMS OF ST EDMUND 
 
 In view of the long-standing error with respect to the arms 
 adopted by St Edmund when he became Archbishop, the fol- 
 lowing extract from an article* by Mr Everard Green, F.S.A., 
 Rouge Dragon, seems in place here. The arms which he 
 discovered are used at St Edmund's College, Old Hall, and 
 likewise at St Edmund's School, Canterbury; and they appear 
 on the cover of this book. The old arms may be seen in the 
 Chapter House at Canterbury Cathedral, among the set of 
 heraldic bearings of the Archbishops ; and they are likewise 
 used at St Edmund's House, Cambridge, and St Edmund's 
 Hall, Oxford. With respect to the latter place, there is also 
 a further error, for, according to Wood,t it is not connected 
 with St Edmund at all, but with Edmund, a citizen of Oxford 
 during the thirteenth century, and its right name should be 
 " Edmund's Hall." 
 
 l< Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, as, at last, we know the 
 arms of our heavenly patron, St Edmund of Canterbury. 
 
 " Dom Wilfrid Wallace, O.S.B., of Erdington Priory in 
 Warwickshire (who was bred at Old Hall), in his Life of 
 St Edmund of Canterbury (1893), was the first, I take it, to 
 point the way to the right coat-of-arms, for up to then we 
 were all happy with a coat-of-arms which we thought 
 right, but which was unknown to our forefathers of the 
 fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries. The blazon 
 of the wrong coat is : Or, a cross patonce Gules, between three 
 sea-pics {or oyster-catchers) proper. It had, however, a variant ; 
 the blazon was : Gules, a cross patonce Or, between four 
 Cornish choughs {or sea-pies) proper. 
 
 " Old Hall College, however, is in no way to blame for 
 having adopted this coat of private adventure, as, at the 
 
 * Edmundian, December 1895, p. 23. f Hist. Ant., ii., 9. 
 
 257 R
 
 25 8 ST EDMUND 
 
 request of the Rev. Thomas Parkinson to the Heralds' 
 College, asking for the arms of St Edmund of Canterbury, the 
 Lancaster Herald of the day (now Sir Albert Woods, Garter 
 King of Arms, K.C.R., K.C.M.G.) sent a trick, or drawing, 
 of the wrong arms, with a very polite letter, which was on 
 view in the old upstairs library at our centenary celebration 
 in 1803. The case seemed strengthened, as St Edmund's 
 Hall at Oxford had used this coat-of-arms for probably over a 
 century. Williment gave the same in his Heraldic Notices of 
 Canterbury Cathedral, as well as Bedford in his Blazon of the 
 Episcopacy. To heraldic students, however, the coat did not 
 recommend itself as genuine. The trick was the same as that 
 of Abingdon Abbey in Berkshire, the blazon, however, changed. 
 This looked like a muddle. The blazon of the Abbey coat is : 
 Argent, a cross pa tonce behveen four martlets sable; so the white 
 shield became gold, the black cross red, and the birds remained 
 proper. The variants of the birds are curious — i.e., sea-pies, 
 Cornish choughs, and martlets. Mr Buckler, Surrey Herald 
 Extraordinary, even went so far as to say that St Edmund 
 took the Cornish choughs from the coat-of-arms assigned to 
 his great predecessor, St Thomas of Canterbury, and, as St 
 Edmund had preached a crusade, had placed a red cross on 
 his own shield. But enough. The story of the finding of the 
 true arms assigned to St Edmund of Canterbury, namely : 
 Azure, on the three suns in splendour proper, as many annulets 
 Gules, must now be told. 
 
 "Dom Wilfrid Wallace, O.S.B., in his researches for St 
 Edmund's life, came across, at the British Museum, the 
 common seal of St Edmund's Collegiate Church at Salisbury. 
 It is of oval shape, and the device is a seated figure, in a 
 canopied niche, of St Edmund of Canterbury in Mass vest- 
 ments, over which he wears his Roman Pall. His right hand 
 is raised in blessing, and in his left he holds his one-barred 
 Archbishop's Cross of Canterbury. Below the niche is a small 
 kneeling figure of Walter de la Wyle, Bishop of Salisbury, the 
 founder of the College. The legend on the verge of the seal 
 is broken up into four parts by the canopy of St Edmund's 
 niche, by the kneeling figure of Bishop de la Wyle in base, as 
 well as by two shields of arms, which are, as it were, in fess. 
 These shields claim our attention. The blazon of the sinister
 
 APPENDIX F 259 
 
 shield is : Azure, a chevron between three castles Or, which 
 St George's MSS. in the Heralds' College assigned to Walter 
 de la Wyle, who was Bishop of Salisbury from 1263 to 1271. 
 The dexter shield — On three suns in splendour, as many 
 annulets — Dora Wallace says, " are probably the arms of St 
 Edmund " (see his List of Illustrations, p. xli.). I at once saw 
 that Dora Wallace was on the right track for regaining the 
 true arms assigned to St Edmund. The puzzle, however, was 
 to find out the true colour of the field, and of the charges, and 
 to confirm Dom Wallace's suggestion. In the library of the 
 Heralds' College I at once began my researches, and care- 
 fully went through all the fifteenth and sixteenth century 
 Ordinaries of Arms, and at last, in a most precious book of the 
 time of Henry VII. (press mark L 10), I came to a page 
 wholly given up to arms of saints, and over a blue shield 
 charged with three red rings, on as many golden suns, I saw 
 inscribed, " Sanctus Edmundus de P." The scribe was quite 
 English enough, and evidently could not spell the outlandish 
 name Pontigny. What Dom Wallace wanted was now found, 
 and the seal and MS. confirming each other, Dom Wallace's 
 suggestion is proved to be true. Dom Wallace is satisfied, and 
 explains the shield as follows : — 
 
 " ' There can be no doubt that the three suns represent the 
 Holy Trinity, hence the field is azure, to represent heaven ; and 
 it is evident that the three rings or circles are in consequence 
 of that open vision of St Edmund's, when his blessed mother 
 Mabel appeared to him after her holy death, and drew in his 
 right hand three circles, in which she wrote the names of the 
 Three Divine Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.' 
 
 " It only remains to say that in the Mediaeval Department 
 of the British Museum is a glass quarry painted in yellow 
 stain, in which three circles are interlaced and slipped, with 
 the legend, Amor est Dcus. This emblem I have noticed in 
 St Edmund's hand, in a painting of the saint which existed at 
 Old Hall in one of the students' rooms, in the new wing, in 
 1866."
 
 APPENDIX G 
 
 EXPULSION OF THE FATHERS OF ST EDMUND 
 FROM PONTIGNY 
 
 Whilst the foregoing pages were passing through the press, 
 the sad news reached vis that in consequence of the new French 
 law of Associations, the Fathers of St Edmund have been forced 
 to leave Pontigny. The body of St Edmund remains there, as 
 well as the right arm in its separate reliquary. These belong to 
 the Bishop of the diocese, and will be under the care of a 
 secular cure. Most of the other memorials of St Edmund, in- 
 cluding the remains of the vestments in which the body was 
 clad from the time of the Translation in 1247 till about sixty 
 years ago, and likewise the original bull of canonisation, belong 
 to the Fathers, and were removed in good time to a place of 
 security. Under the new state of things the shrine itself will 
 no doubt be well cared for, but there is no fund for keeping the 
 immense church in repair, and it will probably once more fall 
 into a state of dilapidation. 
 
 In the text of the present work it was found impossible to 
 alter all the allusions to the state of things at Pontigny, which 
 are spoken of as though still permanent. It has, therefore, 
 been left throughout exactly as it was when it went to 
 press.
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 FRONTISPIECE. 
 
 St Edmund of Canterbury. 
 
 {From a fresco in the Church at Frindshury, near Rochester. ) 
 
 The fresco here reproduced was discovered in 18S2, when the 
 church was being restored. The church itself dates from about 
 the year 1075. It was repaired in 1404 by Richard Young, Bishop 
 of Rochester, and either then or later, the windows of the chancel 
 were blocked up. Their existence was entirely unknown when the 
 last restoration was begun. When they were discovered, and the 
 bricks and plaster removed, frescoes or paintings were found on 
 four of the jambs. The only one with a name over it is St 
 Edmund, which is spelt in what was formerly the common way, 
 Eadmund. The other three appear to represent St Lawrence, St 
 Mary Magdalen, and St William of Perth. They are believed to 
 have been painted about the middle of the thirteenth century, and 
 consequently within a few years of the death of St Edmund. The 
 arrangement of his hair is characteristic of the period, and re- 
 sembles that which can be seen in the coins of that time. We 
 can hardly suppose that it was intended to be strictly a portrait ; 
 but its general characteristics are not unlike those of the Saint, so 
 far as they are now discernible from his body at Pontigny. The 
 name is now only with difficulty discernible. 
 
 ABINGDON. 
 General View of Abingdon (page 1). 
 
 The quaint old-fashioned town of Abingdon, where St Edmund 
 was born, is situated on the Thames, at its junction with the river 
 Ock, about six miles south of Oxford ; the long, tapering spire of 
 St Helen's being visible for many miles round. The church now 
 standing is of later date than St Edmund's time. The oldest parts
 
 262 ST EDMUND 
 
 arc the north aisle and tower, which appear to date from some 
 period of the thirteenth century. It is of a curious, irregular shape, 
 having two aisles on each side of the nave, and is as broad as it 
 is long — a feature said to be shared by only one other church in 
 England, that of St Nicholas, at Great Yarmouth. 
 
 In the thirteenth century, if we may judge by the numerous 
 allusions in Matthew Paris and elsewhere, Abingdon must have 
 been an important town, with a famous market. The chief 
 industries were in cloth, and in hemp and rope-making. At the 
 present day its position is somewhat isolated, as the main railway 
 line to Oxford avoids it by more than two miles. This fact is due 
 to the inhabitants of Abingdon themselves, who, at the time when 
 railways were new, expressly petitioned that the main line might 
 avoid their town. They have since had leisure to repent of their 
 action, for its result has naturally been that the town does not 
 develop, and at the present day it has little importance beyond 
 that due to its position on the river, and its country market. 
 
 Abingdon Cross and Church of St Nicholas (page 3). 
 {Seventeenth century.) 
 
 This picture is copied from one of the gables of the almshouses 
 facing the river. These almshouses form part of what is known as 
 Christ's Hospital, one portion of which was built in the seventeenth 
 century, and the remainder in the reign of Queen Anne. The old 
 Cross of Abingdon, was said to contain part of one of the nails of 
 the Crucifixion. Devotion to the True Cross was traditional at 
 Abingdon, as the dedication of St Helen's sufficiently testifies. 
 During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries there was a town 
 gild of the Holy Rood. The Cross of Abingdon stood in the 
 centre of the market-place, on the spot now occupied by the 
 Jubilee statue of Queen Victoria. To the north side of the ancient 
 market-place now stands the Queen's Hotel and other buildings ; 
 and on the south side a seventeenth century town-hall, designed 
 by the well-known Catholic architect, Inigo Jones. On the east 
 side was the Church of St Nicholas, behind which stood the 
 Abbey, the ruins of which are shown in the background. 
 
 Church of St Nicholas and Abbey Gateway (page 4). 
 {Modem.) 
 
 On the cast side of the old market-place may be seen the 
 ancient Abbey gateway, adjacent to the Church of St Nicholas. 
 The existing gateway, in the perpendicular style, dates from the latter 
 part of the fourteenth century, or nearly two centuries after St 
 Edmund's time. The front of the Church of St Nicholas, however,
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 263 
 
 is much older. The lower part contains some evidently Norman 
 work, and must have been in existence when St Edmund was a 
 boy. In the chronicle of Abingdon Abbey* a chapel of St Nicholas 
 is mentioned as the property of the Abbey, which must be the 
 same as the present church. It has, of course, been added to 
 several times, especially by Abbot Nicholas (1289- 1307), who 
 partially rebuilt it. Mabel appears to have been buried within this 
 church, " in a stone before the rood, on the south side." f On her 
 tombstone was written the well-known inscription, "hic tumulata 
 
 JACET MABILIA FLOS VIDUARUM, CUJUS VITA FUIT VIRTUTUM 
 NORMA MORUM." 
 
 Ruins of the Abbey (pages 6 and 7). 
 (Exterior of Prior s Rootns — Dormitory. ) 
 
 In mediaeval times the Abbey was the feature of the town. It 
 was ancient — so ancient that its foundation is lost in obscurity ; but 
 after the ravages of the Danes it had been founded a second time 
 as a colony from Glastonbury. Its school became famous, and 
 more than one member of a royal family was brought up there. 
 Amongst others may be mentioned Henry I., son of William the 
 Conqueror, who received at Abingdon the education which earned 
 for him the title of " Beauclerc." At an earlier date still, the 
 school had attracted the ' notice of King Edward the Confessor, 
 who visited it in company with his queen, and settled on it a 
 small endowment in perpetuity. 
 
 Mabel and her children appear to have regularly frequented 
 the Abbey church rather than the parish church of St Helen, and 
 it was no doubt for this reason that she was buried in what was 
 then a chapel belonging to the Abbey, and adjacent to it. It does 
 not appear, however, that St Edmund ever came under the direct 
 control of the Abbey. His school days were spent, not at Abingdon, 
 but at Oxford, and the general influx thither seems to have caused 
 the Abbey school to decline, for it came to an end about this 
 time. The Abbey itself lasted on till the reign of Henry VIII., 
 when it shared the fate of all such institutions in this country.! 
 There are but few remains left, and these for the most part belong 
 to a time after that of St Edmund. The fourteenth century gateway 
 has been already mentioned. Perhaps the oldest part now standing 
 is what is known as the Prior's rooms, with a very curious chimney, 
 which is believed to date from the very beginning of the thirteenth 
 
 * Vol. ii., p. 327. 
 
 ! Wallace, p. 34, note. See Appendix B. (3). 
 
 J For an account of its suppression, see Gasquet, ii., p. 293.
 
 264 57 EDMUND 
 
 century, if not even earlier. Adjacent to the Prior's rooms are the 
 dormitories, not for the monks, but for guests. Apparently they 
 slept on the ground floor, and had their dining-room above. A 
 mill still exists, on the site of the ancient monastic one, though of 
 course it has been modernised in construction. The " Monks' 
 Walk" is on the other side of the stream, but there is no very 
 definite tradition about it. 
 
 Until lately, all the remains of the monastery formed part of 
 extensive brewery buildings, and in consequence they have suffered 
 much rough usage, openings having been cut in the walls, or the 
 like. Recently, however, they have been acquired by the town, 
 and now all the antiquities are well cared for. 
 
 St Edmund's Lane (p:ige 9). 
 
 The exact spot where the house of Edward, or Reinald, and Mabel 
 Rich stood can be identified with some approach to exactness. The 
 tradition of its site was perpetuated by Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, 
 who in 1288 built a chapel there, in honour of the Saint, after 
 whom he was named, and whom he had seen in a vision. Thus 
 the house was pulled down many centuries ago ; but the chapel 
 existed comparatively lately, and there are records to show where it 
 used to stand. The little lane or alley passing close to it is to this 
 day known as "St Edmund's Lane." It stretches from the present 
 Ock Street to West St Helen's Street, and the site of the chapel, now 
 occupied by a malt-house, is at a bend halfway along the lane. Part 
 of the ancient wall of the chapel appears to be still standing. 
 
 The Lonesome Tree (page 13). 
 
 This is a well-known tree, in the part now known as " the Park." 
 It is an elm, and may easily be recognised, being surrounded by 
 railings. Though no longer what its name indicates, it is never- 
 theless evidently very much older than any other trees near it. It 
 used to be known as " St Edmund's Tree." A vague tradition 
 asserted that it marked the spot where the Infant Jesus had 
 appeared to him. This, however, is unlikely, for at the time of 
 the vision, St Edmund was at school at Oxford, and the manuscripts 
 expressly mention that he was out playing with his companions. 
 It is hardly likely that they would have wandered six or seven miles 
 from the school. Another tradition asserts, with greater probability, 
 that there was a parish church near there, dedicated to St Leonard,
 
 AOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 265 
 
 in which St Edmund used to hear Mass, and that the connection 
 with his name arose in that manner. In any case, the tree is interest- 
 ing as having been long associated with the name of St Edmund. 
 
 PARIS. 
 Cathedral of Notre Dame (page 16). 
 
 There is very little left in modern Paris to remind one of St 
 Edmund. The only building of importance which dates from his 
 time is the Cathedral, which was begun 1163, and was building 
 during all the time he was in Paris. The Cathedral school was 
 ancient, dating back to the time of Charlemagne, who was in 
 a sense its founder. Formerly there were two separate churches, 
 one dedicated to St Stephen, and the other already known as 
 " Notre Dame." These were both demolished to make room for 
 the present Cathedral. The school was surrounded by cloisters, 
 in the position now occupied by the Rue Cloitre Notre Dame. 
 
 One of the chief schools was that of St Genevieve, the patroness 
 of the city. The devotion to her dates back continuously to the 
 time of her death, at the beginning of the sixth century. The 
 present shrine is in the Church of St Etienne du Mont, which was re- 
 built some three hundred years ago. Other famous schools were 
 those of St Victor and St Germain, both likewise on the southern 
 bank of the Seine, where we still find the Latin quarter. 
 
 The development of Paris as a university may perhaps be dated 
 from the closing years of the eleventh century, when Godfrey 
 of Boulogne, Bishop of Paris, established his school there. From 
 this time began the general influx from all parts, which the name 
 University implies, and by St Edmund's time it was the centre 
 of the intellectual world, and the students were numbered by 
 thousands. 
 
 Church of St Merri (page 18). 
 
 The church with which St Edmund was chiefly connected was 
 that of St Mederic or Merri, which is north of the Seine, and not far 
 from the eastern end of the Rue de Rivoli. Here we are told he 
 used to regularly attend the night offices, so that he must have 
 lodged in the vicinity. The present building is of the sixteenth 
 century ; but the crypt is much older, and it is very probable 
 that St Edmund often prayed in it. 
 
 The oldest church in Paris is that of St Severin, which stands 
 on the southern side of the Seine, and is surrounded by ancient 
 buildings. Part of it dates back to the thirteenth century ; but 
 hardly to the time when St Edmund was in Paris.
 
 266 S r EDMUND 
 
 OXFORD. 
 Map of Oxford (page 29). 
 
 St Edmund knew Oxford in its beginnings as a University, not 
 only before any of the colleges were in existence, but before the advent 
 of the friars. His work seems to have been to prepare the way for 
 them. He may have remained just long enough to see the Domini- 
 cans there ; the Franciscans and others did not come till several 
 years after he had left. There were, however, a considerable number 
 of religious houses belonging to Benedictines, Cistercians, Augus- 
 tinians (or Canons Regular), and others. The Canons Regular and 
 Benedictines had each three houses. The celebrated Oseney Abbey 
 belonged to the former, and was perhaps the first organised school 
 connected with Oxford, so that the University may be said to 
 have grown up around it. Moreover, the Oseney Chronicles form one 
 of the chief sources of the history of the time when Oxford was 
 rising into prominence. There is nothing now left of the Abbey : 
 the last remains were demolished many years ago to make room for 
 the Great Western Railway. 
 
 There are still some relics left of the Oxford of St Edmund. 
 The present St Mary's, the official church of the University, is 
 not indeed the same building that he knew ; but it is undoubtedly on 
 the same site ; and much the same can be said of the tower of 
 the town Church of St Martin,* the church itself having been pulled 
 down some eighty years ago to make room for the traffic. The 
 Church of St Frideswide, now known as Christchurch Cathedral, 
 contains some Norman work, and the Tower of St Michael's, in 
 the Cornmarket, is earlier still, dating back to Saxon times. This 
 tower serves to mark the position of Bocardo, or the North Gate, 
 of the city. Considerable portions of the ancient city walls are 
 still standing, and the course of the rest can be fairly well traced. 
 
 Besides these and other spots connected with the general history 
 of Oxford, some additional sites identified specially with St Edmund 
 are marked and numbered in red on the map : — 
 
 1. Lady Chapel of St Marys.— This is probably the place where 
 St Edmund made his vow before the statue of the Blessed Virgin. t 
 
 * Commonly known as Carfax, which is said to be contracted from 
 quatre voies, at the meeting of the four ways. 
 
 t Both Dom Wallace (p. 52), and the Baroness de Paravicini (p. 38), give 
 reasons for considering that it was certainly there. Nevertheless, this is not 
 entirely easy to reconcile with the sermon on the Translation of St Edmund, 
 recently discovered in the Sir T. Phillipps's Library at Cheltenham: see p. 246.
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 267 
 
 This stood on the north side of the church — for the Lanercost 
 chronicler speaks of St Edmund leaving by the north door, and 
 across the churchyard was the Grammar School where he received 
 his early education ; but the precise site of this is not known. 
 
 2. School Street.— There are said to have been thirty-two schools 
 about here, and it was the centre for teachers and lecturers. School 
 Street stretched from High Street, past the west end of St Mary's 
 Church and churchyard. 
 
 3. St Edmund's School.— According to Wood, the place where 
 St Edmund usually taught was that now occupied by the east end of 
 the chapel of Brasenose College. A building formerly stood on this 
 spot, traditionally known as St Edmund's School. Very probably St 
 Edmund also lived there. 
 
 4. Site of Ancient Chapel of the Blessed Virgin.— This seems to 
 have been the chapel built by St Edmund, in which he used to hear 
 Mass every morning (see Reliquice Her nance, vol. ii., p. 116, note). 
 It has served several purposes since it ceased to be used as a chapel. 
 At one time it was the property of the delegates of the Clarendon 
 Press. At the present day it is a shop, and the only relic of its 
 former state is a small stone carving of the Annunciation, on the 
 outside wall. 
 
 5. Site of the Ancient Hospital of St John.— Founded in the reign 
 of King John, and endowed by St Edmund with the money which he 
 obtained from the sale of his home at Abingdon, which he inherited 
 at the death of Mabel. The hospital was rebuilt by Henry 1 1 1, in 1 233, 
 and lasted till the middle of the fifeenth century, when the ground 
 was given for the foundation of Magdalen College. Some slight 
 traces of the ancient building can still be seen. 
 
 6. All Saints' Church.— There is still a churchyard on the north 
 side, which must have been the scene of St Edmund's sermon when 
 the miracle was worked, so that the rain which was falling everywhere 
 around did not fall on his hearers. On the south side is High Street, 
 which is slightly down hill to Magdalen. This corresponds with the 
 description in the MS., that "almost a river rolled down on that side." 
 
 7. St Edwards Parish, where the Dominicans had a school, in 
 which St Edmund also taught. 
 
 8. Church of St Clement, near which was St Edmund's Well. It 
 is said that miracles were worked with the water ; but the practice of 
 using it was comparatively early prohibited : see Wallace, p. 49. 
 
 The sermon was preached in St Mary's itself about the beginning of the 
 fourteenth century ; and recounting this incident, the preacher alludes to the 
 statue as qnccdam virginis imtnolatcc imago. There is, to say the least, some 
 difficulty in believing that the statue described in these words was actually in 
 the church, and within a few yards of the preacher.
 
 268 ST EDMUND 
 
 Carving on the Exterior of the Ancient Chapel of the Blessed 
 Virgin (page 30). 
 
 See above, No. 4. The carving is undoubtedly old, but by no 
 means so old as St Edmund's time. 
 
 Great St Mary's (page 33). 
 
 There is nothing left of the St Mary's which St Edmund knew. 
 The spire is the oldest part of the present church. It is of the early 
 decorated style, and apparently put up before the close of the thirteenth 
 century. The remainder is of different dates, and all later. The 
 exact position of the Lady Chapel in which St Edmund used to pray 
 is not known. 
 
 Christchurch Cathedral (page 37). 
 
 The devotion to St Frideswide, the patroness of Oxford, takes us 
 back to Saxon times. She lived in the eighth century, and was the 
 daughter of one of the Saxon kings, in whose dominions Oxford lay. 
 The latter built a convent in the town, into which his daughter entered 
 as a nun. Later on she retired to Binsey, a village about a mile 
 outside the town, where she died about the year 740. Her body was 
 brought back to Oxford, and buried in the convent church, which was 
 afterwards known as St Frideswide's, and her shrine became a cele- 
 brated place of pilgrimage for many centuries. Numerous miracles 
 are said to have taken place at her intercession. The old convent 
 seems to have come to an end during the ravages of the Danes, and 
 as many of the Oxford townsmen took refuge in the tower of St 
 Frideswide's, Ethelred the Unready set fire to the church, and it was 
 burnt to the ground. It was rebuilt immediately afterwards, however, 
 and endowed afresh, being this time entrusted to the care of the 
 secular clergy. Then, early in the twelfth century, Roger, Bishop of 
 Salisbury, and Chancellor of King Henry I., established a priory of 
 Canons Regular there. The church was accordingly rebuilt, and 
 much of the Norman work still visible must date from that time. 
 
 Remains of the Shrine of St Frideswide (page 3S). 
 
 The devotion to St Frideswide continued throughout mediaeval 
 times. So lately as the year 1518 we read of Catherine of Aragon 
 leaving her husband at Abingdon Abbey, whilst she made a pilgrimage 
 to the shrine of St Frideswide. 
 
 The priory ceased to exist soon after this ; but its end was peace- 
 able. Cardinal W'olsey obtained from Pope Clement VII. leave to 
 use the ground and monastery for the foundation of the "Cardinal's 
 College," afterwards called Christchurch by Henry VIII., and the
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 269 
 
 monks dispersed, the Prior going to Oseney, and the others to 
 different houses of their Order. Wolsey rebuilt a portion of the 
 church, but a considerable part of the old one still remains. In 1546 
 the See of Oxford was established, and Christchurch was fixed upon 
 for its Cathedral. 
 
 The shrine of St Frideswide did not long survive after this. It 
 shared the fate of so many others throughout the land. A simple 
 inscription was written over it by one of the Reformers: "hic 
 REQUIESCIT RELIGIO CUM superstitione." The picture here given 
 shows what is left of the shrine. The old watch-tower still remains, 
 wherein a watchman used to be on guard, to protect the jewels and 
 riches of the shrine. 
 
 The church at Binsey is still standing, and parts of it are very old. 
 There is a Norman porch, which must have existed in St Edmund's 
 time ; and hard by is the well called St Margaret's, which is said to 
 have gushed up at the prayers of St Frideswide. 
 
 Iffley Church (page 40). 
 
 This is one of the most characteristic specimens of Norman archi- 
 tecture extant in this country. It must have been familiar to St 
 Edmund, and can hardly have changed much in appearance since 
 he used to pray therein. 
 
 Ancient Hospital of St John (page 43). 
 
 (/•/ om a drawing by Matthew Paris, in the Historia Anglorum. MS. Roy., 
 
 14 c, vii.) 
 
 This is the building put up by Henry III., but on the site of that 
 endowed by St Edmund. 
 
 Tower of St Michael's Church (page 45). 
 
 The tower is all that is left of the ancient Church of St Michael. 
 There are some pieces of ancient stained glass in the interior. One 
 of these, on the north side of the chancel, represents St Edmund, and 
 is said to be fourteenth century work. It is very small, and probably 
 in no sense a portrait, but it is interesting as a fragment of mediaeval 
 devotion in his honour. 
 
 SALISBURY. 
 
 Salisbury Cathedral — Exterior (page 49). 
 
 The See of Sarum was originally founded by Bishop Herman 
 in 1076, and was rendered glorious by the episcopate of St Osmund, 
 nephew of William the Conqueror, from 107S to 1099. This was
 
 270 ST EDMUND 
 
 "Old Sarum,'' a fortified city on a hill above the present one. 
 The removal to New Sarum, or the Salisbury we know, took 
 place only a short time before St Edmund was appointed Treasurer. 
 The founder of the new see was Bishop Richard Poor, who had 
 been translated from Chichester to succeed his brother at Old 
 Sarum in 12 17. He began the new Cathedral at New Sarum in 
 1220, on a site previously occupied, and it was continued without 
 intermission by himself and his successors, until its completion in 
 1266. Hence we get its chief feature, namely, its unity of design, 
 the style being "Early English" throughout. The only part not 
 built at that time was the spire, which was added early in the 
 fourteenth century. It is 404 feet in height, and is said to be the 
 most beautiful work of its kind in Europe. But, however good its 
 effect as a centrepiece for the Cathedral, it has been a continual 
 source of apprehension, as owing to its weight, the arches under- 
 neath were quickly driven out of the perpendicular, and it was 
 only by a careful arrangement of iron ties, put in at different times, 
 that its fall has been averted. At the present day the summit is 
 nearly two feet out of the perpendicular. 
 
 Salisbury Cathedral (Interior).— Lady Chapel (page 51). 
 
 The Cathedral took forty-six years to build, and was not com- 
 pleted till long after St Edmund's time ; but part of it was in use 
 while he was there. The earliest portion to be completed was the 
 Lady Chapel, which was solemnly opened in 1225. This is there- 
 fore one of the few buildings in existence in which St Edmund 
 must have often said Mass. It stands at the extreme east end of 
 the Cathedral, and is shown in the previous illustration. Inside, 
 the position of the three altars which were consecrated in 1225 
 can easily be identified ; but the sites where they formerly stood 
 in the north and south aisles respectively are now occupied by 
 large ugly monuments. A slab in the Lady Chapel is said to be 
 that formerly over the grave of St Osmund, having been brought 
 over from Old Sarum. St Osmund himself is said to be buried 
 somewhere close by, under the Lady Chapel. 
 
 Tomb of William Longsword (page 60). 
 
 William Longsword, first Earl of Salisbury, and natural son of 
 Henry II., was the first person to be buried in the present 
 Cathedral. He had been converted from an evil life by St Edmund, 
 and died soon afterwards a holy death. His tomb originally stood 
 in the Lady Chapel, which was the only part then in existence. 
 Nearly all the monuments were re-arranged at the end of the 
 eighteenth century, when a great deal of restoration work was done
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 271 
 
 to the Cathedral. They are now placed, without reference to 
 date, on the long, raised pavement which stretches under the 
 bases of all the pillars on both sides of the nave, forming 
 one of the features of this Cathedral. It is said that it was 
 originally built there because of the marshy nature of the soil, 
 in order to provide a stronger foundation for the pillars, by 
 distributing their weight. As the monuments stand to-day, the 
 tomb of Longsword is the nearest to the transept, on the south 
 side. Adjacent to it is the tomb of Walter de la Wyle, who also had 
 known St Edmund, and was Bishop of Salisbury from 1264 to 
 1270. The tomb stood originally in the chapel dedicated to St 
 Edmund, where he was buried by his own special desire. This 
 chapel was the middle one of the three in the north transept. 
 There are likewise monuments, believed to represent Bishop Richard 
 Poor and Bishop Robert de Bingham ; but there seems to be some 
 difficulty in identifying them with certainty. During his episcopate, 
 Walter de la Wyle likewise founded the present Church of St Edmund 
 in the town, and endowed it for the support of secular Canons 
 
 Calne Church — Exterior (page 70). 
 
 The village of Calne is more than thirty miles from Salisbury, 
 but the living had been the property of the diocese since 11 15. 
 At the present day the town contains between three and four thousand 
 inhabitants, with a large parish church. The exterior of this is 
 apparently of late fifteenth century work ; but it is built over the 
 older part, which is still standing.* 
 
 Calne Church — Interior (page 71). 
 
 In the interior, the old part can be seen at once. The lower 
 part of the nave consists of round arches, evidently Norman, and 
 dating from about 1100 to 11 30. This part therefore existed in St 
 Edmund's time. The arches of the choir, which at first sight 
 appear to be similar, are in reality of much later date. It seems 
 that the old Norman tower, which stood over the middle of the 
 church, showed signs for many years of falling ; but no heed was 
 paid, and eventually, about the year 1628, it collapsed. A new 
 tower was built in 1645, in a somewhat different position, over the 
 south transept, some say by Inigo Jones, and about two-thirds of 
 the chancel, which had been demolished by the fall of the tower, 
 was rebuilt in the style of the period, with round arches. The 
 remaining third part of the chancel, at the east end, retains its 
 
 * For these and the following particulars about Calne, I am indebted to 
 the kindness of Rev. John Duncan, M.A., the Rector.
 
 272 ST EDMUND 
 
 pointed arches of about 1470-90, and was apparently unharmed by 
 the fall of the tower. The upper part of the church is, like the 
 outside, of late fifteenth century style. 
 
 The churchyard at Calne is probably the site of the curious 
 vision of the dead which the Lanercost chronicler relates as having 
 been seen by St Edmund : see p. 61. The exact site of the ancient 
 rectory is also known, for, owing to an exchange which was 
 effected, the present vicarage was built upon it. This, therefore, is 
 on the spot where St Edmund was engaged at his studies when 
 the announcement arrived that he had been made Archbishop r»f 
 Canterbury. 
 
 CANTERBURY. 
 
 Consecration of St Edmund (page 77). 
 
 MS. Roy., 14 C. vii. 
 
 From the Historia Anglorum of Matthew Paris. The inscription 
 refers to the consecrating prelate, Roger le Noir, Bishop of London : 
 " Doctor Theologus a Doctore, sollempnis Prsedicator a celebre 
 Prsedicatore, sanctus Praesul a sancto Praesule, feliciter consecrate." 
 
 St Edmund as Peacemaker (page 83). 
 
 MS. Roy., 14 C. vii. 
 
 Also from the Historia Anglorum of Matthew Paris. The 
 following is the inscription : " Nota caritatem Beati Edmundi, qui 
 pacificavit Gilebertum Marescallum ct Comitem Cancise,* et alios 
 magnates Angliae Domino Regi." t 
 
 Remains of City Walls (page 92). 
 
 The City of Canterbury is said to have been originally founded by 
 the Romans as a defence for the ford of the river Stour, so that 
 soldiers coming from the coast might secure uninterrupted access to 
 London. The road along which they went was the celebrated 
 Watling Street, which runs through Canterbury. In Saxon times 
 it became the chief city of the kingdom of Kent ; later it was given 
 over to St Augustine for the use of the Archbishops, and so became 
 the ecclesiastical centre of England. 
 
 * Hubert de Burgh. 
 
 f Remark the charity of Blessed Edmund, who reconciled Gilbert the 
 Marshal, the Earl of Kent, and the other magnates of England, to the 
 Lord Kin".
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 273 
 
 There was probably a wall round the city at a very early period. 
 In the reign of Richard I. a new wall was built, with twenty-one 
 turrets, and this was therefore less than fifty years old when St 
 Edmund was Archbishop. Part of this wall is now standing, and the 
 remains of several of the turrets may be seen. 
 
 Westgate (page 94). 
 
 There were formerly six gates into the town — Burgate, St 
 George's Gate, Bidlngate, Worthgate, Northgate, and Westgate. 
 With one exception, they were all removed during the nineteenth 
 century, to make room for the traffic. That exception is Westgate, 
 which is still standing. The present gateway dates from the reign of 
 Richard II. The road has been diverted, so that the traffic now 
 passes round it — a simple expedient, which, had it been thought 
 of .earlier, might have saved the destruction of the other gates. 
 
 Mercery Lane (page 95). 
 
 This, the oldest street in the town, is opposite the Christ- 
 church gateway leading to the Cathedral Close. It is said that one 
 particular house in Mercery Lane has been used as a jeweller's shop 
 continuously since before St Edmund's time. 
 
 Canterbury Cathedral — Exterior (page 97). 
 
 Although the See of Canterbury dates back to the time of King 
 Ethelbert, the Cathedral now existing is not of such antiquity. The 
 Cathedral of Saxon times was completely destroyed by fire in 1067 
 the year after the Conquest, and most of the adjoining monastery 
 shared the same fate. The rebuilding of the Cathedral was taken 
 in hand without delay by Archbishop Lanfranc, who erected a nave 
 exactly on the site of the old one, and a new choir. He also built 
 two towers at the west end, as well as a central one, with a gilt 
 angel at the top, hence known as the "Angel Tower." Very little is 
 now left, however, even of Lanfranc's work. The Angel Tower was 
 replaced in the reign of Henry VII. by the present one, with a large 
 bell, known as the " Bell Harry Tower," which is said to be twice the 
 height of its predecessor. Lanfranc's choir was pulled down, and 
 a larger one built, under Prior Ernulph, during the episcopate of 
 St Anselm (1093-1109.) This new one, again, did not last very 
 long; for in 11 74, four years after the martyrdom of St Thomas, 
 it was burnt down, and the present one was built to replace it. 
 The nave was pulled down and rebuilt during the last twenty years of 
 the fourteenth century. 
 
 S
 
 274 - s '/' EDMUND 
 
 Canterbury Cathedral The Choir (page 99). 
 
 It will thus be seen that the choir is almost the only part of 
 the Cathedral which exists to-day as it was when St Edmund was 
 Archbishop. A curious combination of styles is apparent — a mixture 
 of Norman and Early English. The original architect, William of 
 Sens, became incapacitated by a fall from a scaffold, and the work 
 was completed by another William, an Englishman. The choir is 
 180 feet in length, being the longest in any of the English 
 cathedrals. 
 
 The Patriarchal Chair (page 101). 
 
 The throne used to stand behind the high altar, so that the 
 Archbishop sat facing the people, in sight of all in the nave. As the 
 chancel at Canterbury is raised unusually high above the nave, 
 the elevation of the throne must have appeared very considerable 
 when viewed from below. The ancient " Patriarchal Chair," as 
 it is called, now stands at the east end of the Cathedral, in the part 
 known as " Becket's Crown." * 
 
 Marriage of King Henry to Eleanor of Provence (page 103). 
 
 MS. Roy , 14 C. vii. 
 
 From the Historia Anglorum of Matthew Paris. The ceremony 
 was performed by St Edmund. 
 
 Council of London (page 112). 
 
 MS. Roy., 14 C. vii. 
 
 Matthew Paris has left us two drawings of the Legatine Council : 
 one in the Chronica Majora, the other in the Historia Anglorum. 
 The one given here is from the latter. The Legate Otho is presiding, 
 with St Edmund on his right. 
 
 Christchurch Cathedral and Monastery (page 117). 
 
 MS. Trinity College, Cambridge, R. 17, I. 
 From Eadwine's Psalter : copied by kind permission from CasselPs 
 Canterbury. The Cathedral appears as it was in the time of St Anselm 
 (1093- 1 109). The " Angel Tower !: can be seen in the middle, and four 
 others, two at the east end, and two at the west end. 
 
 * The origin of this name is uncertain. One tradition asserts that it was 
 so called because the crown of St Thomas's head, which had been cut off 
 at his martyrdom, was kept and venerated there. Father Morris considers 
 this the most probable explanation. See his Lecture on Canterbury (Catholic 
 Truth Society), p. 13. See also his Life of St Thomas, p. 5<,S.
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 275 
 
 Ruins of Monastery (page 118). 
 There is not much left of the ancient monastery. The ruins 
 shown here are the most striking part. Some remains can be seen 
 of the monks' dormitory ; but the cloisters, and some of the other 
 ruins are of later date than St Edmund's time. 
 
 Treasury of the Church (page 118). 
 
 This part was built in 1164, and was therefore familiar to St 
 Edmund. The ground floor was open on the east and west ; the 
 actual strong-room was on the first floor. 
 
 Norman Staircase (page 119). 
 This led up to the old Almonry, now used as a school-house. The 
 staircase was built by Lanfranc. 
 
 St Augustine's Abbey— Gateway (page 121). 
 
 Besides Christchurch, there was also another Benedictine Abbey, 
 outside the town, which had been founded by St Augustine, and was 
 dedicated to him after his death. It was not officially connected with 
 the Cathedral, and had its own mitred Abbot. Indeed, it ranked 
 above Christchurch, and at a council, its Abbot sat next below the 
 Abbot of Monte Cassino. Many English saints were buried in the 
 Abbey Church, beginning with St Augustine himself. The six 
 Bishops who succeeded him were placed three on each side, and, 
 together with St Augustine, were known as the seven patriarchs of 
 England. For a century and a half after its foundation it was the 
 regular burying-place for the Archbishops of Canterbury. St Ethel- 
 bert, St Bertha, and St Luidhard were likewise buried there. The 
 ancient Abbey gateway is still standing, but it has been repaired and 
 restored. The site of the Abbey is now occupied by an Anglican 
 missionary college. Recently some excavations have been made on 
 the site of the ancient chapel, and many relics of the past have been 
 brought to light. Amongst these may be specially mentioned a lead 
 coffin, complete with coffin-plate, of a ninth century abbot. Even his 
 vestments in which he was buried were recognisable. The excava- 
 tions are still proceeding. 
 
 St Martin's Church (page 133). 
 
 This is the oldest church in Canterbury, and probably the oldest 
 in England. Parts of the walls are undoubtedly of Roman workman- 
 ship, and Mass used to be said here before the coming of St Augustine,
 
 276 ST EDMUND 
 
 for St Bertha, wife of King Ethelbert, had brought her own chaplain, 
 St Luidhard, over with her from France. A gateway is still shown, 
 through which it is said that she used to pass on her way to Mass. 
 On the arrival of St Augustine and his companions, St Martin's Church 
 was given over to the new missionaries. 
 
 Shrine of St Thomas (p^ige 143). 
 
 Cotton MS., Tib. E., viii., f. 169. 
 
 By the time of St Edmund, the pilgrimage to Canterbury had 
 already assumed large proportions. The original tomb of St Thomas 
 was in the crypt,* and consisted of plain masonry, with two round holes 
 through which the pilgrims used to put their heads to kiss the coffin. 
 Here it was that King Henry II. performed his well-known penance. 
 During the episcopate of Stephen Langton, a new shrine was built 
 above in the Trinity Chapel, behind the high altar, where St Thomas 
 had said his first episcopal Mass ; but the chapel had been rebuilt since 
 his time, having been destroyed in the fire of 11 74. The solemn 
 translation of the relics to the new shrine took place in 1220. The 
 ceremony was one of the most magnificent ever seen, even in the 
 Middle Ages, and people came from all over Europe to assist at it. It 
 is not impossible that St Edmund himself may have been present, 
 though there is no record that he was. The new shrine attracted 
 gifts both numerous and costly, and it was soon reputed to be the 
 richest in the whole world. It was plundered of all its jewels and 
 riches during the reign of Henry VIII., and there is nothing left of it 
 now ; but the bare ground still gives evidence of the piety of past 
 ages, for the stones are worn away by the knees of pilgrims. 
 
 The sketch here reproduced was made after the shrine had been 
 stripped. The following description is appended : — 
 
 "Tern. Henr. VIII. All above the stone work was first of wood, 
 jewels of gold set with stone, covered with plates of gold, wrought 
 upon with gold wire, then again with jewels, gold as brooches, images, 
 angels, rings, ten or twelve together, clamped with gold into the 
 ground of gold, the spoils of which filled two chests such as six or 
 eight men could but convey one out of the church. At one side was 
 a stone with an angel of gold, pointing thereunto, offered there by a 
 King of F ranee, which King Henry put into a ring, and wore on his 
 thumb.'' j 
 
 * A picture of the original tomb is to be seen in one of the painted 
 windows above, in the Cathedral. 
 
 t See Life of St Thomas, by the Rev. John Morris, S.J., p. 479. The in- 
 completeness of the sketch is due to damage of the MS. by fire.
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 277 
 
 PONTIGNY. 
 Bird's-eye View of the Ancient Abbey (page 150). 
 
 The Abbey of Pontigny lies about one hundred miles south of 
 Paris, seventeen miles from Auxerre, and six from the St Florentin 
 station on the main line to Lyons. In recent years a narrow- 
 gauge railway has been built from Laroche, where all the express 
 trains stop, and by means of this, the traveller can now be set 
 down within a stone's throw of the monastery less than four hours 
 after leaving Paris. 
 
 The Abbey church is still standing, and has not changed much 
 in outward appearance since the days of St Edmund. It was not 
 even then a new Abbey. Its foundation dates back to the early 
 days of the Cistercian Order ; it was the second of the four original 
 great colonies from Citeaux, and was founded by St Stephen Harding 
 in 11 14.* 
 
 Not a stone is left of the original monastery. The old church, 
 somewhat to the south-east of the present one, was still standing 
 at the beginning of the eighteenth century ; but it was in a very 
 dilapidated condition, and was finally demolished in 171 5. Close 
 beside it stood the original Abbot's house, which was pulled down 
 at the same time. The present church, together with what little 
 of the monastery still remains, dates from about the middle of the 
 twelfth century, and was due to the generosity of Thiebault the 
 Great, Count of Champagne. The monks at that time were rapidly 
 increasing in number, and Pontigny became the mother house of 
 forty-five other monasteries, spread through France, Spain, Italy, 
 and Hungary. The monks at Pontigny often numbered close on 
 one hundred, and the earl)' days were days of fervour and strict 
 observance of the rule. Before St Edmund came, however, the 
 monks had ceased to work with their hands, and devoted them- 
 selves to prayer and study. Around the monastery had grown up 
 a village of serfs and other dependents of the Abbey, who tilled 
 the soil. The forests had long since been cut down, and the 
 land put under cultivation, so that the general appearance of the 
 country was much as it is to-day. 
 
 From the time of its first foundation the Abbey had been 
 closely connected with English history. The founder, Stephen 
 
 * The four original foundations from Citeaux were La Ferte, Pontigny, 
 Clairvaux, and Morimond, in the order named. They were situated south, 
 west, north, and east respectively of Citeaux, and this geographical fact has 
 sometimes been pointed to as one of the causes of the rapid spread of the 
 Cistercian Order. The Abbots of these five monasteries formed the General 
 Chapter, which was one of its characteristics,
 
 278 ST EDMUND 
 
 Harding, was an Englishman, and some of the most important 
 charters were signed by Adrian IV., the English Pope; and several 
 distinguished Archbishops of Canterbury at one time or another 
 found a refuge there. St Thomas was received by the monks for 
 two years, from i 1 64 to 1166, while the church was still building, 
 and to this day one of the side chapels is shown, on the epistle 
 side, in which he is said to have had the vision of his future 
 martyrdom. Archbishop Stephen Langton spent five years at 
 Pontigny, from 1208 to 1213, during which period England lay 
 under the Interdict. Other Bishops joined him, and one, the 
 Bishop of Worcester, died there. St Edmund himself knew it well by 
 repute, having only recently confirmed a grant in perpetuity which 
 had been conferred by Stephen Langton, to be paid annually out 
 of the Canterbury revenues to the Abbey, in recognition of the 
 hospitality which he and his predecessors had received there. 
 
 No tradition survives to point out the position of the house in 
 which St Edmund lived at Pontigny ; but a fairly probable conjec- 
 ture can be made. Two of his biographers tell us it was the same 
 house that St Thomas had occupied, while St Thomas's biographers 
 assert that he and his companions lived in a series of monastic 
 cells. These two apparently conflicting statements can perhaps be 
 reconciled by the supposition that they lived in the old Abbot's 
 house, described above, which in St Thomas's time would have 
 formed part of the old monastery, but when St Edmund arrived, 
 was the only part left. 
 
 After the new church was built, the old one was known as the 
 "Chapel of St Thomas the Apostle." There seems some reason 
 to think that it may have been so called in memory of St Thomas 
 of Canterbury, who was born on 21st December, and, like St Edmund, 
 was named after the saint of the day : see Appendix D. 
 
 Of the monastery at Pontigny comparatively little remains. 
 The bird's-eye view here reproduced was made by order of 
 the French Government after the Reign of Terror, in 1796, when 
 the monastery was being pulled down. It conveys a good notion 
 of the monastic grounds, and of the eighteenth century Abbot's 
 house ; but owing apparently to some attempt at perspective, it 
 gives no idea of the length of the church, and the large quad- 
 rangle of the monastery is hardly shown. The following references 
 were appended : — 
 
 A. Entrance to the monastic enclosure. 
 
 B. Church. 
 
 C. Porch of the Church. 
 
 D. Main building, including the Chapter Room, Dormitory, and 
 
 the rooms for the different community duties,
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 279 
 
 E. Refectory and Kitchen. 
 
 F. Vaulted Cellar and Granary. 
 
 G. Abbot's House (built about 1750). 
 H. Orangery. 
 
 I. Prior's Rooms. 
 
 K. Procurator's Rooms. 
 
 L. Surgeon's House. 
 
 M. Farmyard. 
 
 N. Dove-cot. 
 
 O. Kennels. 
 
 P. Pond, with parapet on both sides. 
 
 Q. Wall, six feet high, surrounding the monastic enclosure, 
 which covered fifty acres. 
 
 R. Branch of the Serrain. (The bed of the river runs outside, 
 parallel to the wall Q.). 
 
 S. Fountain ; there was another one in the middle of the 
 quadrangle of the Abbey. 
 
 T. Cemetery (opened in 1764). 
 
 U. Main road from St Florentin to Auxerre. 
 
 Of the buildings here enumerated, those marked B. D. E. F. and 
 I. were standing in the thirteenth century, besides the wall round 
 the property marked Q. Most of these are now gone, the build- 
 ing containing the cellar and granary above it being the chief 
 one remaining. More than half of the old wall exists, and it shows 
 the large size of the monastic grounds. The river Serrain used 
 to be such an important boundary that it was popularly said that 
 three Bishops and an Abbot might have met on the bridge which 
 crosses it, each claiming jurisdiction.* 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny— Exterior (page 152). 
 The church is standing almost in its entirety. The chief change 
 in appearance since those days is in the roof, which used to be 
 of lead throughout, but is now of ordinary tiles. The view taken 
 from the south side shows the great length of the church. There 
 used to be a central tower in which the bells were placed ; but no 
 vestige of this remains. 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny— Interior (page 154). 
 The style of architecture of the church shows a combination 
 of simplicity and massive grandeur, characteristic of the austere 
 
 * These were the Archbishop of Sens, the Bishops of Auxerre and 
 Langres, and the Abbot of Pontigny. To this bridge Pontigny owes its 
 name.
 
 28o ST EDMUND 
 
 reformers of the Benedictine Order. It was begun about the year 
 
 1 1 50, and continued without break till its completion, so that an 
 entire unity of design is manifest* in the same way as at Salisbury ; 
 and it affords one of the very earliest specimens, if not quite the 
 earliest, of the pointed arch. The total length is 352 feet, that of the 
 transepts being 150 feet, and the width of the nave 70 feet. There are 
 twenty-three side chapels arranged round the aisles outside the 
 choir. Like all Cistercian churches, it was dedicated to the Blessed 
 Virgin, and the patronal feast was the Assumption. 
 
 The arrangement of the interior in the thirteenth century differed 
 considerably from that of to-day. The ancient stalls are believed to 
 have been behind the high altar, around the back of the apse, 
 and the high altar itself must therefore have been much more forward 
 than now. The first shrine of St Edmund was placed over it. 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny — North Aisle (page 154). 
 Taken from the western end of the church. 
 
 Monks' Washing-place (page 156). 
 
 This is an interesting relic of the ancient monastery. It used to 
 stand in the middle of the quadrangle. The water came out of the 
 fountain, into the trough, and flowed out through forty openings, 
 which can still be seen in the side of the basin, each opening or 
 spout serving for one monk. It now stands in the middle of the 
 garden. 
 
 Soissy (page 159). 
 
 The ancient priory of Soissy came to an end during the French 
 Revolution, and the buildings were left in ruins. But the tradition 
 of St Edmund has never died out there. A chapel has been built out 
 of the ruins, and twice every year, on November 16, the Feast of the 
 Saint's death, and on Whit-Monday, the Feast of the Translation, 
 people come from all the country around to venerate his memory. 
 Considerable portions of the massive walls of the ancient priory 
 still exist, and form part of the walls of the chapel. There is also a 
 spring hard by, known as St Edmund's. 
 
 Soissy is some seven or eight miles from Provins, and although 
 within a mile of the main line between Paris and Basle, it stands in a 
 very secluded position, away from any human habitation. Mass is 
 said there every Sunday by a priest from a neighbouring parish ; 
 but the number of people who assist at it is very small. At Provins 
 itself, in the Church of St Quiriace, a chasuble is shown which is 
 
 * This unity is now broken by the Renaissance rood screen put up towards 
 the end of the seventeenth century.
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 281 
 
 believed to have been worn by St Edmund, though some of the 
 embroidery on it is evidently of later date. There is likewise a cap 
 and one of his buskins. These were all rescued from the Abbey 
 of St James on its suppression ; but the relics of the heart and 
 viscera, which were buried in the choir of the Abbey church, 
 have perished. 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny — Front, showing Porch (page 167). 
 
 The front of the church at Pontigny has changed but little since 
 the day on which St Edmund's body arrived there, November 20, 1240. 
 The porch is one of the most interesting parts of the whole building. 
 There it was that pilgrims, who afterwards flocked to Pontigny 
 in large numbers, used to sleep, waiting for the doors to be opened in 
 the morning ; and in the early days after St Edmund's death, 
 when women were still forbidden to enter the church, they used to 
 wait in this porch, where one of the monks would bring them a relic 
 to be venerated. In later times it is said to have served as a burial- 
 place for the lay brothers, till the present cemetery was opened 
 in 1764. The choir monks were always buried in the church or 
 chapter room. 
 
 Stone of St Edmund's Ring (page 171). 
 
 The history of this ring is given by Matthew Paris by the side 
 of his drawing, here reproduced : "Hunc lapidem pretiosum Domini 
 Nicholai, videlicet saphirum fere rotundum et coloris remissi, dedit 
 Dominus Nicholaus, aurifaber de Sancto Albano oriundus, Deo 
 et Ecclesias Sancti Albani. Haec gemma quandoque fuit Beati 
 Edmundi, Cantuariensis Archiepiscopi ; postea vero Sancti Roberti, 
 fratris ejus ; postea vero memorati Domini Nicholai. In limbo 
 siquidem castonis subtillissimae litteras insculpuntur nigellatae ; et 
 crux cum crucifixo figuratur. Ponderat autem sex denarios."* It 
 appears that this is not the ring which St Edmund was wearing at 
 the time of his death, and about which the miracle is recorded, as 
 that ring was afterwards placed in the treasury at Pontigny. Nor 
 was it the ring of his espousals before the statue of Our Lady at 
 Oxford, for its description does not agree therewith. It must there- 
 
 " This precious stone, belonging to Dom Nicholas, namely, a sapphire 
 almost round, and of pale colour, was presented by Dom Nicholas, a goldsmith, 
 and a native of St Albans, to God and to the Church of St Alban. This jewel 
 formerly belonged to Blessed Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury ; and after- 
 wards to Saint Robert, his brother ; and afterwards to the aforesaid Dom 
 Nicholas. In the edge of the ring is a minute inscription, in letters of black ; 
 and a figure of a crucifix. It weighs six drachms."
 
 282 ST EDMUND 
 
 fore have been one which he had worn at some other time, but 
 probably during his archiepisi opate. No ring of St Edmund is 
 now extant. 
 
 Chapel in which St Edmund was buried (page 175). 
 
 According to local tradition, St Edmund was buried in the first 
 instance under the middle of the choir. When after three months 
 his body was removed to a "more honourable position," it is believed 
 to have been placed in the chapel at the east end of the church, behind 
 the apse, which became known in consequence as " St Edmund's 
 Chapel." At the time of the Translation, it was elevated above the 
 high altar, in a plain stone sarcophagus. The following was the 
 inscription : — 
 
 Anno Domini 1240 xvi kal. Decembris transiit 
 
 Beatus Edmundus Archiepiscopus Cantuariensis, 
 
 Primas Tonus An'ci.i.k. 
 
 Anno Domini 1247 v id. Junii, translatum est Corpus 
 Sancti Edmundi. 
 
 After two years the new and more costly shrine was substituted, 
 which lasted till the invasion of '.he Huguenots three centuries later. 
 Unfortunately no drawing or picture of it has been preserved. We 
 can only imagine what it was like from one or two very meagre 
 descriptions given incidentally. We learn that it was supported over 
 the high altar by four massive copper pillars, and was profusely 
 decorated with gold and silver and precious stones, and that the out- 
 side of the case containing the body was elaborately carved. The 
 ambition of the monks was to rival even the shrine of St Thomas at 
 Canterbury, which was said to be the richest in the world. 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny — Back View (page 195). 
 In this picture may be seen the remains of the ancient spiral stair- 
 case used by the monks. It led from the first floor of the monastery 
 to the north transept of the church. 
 
 St Edmund's Mitre (page 205). 
 This is the mitre in which he was buried. It was taken from the 
 body when the new vestments were put on in 1872. The remains of 
 the old vestments are likewise preserved. There is very little left of the 
 chasuble, which was in great part cut up for relics by M. 1'Abbe Cabias 
 in 1825 ; but the stole, maniple, and buskins are still in a fair state of 
 preservation. On the stole are the arms of Castile, thus confirming 
 the tradition that at his Translation St Edmund was vested in vest- 
 ments presented by Queen Blan< he of Castile, mother of St Louis,
 
 NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 283 
 
 Shrine of St Edmund (page 217). 
 {Modern^ 
 
 The present shrine is comparatively modern. The large angels 
 supporting it belong to the closing years of the seventeenth century, 
 when the church was being repaired after the ravages of the Huguenots. 
 They were originally, however, in the same position as the copper 
 pillars of the old shrine, and the body of St Edmund was elevated, 
 as before, over the high altar. This was its position at the time of 
 Dom Martene's visit in 1708, which explains his statement that he 
 said Mass under the shrine. The case containing it was of simple, 
 unpretending construction, of gilt wood, and a great contrast to its 
 predecessor. The top was made of glass, and above it there was 
 an iron grill, through which the interior was visible. The remains of 
 the ancient pillars were melted to form six large candlesticks and a 
 cross, which were placed upon the high altar, the base of the cross 
 forming the tabernacle. The present arrangement dates from the 
 year 1749, when Abbot Grillot put up a new high altar, facing the 
 new stalls, and moved the shrine to the back of the apse. The four 
 angels had to be placed somewhat differently, so as to allow two of 
 them to fit between the hindmost pillars of the apse. These have 
 remained there ever since, as also has the canopy overhead ; but the 
 case containing the body has been twice renewed, once by M. l'Abbe 
 Cabias in 1825, and lastly by the Oblates of St Edmund at the restora- 
 tion of the shrine in 1872. There is now a convenient staircase at the 
 back, and the relics can be viewed through some little square open- 
 ings, fitted with glass, and closed with wooden shutters outside. 
 
 Tomb of Hugh de Macon (page 22 [). 
 Hugh de Macon, the first Abbot of Pontigny, was a friend of 
 St Bernard. His tomb was, in accordance with the Cistercian rule, 
 a plain stone sarcophagus ; and it can still be seen on the Gospel 
 side of the choir. It is now, however, empty, having been dese- 
 crated by the Huguenots in 1568. The original stone slab has 
 been replaced on the top ; but its defaced surface still shows the 
 marks of the violence of the Huguenot invaders. There is no in- 
 scription, but a plain cross is carved on it. 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny— Interior : Monks' Choir (page 224). 
 The present stalls date from about the same time as the angels 
 under the shrine, namely, about the end of the seventeenth century. 
 The number of monks at that time was less than thirty, but evi- 
 dently hopes were entertained of the monastery some day returning 
 to its former state of prosperity, for the new stalls were built to
 
 2,S 4 ST EDMUND 
 
 accommodate one hundred. They were built in front of the altar, 
 and it was a natural consequence that the new high altar was 
 built further back, and the position of the shrine altered as above 
 described. 
 
 Abbey Church, Pontigny — North Side, showing Remains of Cloister 
 
 (page 229). 
 
 The cloister here shown is not one of the older ones, but was 
 added early in the eighteenth century by Abbot Carron. It was 
 left standing when the rest of the monastery was pulled down, 
 because, being adjacent to the church, it could not be disturbed 
 without endangering the whole edifice. 
 
 House of the Fathers of St Edmund, Pontigny (page 233). 
 
 This is the cellar and granary of the ancient monastery, with 
 the Prior's rooms adjoining, which were left standing for the use 
 of the parish priest. Considerable additions have, however, been 
 made in order to adapt it to its present purpose. The community 
 refectory is part of the ancient cellar ; the granary above has 
 been turned into a library and museum. The large passage there 
 was converted into a dormitory at the time of the English 
 pilgrimage in 1874. Adjacent to the refectory is an oratory for 
 the present community. The full title of the Institute is " Fathers of 
 St Edmund of Pontigny, Oblates of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the 
 Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary." 
 
 Facsimile Page of Addit. MS., British Museum (page 241). 
 
 This is a copy of the same Life as that which was formerly at 
 Pontigny, and is now at Auxerre ; but it is at least half-a-century 
 
 earlier, and was written not many years after St Edmund's death.
 
 INDEX 
 
 N.B. — The names in the list on pp. 63-5 and pp. 77-80 are not included 
 in the Index. 
 
 Abingdon, i seq., 209, 249, 261 seq. ; 
 
 Abbey, 4, 258, 263, 268 ; Cros?, 262 ; 
 
 Church of St Helen, 261 ; Church of 
 
 St Nicholas, 249, 262 ; St Edmund's 
 
 Lane, 264. 
 Adrian IV., Pope, 278. 
 Albano, Cardinal Bishop of, 197, 201, 
 
 204. 
 Albert, Archbishop of Armagh (after- 
 wards of Livonia), 132, 146, 183, 
 
 197, 237. 
 Alexander, monk of Christchurch, 
 
 126, 130. 
 Alexander III., Pope, 141 ; IV., 211. 
 Anjou, Count of, 212 ; Duke of, 198. 
 Anselm, St, 273. 
 Aquitaine, Duke of, 212. 
 Armagh, Archbishop of. {See Albert.) 
 Artois, Robert of, 198. 
 Audry, F. NT., Sub-prior of Pontigny, 
 
 223. 
 Augustine, St, 275. 
 Auxerre, 221, 223, 229, 232, 241, 277, 
 
 279, 284; Bishop of, 197, 279. 
 
 Bacon, Robert, 185, 216, 237, 239, 
 243 ; Roger, 238. 
 
 Barnabas, St, 196. 
 
 Barres, Baron Chaillon des, 229. 
 
 Barre, F., 223. 
 
 Basset, Fulk, 184 ; Gilbert, 87. 
 
 Bedford, author of Blazon of the Episco- 
 pacy, 258. 
 
 Bedford, Castle of, 75. 
 
 Begeham, Abbot of, 195. 
 
 Belley, Bishop-elect of, 180. 
 
 Belle)', Cardinal, 219. 
 
 Bernard, St, 153, 201. 
 
 Bertha, St, 275. 
 
 Bertrand, Chamberlain to St Edmund, 
 152, 190, 203, 237, 241, 247. 
 
 Bingham, Robert de, Bishop of Salis- 
 bury, 7 2 , 271. 
 
 Binsey, 269. 
 
 Blanche, Oueen, mother of St Louis, 
 150, 198, 282. 
 
 Blunt, John, 67. 
 
 Bockling, Ralph, 245. 
 
 Bologna, ico. 
 
 Boniface of Savoy (afterwards Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury), 142, 178, 
 209. 
 
 Bordeaux, Archbishop of, 197. 
 
 Boucherat, Charles de, Abbot of Pon- 
 tigny, 222. 
 
 Bouras, Prior of, 223. 
 
 Bourges, Bishop of, 197. 
 
 Boyer, Pere, Superior of Oblates of St 
 Edmund, Pontigny, 233. 
 
 Boxley, 247. 
 
 Bruey, 212. 
 
 Bruno, Abbot of La Ferte, 182. 
 
 Buckland, 58. 
 
 Buckler, 258. 
 
 Burgh, Hubert de, Earl of Kent, 81, 
 84. 8 5, 87, 91, 124, 272.
 
 286 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Bury St Edmund's, 5. 
 I uitlcr, Alban, 239. 
 
 CABIAS, Cure of Pontigny, 231. 
 
 Calne, 50, 61 «., 70, 209, 271. 
 
 < 'alvinists, 220. 
 
 Cambridge, St Edmund's House, 257. 
 
 Cantelupe, Walter de, Bishop of 
 Worcester, 1 14. 
 
 Canterbury, 69, 72, 74 seq., 179, 209, 
 272 seq. ; Archbishop of, 117, 278 
 (see also St Anselm, St Thomas, 
 Lanfranc, Stephen Langton, Richard 
 Grant, and Boniface of Savoy) ; 
 Christchurch Cathedral, 274 seq. ; 
 Christchurch Monastery, 66, 117 
 seq., 186, 274 seq. ; Christchurch 
 Monastery, Prior of (see Ernulph, 
 John of Sittingbourne, and Roger 
 de la Lee) ; Church of St George, 
 133; Church of St Martin, 266, 
 275 ; Church of St Mary Magdalen, 
 131 ; Church of St Michael, Burgate, 
 131, 133; Mercery Lane, 273; St 
 Edmund's School, 257. 
 
 Capgrave, 238. 
 
 Carlisle, Bishop of, 91, 137. 
 
 Carron, Abbot of Pontigny, 224, 284. 
 
 Catesby, 24, 165, 216, 247. 
 
 Celestine, Pope, 180. 
 
 Cella, John de, Abbot of St Albans, 
 
 235. 
 
 Chalgrove, 31 «. 
 
 Challoner, Bishop, 239. 
 
 Champagne, Count of, 102, 226. 
 
 Chanlatte, Abbot of Pontigny, 227. 
 
 Chaume, Bishop of, 197. 
 
 Cheltenham, 246. 
 
 Chester, Bishop of, 81. 
 
 Chichester, 270; Bishop of, 66, 132, 
 185, 209, 214, 215 (see also St 
 Richard, and Ralph de Neville). 
 
 Chippenham, 53 n. 
 
 Christchurch Monaster)'. {Set Canter- 
 bury.) 
 
 Citeaux, Abbey of, 225, 277; Abbot 
 of, 203. 
 
 Clairvaux, Abbey of, 40, 153, 226, 277 ; 
 
 Abbot of, 197 {see also St Bernar ', 
 
 and Stephen of Lexington). 
 < l.iuiidon, 65. 
 Clement, St, 1 72. 
 Clement VII. , Pope, 268. 
 Collot, F., 223. 
 Compostella, 217. 
 Coulours, 169. 
 
 Denis, Guy de St, 238. 
 
 Depaquy, last Abbot of Pontigny, 227. 
 
 Digun, R., 127. 
 
 Dominic, St, 1 14. 
 
 Douay, 239. 
 
 Dover, 103, 204, 209, 212 ; William of, 
 
 127. 
 Duncan, Rev. John, Rector of Calne, 
 
 271. 
 Dunstable, Prior of, 179 ; Richard of, 
 
 244. 
 Dunstan, monk of Christchurch, 131. 
 Durand, Dom., 238, 241. 
 
 Eadwine's Psaltek, 272. 
 
 Edmund, St, of Canterbury, passim ; 
 
 King and Martyr, 5, 157. 
 Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, 264 ; 
 
 citizen of OxforJ, 257. 
 Edward, St, 1 14, 261. 
 Edward L, King, 136 n. 
 Eleanor of Provence, 76, 102, 142, 178, 
 
 180; Countess, sister of Henry III., 
 
 76, 135, 148 n. 
 Ella, Countess of Salisbury, 59. 
 Erdington, Abbey of St Thomas and 
 
 St Edmund, 240. 
 Ernulph, Prior of Christchurch, 271. 
 Esseby, Prior of, 185. 
 Ethelbert, St, 273. 
 Ethelred the Unread)', 266. 
 Eustace, monk of Christchurch, 242, 
 
 244- 
 Evesham Abbey, 3. 
 Eynsham Abbey, 3, 247. 
 
 FABIAN and Sebastian, Sts, 104, 130.
 
 INDEX 
 
 287 
 
 Falcasius, 65. 
 
 Ferte, la, Abbey, [82, 223, 277 ; Abbot 
 
 of, 203 (see also Bruno). 
 Fishacre, Richard, 216. 
 Francis, St, 1 14. 
 Frederick II., Emperor, 139. 
 Frideswide, St, 266. 
 Frindsbury Church, 211. 
 
 GascjUET, Abbot, 263 n. 
 
 Genevieve, St, 271. 
 
 Germain, St, 265. 
 
 Gervase, monk of Christchurch, 236. 
 
 Gloucester, 82. 
 
 Godfrey of Boulogne, 265. 
 
 Grant, Richard, Archbishop of Canter- 
 bury, 65. 
 
 Green, Everard, Rouge Dragon, 257. 
 
 Gregory, St, 125 ; IX., Pope, 125, 
 142, 180, 182. 
 
 Grey, Walter de, Archbishop of York, 
 
 47- 
 Grillot, Abbot of Pontigny, 226. 
 Grosseteste, Robert, Bishop of Lincoln, 
 
 50, 184 ;/., 186. 
 Guthlac, St, 249. 
 
 HADLOW, 130 n. 
 
 Hales, Alexander de, O.S.F., 186. 
 Harpsfie'd, Nicholas, 239. 
 Henry, I., King, 263; II., King, 148 
 «., 224; III., King, 81, 102, 105, 
 
 186, 194, 209, 211, 212, 237, 249, 
 
 259 ; VII., King, 273 ; VIII., King, 
 219, 268, 276. 
 
 Henry, Mgr., 232, 254. 
 
 Herbert, Friar, O.S.F., 246. 
 
 Herlepe, Simon of, monk of Christ- 
 church, 126. 
 
 Herman, Bishop of Salisbury, 269 ; 
 monk of Pontigny, 173. 
 
 Hertford, St Thomas of, 214. 
 
 Hilary, St, 106. 
 
 Hook, Dean, 239. 
 
 Horstman, Dr, 238. 
 
 Hugh, St, Bishop of Lincoln, 3. 
 
 Huguenots, 220. 
 
 Iffley Church, 267. 
 
 Innocent, III., Pope, 56; IV., Pope, 
 
 180, 183. 
 Ireneeus, St, 226. 
 Isabella, sister of King Louis, 198. 
 
 Jeaves, J. H., 246. 
 
 Jerusalem, 186. 
 
 John, St (Evangelist), 18, 20, 88; St 
 
 (Baptist), Cathedral of (see Lyons). 
 John, Cardinal, 189, 190, 2IO ; King, 
 
 75 ; Abbot of Abingdon, 250 ; of 
 
 Tynernouth, 238 ; Brother, 190 ; 
 
 son of Geoffrey, 113. 
 Jones, Inigo, 262, 271. 
 
 Kent, Earl of, 84 «., 85 (see also 
 Hubert de Burgh). 
 
 Lanercost Chronicler, 237, 272. 
 
 Langres, Bishop of, 277. 
 
 Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, 
 271. 
 
 Langton, Cardinal Stephen, Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury, 47, 66 »., 106, 
 148, 276, 278 ; Simon, Archdeacon 
 of Canterbury, 66, 114, 123, 179. 
 
 Laroche, 277. 
 
 Lateran, Fourth Council of, 56 >/., 63 «., 
 114. 
 
 Laval, 233. 
 
 Lawrence, St, in Lucina, 189 ; St, 214. 
 
 Laycock Abbey, 59. 
 
 Lee, Roger de la, monk of Chiist- 
 church, 129 sea. 
 
 Legny, 152. 
 
 Le Grave, Rev. William, 240 ;/. 
 
 Leicester, 88 ; Earl of, 124, 135 ; Simon 
 of, monk of Christchurch, 131. 
 
 Leominster, $7. 
 
 Lewes, Prior and Sub-prior of, 147. 
 
 Lexington, Stephen of, Abbot of 
 Stanley (afterwards of Clairvaux), 
 4°. 53, 189. 
 
 Lincoln, Bishop of, 184 (see also St 
 Hugh, and Robert Grosseteste) ; Earl 
 of, 113, 114.
 
 238 
 
 1XDEX 
 
 Livonia, Archbishop of. [See Albert, 
 
 Archbishop of Armagh.) 
 Llewellyn, 8l seq. 
 London, 104, 147, 217 ; Bishop of, 184 
 
 (see also Roger le Noir) ; Council of, 
 
 III seq. ; Cathedral of St Paul, no. 
 Longsword, William, Earl of Salisbury, 
 
 59, 270. 
 Longuepont, 190. 
 Louis IX., St, 150 «., 186 «., 197, 225 ; 
 
 XI., St, 217. 
 Luidhard, St, 275. 
 Lyons, 180, 209, 277 ; Council of, 185 ; 
 
 Cathedral of St John Baptist, 192. 
 
 Mabel. (See Rich.) 
 
 Macon, Hugh de, first Abbot of Pon- 
 
 tigny, 227, 283. 
 Magdalen College, Oxford, 267. 
 Maidstone, 123. 
 
 Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh, 201. 
 Margaret. Well of St, Binsey, 259. 
 Marshal, Gilbert, Earl, 74, 81, 85, 89, 
 
 114, 272 ; William, Earl, 135 n. 
 Maitene, Dom., 224, 238, 241. 
 Martin, St, III, 167, 187. 
 Mary des Pres, Monastery of St, 88. 
 Masse, Pere, 222 «., 239, 242, 254. 
 Maud, Empress, 53 n. 
 Merton Abbey, 36, 105. 
 Michael, St, 53, 62, 65, 91. 
 Michel, F., 223. 
 Mont St Michel, 233. 
 Monte Cassino, 273. 
 Montfort, Simon de, 1 14, 135. 
 Moreau, F., 224. 
 Morimond Abbey, 277. 
 Morris, Rev. John, S.J., 274, 276. 
 Muard, Pere, Superior of Oblates of 
 
 St Edmund, Pontigny, 232. 
 
 Naples, 211. 
 
 Neville, Ralph de, Bishop of Chichester, 
 
 66. 
 Nicholas, Dom., monk of St Albans, 281. 
 Noir, Roger le, Bishop of London, 121, 
 
 1:4. 272. 
 
 Nolan, Rev. Edmond, 243, 246 n. 
 Normandy, Duke of, 212. 
 Northumberland, Archdeacon of, 2l\n. 
 Norwich, Bishop of. (See Walter de 
 Raleigh.) 
 
 OCK, River, 259. 
 
 Odo, Cardinal, 197. 
 
 Old Hall, St Edmund's College, 237. 
 
 Orleans, 178 ; Bishop of, 197. 
 
 Oseney Abbey, 266 ; chronicler, 236. 
 
 Osmund, St, 269 ; Register of, 49. 
 
 Otho, Cardinal, 65, 108, 119, 135, 136, 
 139, 145, 176, 211, 274. 
 
 Oxford, 10, 29 seq., 37, 46, 55, ico ;/., 
 157, 238, 266 seq.; Church of St 
 Mary, 10, 266, 268 ; Church of St 
 Martin, 266 ; Church of St Michael, 
 266, 269 ; Church of All Saints, 
 267 ; Church of St Clement, 267 ; 
 Church of St Frideswide (Christ- 
 church Cathedral), 266, 268 ; Corpus 
 Christi College, 243 ; St Edmund's 
 Hall, 257. 
 
 Paravicini, Baroness de, 235 seq., 
 
 266. 
 Paris, 16 seq., ioo «., 265 seq., 277 ; 
 
 Cathedral of Notre Dame, 265 ; 
 
 Church of St Merri, 34, 213, 265; 
 
 Church of St Etienne du Mont, 265 ; 
 
 Church of St Severin, 265 ; Bishop 
 
 of, 219 ; Dean of, 183. 
 Paris, Matthew, Chronicler of St 
 
 Albans, 235 seq.. 195, 225, 262, 272, 
 
 274. 
 Parkinson, Rev. Thomas, 257. 
 Passelew, Robert, 88, 91. 
 Patteshull, Simon de, 92 ; Hugh de, 
 
 92. 
 Pattison, Mark, 239. 
 Paul, St, 113, 194. 
 Pembroke, Earl of, Si, 84 >:. 
 Perisson, F., 223. 
 Peter, St, 64, 113, 194. 
 Peter, monk of Pontigny, 17 1. 
 Petit. F., 223.
 
 INDEX 
 
 ; 89 
 
 Phillips, Sir T., 246, 266. 
 
 Pierre-qui-vire, Monastery of, 233. 
 
 Poitevins, 81. 
 
 Poitou, Alphonsus of, 198. 
 
 Pontigny, Abbe}' of, 41, 148, 1 5 1 seq., 
 238, 277 seq. ; Abbot of, 168, 197 (see 
 also Hugh de Macon, Boucherat, 
 Grillot, Chaulatte, Carron, Depaquy). 
 
 Poor, Richard, Bishop of Salisbury, 49, 
 62, 72, 270. 
 
 Praeneste. Cardinal of, 125. 
 
 Prime and Felician, Sts, 198. 
 
 Provence, 102 ; Duke of, 198. 
 
 Provins, Abbey of St James, 157 «., 
 168, 236 ; Prior of, 164 ; Church of 
 St Ouiriace, 256, 280. 
 
 QUARR, Abbey of, 39 «., 53. 
 
 Raleigh, William de, Bishop of 
 
 Norwich (afterwards of Winchester)) 
 
 147, 16 1 ; William de, Canon of St 
 
 Paul's, 113. 
 Reading, Abbey of, 46, 139. 
 Rhode, la, Priory of, 220. 
 Rich, Mabel, 1 seq., 16, 22 seq., 32, 249, 
 
 263 ; Reinald or Edward, I, 3, 246 ; 
 
 St Edmund, passim ; Robert, 2, 4, 
 
 16, 22, 23, 99, 152 >!., 164, 237, 239, 
 
 242, 247 seq. ; Alice, 25, 165, 216, 
 
 247 ; Margaret, 25, 165, 216, 247. 
 Richard, St, Bishop of Chichester, 100, 
 
 152 n., 167, 176, 185, 195, 197, 202, 
 
 204, 212, 215, 245. 
 Richard, Earl of Cornwall, 87, 20S, 209, 
 
 211 ; Count of Provence, 102; II., 
 
 King, 273. 
 Rievaulx, Feter de, 74, 76, 81, 87, 88. 
 Robert, monk of Pontigny, 231 ; 
 
 monk of Christchurch, 130; the 
 
 Cistercian, 244. 
 Rochelle, 75. 
 Roches, Peter des, Bishop of Winchester, 
 
 65, 68, 74, 80, 81, 84 «., 89, 91, no, 
 Rochester, 124, 130, 209, 261 ; Bishop 
 
 of, 65, 8r, 132, 135 (see a/so Richard 
 
 Young"). 
 
 Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, 
 Rome, I2i seq., 217. 
 Rouen, Bishop of, 197. 
 
 266. 
 
 Sabina, St, 192. 
 
 St Albans, 104, 23;, 238, 281 ; Abbot 
 of, 179 (see also John de Cella) ; 
 Archdeacon of, 79. 
 
 St Florentin, 227, 229, 277, 279 ; 
 Viscountess of, 220, 224 ; Directory 
 of, 230. 
 
 Salisbury, 49 seq., 157, 209, 236, 269 
 
 . seq. ; Cathedral, 269 ; Church of St 
 Edmund, 258 ; Bishop of (see St 
 Osmund, Herman, Roger, Richard 
 Poor, Robert Bingham, and Walter 
 de la Wyle) ; Dean of, 62 ; Earl of 
 (see William Longsword) ; Countess 
 of (see Ella). 
 
 Sandwich, Bartholomew of, monk of 
 Christchurch, 126, 127. 
 
 Sarum, Old, 49, 270. 
 
 Segrave, Stephen de, 88. 
 
 Senlis, 150; Bishop of, 183. 
 
 Sens, 148, 232; Archbishop of, 174, 
 197, 233, 277 ; William of, 274. 
 
 Serrain, River, 279. 
 
 Sewal, Archbishop of York, 215. 
 
 Seward, Richard, 87. 
 
 Sicily, 186. 
 
 Sittingbourne, John of, Prior of Christ- 
 church, 67, 126. 
 
 Soissy, Priory of, 157 seq., 280. 
 
 Stanley, Abbey of, 40 «., 53 ; Abbot of 
 (see Stephen of Lexington). 
 
 Stephen Harding, St, 64, 232, 277. 
 
 Stradeyvy, 58. 
 
 Surius, 239, 248. 
 
 Terringes, Simon de, 213. 
 
 Thames, River, 261. 
 
 Thanet, Isle of, 149. 
 
 Thibault, Count of Champagne, 277. 
 
 Thomas, St, of Canterbury, 6r, 118, 
 141, 143, 148, 151, 155, 165, 167, 
 202, 258, 271, 274, 276; Chapels of, 
 Pontigny, 222.
 
 k;o 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Tie Fontane, Abbot of, 204. 
 Troyes, Bishop of, 197, 231. 
 Tusculum (Frascati), Cardinal Bishop 
 
 of, 197. 
 Tynmouth, John of, 238. 
 
 Valence, Bishop of, 102. 
 
 Vallence, Prior of, 223. 
 
 Victor, St, 265. 
 
 Vienne, Uauphin of. 219. 
 
 Yilleneuve l'Archeveque de Sens, 168. 
 
 Vincent, Si, 131. 
 
 Voltaire, 227. 
 
 Wallace, Dora., U.S.B., 130 >:., 132, 
 
 148, 157, 235, 240 sea., 257, 264. 
 Wendover, Roger, chronicler of St 
 
 Albans, 235. 
 Westminster, 74, 8g ; Abbey. 104, 107, 
 
 127, 209; Chapel of St Catherine, 
 
 108 ; Abbot of, 104, 211. 
 White, George, 239. 
 William de Bussi; 178. 
 William of Perth, St, 261. 
 
 William the Conqueror, King, 263, 
 269 ; chaplain to St Richard, 212. 
 
 Williment, 258. 
 
 Wilts, Archdeacon of, 50. 
 
 Winchester, 91, 102, 105, 147; Bishop 
 of, 65 (see also Peter des Roches, 
 William de Raleigh, and Boniface of 
 Savoy). 
 
 Wissant, 103. 
 
 Wolsey, Cardinal, 268. 
 
 Wood, historian of Oxford, 243, 248, 
 
 257- 
 Wi 1 d, Sir Albert, Garter King of Arms. 
 
 25S. 
 Woodstock, 82, 86. 
 Worcester, 55, 87 ; Bishop of, 278 
 
 (see also Walter . de Cantelupe) ; 
 
 William of, 250. 
 Wyle, Walter de la, Bishop of Salisbury, 
 
 209, 258, 271. 
 
 YORK, 47; Archbishop of, 112, 1 1 5, 215 
 (see a so Walter de Grey, and Sewal). 
 
 Young, Richard, Bishop of Rochester. 
 261.
 
 PRINTED BY 
 
 OLIVER AND BOYD 
 
 EDINBURGH