had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, says:--"And that there is a great
confluence of pylgrims to the holy Sepulchre, and to many holy places, I
will _wyshe_ somewhat that I doo know, and haue sene in the place. Who so
ever that dothe pretende to go to Jerusalem, let him prepare himselfe to
set forth of England after Ester vii. or viii. dayes," &c. He then
directs the route a traveller ought to take, and adds, "when you come to
Ierusalem, the friers which be called cordaline, they be of saynct
Fraunces order, they wyl receaue you with devocion & brynge you to the
sepulcre: the holy sepulcre is wythin the church, and so is the mount of
Calvery, where Iesu Chryst did suffer his passions. The churche is round
lyke a temple, it is more larger than anye temple that I haue sene
amonges the Iues. The sepulcre is grated rounde about wyth yrone, that no
man shall graet or pycke out any stones. The sepulcre is lyke a lytle
house, the which by masons was dydged out of a rocke of stone. There maye
stonde wythin the sepulcre a x. or a xii. parsons, but few or none dothe
go into the sepulcre, except they be singulerly beloued, & than they go
in by night wyth great feare and reuerence." [Furnivall's edit. pp. 219,
220.]
324. _Would_, edit. 1569.
325. Answered to the stages between London and Rome, or Holy Land, of
which there is a map in a MS. of Math. Paris Roy. Libr. 14 C. VII. and
Benet. Coll. c. ix. and PI. VII. "Brit. Topog." vol. i. p. 85. G. [A
poem, called "Stacyons of Rome," has been printed in the Early English
Text, Society's Series, by Mr Furnivall.]
In Borde's "Introduction" (before quoted) it is said, "And forasmuch as
ther be many that hath wrytten of the Holy Lande of the _stacyons_ & of
the _Iurney_ or way, I doo passe ouer to speake forther of this matter,"
&c. [Edit, _ut supra_.]
326. _Rhodes_, an island to which the Knights Hospitallers, now Knights
of Malta, retired, on being driven out of Jerusalem.
327. Probably Emaus, near Jerusalem.
328. [Respecting St Uncumber, see "Popular Antiquities of
Great Britain," ii., 136.]
Mr Steevens, in a letter to the printer of the _Saint James's Chronicle_,
points out the following mention of Saint Tronion, in Geffrey Fenton's
"Tragical Discourses," 4to, 1567, fo. 114 b: "He returned in haste to his
lodgynge, where he attended the approche of his hower of appointment wyth
no lesse devocion than the Papistes in France performe their ydolatrous
pilgrimage to the ydoll, _Saynt Tronyon_, upon the mount _Avyon_, besides
_Roan_."--_Reed_.
This worthy is also noticed in the following terms in "Apius and
Virginia," 1575, Sign. E 2:--
"Nay, softe, my maisters, by saincte _Thomas of Trunions_,
I am not disposed to buy of your onions."--_Collier_.
329. Saint Botulph is said to have been born in Cornwall, and was eminent
for working miracles about the time of Lucius. He was buried at Boston,
in Lincolnshire.
330. "Within the parish of Bacwell, in Derbyshyre, is _a Chappel (somtyme
dedicated to St Anne)_, in a place called _Bucston_, wheare is a hoate
Bathe, of suche like Qualitie as those mentioned in Bathe be. _Hyther
they weare wont to run on pilgrimage_, ascribinge to St Anne
miraculously, that Thinge which is in that and sondrye other Waters
naturrally" ("Lambarde's Dictionarium," p. 48). Drayton says--
"I can again produce those wondrous wells
Of _Bucston_, as I have, that most delicious fount
Which men the second Bath of England do account,
Which in the primer reigns, when first this well began
To have her virtues known, unto the blest St Anne,
Was consecrated then."
--_Poly-Olbion_, Song xxvi.
331. Saw, 2d edition.
332. "And so passe men be this _Ermonie_, and entren the see of _Persie_.
Fro that Cytee of _Artyroun_ go men to an Hille _Sabissocolle_. And there
besyde is another Hille, that men clepen _Ararathe_: but the Jewes clepen
it _Taneez_; where _Noes_ Schipp rested, and it is upon that Montayne:
and men may seen it a ferr in cleer Wedre; and that montayne is wel a 7
Myle highe. And sum men seyn, that thei han seen and touched the Schipp;
and put here fyngres in the parties, where the Feend went out, whan that
_Noe_ seyde _Benedicite_. But they that seyn suche wordes, seyn here
wille: fora man may not gon up the Montayne, for great plentee of Snow,
that is alle weys on that Montayne: nouther Somer ne Wynter; so that no
man may gon up there, ne nevere man dide, sithe the tyme of _Noe_, saf
a Monk that, be the grace of God broughte on of the plankes doun; that it
is in the Mynstre, at the foot of the Montayne" [Maundevile's "Voiage and
Travaile," 1839, p. 148.]
333. Formerly belonging to the priory of Bermondsey. See Stow's "Survey."
334. The famous holy Cross of Waltham, which tradition says was
discovered in the following manner: A carpenter, in the reign of Canute,
living at Lutegaresbyry, had a vision in the night of Christ crucified,
by whom he was commanded to go to the parish priest and direct him to
walk, accompanied with his parishioners, in solemn procession to the top
of an adjoining hill, where on digging they would find a cross, the very
sign of Christ's passion. The man neglecting to perform the orders of the
image was visited by it a second time, and his hands were then griped in
such a manner that the marks remained some time after. He then acquainted
the priest, and, as they were ordered, they proceeded to the place
pointed out, where they discovered a great marble, having in it of black
flint the image of the crucifix. They then informed the lord of the manor
of the transaction, and he immediately resolved to send the cross first
to Canterbury, and afterwards to Reading; but on attempting to draw it to
these places, although with the force of twelve red oxen, and as many
white kine, it was found impracticable, and he was obliged to desist. He
then determined to fix it at Waltham, and immediately the wain began to
move thither of itself. In the way many persons were healed of disorders,
and the relick soon became much resorted to by the pilgrims on account of
the miracles performed by it (Lambarde's "Dictionarium," 1730, p. 431).
335. "Walsingham, in Norfolk, where was anciently an image of the Virgin
Mary, famous over all Europe for the numerous pilgrimages made to it, and
the great riches it possessed. Erasmus has given a very exact and
humorous description of the superstitions practised there in his time.
See his Account of the VIRGO PARATHALASSIA, in his Colloquy entitled,
'PEREGRINATIO RELIGIONIS ERGO.' He tells us the rich offerings in silver,
gold, and precious stones, that were there shown him, were incredible:
there being scarce a person of any note in England, but what some time or
other paid a visit, or sent a present, to our LADY OF WALSINGHAM. At
the dissolution of the monasteries, in 1538, this splendid image, with
another from Ipswich, was carried to Chelsea, and there burnt in the
presence of commissioners." See Percy's "Relics of Ancient Poetry," vol.
ii. p. 79.
In his ["Vision concerning Pierce Plowman," W. Langland] says--
"Heremites on an heep, wyth hoked staues,
Wenten to _Walsyngham_, and here wenches after.
Grete lobyes and longe, that loth were to swynke,
Clotheden hem in copis to ben knowen from othere,
And shopen hem heremites; here ese to haue."
Edit. [Skeat, 1869, p. 3.] See also Weever's "Funeral Monuments," p. 131.
336. Hearne, in his Glossary to "Peter Langtoft," p. 544, under the word
_cross_ observes that, although _the cross_ and _the rood_ are commonly
taken for the same, yet _the rood_ properly signified formerly the image
of Christ on the cross, so as to represent both the cross and the figure
of our blessed Saviour as he suffered upon it. The _roods_ that were
in churches and chapels were placed in shrines, that were styled
_Rood-lofts_. "_Rood-loft_ (saith Blount), a shrine, whereon was placed
the cross of Christ. The _rood_ was an image of Christ on the cross,
made generally of wood, and erected in a loft for that purpose, just
over the passage out of the church into the chancel." But _rood-loft_
sometimes also signifies a shrine, on which was placed the image or
relics of a saint, because generally a crucifix, or a cross, used
likewise to attend such image or relics.
337. Dagenham, in Essex.
338. Saint Cornelys, according to the "Legenda Aurea," succeeded Fabyan
in the Papacy, and was beheaded in the reign of Decian, for refusing to
sacrifice in the Temple of Mars. There was a fraternity in his honour at
Westminster. See their pardon, "Brit. Top.," I. 772.
339. Weever, in his "Funeral Monuments," p. 172, observes that "the
Italians, yea, those that dwell neare Rome, will mocke and scoffe at our
English (and other) pilgrims that go to Rome to see the Pope's holinesse
and St Peter's chaire, and yet they themselves will runne to _see the
reliques of Saint Iames of Compostella in the kingdom of Galicia_ in
Spaine, which is above twelve hundred English miles." See also Dr
Geddes's "Tracts."
340. Saint Wenefrid's well, near Holywell, in the county of Flint, is a
spring which rises at the foot of a steep hill out of a rock, and is
formed into a beautiful polygonal well, covered with a rich arch
supported by pillars; the roof exquisitely carved in stone; over the
fountain is the legend of St Wenefrid on a pendent projection, with the
arms of England at the bottom. Numbers of fine ribs secure the arch,
whose intersections are coupled with some sculpture. To this place the
resort of pilgrims was formerly very great; and, though considerably
diminished, there are still to be seen in the summer a few in the water,
in deep devotion, up to their chins for hours, sending up their prayers,
or performing a number of evolutions round the polygonal well; or
threading the arch between well and well a prescribed number of times.
The legend of St Wenefrid is well known. Those who desire more
information on this subject may be referred to "The Legenda Aurea,"
Bishop Fleetwood's Works, or Mr Pennant's "Tour in Wales," p. 28.
341. Or Botolph's town, in Lincolnshire, where St Botolph was buried--
"Delicious Wytham leads to _holy Botolph's_ town."
--_Poly-Olbion_, Song xxv.
342. "Is named of Kinge Edmunde, whom the comon Chronicles call St
Edmund, or Edmund the Martyr; for Bury is but to say a Court or Palace.
It was first a Colledge of Priests, founded by Athelstane the kinge of
Ingland, to the Honour and Memorye of Edmund that was slayne at Hoxton
(then called Eylesdund [or Eglesdon], as Leland thinketh), whose Bones he
removed thyther. The hole hystorie of this matter is so enterlaced with
miracles, that Polydor himselfe (who beleaved them better then I) began
to delye with it; sayinge, _that Monkes weare much delighted with them_"
(Lambarde's "Dictionarium," p. 35).
343. This place, which was much frequented by pilgrims, was situate on a
lake called Logh Derg, in the Southern part of the county of Donegal,
near the borders of Tyrone and Fermanagh. It was surrounded with wild and
barren mountains, and was almost inaccessible by horsemen even in summer
time, on account of great bogs, rocks, and precipices which environed it.
The popular tradition concerning it is as ridiculous as is to be found in
any legend of the Romish Martyrology. After continuing in great credit
many years, it began to decline; and in the 13th of Henry the Seventh was
demolished with great solemnity, on St Patrick's Day, by the Pope's
express order. It, however, afterwards came into reputation again,
insomuch that, by an order of the Privy Council, dated 13th of September
1632, it was a second time destroyed. From this period, as pilgrimages
grew less in fashion, it will appear extraordinary that the place should
be a third time restored to its original state, and as much visited as in
any former period. In this condition it continued until the second year
of Queen Anne, when an Act of the Irish Parliament declared, that all
meetings and assemblies there should be adjudged riots and unlawful
assemblies, and inflicted a penalty upon every person meeting or
assembling contrary to the Statute. The ceremonies to be performed by the
pilgrims are very exactly set forth in Richardson's "Great Folly,
Superstition, and Idolatry of Pilgrimages in Ireland, especially of that
to St Patrick's Purgatory," Dublin, 8vo. 1727.
Enough hath been already said on the subject of "Saint Patrick's
Purgatory," I shall therefore only add, that it is often mentioned in
Froissard's "Chronicle," and that Sir James Melvil, who visited it in
1545, describes it as looking "like an old coal-pit, which had taken
fire, by reason of the smoke that came out of the hole" (Melvil's
"Memoirs," p. 9., edit. 1683).
It is mentioned in Erasmus's "Praise of Folie," 1549, Sign. A: "Whereas
before ye satte all heavie and glommyng, as if ye had come lately from
Troponius cave, or _Saint Pattrickes purgatorie_."
344. Within three miles of St Alban's. "At this place," says Norden,
"were founde the reliques of Amphiball, who is saide to be the
instructour and convertour of Alban from Paganisme, of whose reliques
such was the regard that the abbottes of the monasterie of Alban had,
that they should be devoutly preserved, that a decree was made by Thomas
then abbott, that a pryor and three munckes should be appointed to this
holie function, whose allowance in those dayes amounted yearely to 20
pound, or upwardes, as much as three hundred pound in this age"
("Description of Hartfordshire." p. 22).
See also Weever's "Funeral Monuments," p. 585. Dr Middleton, in his
"Letter from Home," says: "Bishop Usher has proved that this saint
never existed, and that we owe the honour of his saintship to a mistaken
passage in the Legend of St Alban, where the _Amphibolus_ there mentioned
is nothing more than a _cloak_."
345. The abbey of Hales, in Gloucestershire, was founded by Richard, King
of the Romans, brother to Henry the Third. This precious relic, which was
commonly called _the blood of Hailes_, was brought out of Germany by
Richard's son Edmund, who bestowed a third part of it upon his father's
abbey of Hales, and some time after gave the other two parts to an abbey
of his own foundation at Ashridge, near Berkamstead. It was given out,
and believed to have this property, that, if a man was in mortal sin, and
not absolved, he could not see it; otherwise, he might see it very well:
therefore, every man that came to see this miracle, this most precious
blood, confessed himself first to one of the priests there; and then,
offering something at the altar, was directed to a chapel, where the
miracle was shown; the priest who confessed him, in the meantime,
retiring to the back part of the said chapel, and putting forth a little
cabinet or vessel of crystal, which being thick on the one side, that
nothing could be seen through it, but on the other side thin and
transparent, they used diversely, as their interests required. On the
dissolution of the abbey, it was discovered to be nothing more than honey
clarified and coloured with saffron, "an unctowse gumme coloured, which
in the glasse apperyd to be a glisterynge red resemblyng partlie the
color of blood, and owte of the glasse apparaunte glystering yelow colour
like amber or basse gold" (Certificate of visitors, printed at end of
Hearne's Benedictus Abbas, II. 751).
346. i.e., Saint David. Drayton, in his "Poly-Olbion," Song xxiv., says--
"Whose Cambro Britons so their saints as duly brought,
T' advance the Christian faith, effectually that wrought;
Their _David_ (one deriv'd of th' royal British blood),
Who 'against Pelagius' false and damn'd opinions stood;
And turn'd Menenia's name to _David's_ sacred see.
The patron of the Welsh deserving well to be."
See an account of him in an extract from Bale, in Godwin "de Praesulibus
Angliae," p. 573, edit. 1743. He is said to have been bishop 65 years,
and to have lived 146. He died, according to some accounts, in the year
546, according to others, in the year 542. His shrine, I am informed,
remains in the wall of his cathedral in Pembrokeshire.
347. St Denis, the patron of France, is said to have been the disciple of
St Paul, and the first who preached the gospel to the French. The legend
concerning him affirms that, after he was beheaded near Paris, he walked
four miles with his head in his hands. His body was said to be entombed
very magnificently at the abbey of St Denis, to which the pilgrims used
to resort.
348. At the Church of St Mark, in Venice, they pretend to have the body
of that evangelist, which was brought thither by certain merchants from
Alexandria, in Egypt, in the year 810. Coryat says, that the treasure of
this church was of that inestimable value, that it was thought no
treasure whatsoever in any other place in Christendom might compare with
it, neither that of St Denis in France, nor St Peter's in Rome, nor that
of Madonna de Loretto in Italy, nor that of Toledo in Spain, nor any
other. See Coryat's "Crudities," p. 214, and "The Commonwealth and
Government of Venice," by Contareno, translated by Lewes Lewkenor, Esq.,
1599, p. 165.
349. Who this John Shorn was, I can give no account. In the preface to
"The Accedence of Armorie," 4to, 1562, a story is told of one who had
been called to worship in a city within Middlesex, and who being desired
by a herald to show his coat (i.e., of arms), "called unto his mayd,
commanding her to fetch his coat, which, being brought, was of cloth
garded with a burgunian gard of bare velvet, well bawdefied on the halfe
placard, and squallotted in the fore quarters. Lo, quoth the man to the
heraught, here it is, if ye will buy it, ye shall have time of payment,
as first to pay halfe in hand, and the rest by and by. And with much
boste he said, he ware not the same since he came last from Sir John
Shorne," &c.
350. Catwade Bridge is in Samford Hundred, in the county of Suffolk,
where there may have been a famous chapel and rood.--G.
351. _Herry_ edit. 1569.
352. "In September, the same yeare (says Weever), viz., an. 30 Hen. 8, by
the speciall motion of great Cromwell, all the notable images, vnto the
which were made any especiall pilgrimages and offerings, as the images of
our Lady of Walsingham, Ipswich, Worcester, the Lady of Wilsdon, the rood
of grace of our Ladie of Boxley, and the image of the rood of Saint
Saviour at Bermondsey, with all the rest, were brought vp to London, and
burnt at Chelsey, at the commandement of the foresaid Cromwell, all the
Iewels and other rich offerings to these, and to the shrines (which were
all likewise taken away, or beaten to peeces) of other Saints throughout
both England and Wales were brought into the King's Treasurie" (Edit.
1631, p. 111).
353. The church dedicated to Saint Mary at Southwell, in Nottinghamshire.
354. In the county of Kent, near Greenwich.
355. In Finsbury Hundred, Middlesex, the chapel dedicated to St Mary. See
above, note 1.
356. "Muswell Hill, called also Pinsenall Hill: there was a chapple
sometime bearing the name of our ladie of Muswell: where now Alderman Roe
hath erected a proper house, the place taketh name of the well and of the
hill, Mousewellhill; for there is on the hill a spring of faire water,
which is now within the compass of the house. There was sometime an image
of the ladie of Muswell, whereunto was a continuall resort, in the way of
pylgrimage, growing, as is (though as I take it fabulouslie) reported in
regard of a great cure which was performed by this water, upon a king of
Scots, who being strangely diseased was, by some devine intelligence,
advised to take the water of a well in England, called Muswell, which
after long scrutation and inquisition, this well was found and performed
the cure" (Norden's "Speculum Britanniae," p. 36, edit. 1723). I am
informed that the mosaic pavement and other ruins of this well and its
chapel were to be seen about twenty-five years ago [Edit. 1780].
357. This was probably Richard Fitz[-Neale,] bishop of London, and
treasurer of England, in the time of Henry the Second. His shrine was, as
Weever observes, p. 714, in St Paul's Church; and as he contributed
largely to the building of the church, he conjectures it to have been
erected there on that account. Drayton, however, in his "Poly-Olbion,"
Song xxiv., speaks of others of that name, as
"Richard, the dear son to Lothar king of Kent,
When he his happy days religiously had spent;
And feeling the approach of his declining age,
Desirous to see Rome in holy pilgrimage;
Into thy country come, at Lucca left his life,
Whose miracles there done, yet to this day are rife."
Again--
"So countries more remote with ours we aid acquaint,
As Richard for the fame his holiness had won,
And for the wondrous things that through his prayers were done;
From this his native home into Calabria call'd,
And of St Andrew's there the bishop was installed;
For whom she hath profess'd much reverence to this land."
Again--
"So other southern sees, here either less or more.
Have likewise had their saints--
--we have of Chichester
Saint Richard, and with him St Gilbert, which do stand
Inroll'd amongst the rest of this our mitred band."
358. Saint Roke, or Roch, was born at Montpelier, in France; and died in
prison at Angleria, in the province of Lombardy, where a large church was
built in honour of him. See "Legenda Aurea," p. 238.
359. Stephanus' "World of Wonders," 1607, translated by R.C., p. 316.--
_O[ctavius] G[ilchrist]_.
360. _Obtaye_, 1st edit.
361. _Assuredly_, 2d edit.
362. _Thy_, 1st edit.
363. _Pardoner_. "Pardoners were certaine fellowes that caried about the
Pope's Indulgences, and sold them to such as would buy them; against whom
Luther, by Sleydans report, incensed the people of Germany in his time,
exhorting them _ne merces tam viles tanti emerent_" (Cowell's
"Interpreter," 1607, Sign. A A A 2).
364. _You_, edit. 1569.
365. _Yet welcome_, 1st edit.
366. _For_, 1st edit.
367. _Paynes_, 2d edit.
368. _Ere_, edit. 1569.
369. _My_, edit. 1569.
370. _You_, edit. 1569.
371. _Nother_, 1st edit.
372 _Running_, 1st edit.--_Dodsley_. This is a mistake, the first edition
reading _ronnying_, which is the old spelling of _running_. Another error
was committed in printing it hitherto "running to Rome," the correct
reading being "ronnying at Rome."--_Collier_.
373. _Scofte_, 1st. edit.
374. _Kepe_, 1st edit.
375. _This_, edit 1569.
376. _You come late_, 1st edit.
377. _Sonyng_, 1st edit.
378. _Ye_, 1st edit.
379. _Ye_, 1st edit.
380. _Ye_, 1st edit.
381. _Hath_, 1st edit.
382. _Ye_, 1st edit.
383. _Be_, 1st edit.
384. _Cheap_, as Dr Johnson observes, is _market, and good cheap_
therefore is _bon marchè_. The expression is very frequent in ancient
writers, as in Churchyard's "Worthiness of Wales," Evans's edition, 1776,
p. 3--
"Victuals _good cheap_ in most part of Wales."
Lyly's "Euphues," 1579, p. 8, "Seeing thou wilt not buy counsel at the
first hande _good cheape_, thou shalt buye repentaunce at second-hande at
such an vnreasonable rate that thou wilt cursse thy hard penyworth, and
ban thy harde heart." Decker's "Lanthorne and Candlelight," H 4, "He
buyes other men's cunning _good cheap_ in London, and sels it deare in
the countrey." See other instances in Mr Steevens's note on "First Part
of King Henry IV.," A. 3, S. 3.
385. _Leste_, 1st edit.; _least_, edit. 1569. And as _least_ is probably
the reading the author intended, and is supported by both the old copies,
it is restored; the Pardoner means in the _smallest_ quarter of the
Palmer's voyage.--_Collier_.
386. _As, 1st edit.
387. _Bryngeth_, 1st edit.
388. _Dyd_, 1st edit.
389. _We will_, edit. 1569.
390. _Or_, 1st edit.
391. Hinderance.
392. _They rob_, edit. 1569.
393. _Hostely_, 1st edit.
394. Master, achieve.
395. _To be woe_ is often used by old writers to signify _to be sorry_.
So Shakspeare's "Tempest," A. 5, S. 1--
"_I am woe for't, Sir."
Chaucer's "Court of Love"--
"_I wolde be wo_,
That I presume to her is writin so."
See Mr Steevens's note on Shakspeare, vol. 1, p. 106.
396. _That_, edit. 1569.
397 _From state of grace_, 1st edit.
398. _Then_. Mr Dodsley read _and_.
399. _You_, edit. 1569.
400. _Every tryfull_, 1st edit.
401. _Chefe_, 1st edit.
402. _Thinks_, edit. 1569.
403. _There_, edit. 1569.
404. _Where_, 1st edit.
405. _Unknotted_, edit. 1569.
406. _Lace_, 1st edit. Lasses = _leshes_, or _laces_.