ancient that has been described to us, contained the remains of St Chad, the apostle of Mercia: it was built of wood, in form resembled a house, and was covered with tapestry (41). But this was in an age of simplicity and monastic poverty: in a later period, a greater display of magnificence bespoke the greater opulence of the church; and the shrines of the saints were the first objects, which invited the rapacity of the Danish invaders. To conclude this chapter, I shall present the reader with an extract from a curious document. At the commencement of the twelfth century, four hundred and eighteen years after the death of St Cuthbert, the monks of Durham opened his sepulchre. A narrative of the discoveries made on this occasion, has been transmitted to posterity by the pen of an eye-witness, probably the historian Simeon: and his work is interesting, as it serves to illustrate the ancient customs of the Anglo-Saxons in the interment of the dead. William, the second bishop of Durham after the conquest, had collected for the service of his cathedral a society of monks, and dissatisfied with the low and obscure church of his predecessors, had laid the foundations of a more spacious and stately fabric. In the year one thousand one hundred and four, it was nearly completed: and the twenty-ninth of August was announced as the day on which the incorrupt body of St Cuthbert would be transferred from the old to the new church. The nobility and clergy of the neighbouring counties were invited to the ceremony; and Richard, abbot of St Al (41) Bed. 1. iv. c. 3. Coopertus, mid hɲæzele gegearpod. Ælf. ibid. p. 570. Over the tomb of St Oswald was suspended his standard of purple and gold. Bed, 1. iii, c. 11. When once the churches had been opened for the pulture of the dead, the progress of innovation was rap and the honourable distinction was successively extend from metropolitans and princes, to bishops, abbots, dormen and thanes. But an extraordinary distinct was allotted to those, whose reputation could challe for them the honours of extraordinary sanctity. bodies of their brethren, whose virtue had been n dubious or less renowned, were permitted to moulder the earth those of the saints were raised from t graves, and richly enshrined in the interior of the chu Of this species of canonization, the only one practise that period, numerous instances occur in the work our more early writers. It was generally, perhap ways, preceded by a petition to the bishop, and sand ed by his approbation. Ten or twenty years after": death of the man, the object of their veneration, wheting might be presumed that the less solid parts of the Ang had been reduced to dust, the monks or clergy asser to perform the ceremony of his elevation. A ter pitched over the grave. Around it stood the great of his of the attendants chaunting the psalms of David: the in, the superior, accompanied by the more aged the brotherhood, opened the earth, collected the In the * searly com washed them, wrapped them carefully in silk of com and deposited them in a mortuary chest (40). sentiments of respect, and hymns of exultation the then carried to the place destined to receive which was elevated above the pavement, and dec with appropriate ornaments. Of the shrines th (40) Bed. hist. 1. iv. c. 19, 30. Bened. Sæc. iv. tom. i. p. 310. Vit, St Cuth. c. xlii. Tained the re- 8. Mi vis covered with mter period, a greater display of sants were the first obech, whi this chapter, I shall present the reader : and his work is interesting, as it serves * acient costoms of the Anglo-Saxons in of the deat and hatop of Durham after the conAnd for de service of his cathedral a so me isainfed with the low and obscure mrs had had the foundations of a ziátric In the year one thousand furra nearly completed: and the que was announced as the day on 5. Culbert would be trans L. I ne ney church. The noble i counties were insats and Ricined, abbor of Ser id he ed, i elp sily ide, 1 on ing a d in a idually ed the carpet a great ban's, Radulfus, abbot of Seez in Normandy, and Alexander, brother to the king of Scots, had arrived to honour it with their presence. But among this crowd of learned and noble visitors the whispers of incredulity were heard; the claim of the monks was said to rest on the faith of a vagué and doubtful tradition; and it was asked, where were the proofs that the body of the saint was entire, or even that his ashes reposed in the church of Durham? Who could presume to assert, that at the distance of four centuries, it still remained in the same state as at the time of Bede (42)? or that during its numerous removals, and the devastations of the Danes, it had never perished by the negligence or flight of its attendants? These reports alarmed the credulity of the monks; and that alarm was considerably increased by the intelligence that the bishop himself was among the number of the sceptics. With haste and secrecy the brotherhood was summoned to the chapter house; the advice of the more discreet was asked and discussed; and, after a long and solemn consultation, it was determined that Turgot, the prior, with nine associates, should open the tomb in the silence of the night, and make a faithful report concerning the state of its contents. As soon as their brethren were retired to rest, the ten visitors entered the church. After a short but fervent prayer that God would pardon their temerity, they removed the masonry of the tomb, and beheld a large and ponderous chest, which had been entirely covered with leather, and strongly secured with nails and plates of iron. To separate the top from the sides, required their utmost exertions; and within it they discovered a second (42) See Bede hist. 1. iv. c. 30. Vit. St Cuth. c. xlii. chest, of dimensions more proportionate to the human body, and wrapped in a coarse linen cloth, which had previously been dipped in melted wax. That it contained the object of their search, all were agreed: but their fears caused a temporary suspension of their labours. From the tradition of their predecessors they had learnt, that no man had ever presumed to disturb the repose of the saint, and escaped the instantaneous vengeance of heaven. The stories of ancient times crowded on their imaginations: engaged in a similar attempt, they expected to meet each moment with a similar punishment; the silence of the night, the sacredness of the place, the superior sanctity of their patron, aided these impressions, and at last an almost general wish was expressed to abandon so dangerous an experiment. But Turgot was inflexible. He commanded them to proceed; and, after a short struggle, the duty of obedience subdued the reluctance of terror. By his direction they conveyed the smaller chest from behind the altar, to a more convenient place in the middle of the choir; unrolled the cloth; and with trembling hands raised up the lid. But instead of the remains of the saint, they found a copy of the gospels, lying on a second lid, which had not been nailed, but rested on three transverse bars of wood. By the help of two iron rings, fixed at the extremities, it was easily removed; and disclosed the body lying on its right side, and apparently entire. At the sight, they gazed on each other in silent astonishment; and then, retiring a few paces, fell prostrate on the floor, and repeated in a low voice the seven psalms of penitence. Gradually their fears were dispelled: they arose, approached the body, lifted it up, and placed it respectfully on a carpet spread on the floor. In the coffin they found a great |