Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Rochester: A Description of its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal SeePalmer, G. H. (George Henry)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Rochester: A Description of its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal See
Palmer, G. H. (George Henry)
Rochester Cathedral (Rochester, Kent, England)
The monument received its present form in 1849, when the Elizabethan
effigy and details, and the old railing, were removed to the next bay,
where they are still to be seen. The skeleton was then once more
uncovered showing the bishop to have been a fine tall man, and a trace
of the former opening of the tomb was found in a misplacement of the
bones of the right arm, which had probably been disturbed when the
chalice was removed. Fragments of wood and cloth, presumably remains of
his staff and robes, were still to be seen. The two windows under the
canopy were reopened and filled with stained glass, and on the tomb was
placed a stone slab, "engraved according to the style of the thirteenth
century," with an ornamented cross having foliations on each side. "A
new ornamental railing," coloured and gilt, and of a tawdry character
was placed in front of all. The canopy, with its crockets and pinnacles,
and the quatrefoils of carved foliage in its gables are worthy of
attention.
The tomb in the easternmost bay of the transept end is reputed to be
that of St. William of Perth, the great Rochester saint. This transept
formed his chapel, and his shrine is believed to have stood on a slab
marked with six crosses, that lay in the centre of the floor until the
present elaborate pavement was put down. Lambarde gives the following
account of the saint, saying that he derives it from the "Nova Legenda"
itself. "He was by birth, a Scot, of Perthe (now commonly called Saint
Johns Town), by trade of life a Baker of bread and thereby got his
living: in charity so aboundant, that he gave to the poore the tenth
loafe of his workmanship: in zeale so fervent, that in vow he promised,
and in deede attempted, to visit the holy land (as they called it) and
the places where Christ was conversant on earth: in which journey, as he
passed through Kent, hee made Rochester his way: where after that he had
rested two or three daies he departed toward Canterbury. But ere he had
gone farre from the Citie, his servant that waited on him, led him (of
purpose) out of the high way, and spoiled him both of his money and
life. This done, the servant escaped, and the Maister (bicause he died
in so holy a purpose of minde) was by the Monkes conveied to Saint
Andrewes, (and) laide in the quire." In Baring-Gould's "Lives of the
Saints" (under May 23rd) we read that the murderer was a foundling, who
had been brought up out of charity by him whom he slew. The pilgrim's
death occurred in 1201, and soon "he moalded miracles plentifully" at
his tomb, so plentifully that with the offerings consequently there
made, the choir of the cathedral was completed, ready for the solemn
entry in 1227. His fame continued to grow so much, that in 1266 Bishop
Lawrence de St. Martin went to Rome and procured his canonization, and
he did not pass out of repute until Protestant times. The high coffin
tomb, of dark marble, has on its lid a foliated cross in relief, and on
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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