Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln: A Short Story of One of the Makers of Mediaeval EnglandMarson, Charles L. (Charles Latimer)
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Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln: A Short Story of One of the Makers of Mediaeval England
Marson, Charles L. (Charles Latimer)
Hugh, of Lincoln, Saint, 1140-1200
The foundation is the body, the wall man, the roof the spirit, the
division of the Church threefold. The body possesses the earth, man the
clouds, the spirit the stars. The white and carved stone means the
chaste and wise; the whiteness is modesty, the carving dogma. By the
effigy of marble, smooth, shining, dark, the bride is figured,
guileless, well conducted, working. The smoothness very rightly means
guilelessness, the splendour good conduct, the blackness work. The noble
cohort of the clergy lightening the world with light divine is expressed
by the clear windows. The corresponding order can everywhere be
observed. The Canonic is set forth by the higher order; the Vicarious by
the lower; and because the canonic handles the business of the world,
and the busy vicarious fulfils, by its obligations, divine matters, the
top line of windows shines bright with a ring of flowers around it,
which signifies the varying beauty of the world, the lower contains the
names of the holy fathers. The twin windows, which afford the rounded
blaze, are the two eyes of the Church, and rightly in these respects
seem to be, the greater the bishop, and the lesser the dean. The North
is Satan, and the South the Holy Ghost, which the two eyes look upon.
For the bishop looks upon the South to invite, but the dean upon the
North to avoid it. The one sees to be saved, the other not to be lost.
The brow of the church beholds with these eyes the candles of Heaven and
the darkness of Lethe. Thus the senseless stones enwrap the mysteries of
the living stones, the work made with hands sets forth the spiritual
work; and the double aspect of the Church is clear, adorned with double
equipage. A golden majesty paints the entry of the choir: and properly
in his proper image Christ crucified is shewn, and there to a nicety
the progress of His life is suggested. Not only the cross or image, but
the ample surface of the six columns and two woods, flash with tested
gold. The capitols{23} cleave to the Church, such as the Roman summit
never possessed, the wonderful work of which scarce the monied wealth of
Croesus could begin. In truth their entrances are like squares. Within
a rounded space lies open, putting to the proof, both in material and
art, Solomon's temple. If of these the perfection really stays, the
first Hugh's work will be perfected under a second Hugh. Thus then
Lincoln boasts of so great a sire, who blessed her with so many titles
on all sides."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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